A few of the best new business tomes:

1. Branding Yourself: How to Use Social Media to Invent or Reinvent Yourself (2nd edition), by Erik Deckers and Kyle Lacy, gives practical tips for attracting business via sites such as Facebook.

2. Simple, by Alan Siegel and Irene Etzkorn, uses simplicity as a business axiom. (The authors have streamlined operations at the NBA and Xerox.)

3. Leadership Isn’t for Cowards: How to Drive Performance by Challenging People and Confronting Problems, by Mike Staver, centers on courageous leadership, defined as “being rigorous in the application of your values through the company culture.”

4. The Secrets of Economic Indicators: Hidden Clues to Future Economic Trends and Investment Opportunities (3rd edition), by Bernard Baumohl, translates economic markers into business predictions.

5. LinkedIn for Business: How Advertisers, Marketers and Salespeople Get Leads, Sales and Profits From LinkedIn, by Brian Carter, outlines six steps for your company.