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The Richest Man in Babylon (Audio CD)
by George S. Clason
| Category:
Personal finance, Wealth, Self help |
| Market price: ¥ 158.00
MSL price:
¥ 148.00
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| Stock:
Pre-order item, lead time 3-7 weeks upon payment [ COD term does not apply to pre-order items ] |
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MSL rating:
 Good for Gifts |
| MSL Pointer Review:
Don't be fooled by the size of this timeless classic on personal finance. You'll be electrified by those simple but powerful financial lessons in the book. |
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AllReviews |
1 Total 1 pages 8 items |
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Los Angles Times (MSL quote), USA
<2007-01-22 00:00>
What can a book written in the 1920s tell modern investors about their finances? A whole lot if it's George Clason's delightful set of parables that explain the basics of money. |
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D. Nishimoto (MSL quote), USA
<2007-01-22 00:00>
The Richest Man in Babylon has very secular message for today: 1. Own your own home 2. Prepare for a suitable income in days to come 3. Learn skills that increase capability. This increase in capacity will lead to higher wage payments 4. Gain Recognition and praise as a foundation for more prestige that can be used to increase Gold and Silver. Prestige is the fuel for gaining credibility and trust that will seal bigger business deals 5. Pay debts with promptness 6. Care for family matters 7. Don't rely on luck to seize profits 8. Seize profits by acting immediately on opportunities.
Solomon was a true capitalist. Solomon taught in his proverbs to give to the poor. The people loved Solomon. Solomon increased commerce between Israel and other nations bringing products and services too Israel. Competition among the merchants drove down price. As price dropped because of abundance, the poor man could NOW afford exclusive products and services. Solomons capitalistic ideas of commerce, gifting, and abundance blessed the whole nation. As a result of the abundance, Israel rejoiced in the most glorious period of their history: 1. Political and economic unity reduced the need for war. 2. Commerce drove out poverty, as abundance, made price attractive for the masses 3. Consumer confidence raised and people felt more confident in buying 4. Money became more available too fund new growth oriented business ventures 5. The nation reserve of Gold and Silver increased into the trillions of dollars creating immense stability.
What happened? Solomon moral beliefs dissolved as he married wives from with pagan beliefs. The moral decade included breaking laws of God that had been the source of prosperity. The end results was corruption, war, and fragmentation of the Kingdom of Israel and both power and glory dissipating into the journals of history. Unification of Israel will occur as the nation conforms back with God's laws. The great tragedy of Solomon and David was not in the fallacy of their wisdom, but their forsaking of their God and his laws.
The Richest Man in Babylon is a study of contrasts between secular intellectual financial thought and religious morality. Man's wealth is finite, whereas, God's wealth is infinite. Man's accumulation of Gold and silver distributes wealth based on laws of abundance and scarcity; God's wealth accumulation is infinite without end. A rich man attracts many friends and a poor man is separated from the community. God loves both the rich and the poor.
Proverbs 19:4 (4. Wealth maketh many friends; but the poor is separated from his neighbor)
Proverbs 22:2 (The rich and poor meet together: the Lord is the maker of them all)
God's wisdom is a tree of life, an inheritance greater than Gold or silver, a more valuable possession than Gold or silver. God grants the righteous man an eternal inheritance and capacity for increase, life everlasting and joy everlasting. God's wisdom brings happiness and contentment.
Proverbs 3:5,6 (5. Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding 6. In all they ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.)
The Rich man of Babylon seeks the praise and recognition associated with his prestige from wealth. The righteous man is reward wealth but he uses his wealth to feed the hungry and cloth the naked and create jobs.
Proverbs 11:25 (The liberal soul shall be made fat and he that watereth shall be watered also himself)
Proverbs 11:30 (The fruit of righteousness is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.)
The Rich man of Babylon believes opportunity is a temptation, preserves his wealth through capital gains and taxes, and loans his wealth generation after generation exploiting the common through usury taxes (interest) and offering no long-term forgiveness of debt.
Idolatry is not recognizing God for the increase and accumulation of material items. Failures to be acknowledge God as the source of all increase is Idolatry. The Rich man of Babylon says, "Behold, from my humble earnings I had begotten a hoard of gold slaves, each laboring and earning more gold. As they labored for me, so their children also labored and their children's children until great was the income from their combined efforts." Greed is their God, "It is wise that we must first secure small amounts and learn to protect them" and guard the treasure from loss by investing where principle is safe. The fallacy is the accumulation of Gold and silver is not wealth. The creation of jobs and work is wealth. The Rich man of Babylon becomes the exclusive, rich baron, whose taxes oppress the poor.
Proverbs 22:7 (The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender)
The righteous man eventually forgives debts, a year of Jubilee, salvation from oppression. The Rich Man of Babylon demands payment in full without any mercy, yet his own oppression will leave him hungry. Excessive Debt burdens are a milestone that drown productivity and impoverish the masses. Debt should be temporary and not long-term. Long-term debt cause want because interest accumulation siphons away the Gold and silver.
Proverbs 22:16 (He that oppresseth the poor to increase his riches, and he that giveth to the rich, shall surely come to want).
The Rich Man of Babylon keeps 10% of his increase for himself; he profits from his Gold and silver; he seeks wise advisors to assist in money investment/loans creating more Gold and silver; he avoids unfamiliar businesses or purposes; and he is fearful of thieves, who desire to steal his Gold and silver; avoids becoming a slave through debt to another Rich Man of Babylon. The righteous man of God gives 10% of his increase in tithes to God. The Rich Man of Babylon says, "don't spend, if you lack the money". The righteous man says, "The Lord will provide" and lives prudently, without decadence, void of opulence, and clean and modest. The Rich Man of Babylon says, "put your money to work" seeking capital gains, whereas, the righteous man says, "distribute your excess to feed the hungry" by creating innovation, more efficient agriculture, and scientific breakthroughs and in labor there is wealth. A righteous man bless the nation through increase prosperity and abundance creating cheap resources, he does not covet wealth for accumulation sake. The righteous man seeks wisdom because he knows that Gold and silver comes and goes.
Proverbs 23:4 (4. Labour not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom)
Proverbs 24:5 (5. A wise man is strong, yea, a man of knowledge increaseth strength.)
Proverbs 23:12 (12. Apply thine heart unto instruction, and thine ears to the words of knowledge)
The Rich man of Babylon believes his pyramid of wealth makes him invincible to death, obscurity, war, and scorn. War has no friends or allies and the Rich man of Babylon high wall is conceit, a fool and his money.
Proverbs 18:11 (The rich man's wealth is his strong city, and as an high wall in his own conceit) |
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Sandy Beach (MSL quote), USA
<2007-01-22 00:00>
The Richest Man In Babylon is a good guide for anyone whether they want to amass wealth or just live comfortably.
According to the book it doesn't matter what your income is, anyone can save money, all it takes is the proper perspective. This book gives you way to look at money that many of us have been taught, but may have forgotten. As other reviewers pointed out, this is basic, common sense information, but good advice bears repeating. Each of my children have a copy of this book and began a savings program before age 16.
I think the biggest point the book makes is, it does not matter what your income level is, anyone can save 10% of their income if they really think it is important enough to do, and that small amount on a weekly basis is hardly missed at the time, while growing over time to be a substantial amount. As Albert Einstein pointed out, there is nothing more powerful than compound interest and that is what you get by saving just 10% of all of your income. I highly recommend this book for kids old enough to read on up to anyone who needs to be reminded of the simple beauty of good advice. |
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B. Shenoy (MSL quote), India
<2007-01-22 00:00>
This is a very simple and practical book on personal finance. Narrated in short stories from the ancient city of Babylon, the basic principles of handling ones personal finances have remained the same- to live within one's means, save for the rainy day and not to be greedy while looking at investment options. The advice to pay oneself first - keep aside at least ten percent of your income and the savings set aside in prudent and safe investments multiply manifold over a long period is at the core of this book. It is not necessary that one has to be stingy to save. It is a matter of planning and personal discipline.
The stories and the characters are very interesting and is a good weekend read. This makes the book enjoyable to age groups. |
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Harvey Gardener (MSL quote) , USA
<2007-01-22 00:00>
The best advice is often free. The solutions to life's toughest problems are often the most simple. They're not easy, but they are simple. Perhaps that is why the best advice too often is ignored. It's just too simple to be believable.
The advice offered by The Richest Man in Babylon is so simple that it most often is ignored. Yet it reveals the only reliable secret to obtaining wealth. It is a simple (and safe) secret for obtaining riches. It is hard to execute, but it is unfailing. The title of the book is taken for one of a collection of parables in the volume. All are pregnant with practical wisdom. All will work. Read "The Richest Man In Babylon" to place yourself on the one true road to riches.
As an investment advisor for nearly 30 years, I've never known any other method of obtaining wealth that is available to anybody who earns a paycheck. But it is universally ignored. If you read this book, and heed it's advice, you will become rich, and you can do it starting right now, in your present job. Buy the book. Read it. Insist that your children, and their children, read it. It will be like teaching them to dig in a vein of pure gold. |
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Michael Gray (MSL quote), USA
<2007-01-22 00:00>
There are a few books of basic wisdom that endure for generations. One of these books is The Richest Man In Babylon, first published in 1926.
There are a few books of basic wisdom that endure for generations. One of these books is The Richest Man In Babylon, first published in 1926 have heard, again and again, the critical importance of putting aside a share of our income for investment.
There are a lot of ways to build wealth, but there is a simple, sure way that can always work. It is simply to develop the habit from a young age of saving a share of your income, say 10%. Paying this amount to your investment account must become the same as paying your monthly rent or mortgage payment.
Developing the habit of saving money should be developed the same as the habits of bathing, washing hands before a meal, or shaving.
If you can't have certain luxuries now and maintain your savings ritual, postpone the luxuries now so you can enjoy them and financial security later.
I said this method is simple, I didn't say it was easy.
These are the lessons that George S. Clason drives home again and again in the parables of The Richest Man in Babylon.
Here is an excellent graduation gift for your child or grandchild.
And if you haven't heard of or read The Richest Man in Babylon yet, maybe this is a good time to get a copy for yourself and read it. |
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An American reader (MSL quote), USA
<2007-01-22 00:00>
In this great book, a series of timeless parables tell us how to deal with money in different circumstances. The strategies are sound and universally applicable. I love this book and have recommended it to others over the years. If you want to learn how to be your best, make the most of every situation, and bring out the best in others, I recommend another timeless classic called Optimal Thinking: How To Be Your Best Self. Optimal Thinking transformed my life of mediocrity to the best life I could have every wished for. |
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Mark Ewell (MSL quote), USA
<2007-01-22 00:00>
Don't let the simplicity of this short, easy-to-read book make you feel like you would get more value from something denser or more complex. The fact is, financial basics ARE simple. This book presents them in a story set in Ancient Babylon, which reads quickly yet resonates deeply with financial truth.
Is it really that hard to be rich? Clason explores such topics as spending less than you make, repaying your debt, saving for the future, and investing wisely. There are no secrets, no tricks, no insurmountable challenges - just the basics that have escaped much of today's credit-card generation.
The best plan is to go ahead and buy two copies of this book, one for you, and one to loan or give away. This is too good to keep to yourself. An obvious classic for college grads or new families, the wisdom within is just as relevant and accessible for learners of any age.
If the book has a fault, it is its failure to address charitable giving. Whether you tithe at church, or choose other non-profits to share with, giving is an important part of financial management that is not mentioned at all here.
Regardless, Richest Man in Babylon is a classic for a reason - its wisdom has stood the test of time, and will continue to shine a light on a simple, straight, yet often-overlooked path to financial well-being. |
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1 Total 1 pages 8 items |
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