Most personal finance books never discuss labor markets or public policy. In fact, many tell older people to work more—without recognizing the different life courses they may be on that they can’t control—or to forget about Social Security.

Here is a single-sit read than can change the course of a person’s work and retirement planning. It discusses the adult world of Social Security, limitations and opportunities in the world of work, and the pitfalls of do-it-yourself retirement plans.

Written by economics professor Teresa Ghilarducci, a retirement and savings specialist, and a trustee of two retiree health care trusts worth more than $54 billion, How to Retire with Enough Money cuts through the confusion, misinformation, and bad policy-making that keeps us spending or saving poorly.

The book begins by acknowledging what a person or household actually needs to have saved—the rule of thumb is eight to ten times your annual salary before retirement—and good strategies if you don’t have that kind of cash. And most people will not. It helps people understand how much to expect from Social Security.

Then it delivers the basic principles that will make the money grow, including a dozen good ideas to get current expenses under control. Why to get rid of your “investment advice guy” —those for-fee (or hidden-fee) financial planners who suck up valuable assets. Why it’s always better to pay off a loan or a mortgage.

This is not an ordinary personal finance book—most are narrow investment books. For example, the top nance books mostly ignore Social Security or the challenges and opportunities of work after age 65.

This is a book for everybody and all the roles people have in our modern society: We are consumers, workers, savers, investors, and voters. No other personal finance book covers all that.

How to Retire with Enough Money shows individuals and families how to act in all their roles to create a dignified old age. People can make wise savings, investment, and spending decisions, and should know how in their citizen role their votes affect Social Security and Medicare.

There are no gimmicks; there is no magical thinking—just an easy-to-follow program that works.

For more information on How to Retire with Enough Money, visit workman.com/ retire.