Rating:  Summary: The best practical advise I've received in decades Review: This is a great book with excellent practical advise for all those middle class, hard-working Americans caught in the great rat race! It is mandatory reading for my whole family now.
Rating:  Summary: Load of Tripe Review: This book is a complete dissapointment. No real information on investment/wealth building. Full of "great" advice such as "Sign up for seminars", "Stay out of debt". Duh. The narrative style is odd, he keeps refering to some presumably fictionalized rich dad. Terrible.
Rating:  Summary: Could be a lot shorter... but his point is good Review: I'm always a little annoyed when someone repackages good ideas which have been around for some time, and lo and behold, has a bestseller on his hands. Of course, if it were that simple, I'd be on a beach somewhere in Hawaii next to Robert Kiyosaki. Nevertheless, the book makes many less-than groundbreaking points including:...if you can take a risk, you don't really need (a lot of) money to make money ...if you spend a raise before you get it, or even shortly thereafter, you will always be living paycheck to paycheck ...Charles Schwab knew something a lot of other people didn't (read his biography) The most annoying thing about the book, for me, was the storytelling in the first two chapters. The same theme is repeated about 6 times, when once would have been enough for someone who is reasonably intelligent and doesn't have lots of time to spare. Eventually I started to skim. I'm sure Kiyosaki's second book could have been condensed into these two chapters instead, but his publisher saw an opportunity for extra profit. All of that having been said, everyone who's serious about making some money needs to start somewhere, and this is where I began. The book reviews the basics, points you toward more tools for learning (not all good - read the reviews on "Inc and Grow Rich"), and for me, started me thinking about real estate investing. But again, if you're serious, you'll need a lot more ammunition before you're ready to begin pulling the trigger. Happy hunting.
Rating:  Summary: A large impression book Review: I am a final year marketing student in City University of Hong Kong. I found this book influenced me very much. In the very begining, the author asks us not to focus on job if we want to earn money. It asks us to focus on the skill of the job. The concept "study hard and get a good job will earn more money" is not suitable in this century. It just makes you to pay more bills later. That is the "rat race". Actually, in the real life, my father and mother ask me to study hard for the purpose to get a good job when grow up so that I can earn lots of money. I believe it is true and never doubt this concept. This view is very common especially in Chinese society. After I read this book, I really doubt whether the original concept is true or not. This book does not ask people not to work hard and lazy. It justs ask people to work for learn but not work for money. The author asks people to work hard not for the job but for the skills. He thinks that there are four skills that you should have if you want to earn a lot of money. That is financial knowledge, investment strategies, market and law regulations. If you can use those skills smoothly, you have the ability to earn lots of money. He also uses lots of his personaly experience to illustsrate the concept. He also lost money in his investment but he emphaize this experience brought him to success. This is a book that I highly recommend to other youngster. If you work for learn, you will have a better future.
Rating:  Summary: Mr. Kiyosaki is rich b/c of his books, not b/c of his wisdom Review: Worst financial book I have ever read. This book should be used for HS kids. I found it funny how Mr Kiyosaki claims he paid 3.5 million for his house...yet the tax records show it was nearly 1/3 of that. You would be better to buy 1 share of stock...at least you have potential to get your money back. HAHA! Seriously...Don't buy this book.
Rating:  Summary: Very good book... Review: This book is great. But it is about ideas. It is about changing the way that you think about money, investing, and debt. It will not make you rich. Kiyosaki does not give you a formula or specific sequence of steps to become rich, but he is helping the common person (like me) get away from being only seen as a consumer. The idea that most helped me was the notion that your home is not an asset. He is not stating that you should not purchase a home, but he wants us to get away from the idea that when we get a raise or better paying job, we should puchase a new, more expensive house to get a tax break. A house is not an asset. It does not put money in your pocket if you had no other source of income. The book is a quick read and has good ideas.
Rating:  Summary: I like it Review: I fell in love with the book when I realized that the authors shared my philosophy of overcoming 'stalled' thinking. There is an excellent chapter on stalls related to fears of losing money, behaving differently than others, and so forth that most people have about money. The stallbusting advice is sound. In fact, this is probably the best chapter in the book. Also check out "Open Your Mind, Open Your Life" by Taro Gold.
Rating:  Summary: Paradigm shattering! Review: Somewhere in the back your mind, you knew there was something about money that you just weren't catching onto. Rich Dad, Poor Dad puts it all in perspective. If you have grown up believing that the American dream of a $60,000 per year job, a house, and a mortgage are all you need; then this book will shatter your dreams, anger you, or give you a whole now vision of what money is and how you should use it. This is one of the most elightening books I've ever read.
Rating:  Summary: Skeptics of the World Unite Review: Rich Dad, Poor Dad (RDPD) is one book that you have to read it to believe it. I ignored it at first, but now kicked myself for not picking it up earlier. I found the stories of little Bob and Mike boring too, but the punchlines were definitely worth a thought. Basically, if you are looking for a quick-fix, try howcanigetrichquick.com. This book just confirmed two things for me. One, learn to sell (hence read "How to become a Rainmaker"). Bob's encounter with the Singapore reporter is something very common here in this sunny side of town. Everyone here think they are a professional and their skills are worth a million bucks. Well, good luck. (email me if you don't agree) Two, be too quick to judge and you'll be sorry. A view that you held so strong can never be the best, unless its tried and tested. Even then... But unless you hear another side of it, you have no comparison to begin with, so what's with the arrogance? Hence, almost everyone I spoke to about RDPD laughed at me for being gullible. Well, but they are the one who has not done it before, or didn't know how to do it. Let me go ask someone who has done it and email me if you want to know the results.
Rating:  Summary: Mediocre piece of fiction Review: This is one of the stranger books I've read. It seems to be a fictionalized account of author's childhood. Yet, for some reason, it is classified book on finance. So, here is my review of several of books points: 1) This is a book of fiction. While the author is indeed the son of well-respected Hawaiian eduactor and politician Ralph Kiyosaki, the other "rich" dad is understood to be fictitious character. No such person ever believed to exist. 2) If you want to read the books on boy's adventures, Mark Twain has much better series involving Tom Sawyer and his friends. I highly recommend Mark Twain. 3) Any financial advice in this book is ridiculous. (...). What is more, upon closer examination, it seems to be (copied) from the other book, Millionaire Next Door, which points are exaggerated here to grotesque. This observation makes sense because, in fact, Mr. Kiyosaki was not rich at all before publishing his book. The only wealth he has, seemed to be derived from sales of this and other books and numerous supplemental materials. So, if you want correct advice, read Millionaire Next Door. It has its own pitfalls, but seems solid otherwise. But Mr. Kiyosaki's came after not long after the other one. Bottom line: why would you get financial advice from a person who never made much, and can not really communicate well whatever little he knows?
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