Product Description

OVER 2 MILION IN PRINT

The success secrets of the Ancients-the most inspiring book on wealth ever written

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1564 in Books
• Published on: 2002-01-01
• Released on: 2004-02-03
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 160 pages

Review
A great gift. -- Los Angeles Times

Review
"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. This is a great gift for a graduate or anyone who seems baffled by the world of finance and a wonderful, refreshing read for even the most experienced investor."
-Los Angeles Times

Customer Reviews

Babylon sounds a lot like Bakersfield
The Richest Man in Babylon was first published in 1929 by George S. Clayson, but written as if it had been translated from tablets taken from the ancient city of Babylon. Though the device is similar to something H.P. Lovecraft would use to establish credibility in a horror story, here it lends weight to his lessons and principles about how to create wealth. The basic principle boils down to save a dime from every dollar, but there are more nuggets of useful advice that would work wonders if you would but follow them faithfully.

It is a bit jarring to the modern ear when Clayson talks of slaves and slavery, but when you think of it, being in debt instead of saving and having your savings and investments working for you is a kind of financial slavery. Like the 'drinking gourd' in the sky, if you follow the principles set forth in 'The Richest Man in Babylon' it will free you from the shackles of debt.

I liked the last part where it described how Babylon was able to flourish despite not being a major port and not even having lots of natural resources such as forests or minerals. Through an ingenious system of irrigation and hard work, as well as systems of writing and record keeping, Babylon became a center of commerce. Kind of like Bakersfield, I'm thinking.

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Richest Woman in Bakersfield
I am not the richest woman in Bakersfield--yet! But with the help of this and other books I have been reading lately, I should get there soon. This is a short and enjoyable read, as it is written as if it were taking place in ancient Babylon, but the timeless principles still apply today.

An example from the book is to save one tenth of everything you earn, and then put your savings to work so that money will earn more money in investments that aren't too risky.

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Reduce to 2 pages and I'm in!
I'll sum this book up for you in one sentence, "put 10% of everything you make in savings and then make your money earn you more money that doesn't require additional effort from you." The rest of the book just repeats this moto. The book does supply a fun story about Babylon, but if you are strictly interested in financial advice, the book doesn't go beyond the basics of saving. A good read for most Americans who have been entranced by credit card companies and over look the piggy bank, but for the financially responsible, I wouldn't recommend unless you want a good story about Babylon.