Rich Dad, Poor Dad: What the Rich Teach Their Kids About Money--That the Poor and Middle Class Do Not!
by Robert T. Kiyosaki, Sharon L. Lechter
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (01 April, 2000)
list price: $16.95 -- our price: $11.53
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Editorial Review

Personal-finance author and lecturer Robert Kiyosaki developed his unique economic perspective through exposure to a pair of disparate influences: his own highly educated but fiscally unstable father, and the multimillionaire eighth-grade dropout father of his closest friend. The lifelong monetary problems experienced by his "poor dad" (whose weekly paychecks, while respectable, were never quite sufficient to meet family needs) pounded home the counterpoint communicated by his "rich dad" (that "the poor and the middle class work for money," but "the rich have money work for them"). Taking that message to heart, Kiyosaki was able to retire at 47. Rich Dad, Poor Dad, written with consultant and CPA Sharon L. Lechter, lays out his the philosophy behind his relationship with money. Although Kiyosaki can take a frustratingly long time to make his points, his book nonetheless compellingly advocates for the type of "financial literacy" that's never taught in schools. Based on the principle that income-generating assets always provide healthier bottom-line results than even the best of traditional jobs, it explains how those assets might be acquired so that the jobs can eventually be shed. --Howard Rothman ... Read more

Reviews (1624)

A Vital & Profitable Perspective

This book is a Charter Member of my Self-Help Collection.
I credit this book with getting me to the point where I
actually went out and bought my first house -- instead of
just thinking about it. That was a major turning point in
my financial career and in my life.

There are a number of KEY books that helped me to develop
the best aspects of myself as a man and as a person. This
book is one of those cornerstones of who I am. It is timeless,
universal, and comprehensive in its coverage of the subject
material.

Other books and self-help products which are on par with this book are:

NEW SEX NOW: Life's Ultimate Pleasure DVD
Giant Steps
Think & Grow Rich
How to Win Friends & Influence People
Self Matters
7 Spiritual Laws of Success
Ageless Mind, Timeless Body
THE 4 AGREEMENTS
The Power of Concentration
GODDESS WORSHIP dvd

I believe that anyone who wants to be a great person would do well to study all of the above very sincerely.

I just bought my copy at Costco!
Truthfully, I hate going into bookstores and I don't like to order from websites. On Friday night, my wife and I were shopping in our local Costco and what a treat it was for me to see that Costco is now offering most of the Rich Dad series! As I leafed through this great volume, I felt a breath of aliveness that I never had in a very long time!

Kiyosaki offers a strategy that works. I spent a large percentage of my weekend reading and finishing Rich Dad Poor Dad. Now I have to find the time to read the other volumes I bought; Cashflow Quadrant, Rich Dads Guide To Investing, Retire Young Retire Rich, Real Estate Riches, The ABC's of Real Estate Investing, Who Took My Money and and listen to the cd's in Real Estate Investor College by Dolf de Roos.

I am playing the cd's in my car and at home.

Robert Kiyosaki has something here. He is undoubtably the greatest financial genius since Charles Givens. By the way, I also recommend More Wealth Without Risk by the late great Mr. Givens which uncovers other financial strategies that you won't find anywhere else.

These books are highly recommended. Buy them from Amazon or Costco or pay more from your local bookstore.

It Could Pass
A fresh perspective to common sense information. At one point or another the ideas from this book have come across your mind or mentioned in your many conversations.Robert was smart enough to be the one to condense it attractively on a silver platter for us enjoy.Recommended. ... Read more

Isbn: 0446677450
Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Finance, Personal    4. Investments    5. Personal Finance    6. Personal Finance - General    7. Personal Finance - Investing    8. Rich people    9. Business & Economics / Personal Finance / Investing   

Die Broke : A Radical Four-Part Financial Plan
by Stephen Pollan, Mark Levine
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (01 October, 1998)
list price: $15.00 -- our price: $10.20
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Editorial Review

Baby boomers, forget all you've learned from your parents about managing your money, your career, and your life. In Die Broke, Stephan Pollan challenges readers to rethink their notions of workplace, money, retirement, and inheritance. He believes that most of us are rooted in thinking that's out of sync with the realities of today's economy. For example, according to Pollan, the "job" is not what it used to be--there's no such thing as corporate loyalty. Making it in today's workplace means putting your own interests first, not your company's. Pollan argues that you should do your best at work, but make sure you're getting the best deal financially. If you're not, then get another job. After all, it's only a job.

Die Broke is organized into two sections: the first lays out the principles for dying broke. Pollan bases his whole argument on these four maxims: quit today and work for yourself, not your company; pay cash, melt your credit cards, and don't even think about using your ATM card; don't retire, retirement is a relatively new concept created during the Depression, instead plan to work all your life, and; die broke, after all, you can't take it with you.

The second part looks at specific instances of how to put this philosophy into action, covering everything from "Automated Teller Machines and Cards" and "Umbrella Liability Insurance" to "Mortgage Loans" and "Real Estate Investment Trusts." The book draws on Pollan's experience as a financial and legal consultant and includes many examples from his own practice.

Some may find Pollan's views extreme. However, if you're starting to think about retirement or are at all worried about your financial future, Die Broke is worth a look. Even if you think you've got it all figured out, this book could change your mind. ... Read more

Reviews (49)

Finally, A Real Financial Argument
I'd strongly consider this book very carefully if I were you. This is not a book for the "Feel Good" crowd who thing they can save 10% for X amount ofyears, and retire at 55 like Donald Trump. Pollard, using very specific evidence, points out how that simply won't work for you anymore.

I've read several of the types of books outlined above - they're all the same; they all present superficial arguments cloaked in cutesy little stories; and they all are written for mass consumption designed to sell as many books to lemmings as possible. Don't be a lemming.

I've already implemented some of the ideas in the book like: pay cash. And I can see even that little reliance on 0% offers I used to have, has become a burden, when it runs out and the balance must be paid off. Interstingly Pollard likens this to drug dealers giving out free crack. And he's right, even someone as disciplined as myself (who always pays the balance in full) has had his self-control tested by these offers. I only mention this because of how irritatingly negative/sophomoric the previous reviewers comments were about paying off Credit. He is "a young Gen Xer" who has all the answers - probably with one Credit card for 1 year. Just wait - lets see how disciplined you are in the future with paying it off in full - just wait and see.

Great for Bankruptcy Recovery
As baby boomers that lost it all and is in the process of rebuilding our life, we found this book to be very helpful.In addition, it points out the hardest lesson that we've learned - your employer is not loyal to you and you can't count on them to take care of you.

This book isn't going to make you wealthy, and that is not its intent.This information in this book, paired with info from Suze Orman, are powerful tools for protecting yourself from future crises.

It isn't always right on the money, but it offers food for thought and practical advice.You won't find any book that has all the answers - if that were true, we'd all be rich.

Money talks...but all mine ever says is good-bye
"Die Broke" was an interesting read although not what I was looking for.

I got the broke part down years ago with out much effort. Now I just need to decide on how to best achieve the rest of the formula. ... Read more

Isbn: 0887309429
Subjects:  1. Accounting - General    2. Business & Economics    3. Business / Economics / Finance    4. Finance    5. Finance, Personal    6. Personal Finance    7. Personal Finance - Financial Planning    8. Personal Finance - General    9. Business & Economics / Finance   

Dig Your Well before You're Thirsty : The only networking book you'll ever need
by Harvey Mackay
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (16 February, 1999)
list price: $15.95 -- our price: $10.85
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Reviews (47)

A book with an invaluable message ... Network!!!
First of all let me start with the title ... very interesting title and probably apt title too for what the book is all about i.e. Social Networking. Network of Friends(your Well) is something that you need to dig(make Friends) way before you will ever need them(You're Thirsty).

The book can be divided in two logical parts ... part of the book is all about the importance of having a Social Network ... the other part is about how to establish and nurture your Social Network.

The Author has done a good job of emphasizing the importance of establishing Social Network(at times you might feel he has gone overboard ... but sometimes too much of something is good).

He has done equally good job of showing how to go about establishing and nurturing one's Social Network. Some of the suggestions are ... tapping into your alumini, colleagues, personal friends and anyone and everyone whom you meet during your lifetime.

I would surely recommend this book. Do read it when you get an chance ...

-Sachin

Mandatory Reading
Though not a political book, per se, it should be mandatory for every aspiring politician. It teaches you how to develop a network of friends who'll be there when you need them. One of the best ideas espoused in this book is that it's not how many people you know, but how well you know them that counts. Before I finished chapter one, I picked up the phone and called ten friends that I hadn't talked to in years.

Great Book!
Mr. Mackay scores big again with this book!"Dig Your Well before You're Thirsty" is a book you can't afford to be without! ... Read more

Isbn: 0385485468
Sales Rank: 10914
Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business Communication - General    4. Business networks    5. Business/Economics    6. Entrepreneurship    7. Human relations    8. Management - General    9. Social networks    10. Sociology - General    11. Business & Economics / General   

The Millionaire Next Door
by Thomas J. Stanley, William D. Danko
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (01 October, 1998)
list price: $15.00 -- our price: $10.20
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Editorial Review

How can you join the ranks of America's wealthy (defined as people whose net worth is over one million dollars)? It's easy, say doctors Stanley and Danko, who have spent the last 20 years interviewing members of this elite club: you just have to follow seven simple rules. The first rule is, always live well below your means. The last rule is, choose your occupation wisely. You'll have to buy the book to find out the other five. It's only fair. The authors' conclusions are commonsensical. But, as they point out, their prescription often flies in the face of what we think wealthy people should do. There are no pop stars or athletes in this book, but plenty of wall-board manufacturers--particularly ones who take cheap, infrequent vacations! Stanley and Danko mercilessly show how wealth takes sacrifice, discipline, and hard work, qualities that are positively discouraged by our high-consumption society. "You aren't what you drive," admonish the authors. Somewhere, Benjamin Franklin is smiling. ... Read more

Reviews (594)

If you really aspire to become a millionaire
This book is a Charter Member of my Self-Help Collection.
If you haven't read it yet, then you are probably still in
the process of getting to the Net Worth you truly desire.
And this book will be an eye-opener for you -- as it was
for me.It helped me with my choice of career, my choice
of spouse, and my personal mindset for making money.

There are a number of other KEY books that helped me to develop
the best aspects of myself as a man and as a person. This
book is a classic member of that collection. It is timeless,
universal, and very entertaining.

Other books and self-help products which are on par with this book are:

NEW SEX NOW: Life's Ultimate Pleasure DVD
Giant Steps
RICH DAD, POOR DAD
How to Win Friends and Influence People
Self Matters
7 Spiritual Laws of Success
Ageless Mind, Timeless Body
THE 4 AGREEMENTS
The Power of Concentration
GODDESS WORSHIP dvd

I believe that anyone who wants to be a great person would do well to study all of the above very sincerely.

Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?
+++++

This book, by Dr. Tom Stanley and Dr. Bill Danko, reveals the results of a survey that targeted wealthy people.Stanley and Danko explain:

"The research for [this book] is the most comprehensive ever conducted on who the wealthy are in America--and how they got that way.Much of this research was developed from the most recent survey we conducted [from May 1995 through January 1996] that, in turn, was developed from studies we had conducted over the previous twenty years.These studies included personal and focus group interviews with more than five hundred millionaires and surveys of more than eleven thousand high-net worth and/or high-income respondents."

What the authors discovered from their survey is found in this book.Perhaps most helpful to readers is that they discovered "seven common denominators [or principles used by] those who successfully build wealth."Be aware that, and Stanley and Danko emphasize this, there are no sure principles that one can follow to become wealthy.(In this book, the threshold level of being wealthy is having a net worth of $1 million or more.) However, the principles outlined in this book will guarantee that you are on the right track to becoming wealthy.The authors say this more eloquently:

"If you are willing to make the necessary trade-offs of your time, energy, and consumption habits [then] you can begin building wealth and achieving financial independence.[This book] will start you on this journey."

In this book, the reader studies the seven characteristics or principles of the wealthy.There are over thirty tables to supplement the written text as well as three appendices.Also, this book is quite easy and straightforward to read.

After reading this book, you should be able to answer many questions such as the following nine:

(1) Who are the wealthy?
(2) What is wealth?What is income?
(3) What are three words that profile the affluent?
(4) How do millionaires maintain their affluent status?
(5) How do most millionaires measure their success?
(6) Why are the two authors of this book, who are experts on wealth, not wealthy themselves?
(7) What should you do whatever your level of income?
(8) What is the number one income-consuming category among the affluent?
(9) You can predict if someone is a millionaire by the type of business they are in.True or false?

Finally, I found that this book can be boring and repetitive in parts.My suggestion is to skip over these boring parts.I found that the repetition was useful and even helpful to reinforce critical key concepts.

In conclusion, this book outlines the results of a survey of millionaires.Could the principles found in this survey help you become a millionaire?

(first published 1996;introduction;8 chapters;main narrative 245 pages;acknowledgements;3 appendices)

+++++

Heavy On Statistics, But A Good Book
"The Millionaire Next Door" takes an interesting look into the lives of millionaires in America in 1996.Unlike what most people think, the people who have the biggest houses, drive the fanciest cars, wear the most expensive clothes are in fact not millionaires and are also not wealthy.

Stanley and Danko observe what characteristics make up a wealthy person and why the people who we think are wealthy are in fact not wealthy.Mostly it boiled down to wealthy people are frugal and are more entrepreneurial than the upper class doctors, lawyers and executives.The people who look wealthy but in fact are not spend far too much of their money on consumer items to give the "look" of being wealthy, as opposed to investments.

My biggest beef with this book was it read like a specialized statistics textbook.They have packed a lot of statistics into this book, some useful, some not useful at all.That makes reading this book rather tedious at times.It also felt like the authors were drawing out some of the points longer than they needed to be.Being shorter and more concise potentially could have made this book easier to read.

Regardless, this book contains some excellent information that everyone should know about.If you are looking into increasing your wealth, you can't go wrong with this book.4 out of 5 stars. ... Read more

Isbn: 0671015206
Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business/Economics    4. Finance    5. Millionaires    6. Personal Finance - General    7. Rich people    8. United States    9. Wealth    10. Biography & Autobiography / Business   

How to Win Friends & Influence People
by Dale Carnegie
Average Customer Review:
Mass Market Paperback (15 February, 1990)
list price: $7.99 -- our price: $5.97
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Editorial Review

This grandfather of all people-skills books was first published in 1937. It was an overnight hit, eventually selling 15 million copies. How to Win Friends and Influence People is just as useful today as it was when it was first published, because Dale Carnegie had an understanding of human nature that will never be outdated. Financial success, Carnegie believed, is due 15 percent to professional knowledge and 85 percent to "the ability to express ideas, to assume leadership, and to arouse enthusiasm among people." He teaches these skills through underlying principles of dealing with people so that they feel important and appreciated. He also emphasizes fundamental techniques for handling people without making them feel manipulated. Carnegie says you can make someone want to do what you want them to by seeing the situation from the other person's point of view and "arousing in the other person an eager want." You learn how to make people like you, win people over to your way of thinking, and change people without causing offense or arousing resentment. For instance, "let the other person feel that the idea is his or hers," and "talk about your own mistakes before criticizing the other person." Carnegie illustrates his points with anecdotes of historical figures, leaders of the business world, and everyday folks. --Joan Price ... Read more

Reviews (371)

Buy friends and coerce people
This is a very funny book. It's not meant to be, but the ideas it tries to put across are machiavelian, childish and short sighted. The underlying theme is that one should do favours for others in order to receive the same from them: hardly a theme to build friendships on.

If you are currently paying people cash to be your "friend", you might find significant financial savings from the ideas in this book: you could be paying them in plenty of other ways.

It makes a great gag gift: you will find yourself passing this around to read out loud at parties.

A Charter Member of My Self-Help Collection
here are a number of KEY books that helped me to develop
the best aspects of myself as a man and as a person. This
book is one of those cornerstones of who I am. It is timeless,
universal, and comprehensive in its coverage of the subject
material.

Other books and self-help products which are on par with this book are:

NEW SEX NOW: Life's Ultimate Pleasure DVD
Giant Steps
Think & Grow Rich
Self Matters
7 Spiritual Laws of Success
Ageless Mind, Timeless Body
THE 4 AGREEMENTS
The Power of Concentration
GODDESS WORSHIP dvd

I believe that anyone who wants to be a great person would do well to study all of the above very sincerely.

It won me over.
Just a joy to read, this book is truly a classic. With its timeless stories the author uses to illustrate the principles of getting along with others, this book should be requires reading for all human beings. Other self-help books I liked include "The No-Beach, No-Zone, No-Nonsense Weight Loss Plan, A Pocket Guide To What Works."


... Read more

Isbn: 0671723650
Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business Communication - General    3. Business/Economics    4. Careers - General    5. Interpersonal Relations    6. Personal Growth - Success    7. Psychology    8. Psychology, Applied    9. Success    10. Self-Help & Practical Interests    11. Self-Help / General   

Loopholes of the Rich: How the Rich Legally Make More Money and Pay Less Tax
by Diane Kennedy, Robert Kiyosaki
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (01 June, 2001)
list price: $19.95
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Reviews (40)

Read it and weep
This book makes a lot of assumptions.It assumes that the reader is EXTREMELY well versed in corporate tax advantages.It assumes that the reader already owns a corporation.It assumes that the book will be read with a dictionary of financial terms close at hand.(It should be.The book is poorly written, with key terms lacking adequate defenition.)I support the Rich Dad series.It is a great way for a beginner to get their feet wet.This book assumes that the reader can already swim!Even the seasoned incorporator would probably not be pleased with this book.Tell you what, if you are considering buying this book, save yourself some money and just send me ten bucks.I'll then call you (on my own dime) and summarize the book for you.Oh, what the heck, I'll do it now, for free...surround yourself with a competent team of advisors.

Too much fluff & bad advice on MLMs
First on the fluff:

Ted and Ellen "story" adds about 40 pages of fluff just to give you a narrative of introducing time elements and slides detailing the pictures she is telling.40 extra pages for this purpose is bad.Save the 40 pages and we'd have a thinner, more "manual" approach.

Now on the MLMs:

What she doesn't tell you:

a) 98% of MLM participants fail (e.g., lose money)
b) Some of the people "telling you you can't do it" might be right!

She goes into the whole spiel about how if they haven't tried it, don't listen to them.Well, take it from every person whose been victimized by MLMs....they DO NOT WORK!

c) All the examples in the appendix of people she's helped use "MLM Opportunity".She purposely uses "opportunity" when sane people would say "Scheme".

Now then, other than those 2 issues, it's a fine review of business structures: S-Corp, C-Corp, Limited and General Partnerships, and Sole Props (to a degree LLCs as well). But you can search google.com and find this all out.

C-Corp: don't hold assets as personal suits can get at C-Corp assets...so she wants you to make the C-Corp a limited partner in a partnership....this is all over the internet..you don't need the book for that.

Be fair to yourself...try looking up MLM or Multi Level Marketing on the internet before buying this book.

mandatory for anyone who works for themselves
7 months ago, i graduated from college. two months ago, i was presented a business proposal. i was inches away from rejecting it, so i could find a "career" working for someone else. but thanks to this book, i am focusing on working for myself.

this book goes beyond common sense. i think i have great common sense, but this book is about strategy, which you don't learn from the public school system, your parents, even most of your college courses.

there are very detailed, interactive plans layed out in the book. there are financial sheets you can fill out to find where you are today, and where you want to be in the future. there are a list of questions to ask potential advisors. each chapter even summarizes itself, so if you're skeptical, scan the summaries at your local book store before you buy.

if you work part-time as an avon lady, you need this book. if you work in multi-level marketing, or opened a coffee shop, you need this book. this book is for anyone who spend at least 4-6 hours a week developing "self-employed" income. ... Read more

Isbn: 0446678325
Sales Rank: 84034
Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Corporations    4. Personal Finance    5. Personal Finance - Money Management    6. Personal Finance - Taxation    7. Tax planning    8. Taxation    9. Taxation - Corporate    10. United States    11. Business & Economics / Personal Finance / Taxation   

Cashflow Quadrant: Rich Dad's Guide to Financial Freedom
by Robert T. Kiyosaki, Sharon L. Lechter
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (01 April, 2000)
list price: $17.95 -- our price: $12.21
(price subject to change: see help)
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Reviews (223)

Too many people think of security instead of opportunity
A quote I used in a speech once says it all -- "Too many people are thinking of security instead of opportunity. They seem to be more afraid of life than death" - James F. Bymes

In the October 2003 issue my newsletter I reviewed, "Rich Dad, Poor Dad." Then I read "CASHFLOW Quadrant" which Kiyosaki's says is Part II in a three-part series. As I read the book I found it to be an "eye-opening" experience.

Financial success, or any other success for that matter, begins in the mind! The core idea is that there are four types of people in business: Employee, Self employed, Business Owner, and Investor. For quite some time I've advocated that Self-employed "Business Owners" are not really business owners because a business is a living entity unto itself and is not dependent on individuals. Kiyosaki takes that concept to the next level, explaining how employees (working for others or self) and business owners (and by extension, those who invest in businesses) think differently.

In the end it boils down to security versus risk. Employees are consumed with an overriding desire for security that they will stay in dreadful jobs rather than risk opening their minds to other opportunities. On the other hand, business owners and investors constantly seek new ideas and seize opportunities. One reason they are so successful is they do not try to do everything themselves. Instead, business owners and investors hire a team of professionals to assist in their quest for financial success. Kiyosaki says that "the true motto of a 'B' is, Why do it yourself when you can hire someone to do it for you, and they can do it better?"

"CASHFLOW Quadrant" is divided into three parts:

Part I - The CASHFLOW Quadrant. Maps out the E/S/B/I Quadrant to explain how Employees, Self-employed, Business Owners, and Investors think and behave differently.

Part II - Bringing Out The Best In You. Talks about how "Money is a drug." And how "A diet will not help if your thoughts do not change."

Part III - How To Be A Successful "B" and "I" Presents "THE 7 STEPS TO FINDING YOUR FINANCIAL FAST TRACK" which illustrates exactly how to take control of your mind and your financial freedom.

Whereas "Rich Dad, Poor Dad" offers inspiration, "CASHFLOW Quadrant is more about the "how-to's" of changing your view on work - hard or smart, and opening your mind to the unlimited possibilities surrounding each of us.

Michael Davis - Editor, Byvation

Simple yet Elegant
The concepts of The Cashflow Quadrant can change your life.
Like other MAJOR self-help products, the concept is deceptively simple, which contributes to its elegance and power.

This book is a Charter Member of my Self-Help Collection, along with a number of KEY books that helped me to develop
the best aspects of myself as a man and as a person.

Other books and self-help products which are on par with this book are:

NEW SEX NOW: Life's Ultimate Pleasure
Giant Steps
How to Win Friens and Influence People
Self Matters
7 Spiritual Laws of Success
Ageless Mind, Timeless Body
THE 4 AGREEMENTS
The Power of Concentration
GODDESS WORSHIP

I believe that anyone who wants to be a great person would do well to study all of the above very sincerely.

Great Info
In typical Kiyosaki fashion, Cashflow Quadrant gives the reader some extraordinary advice about building wealth. The cashflow quadrant is represented by four squares, where the E square represents Employee, S equals self-employed, B is business owner, and I is investor.

The interesting point is that while many self-employed people see themselves as business owners, Kiyosaki believes a self-employed person is somebody who owns their job. A business owner is somebody who controls a business, but is not tied to its day to day operations. For example, a doctor is self-employed, and is limited in his ability to grow in wealth by his ability to work, while not being able to replicate himself. The owner of a service company, on the other hand, is able to hire a manager, build control mechanisms, and esentially leave the day to day operations to others, while collecting portions of the profit and being free to build other businesses.

This book is highly readable and takes off where the first Rich Dad, Poor Dad ended. I recommend this book to any aspiring wealth builder. ... Read more

Isbn: 0446677477
Sales Rank: 185
Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Finance, Personal    4. Investments    5. Personal Finance    6. Personal Finance - Financial Planning    7. Personal Finance - Money Management    8. Business & Economics / Personal Finance / Money Management   

The Great 401(k) Hoax: What You Need to Know to Protect Your Family and Your Future
by William Wolman, Anne Colamosca
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (07 May, 2002)
list price: $26.00
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Editorial Review

"The 401(k) will turn out to be the greatest systemic financial hoax ever perpetrated on an unsuspecting public," write William Wolman and Anne Colamosca in the opening pages of this book of financial muckraking. They compare this popular form of retirement planning with the Dutch tulip mania of the 17th century, the South Sea Bubble of the 18th century, and the stock-market crash of 1929--and suggest that something worse is on the horizon for people who are planning to live their golden years off the proceeds of 401(k) investing. Wrongly believing that the boom years of the 1990s were typical, "most Americans do not have the resources to ride out the bad markets of the kind that we believe will prevail for the next decade," write Wolman (former chief economist for BusinessWeek) and Colamosca (a veteran journalist). They advise current investors to put their 401(k) money into bonds and believe companies should be banned from matching employee contributions with its own stock (a lesson they draw from the Enron debacle). The authors want even more, however: "What is needed is an FDR-style New Deal for the nation's pension system." The Great 401(k) Hoax is a piece of investment populism, potentially doing for the CNBC crowd what Donald L. Barlett and James B. Steele did for political junkies. --John Miller ... Read more

Reviews (21)

long-term view that public must heed
The great 401(k) hoax has a long-term view that is very sobering and that people must pay attention to. The public has been told that they will do best if they take care of their own pension plans -- this saves corporations billions of dollars!

sobering thoughts for babyboomers
This intelligent book lays out some startling truths for babyboomers about to retire --mamany of them have only a small stake in the stockmarket because their incomes may not have been particularly high and they will only have a tiny portion of what they will need later in their lives. It's a wake-up call to reinvent themselves and work longer, find more interesting work and keep bringing in income.

Hoax is a Hoax
Firstly - It's not that I disagree with everything in this book - it's just that it's mostly a editorial, and I disagree with most of it.It full of innuendoes and opinions and unlike that other reviewers - I do not think very will supported with facts.Their conclusions have no traction in real life - they suggest alternatives for people that even they acknowledge are not available.Further they display a total lack of knowledge of current pension law - i.e. ERISA.The authors are in dire need of some Prosac and if any unwary readers get a hand on this book, a lot of other people may as well.Poorly written and without substance.Read the funnies - I want my money back! ... Read more

Isbn: 0738206350
Subjects:  1. 401(k) plans    2. Accounting - General    3. Business & Economics    4. Business / Economics / Finance    5. Business/Economics    6. Investments    7. Personal Finance - 401k    8. Personal Finance - Investing    9. Planning    10. Retirement income    11. United States    12. Personal finance    13. USA    14. Business    15. Management   

One Up On Wall Street : How To Use What You Already Know To Make Money In The Market
by Peter Lynch, John Rothchild
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (03 April, 2000)
list price: $14.00 -- our price: $11.20
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Reviews (109)

A GIANT OF AN INVESTOR-a minature of a book
First time I was ever let down by Amazon. I've gone back a few times to look at the description of this item and have not seen it described as a little tiny minature of a very famous book. The book easily fits in your shirt pocket. It is filled with very important Lynch quotes, but it is very abridged. Not worth the time to return so I am 4.95 wiser.

Warning - this is a MINATURE book
This is *not* the full version.Check out the size and the number of pages and compare to other versions.Don't buy this book if you want the complete version.

Great book for long-term investors....
Decided to pick up this book after reading Kiyosaki's bestseller, Rich Dad, Poor Dad.I've lost a bit of money in the market (2001 - 2004, but who hasn't?) and resolved to myself that I would learn more about investing.Kiyosaki's recommendation was for Lynch's other book, "Beating the Street" but "One Up on Wall Street" looked more interesting and timely.

Given that I'm from the Boston area, I was already familiar with Peter Lynch and Fidelity Investments.Lynch's claim to fame was managing Fidelity's flagship mutual fund, Magellan, to stellar returns over many years.Lynch's advice in this book is based around the premise that most mutual fund managers while professionals, are often conservative in nature as compared to individual investors.They are bound to rules and regulations within their industry and trying to move a billion dollars worth of equities can be slow and tedious.Also their tendency to protect their capital and follow the pack means that most fund managers only perform adequately and don't really earn their pay.

According to Lynch, an informed and educated individual investor can match or beat most fund managers.He has a much better chance of beating these professionals if he looks for undervalued stocks and stays in for the long-haul.Not that much different from Warren Buffet's investing mantra, it's all about assets and earnings.Lynch recommends going for the smaller growth stocks with strong fundamentals to really impact your portfolio since they are typically under most fund managers' radar screens.Once they are discovered, you can ride the stock up as they take positions.Finding these diamonds in the rough requires a bit of screening and research but all the tools and information are now available to the average investor on the internet.Oftentimes, these diamonds are right under your nose, businesses that you are familiar with as an every-day consumer.

I really enjoyed Lynch's writing style, he mixes substantive graphs and real-life examples with self-deprecating wit and personal stories.It's comforting to know that even a investment guru like himself is capable of making (and learning from) mistakes.There are a handful of chapters and pages that are particularly useful providing broad guidelines and metrics that one should use when analyzing stocks.

The bottom line is if you want to make money investing, you need to identify what type of investor you are, do your research and homework on companies, invest in stocks that meet your criteria/goals and keep an eye on things.The work required is not insignificant but if you don't do your homework, you're better off going to Las Vegas and betting on red.Overall, Beating the Street is not only an enjoyable read but a really wonderful overview of how to create a personal investement strategy.I tip my hat to Mr. Lynch for this great primer,all beginner investors should have this book on their bookshelf... ... Read more

Isbn: 0743200403
Sales Rank: 3545
Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Financial Markets    4. Investment Finance    5. Investments    6. Investments & Securities - Stocks    7. Personal Finance    8. Personal Finance - Investing    9. Speculation    10. Stocks    11. Business & Economics / Investments & Securities   

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
by Stephen R. Covey
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (15 September, 1990)
list price: $15.00
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Editorial Review

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change was a groundbreaker when it was first published in 1990, and it continues to be a business bestseller with more than 10 million copies sold. Stephen Covey, an internationally respected leadership authority, realizes that true success encompasses a balance of personal and professional effectiveness, so this book is a manual for performing better in both arenas. His anecdotes are as frequently from family situations as from business challenges.

Before you can adopt the seven habits, you'll need to accomplish what Covey calls a "paradigm shift"--a change in perception and interpretation of how the world works. Covey takes you through this change, which affects how you perceive and act regarding productivity, time management, positive thinking, developing your "proactive muscles" (acting with initiative rather than reacting), and much more.

This isn't a quick-tips-start-tomorrow kind of book. The concepts are sometimes intricate, and you'll want to study this book, not skim it. When you finish, you'll probably have Post-it notes or hand-written annotations in every chapter, and you'll feel like you've taken a powerful seminar by Covey. --Joan Price ... Read more

Reviews (582)

Good Principles to Live By!
These are good principles to live by.Covey reveals the principles people use who are at the very highest levels of success.My boyhood hero Bart Starr is a big fan of Covey's seven principles, how can I go wrong?? If you think seriously about these ideas, your life is bound to improve in the long run.It will make you realize it is YOU and only YOU who can change the course of your life.With patience and perseverence, a person cannot lose.Thanks Stephen for your advice.

Jeffrey McAndrew
author of "Our Brown-Eyed Boy"

Difficult - Beyond the Point

Seven Habits of Highly Effective People is full of interesting points and the habits are laid out in an intelligent and easy to follow manner.Even if you go into this book knowing, on some level, all of the habits and their respective value, the mere presentation of them will spark motivation, or at least insight.

The really difficult part of this book is not the content or even the application (though difficult it is sure to be) but the suspension of cynicism.For me the hardest part of getting into, through, and out of this book was ignoring my overly critical instincts and taking the book for what it is--gleaning such insight as is available.

If the reader is willing to suspend cynicism and just blindly (more of a premeditated willingness) apply the tenets to their life, this can, and probably will be a life changing work in a positive way.

Addresses the Core of Our Character
The 7 Habits of Highly Successful People has been a bestseller in the field of personal development since its publication in 1989. A new fifteenth anniversary edition was recently published. I bought my copy in 1994 and it's been one of my most referenced books ever since, second only to my dictionary, I think.

Unlike other self-help books, The 7 Habits of Highly Successful People has a timeless quality to it, as if it is addressing the core of what makes us human beings. It is not a quick-pick-me-up kind of book, and because of that, some may find it dryer and more difficult than the latest pop psychology best-seller. Covey does not speak down to the reader; he expects the reader to pay a reasonable price in time and energy for the knowledge he imparts. But his personality comes through in the sincerity and earnestness of his message, not to mention the numerous examples he uses from his own life (he and his wife have nine children, a sufficiently large enough data sample from which to draw plenty of examples that are both on-point and quite funny).

The individual habits are invaluable. They are explained clearly and compellingly, and by the end of each chapter, the value of each habit seems as fundamental as the value of oxygen. Exercises accompany each chapter so the reader can begin applying the lessons and building the habits.

But my favorite lesson comes from the overall structure of the seven habits. The first three habits are the habits of Private Victory, the habits of independence: Be Proactive; Begin with the End in Mind; Put First Things First. The second three habits are the habits of Public Victory, the habits of interdependence: Think Win/Win; Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood; Synergize. Covey shows us that there is a natural evolution from dependence to independence to interdependence. Independence will serve you up to a point. Then it is necessary to collaborate if you want to continue to grow. An interdependent relationship creates a synergy that is greater than the sum of its parts.

And the final habit is the habit of renewal, which Covey calls Sharpening the Saw, a metaphor so vivid it needs no further explanation.

©2005 Curtis G. Schmitt

(The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People is featured in the Turn On to Life! home-study course. The Turn On to Life! Free Newsletter features a new self-help book review each month.) ... Read more

Isbn: 0671708635
Subjects:  1. Business / Economics / Finance    2. Business Life - General    3. Character    4. Management - General    5. Motivational    6. Personal Growth - Success    7. Psychological aspects    8. Self-Help    9. Success    10. Business & Economics / General   

Rich Dad's Prophecy: Why the Biggest Stock Market Crash in History Is Still Coming... and How You Can Prepare Yourself and Profit from It!
by Robert T. Kiyosaki, Sharon L. Lechter
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (09 October, 2002)
list price: $21.95 -- our price: $14.93
(price subject to change: see help)
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Reviews (99)

Rich Dad Prophecy by Kiyosaki
This work warns of the coming increase in the retirement population throughout the world. The baby-boom retirement will create both opportunities and challenges. The opportunities will
be to grow markets to serve the new customer mix. The threats
will be underfunded pension and retirement accounts.

The author provides the next decade as the time to be careful financially. Although he recognizes that
many investors are educated, there is a difference between school and street smart investing. The book encourages us to invest cautiously and conservatively in mutuals while diversifying to avoid excess pockets of unacceptable risks. The author encourages us to diversify and invest in real estate over the long term.
This is an important work which will assist in long term planning
for early retirement or mid-term corrections in the portfolio
strategy to avoid catastrophic losses. The price is reasonable
considering the value of the information presented.

A Must Read for Everyone
Thank goodness President Bush learned the principles of this book!!!This book predicts and describes all of the problems with the Social Security system, and tells you why it has to be changed.Read it and realize that if we don't make the changes like President Bush is proposing, we could all be broke in less than 15 years!Everyone MUST read this book to protect themselves, their families, and everything they've ever worked for.

Much less here than promised
I have read this book as well as "Rich Dad, Poor Dad".

While Kiyosaki has some valid points: financial education is woefully inadequate, it is best to avoid debt, purchase income-generating assets, there is not much else here to commend itself to the reader.

That is, unless you want to join Kiyosaki in honoring his "Rich Dad". Rich Dad is surely an entrepeneur with a lot of common sense but he is not a prophet. He may be worthy of respect, but not worship.

Kiyoaki's writing style is mind-numbingly repetitive and taunting - continually hinting at the scret-he-is-about-to-reveal and never quite delivering on that promise.

ERISA has influenced companies to change from defined benefit plans to defined contribution plans but the real driving force is not conspiracy - it's financial: defined benefit plans are very expensive and place a tremendous fiduciary responsibility on the company. 401k plans and other defined contribution plans are less expensive to administer and put more of the financial liability on the participant, instead of the company.

Now this is neither evil nor disastrous in itself. It is up to each investor to fully participate in and wisely manage their 401k plans. Just because the Baby Boomer generation will be retiring does not in and of iteself mean a meltdown in the capital markets. Although it will certainly cause some big changes!

For a more complete treatment of this topic in a rational, studied manner, I recommend Harry S. Dent's work; especially the "Next Great Bubble Boom." available on amazon.com and better bookstores.

... Read more

Isbn: 0446530867
Sales Rank: 8304
Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Finance, Personal    4. Investments    5. Personal Finance    6. Personal Finance - Financial Planning    7. Personal Finance - General    8. Retirement income    9. Stock exchanges    10. Business & Economics / Personal Finance / General   

No Logo : Taking Aim at the Brand Bullies
by Naomi Klein
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (08 December, 2000)
list price: $17.00
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Editorial Review

We live in an era where image is nearly everything, where the proliferation of brand-name culture has created, to take one hyperbolic example from Naomi Klein's No Logo, "walking, talking, life-sized Tommy [Hilfiger] dolls, mummified in fully branded Tommy worlds." Brand identities are even flourishing online, she notes--and for some retailers, perhaps best of all online: "Liberated from the real-world burdens of stores and product manufacturing, these brands are free to soar, less as the disseminators of goods or services than as collective hallucinations."

In No Logo, Klein patiently demonstrates, step by step, how brands have become ubiquitous, not just in media and on the street but increasingly in the schools as well. (The controversy over advertiser-sponsored Channel One may be old hat, but many readers will be surprised to learn about ads in school lavatories and exclusive concessions in school cafeterias.) The global companies claim to support diversity, but their version of "corporate multiculturalism" is merely intended to create more buying options for consumers. When Klein talks about how easy it is for retailers like Wal-Mart and Blockbuster to "censor" the contents of videotapes and albums, she also considers the role corporate conglomeration plays in the process. How much would one expect Paramount Pictures, for example, to protest against Blockbuster's policies, given that they're both divisions of Viacom?

Klein also looks at the workers who keep these companies running, most of whom never share in any of the great rewards. The president of Borders, when asked whether the bookstore chain could pay its clerks a "living wage," wrote that "while the concept is romantically appealing, it ignores the practicalities and realities of our business environment." Those clerks should probably just be grateful they're not stuck in an Asian sweatshop, making pennies an hour to produce Nike sneakers or other must-have fashion items. Klein also discusses at some length the tactic of hiring "permatemps" who can do most of the work and receive few, if any, benefits like health care, paid vacations, or stock options. While many workers are glad to be part of the "Free Agent Nation," observers note that, particularly in the high-tech industry, such policies make it increasingly difficult to organize workers and advocate for change.

But resistance is growing, and the backlash against the brands has set in. Street-level education programs have taught kids in the inner cities, for example, not only about Nike's abusive labor practices but about the astronomical markup in their prices. Boycotts have commenced: as one urban teen put it, "Nike, we made you. We can break you." But there's more to the revolution, as Klein optimistically recounts: "Ethical shareholders, culture jammers, street reclaimers, McUnion organizers, human-rights hacktivists, school-logo fighters and Internet corporate watchdogs are at the early stages of demanding a citizen-centered alternative to the international rule of the brands ... as global, and as capable of coordinated action, as the multinational corporations it seeks to subvert." No Logo is a comprehensive account of what the global economy has wrought and the actions taking place to thwart it. --Ron Hogan ... Read more

Reviews (147)

It Changed My Life
Personaly i found this book the most enlightning book i have ever read. I have always considered myself a staunch (evil?) capitalist being a risk quant but since reading this book I have changed my ways, IT HAS CHANGED MY LIFE. I gave away all my clothes and now mainly wear environmentally friendly hemp, my shoes are made by workers earning decent wages I eat mainly lentils and am fitter, thinner and happier than I ever was before - the only problem is at work i still act the same as normal "comming out" as a reformed capitalist (leftist?) is the next big step wish me luck!

I went for radical and found ridiculous
I like many people am frustrated with the times we live in and i started reading this book hoping for some answers/solutions/new ideas, and i didn't get much of anything. It's the same ideas over and over again, nothing new, nothing enlightening. I found klein jumps to conclusions and has a very conspiracy theoryish apporach to the whole thing. I found the way she praises the "culture jammers" ridiculous. if you're looking for a book with new insights, try reading The Rebel Sell - while it's a far from perfect book it has a very unique way of looking at things, and as opposed to reading things you already know, you can learn to look at things from a different perspective.

Good Starting Point For Wider Discussion
The phenomenon of corporate cultural dominance is of fairly recent origin.I highly recommend the book for a discussion of this.

Naomi Klein presents a good description of how much of a presence multinational corporations have become in our lives.The material is well organized and very readable and although presented from a specific point of view alternative viewpoints are presented.

To me the book raises more questions than it answers, but I do not mean that as a criticism.The book shows how corporations have moved into every facet of our lives, how their presence has become inescapable.Some questions raised are: Just how bad is this?What have we sacrificed in becoming a society of consumers? Why have we allowed it to happen?Is pop culture the only culture? What is the alternative?

The book closes by talking mainly about sweatshops.This was a little disappointing because in going after this easy target it failed to address the other issues that were presented.A visit to the author's Web site was also a bit of a letdown because it focuses only on the war in Iraq. ... Read more

Isbn: 0312271921
Subjects:  1. Advertising & Promotion    2. Business & Economics    3. Business / Economics / Finance    4. Business/Economics    5. International - Economics    6. International - Marketing    7. Labor    8. Business & Economics / Economics / General   

Rich Dad's Retire Young, Retire Rich
by Robert T. Kiyosaki, Sharon L. Lechter
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (15 January, 2002)
list price: $17.95 -- our price: $12.21
(price subject to change: see help)
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Reviews (113)

Listen to the audio of Rich Dad Poor Dad but read this one
This is one of my favorites from The Rich Dad Poor Dad series. Although I find Robert's work often too generalized, he puts some broadbased tactical information in this book. I've found with all of Kiyosaki's books and tapes you have to get repeated exposure to get everything out of them. If you've already been investing and/or building a business you may find this a bit too topical but I still found it useful.

Bill White
Pres/CEO
thebiggestdeal.com
and cofounder of sleepyourwaytoriches.com

Another Great Book by Robert
True to the Rich Dad Poor Dad series, this is another book you have to read if you want to become rich and to enjoy life.

Yes money can't buy happiness but it can buy you the TIME you need to do the things you really want to do. In that sense time is truly worth more than gold.

This is one of the books that will open up possibilities in your head, which is very important because if in you cannot imagine becoming a millionaire in the future then you will prove yourself right.

I see a lot of people (some of them my friends) wasting their time on useless, directionless, completely wasteful activities and then they wonder why nothing is happening to them. My advice is to follow Rich Dad's Three Paths to great wealth.
1.Increase your business skills
2.Increase your money management skills
3.Increase your investment skills

If the word investment or the other items above sounds technical and intimidating for you then this book is a big help because it is an easy and fun read.

Doesn't worth a penny
This guy remember me that OLD true story Of a man who promised to make gold but nerver did, and others gave him tons of money, in the hope he was going to make gold FOR THEM, through some special talent, but acttualy it waS A TRAP TO STEAL OTHERS MONEY. That is a huge fraud.
He shows no proof that he is as rich as he says and that he does all the transactions he claims in his book.

As an Administration student i feel sick when i remember i gave this guy and his crowd my money by buing one of his books. ... Read more

Isbn: 0446678430
Sales Rank: 1474
Subjects:  1. Accounting - General    2. Business & Economics    3. Business / Economics / Finance    4. Finance, Personal    5. Financial security    6. Personal Finance    7. Personal Finance - Financial Planning    8. Personal Finance - General    9. Personal Finance - Retirement Planning    10. Retirement income    11. Wealth    12. Business & Economics / Personal Finance / Investing