What's new on the bookshelf: check out our two latest editions. (B.E. Books).

As you make your list of wise ways to begin the new year, don't overlook the guidance and inspiration that can come from great books. Rounding out a series that is designed to motivate as well as educate, BLACK ENTERPRISE Books has two great new titles out this month.

In the Black: A History of African Americans on Wall Street, by Gregory S. Bell, sheds light on a vital and fascinating part of our history that has been completely neglected until now. With his first book, Bell breaks new ground in exploring the earliest attempts of African Americans to penetrate the financial industry, paying special attention to those gutsy black entrepreneurs who deigned to start their own financial companies alongside established powerhouses such as SalomonSmithBarney and Merrill Lynch.

In so doing, Bell follows in the footsteps of his own father, Travers Bell, who co-founded Daniels & Bell, the first black-owned member firm of the New York Stock Exchange. Following the elder Bell's sudden death in 1988, the firm collapsed, leaving in its wake scandal and deep disappointment. In writing this book, Gregory Bell refuses to let that be the final word on the legacy and achievements of his father and those who carved the pioneering path with him. According to Alexis Herman, former U.S. Secretary of Labor, "In the Black is an enlightening story about profits, losses, and the triumph of the human spirit."

Also just released, the Black Enterprise Guide to Building Your Career, by Cassandra Hayes, is a don't-miss resource whether you're about to launch your career or looking to build upon an established one. (See "Make Yourself Accountable," this issue, for the excerpt.)

Hayes, an award-winning former BE senior editor and career development expert, offers us a book that is one-stop-shopping for all of the how-to information that is critical to building a successful career. From deciding which career path is right for you (including the entrepreneurial path) to negotiating your best salary package, nailing your job interview and navigating career transitions, Hayes gives you step-by-step advice on the right moves to make and those to avoid on the road to success. She weaves all of this together with a wealth of instructive questionnaires and aptitude summaries as well as inspiring profiles.

Whether you are just starting out or starting over, the BE Guide to Building Your Career can help give your career the jump-start it needs. Also, get your history of African Americans on Wall Street from In the Black. Log on to www.blackenterprise.com to order your copies.

Black Enterprise Unlimited is a division of Earl G. Graves Ltd. dedicated to the creation of products and services designed to meet your business needs. We can be contacted at B.E. Unlimited, 130 Fifth Ave., New York, New York 10011-4399; fax: [phone]; e-mail: [e-mail]. Following is the contact information to help you learn more about the programs and products of B.E. Unlimited:

BLACKENTERPRISE.COM

Check out the latest features and links at the new and improved www.blackenterprise.com. Not only can you track your portfolio but you can customize your own Web page at My Blackenterprise.com.

BLACK ENTERPRISE/AXA ADVISORS SKI CHALLENGE

For more information on the 2002 Black Enterprise/AXA Advisors Ski Challenge, February 13-18. 2002, at the Vail Cascade Resort & Spa in Vail, Colorado, visit our Website at www.blackenterprise.com.

BLACK ENTERPRISE ENTREPRENEURS CONFERENCE

For more information on the Entrepreneurs Conference, May 15-19, 2002, at the Opryland Hotel in Nashville, Tennessee, call 800-543-6786.