Required Reading: Who's on your list?
For me, I really like James Grant and Robert Shiller. Two guys that have the discipline and guts to call it the way it is. Grant has written some great books, fascinating reads especially The Trouble With Prosperity. Shiller's Irrational Exuberance volumes one and two were very good, and very timely. I appreciate how they both study history and make great analogies. I've thought about subscribing to the Interest Rate Observer.
For business practices, I especially like Harvey MacKay. His book How To Swim With The Sharks Without Being Eaten Alive is my all time favorite biz book.
So, what do you like, who do you TRUST?
Who I trust:
Required reading (just the Wiki link, not the book):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Small_Is_Beautiful
Excerpt: " ... since consumption is merely a means to human well-being, the aim should be to obtain the maximum of well-being with the minimum of consumption.... The less toil there is, the more time and strength is left for artistic creativity. Modern economics, on the other hand, considers consumption to be the sole end and purpose of all economic activity. "
This thinker offers a foundation for post industrial America. Innovation and small business are the future, and that is why the future is bright for planners and our profession.
I have always enjoyed Christensen's books on innovation. Same with Pfeffer's books on power in organizations.