As an ongoing feature, staff members at the Des Moines Public Library will recommend a business-related book to add to your reading list. Find this and more books like it at any of the Des Moines Public Library’s six locations and online at dmpl.org. And find information on how to get a FREE library card and all its benefits at dmpl.org/get-carded.

Des Moines Public Library business book pick: “Becoming Elizabeth Arden: The Woman Behind the Global Beauty Empire,” by Stacy A. Cordery.

Why you should read it: This 2024 sweeping biography of one of the most influential entrepreneurs in American history exposes readers to the life and world of Florence Nightingale Graham, who turned herself into the titular cosmetic icon. Arden became one with her brand with an astounding rags-to-riches story, prospering during the Great Depression and pioneering new approaches to marketing and advertising that are still influential today.