A basic book in the field of financial dreams. Kiyosaki is big on ideas and small on details, but if you're newer to thinking about personal finance it's worth a read.

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Product Description

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

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Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #105 in Books
• Published on: 2000-04-01
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 207 pages

Amazon.com
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

From AudioFile
Attitude towards risk determines acquisition of wealth, according to Kiyosaki, a financial lecturer and millionaire. Fear of risk keeps you in the house-and-bills "rat trap," unable to escape. Short fore- and afterwords by the Hawaiian-born Kiyosaki frame a serviceable reading by British actor Hoye. Sounding American, Hoye makes little attempt to add zip to this economics discourse. Reading from a script, his narration is unmemorable, but it successfully conveys the intended monetary advice. The random musical bridges do not correspond to sections or chapters. A.G.H. © AudioFile 2001, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine

--Zig Ziglar, world-renowned author and lecturer
"To get over the top financially, you must read RICH DAD, POOR DAD. It's common sense and market savvy for your financial future."

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Customer Reviews

Simplistic and lacking in real get rich methods
This book is very simplistic. It would be like getting a book on how to become a brain surgeon that tells you to go to college and major in pre-med then go to medical school and then specialize in surgery.

It is not offensive but it is too lacking in real information to be helpful. There are no secrets methods to get rich in this book.
I doubt that rich people are reading books on how to get rich.
I think they are busy doing what it takes to get rich.

Thinly Veiled Contempt for the Poor
Having slogged through this book, I feel I must submit a review to counter all of the breathless fanatacism. I found this book, not through being on the Best Seller list, but through a libary search for books to teach financial literacy to kids.

I am sure that with more than 2000 previous reviews, I can't say much that hasn't already been posted. But I'll add to the voices encouraging anyone who finds himself enchanted by this book to do a little research on the author. It took me very little time surfing the internet to learn that the book is not a "true story" and that the author's credentials as a real estate investor as suspect. These two things alone undermine the credibility of the advice contained herein.

I will admit that the book does use plain language to explain a few basic financial concepts that many readers will be seeing for the first time. In fact, I am sure that the Best Seller status of this book is due to so many people reading a self-help book on money for the first (and likely the only) time. It is even possible that this book has caused many people to examine their spending habits a bit, so I won't begrudge that. But no one is going to become a real estate tycoon from reading this book because the author is incredibly vague about the specifics of wealth building and gives almost no information about other kinds of investments. He brags about being very lucky, but like all anecdotal stories of wealth building, it shows only one winner. There is no perspective on how many people end up losers doing the same things.

What really bothers me about this book is that the anti-intellectual tone will draw people in to the author's personality cult. Once enchanted, the reader will be tempted to go along with the idea that poor wage earners deserve their lot in life and can be unapologetically exploited by "smarter" people following the author's approach. What, I wonder, does Kiyosaki think would happen if everyone tried to get out of the "Rat Race" as a result of his vision? Don't the rich owe any kind of gratitude to the people who make their lifestyles possible?

I'm afraid this entire book comes off as a big rationalization for being (and wanting to be) rich, no matter who gets hurt. If you are willing to pay this man for his business advice (and products....sheesh!), then I'm afraid you are willingly becoming just another step on the ladder he is climbing. After all people wanting to get rich are okay to exploit, right?

A simple explanation of how to make your money work for you
This is not a get rich quick type book but it does help teach you ways to let your money work for you in simple terms. Things like why mutual funds are better than savings accounts, etc. It goes back and forth from telling stories to giving advice which is a nice change from your standard boring money books.

Highly recommended.