The Richest Man in Babylon (original 1926; edición 2004)

For a long time, I didn't understand this book; and I bet many of you didn't either.

Stylistically speaking this book is influenced, in a weird way, by Voltaire. Why you might ask?

The book, with its parables, captures something which is seldom caught in this kind of books: The human spirit.

This book doesn't talk only about money, this book also talks about advice, whom to trust and not trust, the value of work, how a man looks upon himself, various kinds of workers and father-child relationships.

Why is this, one might ask?

Well, it's because the author understood something that it's seldom understood: Being successful with gold and, what many call today, "philosophical Jimbo talk" about the value of work and man are strongly tied together.

My favourite story is near the end of a book, it's The Ca,eò Trader of Babylon.

"Where the determination is, the way can be found" this phrase doesn't capture the story.

Imagine being a slave in a desert, without water or food, you don't know where you are. Your master, if he finds you, will kill you. If you return to your hometown you will be assaulted by debt, this is if you can even find it.

In those desert sands, that slave saw the world through a different lens, a more active and abstract one.

When he returned to Babylon he was a changed man, he repaid all his debt (with time) and managed to become a wealthy merchant.

If there is but one thing that you can carry away from this book, be it this: Your problems don't matter, your attitude toward them matter. If you go through life with a slave soul, over-indulging in pleasures and running away from challenges your problems will devour you. If by contrast, you go through life with a free man soul, never overindulge or shrink from work, then your problem will go away. With time. It might take a whole, but you will get there, eventually.

Simple tales, well told. Fairly sound financial advice. ( )

Fun at the start and a bit corny towards the end, but overall enjoyed listening to this one. Kind of a historical motivator with timeless advice about controlling your own $$ future. ( )

Simplistic, and engaging. The book serves the information in a way that is easy to understand for all ages. ( )

Good stuff... With tons more personality than the other finance books I've read. Who knew that Clason was preaching the same stuff they preach now but almost 100 years earlier. I guess people, our mistakes, and the ways to fix our mistakes never change. :) ( )