Must Read Books of 2018

When we talk about the best books of 2018, there are a lot of books out there that really deserve a prize and a lot more than at least deserve an honorable mention. For the purposes of this article, we are going to look at the top vote-getters of the year and see what made them worthy of being at the top of the best of the best in 2018. These are the best books that 2018 gave us.

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A Crisis of Beliefs: Investor Psychology and Financial Fragility

This book helped to show a lot of people the reasons that we went through the economic crisis of 2008 and helps us to avoid making the same mistakes again. The authors of this book basically said that investors used the wrong type of Psychology when they were looking at the risks of the investments that they were going to make. According to the authors, if we are not careful, we could lead to this happening again if we are not careful.

Thinking in Bets: Making Smarter Decisions When You Don’t Have All the Facts

We all make calculated risks when we are betting at a casino, if we take that logic and apply it to everyday situations, then we can win at life just like we win in a casino. This is explained in great detail and helps the reader understand the thinking behind this theory. It really is a great read that a person should look at a reading next year to make some big changes in their life.

Fire Sermon

This tends to give the readers a unique look into the way that we perceive the world around us. One of the analogies that are used is that some days are furniture that all blends in together and brings the elements in our life together while other days represent different types and colors of furniture that tend to lead to there being constant chaos in our lives.

Network Propaganda: Manipulation, Disinformation, and Radicalization in American Politics

While there are a lot of books out there covering this subject, this is by far the one that you really need to make sure you read. It gives the reader an insight that they might not have otherwise had and shows the reader the way that things in our day to day lives can really have an impact into how the political machine really runs. If you are a political junkie, then this book will be a goldmine of facts and insight that you might not get anywhere else or even think about for that matter.

As you have been shown, there are a lot of books out there that really got peoples attention, but these were the ones that really got people talking about the book and helped to bring a new world of reading to those that may have just glazed over these books had they not been made aware of them. What were some of your books of 2018 that you felt were deserving of being on this list?

Three Hot Stocks to Watch in December

3 Stocks That Are Rising and May Continue To Rise

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There has much volatility in the stock market in 2018. But in spite of this, the S&P 500 is only up to a little more than 3% this year. Though that does not mean that there have not been stocks that have soared. These 3 stocks, in particular, have more than doubled during 2018, and some believe that they may continue to rise:

1. Twillo (NYSE:TWLO)

Twillo is a cloud platform that lets software companies send and receive phone calls and text messages programmatically in their apps. The stock is up a whopping 300% for the year, and with good reason. Their API has become standard for developers of web and mobile apps. This year alone, the number of software developers using Twillo has increased by more than 30%.

One of only a dozen stocks to quadruple in value this year, Twillo saw its revenue rise nearly 70% in its latest quarterly earnings. This was far ahead of expectations, and many expect that — with the holiday season upon us — the company will be able to keep up its momentum and perhaps even exceed it.

2. SeaWorld Entertainment (NYSE:CVNA)

Seaworld is up an impressive 110% for the year. The venerable amusement park operator seems lightyears away from the 2013 documentary “Blackfish,” which made marine park operators punching bags for a variety of animal rights activists. While these activists have not completely gone away, customers have returned with a vengeance.

For the first time since the release of the film, both revenue and attendance are up at Seaworld, and they are up by considerable amounts. Attendance there is up nearly 10% for the year, outpacing other park operators, and revenue increases are even greater. Some analysts believe that this trend will continue in the near future. This is based on the fact that Seaworld’s competitors in the Southern California and Central Florida areas have been raising admission prices considerably. This will let SeaWorld do the same, especially as it is no longer feeling the heat from consumers it once felt.

3. New Age Beverages (NASDAQ:NBEV)

Rising 113% for the year, New Age Beverages has benefited from one of this year’s biggest investment trends: cannabis. The legalization of marijuana in various forms across the country has created lots of opportunities for aggressive companies. New Age Beverages began its sharp rise in September after it announced that it would introduce beverages that have been infused with cannabidiol (CBD).

At one time, the company’s stock had increased almost sixfold. While it has since lost about half of these gains, the company recently announced that it has acquired Morinda for $85 million. Morinda generates nearly $250 million in annual revenue, with its Tahitian Noni-Juice available in 60 countries around the world. Analysts think that the acquisition will help New Age Beverages expand its reach to new international markets. This along with the brand awareness the company received from its cannabis announcement could help New Age Beverages keep soaring.