Rating: 
Summary: The worst financial advice book I've ever read
Review: I could write a book on all that's wrong with this book. But, given the limited space here, I'll boil it down to just a few basic points:1. The notion that you don't need a formal education to be successful is nonsense. Being successful with limited formal education is the exception rather than the rule. Knowledge is power, and the first, most logical place to gain that knowledge is in school. The need to hand down this knowledge from generation to generation is the reason schools exist in the first place. This is not to say that school teaches you everything you need to know to be successful, but it does lay the foundation for further learning. Kiyosaki misses this entirely and does a disservice to his readers by deemphasizing (even eschewing) formal education. 2. The obvious contempt Kiyosaki has for his natural father (Poor Dad) simply because he was not materialistic enough leaves a bad taste in my mouth. The ultimate goal of a self-help book -- and that's what this book is -- should be to help people attain greater happiness in their lives. In the case of financial self-help books, this should manifest itself in the form of balanced financial advice, not disdain for those who refuse to kneel at the golden altar of capitalism. You can be rich without being consumed with money. You can be wealthy without selling your soul. Part of being successful - at anything - is learning balance. I had to learn the hard way that it's difficult to accomplish great things in one area of your life when the platform on which it stands (the rest of your life) is collapsing as you work. Not only is Kiyosaki's advice bad from a personal happiness perspective (being consumed by money tends to alienate people with souls, and being alone is no fast ticket to being happy), but it will leave you unable to accomplish its purported singular aim - that of getting rich - because most people need balance in their lives to be truly successful at anything, including making money. 3. Kiyosaki is without standing. He is without credentials. There is nothing in his background to suggest that he is qualified to tell other people how to acquire wealth. Note that I don't subscribe to the notion that one must be wealthy in order to advise others on how to acquire wealth, but it certainly helps. Just as a fat doctor can give his patients sound advice on how to lose weight ("Exercise more, eat less"), so can people who've not yet attained great wealth advise others on financial matters. But, there's one important qualification here: _they should disclose their own background and level of success -- their qualifications -- so that people can properly evaluate it for what it is_. Kiyosaki doesn't do this. In fact, he does just the opposite. He claims to have amassed great wealth, but speaks in such generalities that we have no idea just how much he's made or how he made it. Perhaps he never really made any money at either investing or real estate -- perhaps what wealth he has came from selling books and conducting seminars telling people how to become wealthy. 4. The advice Kiyosaki proffers is unsound financially and often borders on illegality. Much of what he says betrays an obvious lack of financial acumen and basic understanding about the world of investing. His recommendations about investment-related matters such as tax law and general property management principles are frequently wrong and will bankrupt you or land you in jail if you follow them. For example, he throws in a good dose of the old "inc yourself" mindset, emphasizing, over and over, the many benefits of incorporating over remaining a sole proprietorship. This type of thinking was proven wrongheaded many years ago, and there's very little advantage (and many disadvantages) to incorporating as an individual investor. I would say it is, at best, a wash for the average investor. Deducting personal expenditures simply because you have incorporated is not only unethical, it is illegal - the IRS requires that the expenses you deduct be both reasonable and business-related, regardless of whether you incorporate. And keep in mind that deducting an expensive "business" trip to Vegas may save you the tax on that money, but it won't give you back the money itself, which -- given that you're merely a shell of a corporation - was your money to start with. IOW, you'd be cutting off your finances to spite the IRS - not the most direct route to financial independence. And one last thing: true to form, even Kiyosaki's attempt to swindle us is astonishingly simplistic. That is, the tactics he uses to try to sell his wares - generalities, anecdotes, unverifiable claims, platitudes and the like - are the crude tools of the charlatan. If you're going to try to swindle me, the least you could do is try something new, something more sophisticated than the average street hustler. It reminds me of the disgust I felt as a kid when I paid a dollar to see the mermaid behind the curtain at a carnival sideshow and got back there only to find that they didn't even have a real girl in costume - they had used a manikin! I didn't expect to find a real mermaid, but I was aghast that they didn't even have the decency to use a real girl. The book is a crude piece of unsophisticated drivel that plays on the financial ignorance and greed of the masses. And please don't give me the "it made me think about my finances" argument. The IRS does that for you every April 15th - that doesn't mean they have any concern for your financial wellbeing. Kiyosaki has about as much interest in making you rich as the IRS does. If you think the IRS exists to make you wealthy, go ahead and buy this book. If not, run - don't walk - the other way.
Rating:
Summary: To Be Avoided At All Costs
Review: I will not waste more space on this work except to say that the review by John Reed at http://www.johntreed.com/Kiyosaki.html sums up everything I might have said. Vague or false statements, espousing the view that the chief goal of education is the amassing of wealth, advocating possibly illegal practices such as insider trading, and contradictory statements sometimes on the same page all point to one conclusion: do not bother with this book or this man's views in any way, shape, or form. There is very sound and intelligent real estate investment advice to be had.....elsewhere.
Rating:
Summary: Too bad Amazon does not have 0 * category...
Review: I have read about first 90 pages of this book and frankly speaking, it seems to be offending any educated person's intelligence. I can't understand why the book is so popular...
The book's main premise seems to be that one should invest only in income generating activities (author calls these "assets") and avoid any expense related activities ("liabilities"). Lot of what was said in the first 90 pages was commonsense and so repetitive that I started skipping sentences, paragraphs and then even pages without missing out much. I shouldn't have bought this one...
I would not add this book to my "asset" column. For those who have already bought this book, I recommend that they follow the author's advice about "assets" and "liabilities" - and sell this book :-) I did.
Rating: 
Summary: Wake UP! This book is outstanding!
Review: ...IS it the best written book? ...no! Does it give stock techniques or real estate secrets? Once again no. But for the average american i guarantee you this book WILL have you changing your ....thoughts about money! I agreed with the author so much about his thoughts on college education that i almost fell over reading it! I thought i was the only one who thought college was a big waste of time becasue YOU DONT LEARN MONEY IN COLLEGE! I repeat they dont teach you about money in college or in any other school for that matter! A reader said that a child should not worry about learning finances and investing. That is the same kind of thinking that has 1 in 3 americans in debt today! Please people teach your kids about investing and OWNING businesses NOT working in them! The author hates jobs as much as i do so thats why i connect with this guy so much! I also hate school because it doesnt teach me what i really want to know and that is MONEY! I dont know about you but im NOT going to school simply for the sake of learning more im going because i want to EARN MORE! But the problem is college only teaches you how to get a job! its a resume builder! Bill gates, Micheal dell: Dropouts! billionaires the both of them! If you want to be rich and happy put down those silly college books and pick up some money books end of story!
Rating:
Summary: Seminar fluff, a whole lot of nothing
Review: This book is nonsense. The "tone" of the writing is condescending and repetitive. It's like reading a motivational speech at one of those money-making scam seminars. As others have mentioned, the author's veracity is in question regarding the facts of his life. I do not believe there is a "Rich Dad", personally. I don't think we should line the pockets of this guy. I STRONGLY urge you to do a search on the author's name on Google or any good search engine, and maybe add in the modifier "criticism" or "MLM". If I could save just one person from wasting their money on this book, I'll be pleased. Oh, and telling people not to bother with an education? Pinhead advice.
Rating:
Summary: Financial Literacy 101
Review: Where do you learn about money? School? No! Too busy memerizing war dates. Parents? Possibly, but not likely.If you dislike this book you have probably bought into the Great American Lie of go to school, get a job and after 40 years you get a gold watch. And you are in rat race my friend.I have a gold watch already. It says to Barry Kaufman the greatest guy in the world from Barry Kaufman the greatest guy in the world. I didn't have to wait 40 years for mine or sell my soul to corporate America for a little cup of soup (called wages)I also suggest reading Who Stole the American Dream, Wave 4 and Turner, Turner, Turner: The King of Network Marketing.
Rating:
Summary: Great book that opens up the mind
Review: This is a great book and exactly mimics my situation (of a few years ago) and a lot of others out there. It opens up the minds of those (like myself!) who thought that those persons who are in business for themselves do so because no one else would hire them!! Boy! Was I ever wrong! I should have read it earlier (like 10 years ago!), my life would have probably taken a different turn. I encourage all to get this book. Read it at least twice.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Book
Review: I liked this book so much because it has taught me how o get more money, and how I could manage the money. I have learned all about my job because it will help me to get more experience in my life, and to earn money, too. I liked this book because it gave me the opportunity to reach my potencial as a woman with success, so I can become a rich woman someday. This book gave me an important idea how I can manage my money in the bank, and how I could get my own business, too. This is a great book, and i recommend reading it as soon as possible because many people learn to work for money, but never learn to have money work for them.
Rating: 
Summary: the book gave some ideas
Review: Thee book gave some ideas Daniel Pimentel Provo, UT I have to say that this book gave me ideas and also that I can see another view of the money and how people see the money. An other thing that I like is that compares what he wants to say, with examples from real life. He tries to help people who are in deep financial problem. Also I took good things about this book, and applied them to me. I want to recommend this book to everybody and to take advantage of it.
Rating:
Summary: Worth to read and apply your life
Review: I found this book very interesting, because it changed my ways on thinking about money. In this book the author contrasts the differences in economic strategies between "Rich Dads" and "Poor Dads." As I watch the lessons from both fathers I saw myself and my potential. I like his main theme was showing how to "make your money work hard for you instead of working hard for your money." I like this idea so much, because it is a very true. We need to learn how to manage money instead of working hard for our money. Also Kiyosaki said that we should not be afraid to invest our money, but should learn how to handle it. Many people are afraid of losing money. Kiyosaki used a lot of good examples in this book about this. I liked them so much because it helped me to see and understand clearly. Also I liked the charts that he used in this book, because it was a very informative and easy to follow. Some parts of this book seemed a little repetitive, but I liked it because that is only done to really make these ideas stick. I like his enthusiasm and encouragement of this book. This is a very useful and understandable for someone, like me, who doesn't know much about it.
The only things I don't like about this book/author: The criticizing of his dad, and the school system, and that it is a little repetitive, although the author says it is the key to learning effectively. But I want to read his other books. I found the charts informative and easy to follow and I highly recommend this book to all interested in business and those who want to be successful. It changed the way I look at money forever and for the better. I want to recommend this book to everyone I know.
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