Monday, June 9, 2008

Rich Dad, Poor Dad

By Robert Kiyosaki and Sharon Lechter

The books title will definitely intrigue one to at least pick up the book once to read this bestseller…definitely a great marketing strategy adopted by the famous writers Robert Kiyosaki and Sharon Lechter to make there first book to the best-sellers list.

This book helps you understand the importance of financial independence through use of finance protection tactics like investing, real estate, etc. It’s a great read as it’s simply written the authors make use of many entertaining anecdotes from their life to explain there ideas to the reader.
Rich Dad, Poor Dad is simply written in a manner that tries to make finances interesting. Kiyosaki and Lechter stress and advocate the owning the system or means of production, rather than being an employee of someone else. The book is largely based in Hawaii taking inspiration from Kiyosaki's own upbringing and education there. The Poor Dad section is based on Kiyosaki's father, a PhD holder and graduate of Stanford, Chicago, and Northwestern University (all on full scholarship) and was the head of the Education department of the state of Hawaii.
He is a well respected individual until he makes up his mind to stand up against a wrong on principles that he believes in. This leads to him losing his job and never finding work of same status ever again. He has never learned to handle money (depending on his employer) for support, when he dies he leaves back a great dept in his name.
In complete contrast to the poor dad character is Rich Dad, Michael's (the writer’s best friend) father. He drops out of school in 8th grade but later in life becomes a self-made multi-millionaire. He teaches Kiyosaki and Michael financial lessons and insists they learn to make money work for them to ensure that they don’t spend their whole lives working for money like most of the people in the world do.
Some great quotes from the BOOK
Remember the Golden Rule. He who has the gold makes the rules.
Most people are poor because when it comes to investing, the world is filled with Chicken Little running around yelling, ‘The sky is falling. The sky is falling.’
The trouble with the rat-race is that even if you win, you're still a rat.
The poor and middle class work for money. The rich have money work for them.
Physical exercise improves health, mental exercise improves wealth and laziness destroys both.
The book shows us how these two men have different attitudes towards money, work and life and how these in turn influenced key decisions in Kiyosaki's life. Read the book to know what happens in the end….