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My personal-finance library is growing at an alarming rate. Authors and publishers send me preview copies of their works. I pick up cheap copies of old books at thrift stores. And, it’s true, Get Rich Slowly (the company) actually buys new books about personal finance and success. As a result, I have a stack of unread books, and not enough time to read them all. Worse, I can’t decide which to read first. I thought it might be fun to let you, the readers, help me choose.
I cleaned my office this weekend (it was a mess). Just for kicks, I made a short video after I’d finished picking up:
As I cleaned, I made a note of every unread book I found lying around. In the following list, I’ve linked to the Amazon page for each of them so you can get a better idea of what each book is about. I’ve also indicated how I heard about it. Which of these would you like me to read and review?
- Saving for Retirement without Living Like a Pauper or Winning the Lottery by Gail MarksJarvis — reader recommendation
- Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi — a classic psychology book
- Stumbling on Happiness by Danniel Gilbert — watched his amazing TED talk
- Investing in an Uncertain Economy for Dummies edited by Sheryl Garrett — sent by GRS-reader Dylan Ross, who has two chapters here
- How to Be the Family CFO by Kim Snider — sent to me by the publisher
- It’s Not About the Money by Brent Kessel — sent to me by the publisher
- The Motley Fool Million Dollar Portfolio by David and Tom Gardner — sent to me by the publisher
- Overcoming Underearning by Barbara Stanny — sent to me by the publisher
- Buyology: Truth and Lies About Why We Buy by Martin Lindstrom — recommended by a reader
- Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions — reader recommendation
- The Paradox of Choice: Why More is Less by Barry Schwartz — reader recommendation
- Status Anxiety by Alain de Botton — reader recommendation
- Your Money & Your Brain by Jason Zweig — sent to me by the publisher
- You Can Negotiate Anything by Herb Cohen — reader recommendation
- Enough by John Bogle — sent to me by the publisher
- Personal Development for Smart People by Steve Pavlina — purchased by GRS
- Guide to Investing in Gold and Silver by Michael Maloney — given to me by GRS reader
Yes, all of these were scattered around my office. There were actually many other books cluttering up the place, too, but I’d either read them or they weren’t about personal finance. If one or more of these sounds interesting to you, please leave a comment with the title(s). If there are books with significantly more votes, I’ll prioritize them. (Also feel free to request reviews of other books you don’t see listed here.)
My problem is that I want to read these all, but I don’t have time, and I don’t know how to choose. (Hm. Maybe The Paradox of Choice should be first!) But because I am here to serve, I’m happy to take requests. And, I must admit, I’m even happier to finally clean my office!
This article is about Ask the Readers, Books Sunday, 21st December 2008 (by J.D. Roth)
December 21st, 2008 at 2:19 pm
There’s no book titled “How To Survive the Coming Economic Collapse”? Or “How To Build a Time Machine and Strangle Sub-prime Mortgages in Their Cradle”?
I suppose this doesn’t help much, but I’d like you to review whichever one interests you the most.
December 21st, 2008 at 2:32 pm
Predictably Irrational is one I’m interested in.
December 21st, 2008 at 2:33 pm
# The Paradox of Choice: Why More is Less by Barry Schwartz — reader recommendation
December 21st, 2008 at 2:34 pm
@Bill the Splut
Ha! I like your second suggestion. Actually, I have a book at my side from 1979 right now called How to Prosper During the Coming Bad Years by Howard Ruff. I though it would be fun to read it and (a) see how many of his recommendations were correct and (b) see how much of it applies to today.
December 21st, 2008 at 2:45 pm
To learn more about personal finance I don’t read personal finance books. I read fiction or biographies/autobiographies of people who lived through hard times. Sometimes reading about 25% unemployment, no government safety net, or no access to credit or failed banks or life without central heating, indoor plumbing and electricity is the best personal finance kick in the pants I need. Please don’t forget the value of a good story over charts and graphs.
December 21st, 2008 at 2:45 pm
Buy and read one more book: Your Money or Your Life by Vicki Robin and Joe Dominguez.
December 21st, 2008 at 2:50 pm
I say go for the one that has the most outlandish premise.
The problem I find with quite a few personal finance books is that so many of them just rehash the same concepts over and over, just in different words. I’d like to hear about some books that think outside the box, maybe less conservative in their teachings, introduce new and interesting concepts about money-management/lifestyle/investing. You got one of those?
December 21st, 2008 at 2:53 pm
I’d be interested in any of the psychology / behavior books. Predictably Irrational and Your Money & Your Brain would be at the top of my list. Also, Overcoming Underearning as that is a a chronic weakness for me. I’m great on defense, but a stronger offense would make life a whole lot easier!
December 21st, 2008 at 2:53 pm
@Slackerjo
I would love some recommendations for fiction/biographies. When I read A Tree Grows in Brooklyn last year, I mentioned that here because I thought it was a great example of growing up in (and overcoming) poverty.
@Anne
I have three copies of Your Money or Your Life. The new version just came out last week, and I intend to review it in the next few months.
December 21st, 2008 at 2:56 pm
I vote for Paradox of Choice.
December 21st, 2008 at 3:01 pm
I found The Paradox of Choice very helpful, and would love to hear someone else’s view of it, so it gets my vote.
December 21st, 2008 at 3:24 pm
A bit random but how about Trent Hamm’s new frugality book over at the Simple Dollar?
December 21st, 2008 at 3:31 pm
What about Nudge by Thaylor?
December 21st, 2008 at 3:36 pm
I actually had Barry Schwarz as a professor as an undergrad, so I’m a little biased, but I’d love to see your take on the book. It’s one of the few books I’ve read that’s actually changed the way I think and act in certain situations. There’s a lot in there that relates to consumer behavior and keeping up with the Joneses, so it relates pretty directly to personal finance even though it’s a psychology book.
December 21st, 2008 at 3:38 pm
I have Nudge downstairs, and think it’s a definite possibility.
I also have Trent’s book (which doesn’t lend itself to traditional review), and the new books from Leo (at Zen Habits) and Jonathan Fields. I plan to review all three.
December 21st, 2008 at 4:03 pm
I’d recommend Buyology. Although it is intended to be a marketing book, I think that it is something that consumers need to understand the other side of the equation in order to avoid falling into the marketing traps.
I’m not sure I could read anything by Pavlina. After reading about his insane test of the “liquid diet” on his blog, I kind of got the feeling that he had gone over the edge lol.
December 21st, 2008 at 4:06 pm
I vote for the The Paradox of Choice: Why More is Less.
December 21st, 2008 at 4:09 pm
I’d be interested in hearing about the Stanny book (because underearning is one of those not-so-often addressed problems) and the Snider/Family CFO book (because figuring out how to manage your own financial situation is difficult, but managing for many is a lot more complicated!)
December 21st, 2008 at 4:47 pm
Investing in an Uncertain Economy for Dummies edited by Sheryl Garrett
December 21st, 2008 at 4:53 pm
Predictably Irrational for me!
December 21st, 2008 at 5:04 pm
My vote would be for Stumbling on Happiness, Buyology, and The Paradox of Choice.
Thanks.
December 21st, 2008 at 5:14 pm
It’s Not About the Money by Brent Kessel
December 21st, 2008 at 5:56 pm
I vote for “Overcoming Underearning”. I’m a CPA and one of the constant refrains I’ve been having lately is telling people to go get a job. Being a student or an artist or an ex-wife is not actually a career that provides food and shelter for an adult and the time comes when they’ve got to stop living on debt and just suck it up.
Sadly, lately I’ve been finding this is true of people in their sixties, too.
I’ll do you a solid, though, and review one for you so you don’t have to. You’d hate “Killing Sacred Cows”. Read here to find out why:
http://gwendally.livejournal.com/302682.html
December 21st, 2008 at 6:01 pm
The Paradox of Choice. I saw Barry Schwarz speak then read his book. The concepts he puts out will impact the way you look at the marketplace. It was eye opening and a fascinating read. Highly recommend.
December 21st, 2008 at 6:34 pm
I suspect Mr. Bogles would be the most useful and the guide to gold and silver collecting the least.
December 21st, 2008 at 6:40 pm
I’ve read so many personal finance books in the past year that I’m looking for something that offers new information and perhaps more into the big picture of life balance.
First choice:
16. Personal Development for Smart People by Steve Pavlina — purchased by GRS
Second choice:
6. It’s Not About the Money by Brent Kessel — sent to me by the publisher
December 21st, 2008 at 7:01 pm
I don’t know if any of these books would help someone manage their money better but I like to be reminded of how tough times were 50, 100, 150 years ago.
Five Points, by Tyler Anbinder (non-fiction). This book dismisses every stereotype about “the worse slum in America.”
Scratch Beginnings by Adam Sheppard (non fiction). I learned about Adam at GRS. I love him! Visit http://www.scratchbeginnings.com
Paradise Alley by Kevin Baker (fiction). This book is about the desperation of New Yorkers during the draft riots during the Civil War. I add this book to the list because poverty and desperation shows how people lose any regard for human life. The violence in this book is very graphic so it’s not for everyone.
The Prizewinner from Defiance Ohio, Terry Ryan (non fiction). Terry Ryan’s father drank away a good portion of the his earnings, so Evelyn Ryan entered contests to help support her 10 kids. Before credit cards, people lived on cash.
Slammerkin by Emma Donoghue (fiction). Female, no skills, no money, no prospects except prostitution.
Hard Times: An Oral History of the Great Depression, Studs Terkel (non fiction). Ah Studs, I will miss you.
December 21st, 2008 at 7:16 pm
I love the video! May ask what type of software you used to edit and put the subtitles. I would love to be able to create something like that. I love the ‘multimedia’ aspect to your blog, when you post videos, audio clips, etc., it really makes the site come alive. If you can find some way to incorporate that into the book reviews (maybe make them videos, or podcasts) they would be more exciting than reviews you can find elsewhere.
December 21st, 2008 at 7:22 pm
@Frugal Bachelor
I used iMovie HD (from 2006 — not the new one) to edit the software. I just used my Canon point-and-shoot video camera to film. I have a Flip Mino HD, but that’s really only good if you’re using a tripod.
I like the idea of video book reviews, though I’m not sure what that would add to them. I can see that it might add something, but I’d have to figure out what…
December 21st, 2008 at 7:25 pm
Your Money & Your Brain by Jason Zwieg. I’ve read it. It’s not the same old investing/personal finance/how to get rich book. It actually explains why we do the stupid things we do with our money and how we can counteract it. Very interesting stuff.
December 21st, 2008 at 8:17 pm
I’ve read several of these and I thought “Enough” by John Bogle was a pretty awesome book. Should only take about 3 hours. It was about a lot more than money — how people should develop character and find something worthwhile to add to life.
December 21st, 2008 at 8:19 pm
My three votes in no particular order include:
Saving for Retirement without Living Like a Pauper or Winning the Lottery
How to Be the Family CFO
The Motley Fool Million Dollar Portfolio
December 21st, 2008 at 8:51 pm
The problem with pf books is that once you’ve read a bunch - you get very little value out of reading anymore since there aren’t really a lot of new (useful) ideas out there. My suggestion is to pick 2-3 of this bunch (based on reader input) and then give/toss the rest away.
Your Money and Your Brain - excellent, excellent book - on my blog we did two reviews of this book it was so good. Admittedly it does drag on after a while but it is worth reading. I believe that this book is a great companion to Four Pillars of Investing because it really gets into the psychological aspect to investing which is briefly explored in Four Pillars. Read a couple of chapters if nothing else.
The Paradox of Choice - Worth reading, great premise. Admittedly, I couldn’t get to the end of this book since it just gets too repetitive. I would suggest reading part of it but once you get bored then put it down. But read it!
(yes, I have a hard time finishing books)
December 21st, 2008 at 9:13 pm
#4 Investing in an Uncertain Economy for Dummies edited by Sheryl Garrett — sent by GRS-reader Dylan Ross, who has two chapters here
#5 How to Be the Family CFO by Kim Snider — sent to me by the publisher
#8 Overcoming Underearning by Barbara Stanny — sent to me by the publisher
#8 sounds like what i need to deal with right now. Between trying to deal with the economy, trying to find a way back to school, and needing to keep a job that is more flexible with it’s work hours (due to my sleeping disorder); finding another job is not an attractive option RIGHT this second.
In addition, i like the idea of you reviewing books sent to you by publishers, as it means that these are probably new(er) books, and thus, less likely to have been heard of by me/my friends.
Thanks JD! happy holidays!
December 21st, 2008 at 9:47 pm
I see a lot of votes for Predictably Irrational, which I read and really enjoyed.
I’d love to see a review of :How to Be the Family CFO by Kim Snider since that’s sort of my job.
I would love the chance to read some of these titles, any way you can send them to some readers once you’re done reviewing them? I’d be happy to share what I think with you once I’m done.
Stay warm!
December 21st, 2008 at 10:42 pm
Personal Development for Smart People, Steve Pavlina. Amazing. I’ve read it, but want the word to continue to get out.
This is one of the few books that I have read that has the power to really change people positively, but does not try to do it forcibly.
December 21st, 2008 at 11:21 pm
I also vote for “Predictably Irrational.”
December 21st, 2008 at 11:42 pm
Here are the ones that I would most like to read, in no particular order: Saving for Retirement without Living Like a Pauper or Winning the Lottery, Stumbling on Happiness, and The Paradox of Choice.
December 22nd, 2008 at 2:44 am
Here are the votes of the Belgian jury:
1) What’s new in the latest edition of YMOYL
2) Saving for Retirement without Living Like a Pauper or Winning the Lottery
3) Investing in an Uncertain Economy for Dummies
4) Enough
5) Stumbling on Happiness
Thanks for your book reviews! I don’t have much time to read and get much useful information out of your reviews. Happy holidays!
December 22nd, 2008 at 3:30 am
“Predictably Irrational” for me too please. And some fries. Thx.
December 22nd, 2008 at 4:00 am
I recently finished predictably irrational and loved it. I also spoke with the author, great guy. He’s witty and smart.
My review: http://tinyurl.com/3vgsvz
December 22nd, 2008 at 4:25 am
I vote for “You Can Negotiate Anything” or “Predictably Irrational”
December 22nd, 2008 at 4:46 am
Overcoming Underearning by Barbara Stanny
December 22nd, 2008 at 4:56 am
Definitely the Jason Zweig book, but I’m curious to hear your take on Flow. I’ve heard a ton about it but haven’t read it myself.
December 22nd, 2008 at 5:00 am
The Wise Inheritor - A Guide To Managing, Investing, and Enjoying Your Inheritance By Ann Perry.
Estate Planning is one area of personal finance many people tend to overlook (including myself). This book tells the personal story from both sides. Check it out and review it!
December 22nd, 2008 at 5:25 am
Stumbling on Happiness is literally the next on my pile to read, so I would like that one as a pick just to have another viewpoint. However, Paradox of Choice also sounds really interesting, so a review of that could possibly do me good - from the strictly selfish view since I would consider reading that one myself.
December 22nd, 2008 at 5:43 am
Let’s see, I’ve read It’s Not About the Money, Negotiate Anything, and half of Flow. I’d obviously not recommend Flow… Negotiate Anything wasn’t bad, but it is rather specific to selling & negotiation. Not About the Money - I find myself often quoting that book, referencing things I found in it, and just in general offering up thoughts inspired by it. Great book, and I’d recommend it highly. His story on Ram Dass, and a LovingKindness meditation to deal with financial worries is nonstandard for a financial book, and very good.
Things I’d like reviewed / I’d like to read (probably in this order):
Predictably Irrational (getting from library)
Overcoming Underearning
Paradox of Choice (library)
How to Be the Family CFO
Okay, mostly the two I didn’t find in my local library then…
Overcoming Underearning first. That really seems like an area not addressed, and as a financial educator, that seems to be a huge area for many people. They’re cutting back, they’re doing what we tell them, but there’s still not enough money to go around. I’m talking with a lot of fixed-income retirees too - how do they work with a set income and growing expenses?
If you’ve got too many to review, have you thought about giving a book to a reader to write a review for you?
December 22nd, 2008 at 6:02 am
I read The Long Tail a while ago and was simply fascinated by it in a business sense. Of course, some of Chris Anderson’s ideas are based on Paradox of Choice, which I would be interested to hear about from a different perspective.
I was wondering about your organization system for articles and ideas. I guess I won’t send you that email now.
December 22nd, 2008 at 6:04 am
My vote goes for Motley Fool. I can’t figure out how I feel about these guys, so I’d like to hear your take. Either that or something focused on investing.
December 22nd, 2008 at 7:11 am
As a self-avowed book-snob, I’m only interested in books by individuals with well-established credentials. (With apologies to their respective publishers.) I’ve already read ‘Stumbling on Happiness’ and, “knowing you,” I think you’ll enjoy it. I think it comes closest to your GRS mindset, in terms of overall self-improvement.
The others you have that would make my list are Bogle’s and Gardner & Gardner’s. Of course Dylan’s chapters make the list too!
December 22nd, 2008 at 7:18 am
I have mixed feelings about Overcoming Underearning — I agree with Stanny on a lot of issues, but her law-of-attraction-type magical thinking really gets up my nose. The advantage of taking control of your own life is that you’ve taken control of your own life, not that the universe is going to suddenly decide to reward you for it!
I adored Stumbling on Happiness and Your Money and Your Brain. Some might find Gilbert too self-consciously clever, but I liked his humor.
The video was very cute, but sadly lacking in cats.
December 22nd, 2008 at 7:27 am
My choices for your reviews:
Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience
Stumbling on Happiness
Personal Development for Smart People. Because of his recent guest post on your site, I have added his book to my list of library reads, but it is not available at my local library. If it’s worth buying, I will do it.
December 22nd, 2008 at 7:33 am
What about having some of your readers read and write reviews? It could be done like a give-away - post a basic description of the book and have readers comment. Out of the comments, randomly pick a winner to recieve the book in exchange for a review.
December 22nd, 2008 at 7:44 am
My top 3 choices would be:
The Paradox of Choice: Why More is Less by Barry Schwartz
Buyology: Truth and Lies About Why We Buy by Martin Lindstrom
Status Anxiety
December 22nd, 2008 at 7:45 am
Hi. I bet if you took the tables of contents and indexes of all the books you don’t want to read, and compared them, you’d be able to do an illuminating “review” of the top topics/buzzwords/memes of the field. As you mentioned, so often a new book is just a rewording of old ideas.
Also, I think there’s a difference between “personal” finance books, which are grounded in the idea that individuals have sufficient control over the environment to make significant changes, and other books of economic and social analysis which might suggest that there are cultural and social realities that are very difficult to overcome at the individual level and that will require social/cultural changes that affect the whole economy before individuals will be able to beneft.
December 22nd, 2008 at 8:26 am
Gwendally Says:
December 21st, 2008 at 5:56 pm
I vote for “Overcoming Underearning”. I’m a CPA and one of the constant refrains I’ve been having lately is telling people to go get a job. Being a student or an artist or an ex-wife is not actually a career that provides food and shelter for an adult and the time comes when they’ve got to stop living on debt and just suck it up.
Yes, I am tired of being expected to be sympathetic for artists who can’t make a go of it and just don’t have the lifestyle they want- or that I should support them by buying their work. These are people who have never been even remotely able to support themselves by their art and got along on parent or spouse financial support but in these hard times, they still don’t want to take the office job(like I have) that would “crush their spirit”. Ok- but then don’t complain that times are tough while you sitting at the home someone else is paying for while you are making one more bowl or necklace that no one wants to buy.
December 22nd, 2008 at 8:27 am
I would be very interested to see what Status Anxiety has to say. I think the idea of appearing poor, or cheap, keeps a lot of people from driving cars older than three years, or shopping at thrift stores. Of course I’ve read a few articles lately about how more and more people are shifting that balance, due to the economy, and it’s almost becoming the “new” status quo to appear thrifty, or get more bang for your buck.
December 22nd, 2008 at 8:35 am
For those of you looking for biographies of people who lived through hard times, I recommend the late New York Times columnist Russell Baker’s book called “Growing Up.” It’s a very readable, humorous memoir of his childhood in Virginia and Baltimore during the Depression and how he and his family coped with those difficult times.
December 22nd, 2008 at 8:43 am
Kiyosaki wrote “Increase Your Financial IQ” this year. The five basic financial IQ’s are:
Making more money
Protecting your money
Budgeting your money
Leveraging your money
Improving your financial information
In his new 3 day course “Predict the Future” he suggests that we learn to print money (legally of course) like the FED by building our own businesses.
December 22nd, 2008 at 10:00 am
The Credit Diet: How to Shed Unwanted Debt and Achieve Fiscal Fitness.
I really loved it and would love to hear what you (and others) think of it!
December 22nd, 2008 at 10:09 am
“How to Be the Family CFO” and “Saving for Retirement Without Living Like a Pauper…” sound the most useful to me at the moment. “Buyology” sounds interesting, just because I like that sort of thing.
December 22nd, 2008 at 10:26 am
Mmm, I’m seeing a similar problem with myself and reviewing books. Sometimes I get them faster than I can review them (I recall one publisher sent me a stack of five in one package).
Might I make a suggestion. If you don’t have time to review them all give some away to other bloggers to review for you. That way you still get a post done, but you don’t have to actually read all the books yourself.
The blogger then get published on your site as payment and perhaps you let them keep the review copy (up to you).
Anyways just an idea. Let me know if you want a eyeball or two to help out.
Tim
December 22nd, 2008 at 10:33 am
My vote goes to: The Paradox of Choice: Why More is Less by Barry Schwartz
December 22nd, 2008 at 10:54 am
I vote for the Paradox of Choice.
December 22nd, 2008 at 10:57 am
Enough by John Bogle please! Thanks!
December 22nd, 2008 at 11:08 am
Review Daniel Gilbert’s Stumbling on Happiness. I read it last year and would like to hear your reviews and other users reviews as well. Think it is something everyone will enjoy, although it’s not necessarily about personal finance.
December 22nd, 2008 at 11:10 am
Your office looks fabulously organized! Just by the by, I’m reading “Hetty: The Genius and Madness of America’s First Female Tycoon” by Charles Slack. Not really a PF book per se but more the workings of a billionaire mindset. Given the era, this lady achieved amazing things via smart investment and frugal (even miserly) living.
December 22nd, 2008 at 11:55 am
I’m interested in hearing about The Paradox of Choice: Why More is Less.
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:19 pm
Interesting. It looks to me as if you folks are interested in the same books that I’m interested in, for the most part. Like me, you’re not as interested in the traditional personal-finance stuff. There’s just a ton of it out there.
Up until this comment, the following books have the most votes:
The Paradox of Choice: 15
Stumbling on Happiness: 8
Predictably Irrational: 8
Overcoming Underearning: 7
How to Be the Family CFO: 6
I do like the idea of having readers review certain books. I’ll e-mail a couple of commenters to see if they’d like to review a book. If you’d like to do a review, drop me a line at the tips address and specify which book (doesn’t have to be on the list) you’re interested in. If you can convince me you’re a good choice for the job, GRS (the business) will send you a copy to review.
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:26 pm
What?! No “Rich Dad…”?
Heh. Just kidding…
December 22nd, 2008 at 2:44 pm
Hi J.D.,
I’m torn between #1 and #2. I like the thought of finding out exactly how to save enough while still living pretty comfortably but I’m a sucker for psychology. Out of all of them, I would definitely say one of the first two.
Good luck!
December 22nd, 2008 at 2:49 pm
I am interested in a review of the Motley Fool book…
December 22nd, 2008 at 3:01 pm
I vote for “The Motley Fool Million Dollar Portfolio by David and Tom Gardner”
December 22nd, 2008 at 6:08 pm
I’ve only read 2 on the list. Paradox of Choice is fun and counter-intuitive. I’ve met barry schwartz, and he’s a great guy. However, the book expounds quite a simple premise - the more choices people have, the more stressful decisions become, which actually DECREASES their sense of happiness and well-being. (this, I am convinced, is one of the attractions of shopping at Costco.) So you can read a chapter and skim the rest, since it just builds on the case he makes. It’s quite a slim volume to begin with.
I also read Gilbert’s Happiness book. His point is that people miss-guess what will make them happy, but since it’s not a self-help book, I just found it left me mystified. People are stupid about doing what will make them happy, but there’s no simple solution to this problem. Great…. So don’t spend a lot of time on Gilbert!
Given the new economy, where assets are all devalued and no one knows what’s coming next, my hunch is that very few financial books are going to make any sense.
December 22nd, 2008 at 6:14 pm
I’ve been wanting to read Predictably Irrational, so that’s my choice for you. To think that we act irrationally in predictable ways is fascinating, and I’d like some insights so that I can be less predictable and more rational - why oh why do I buy clothes I really don’t need because they’re on sale?
December 22nd, 2008 at 7:15 pm
This isn’t on your list and it’s not 100% financial, but I would love to read your take on Sharon Astyk’s book “Depletion and Abundance: Life on the New Home Front.” I don’t think we’re headed for a Depression (or at least hope not), but her views are interesting. I know you like gardening, thereby saving money, too. She’s also got an interesting blog at http://sharonastyk.com/
She says about her book: “I focus on how families can adapt to climate change, financial crisis and peak energy, with an emphasis upon finding ways to keep a high quality of life while using radically less energy. The book suggests that we should focus our adaptive energies towards the things we’ve always cared most about - education, health care, food security and giving future generations a real future.”
December 22nd, 2008 at 8:35 pm
You can supplement Barry Schwartz’s The Paradox of Choice book review with his video that appears on Ted.com.
http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/barry_schwartz_on_the_paradox_of_choice.html
I asked Mr. Schwartz to speak at the FPA Mid Winter Conference in February 2009, but he has to teach that week! It would have been great to hear his presentation in person.
December 23rd, 2008 at 6:02 am
Long-time lurker, first-time commenter. Like you, J.D., I have an ever-expanding library of personal finance books that vie for my attention. I checked out Kessel’s “It’s Not About the Money” from my local library and I highly recommend it as the next book for you to review. Kessel explains archetypes that seemed relevant and meaningful to me. What I really liked, however, was his focus on balance and education. Individuals who fit neatly into one of his archetypes are encouraged to adopt characteristics of an archetype that might be the polar opposite. The opportunity to understand and empathize with people who approach money in ways completely different than I do was refreshing and, in my experience with personal finance literature, somewhat unique.
December 23rd, 2008 at 8:13 am
Saving for Retirement without Living Like a Pauper or Winning the Lottery by Gail MarksJarvis
and
Enough by John Bogle
December 23rd, 2008 at 10:49 am
The Motley Fool Million Dollar Portfolio
December 23rd, 2008 at 11:09 am
I vote for “Enough” by John Bogle.
December 25th, 2008 at 7:09 am
The Motley Fool Million Dollar Portfolio.
Thanks!
December 26th, 2008 at 7:40 am
Has anyone read “The Brainwashing of the American Investor”? subtitle is “The book that Wall Street does not want you to read.
December 28th, 2008 at 10:34 am
1. Guide to Investing in Gold and Silver
2. How to Be the Family CFO
Happy New Year, J.D.!
December 29th, 2008 at 4:45 pm
My vote is for The Paradox of Choice.
It’s crazy that we live in a world of so many choices! It can get overwelming!
January 9th, 2009 at 8:30 pm
I won a copy of the Family CFO book on another finacial blogger site. I liked the book but decided that there is no way on earth that most people can do everything she says. I would be interested in your take of the book since you are in the business of personal finance. I look forward to your posts every day.