'Illusions' and 'Anxiety' This month's books can help you avoid myths and channel your stress.

In The Illusions of Entrepreneurship (Yale University Press, $26), business scholar Scott Shane debunks popular theories with research-based answers to questions such as why people start businesses, which industries are most popular for startups and what are the most common characteristics of the typical entrepreneur. Among the revelations: There are far more entrepreneurs than most people realize, and it doesn't take much money to start a business--the typical American business gets underway with less than $25,000. Perhaps most surprising is Shane's assertion that commercial banks are several times more likely than friends and family to lend startups money.