[ANH]

The eight books of the House of Niccolo series by Dorothy Dunnett. Swashbuckling 15th-century entrepreneurship. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_House_of_Niccol%C3%B2

And once you've finished that, there's a sequel series (actually written before the House of Niccolo): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lymond_Chronicles

[thenomad]

The first of the Lymond Chronicles, Game of Kings, is in the running for best (fiction) book I've read, never mind best fiction I've read this year.

However, yes, entrepreneurs in particular will love Niccolo.