Great American Investments

1. Auflage 2026
ISBN: 978-1-394-43675-0
Verlag: John Wiley & Sons Inc

Buch, Englisch, 256 Seiten

Discover how America's boldest public investments transformed a nation and created opportunity

In Great American Investments, legendary investor Charles D. Ellis reveals the fascinating stories behind the decisions that shaped America. From the Louisiana Purchase that doubled the nation's size to Land Grant Colleges that democratized education, Ellis explores how bold investments in people, land, and infrastructure transformed a young country into a land of unprecedented opportunity.

Each chapter brings to life the passionate advocates, unlikely coalitions, and dramatic turning points behind investments like the National Institutes of Health, NASA's moon mission, Social Security, and the National Parks. Ellis illuminates a powerful pattern: when America invests in its future despite political gridlock and public skepticism, everyone benefits across generations.

Readers will also discover:

- The visionary leaders who dared to think beyond the next election cycle and the coalitions they built

- How Land Grant Colleges revolutionized American education by making higher learning accessible to ordinary citizens

- The dramatic turning points that made the National Institutes of Health a force for medical breakthroughs

- Why Social Security succeeded in providing dignity and security for generations of American retirees

- Lessons from NASA's moon mission about what ambitious national investment can achieve when vision meets commitment

Perfect for investors, history enthusiasts, policy professionals, and anyone interested in understanding how bold public investments built modern America, Great American Investments offers timeless lessons about vision, persistence, and the enduring returns of investing in a nation's future.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Ellis, Charles D.

Fachgebiete

• Wirtschaftswissenschaften Finanzsektor & Finanzdienstleistungen Anlagen & Wertpapiere

Inhaltsverzeichnis

PREFACE IX
INTRODUCTION XI

CHAPTER 1 SOCIAL SECURITY 1
CHAPTER 2 ERIE CANAL 25
CHAPTER 3 LOUISIANA PURCHASE 45
CHAPTER 4 ALASKA PURCHASE 57
CHAPTER 5 NATIONAL PARKS 65
CHAPTER 6 GI BILL 79
CHAPTER 7 INTERSTATE HIGHWAYS 101
CHAPTER 8 LAND-GRANT COLLEGES 113
CHAPTER 9 NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH 125
CHAPTER 10 FOUNDATIONS 137
CHAPTER 11 THE NATIONAL GALLERY OF ART 153
CHAPTER 12 NASA 163
CHAPTER 13 THE INTERNET 169
CHAPTER 14 THE MARSHALL PLAN 179

BIBLIOGRAPHY 195
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 229
INDEX 231

Über Autor(innen)

Charles D. Ellis, a bestselling author of over 20 books, has helped to shape current investment thinking. He has been an advisor to governments, universities, foundations, and families about their investment strategies. He has taught at Harvard Business School, Yale School of Management and Yale College and was the founder of Greenwich Associates, which served financial institutions worldwide.