Stanford University Press Blog:

These days, we all know someone in need of a little friendly personal finance advice (indeed, some of us might count ourselves among them!). Sure, financial advice columns abound, but they generally only address one issue at a time. Where do we turn, in the absence of our own personal guru, for advice on all of life's money questions? Bob Aliber's completely revised and updated Your Money and Your Life has the answers.

David Warsh, long-time financial guru and "Economic Principals" columnist at the Boston Globe, has this to say about "Your Money and Your Life" in his economicprincipals.com, his on-line, independent weekly commentary on the production and distribution of economic ideas:

"Wondering whether to buy a new car or one that has been slightly used? To prefer public to private education? To rent or buy? To load up on insurance? To annuitize or not? Curious about how to construct a bond ladder? Anxious about senior health care? Aliber is full of wisdom on all these counts and more."

The perfect stocking stuffer for your financially challenged friends and family!

Wondering what to buy for those difficult-to-please friends or family members on your holiday gift list? We respectfully suggest Five Plays, by Anton Chekhov, in a brilliant new translation by Marina Brodskaya, with an introduction by Tobias Wolff. Russophiles, Drama Queens and Lovers of Great Literature will thrill to Brodskaya's new interpretation, which has already won high praise from both scholars and actors (Peter Saarsgard no less!) alike. What's more, the translation includes previously mistranslated and omitted passages which reveal the nuances, music, and rhythm of the Russian language. Brodskaya allows us to understand what Russian speakers already do: Chekhov possessed an unparalleled sense of humor that made its presence felt in all of his works. (Three Sisters a comedy? Who knew?)

Some gossippy tidbits to share while you are being showered with praise and thanks for finding the perfect gift? Brodskaya, born and raised in Leningrad/St. Petersburg, was labeled a traitor and enemy of the state by her high school (!), after which she was tried and expelled and offered a car, an apartment, and a ticket to Siberia to “find herself.” Thank goodness for us she found herself instead in Philadelphia, and is now a translator, teacher, and interpreter in Northern California.

Check back for more gift-giving ideas from SUP.