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What if business and social and environmental responsibility did mix? What Matters Most is a delightful and courageous book that rolls together the values, leadership traits, business practices, and stories of the trend toward "responsible business." Hollender is CEO of Vermont-based Seventh Generation, poster child for showing a corporate conscience, that practices sustainability reporting, transparency and responsibility.

The tension between what counts and what gets counted (traditionally, only fiscal results get counted ... everything else is an "externality") has been the source of many real-world struggles, lessons learned and even occasional breakthroughs. This book is a fine and detailed compendium of these stories, players, and trends. Here are some of the issues and answers presented in an interesting way. 240 pages; $18.20 at 30% off.

Book website: http://www.whatmattersmost.biz/

Nattrass, Brian; Altomare, Mary; Naijrass, Brian (1999), (Conscientious Commerce).  222 pages, New Society Publishing, $16.95. This book clearly explains the powerful framework of The Natural Step, a scientific definition of sustainability, but also gives some excellent practical examples of major corporations starting down the path towards sustainability. This will give them a great competitive edge. With such examples, one can remain optimistic in the face of the torrent of negatives about the degenerating nature of the world environment. Includes many "how to" implement tips and ideas.

Paul Hawken, Amory Lovins and L Hunter Lovins. 396 pages (2000), Back Bay Books, $14.36.  In Natural Capitalism, these three top strategists show how leading-edge companies are practicing "a new type of industrialism" that is more efficient and profitable while saving the environment and creating jobs.  The authors write that in the next century, cars will get 200 miles per gallon without compromising safety and power, manufacturers will relentlessly recycle their products, and the world's standard of living will jump without further damaging natural resources. "Is this the vision of a utopia? In fact, the changes described here could come about in the decades to come as the result of economic and technological trends already in place," the authors write.

Paul Ray, Ph.D., and Sherry Ruth Anderson, Ph.D.  370 pages (October 2000), Harmony Books. In this landmark and controversial book, sociologist Paul H. Ray and psychologist Sherry Ruth Anderson draw upon thirteen years of survey research studies on more than 100,000 Americans, plus more than 100 focus groups and dozens of in-depth interviews. They reveal who the Cultural Creatives are and the fascinating story of their emergence over the last generation, using vivid examples and engaging personal stories to describe their distinctive values and lifestyles.  Surprisingly, Cultural Creatives are both inner-directed and socially concerned; they're activists, volunteers, and contributors to good causes more often than other Americans. But because they've been so invisible, they are astonished to find out how many others share both their values and their way of life. Once they realize their numbers, their impact on America promises to be enormous, shaping a new agenda for the twenty-first century.

Ray Anderson. (February 1999), Chelsea Green Pub Co. Of value to business people, environmentalists, and educators alike, Mid-Course Correction is a business book about the enviornment that's written from a personal perspective. With passion and pride, Ray Anderson, Founder, Chairman and CEO of one of the world's largest interior furnishings companies, recounts his awakening to the importance of environmental issues and outlines the steps his petroleum-dependent company, Atlanta-based Interface, Inc., is taking in its quest to become a sustainable enterprise -- one that will never have to take another drop of oil from the Earth. Thought-provoking and thoughtful, Anderson's story is told from the heart.

Daniel Quinn. - 263 pages Reissue edition (July 1, 1995), Bantam-Turned, New York.

Christensen, Clayton M. (2000) Harperbusiness.  Christensen, a Harvard professor, details how great firms fail by doing everything "right."  Innovator's Dilemma demonstrates a paradox:  that the best of conventional good business practices can ultimately weaken a great firm.  There is a type of innovation that is discontinuous, that mainstream consumers initially reject.  Solution:  create a separate entity focused on the emerging market, one that is free to be visionary while courting an "unorthodox" customer base, staying poised to catch the next great wave of industry growth.

Paul Hawken.  272 pages Reprint edition (August 1994), Harperbusiness, $12.00.  Environmental and business sustainability are covered in depth. This is truly revolutionary in that Hawken illuminates a new vision of being not just for business but for humanity in general. Hawken's message is increasingly vital with each day's passing.  Radical, to be sure, but constructive suggestions

Sara Schley and Joseph Laur, 20 pages (1997) Pegasus Communications, Inc.

Robert J. Robinson and Mark Van Osnabrugge; Jossey-Bass, 2000, 320 pages.  Until recently, entrepreneurs and small-business owners were limited to borrowing money, attracting venture capitalists, or going public as ways of raising outside capital.  Now, though, as investors are willing to take on more risk and are looking for additional places to stake their money, "angel investing" has emerged as a phenomenon.  Angel investors are individuals who invest in companies that are usually overlooked by more traditional venture capital firms.

Angel Investing is packed with valuable information for serious fund-seekers who have exhausted the traditional three F's (founder, family and friends), as well as those who are considering entrepreneurial investments of their own.

Hall Brill, Jack A. Brill and Cliff Feigenbaum; Bloomberg Press, 1999, 363 pages. "Socially responsible investing," or SRI, once largely dismissed as a novelty for the politically correct, is now considered a smart and lucrative way for anyone to make money. In fact, The Domini 400, which is the main index of socially responsible investments, has outperformed the S&P 500 for the last eight years. Increasing social and environmental awareness has propelled SRI to a $1.3 trillion industry, representing nearly ten percent of all invested assets.

This is a book for all investors--across philosophic and economic strata--who want to see their values mirrored in their portfolios. This succinct guide is packed with practical advice on social investing.