Rating: 
Summary: A Must Read For Everyone
Review: I am glad someone is finally complimenting me on my frugality. I had a friend who saw this book on Oprah and bought it and she practically threw the book at me to throw in the trash. She said it didn't make sense at all. The real reason is that it did not agree with her spending habits. I kept the "free" book and loved it. It put me in a positive mind set that you do not have to win the lottery to retire rich. I like the idea of long term money goals instead of getting rich quick and risking it all.
Rating: 
Summary: Sure they're happy, but is their waitress?
Review: I liked this book very much, but much less so the people it depicts. The authors say the millionaires describe themselves as happy, but to me they just come off as selfish cheapskates who make their wealth by taking rank advantage of others. I would suggest that the authors, in their follow up work, study the correlation between millionaire auctioneers and other self employed types and exactly how much income tax they pay. What isn't said is that much of their wealth comes from unreported cash income. Also it would be revelatory if the authors described wealth and religion, rather than the more politically correct "ancestry." But if you're willing to pay the high price of paying underprice, you too can become one of the boors this book so aptly describes.
Rating: 
Summary: Entertaining retread of good ole' common sense.
Review: So if I want to build wealth, I have to invest? And if I want to have money to invest, I have to save? And if I want to save, it helps to be tighter than a mosquito's you-know-what? Well, golly, why didn't anyone ever write all down before!Actually, this book just repeats the Calvinist virtues that have always been valued by the middle class - hard work, honesty, frugality, the deferment of gratification, etc. That said, it's a gleefully unapologetic celebration of parsimony and miserly accumulation. The part about weathly people driving junky old cars really was great fun. The advice in this book really isn't new, it's just a very well done repeat of everything my immigrant father taught me by inarticulate example about financial life. And that's not a bad thing.
Rating: 
Summary: Too much and not enough
Review: The central theme of living below your means is repeated over and over with numerous numbers and tables. Gets on your nerve mid way through. 90% of the emphasis is placed on saving, and 10% on investing. Hardly a true picture of accumulating wealth. Curiously, the statistics used to back up the theme exclude those from the ethnic groups such as the African Americans, the Hispanics, and the Asians.
Rating:
Summary: wonderful!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Review: A thought-provoking book.. This has been my life-changing experience. After completing the book in record time, I began to pay closer attention to where my money is spent and invested. I'm well on my way to becoming a millionaire by the time I'm 50 years old, if not sooner. Thanks for the boost to do what I should have done years ago.
Rating:
Summary: Simply the Best Financial Book Ever if you want a million!
Review: I am a financial professional and after working all day in the field, I read financial books, magazines etc for fun. Like diet books, there are many degreed people who have written books with vastly different theories on how to get from 1 to a million. This is the first book that draws conclusions form an in-depth and scientifically conducted study. We all know how Michael Jordan and Bill Gates became wealthy but they do not represent how the vast majority of people with a net worth of over $1 million got their piece of the pie. These people are well described in the book and actually represented in my life by my parents and my husband's parents. In my teens and twenties I questioned their teachings dramatically since my peer group at work and socially was sending the message 'get the BMW now!' Fortunately , I had just enough presence of mind to remember that these people were not millionaires and although they might get there someday it wasn't easy to see how they would accomplish this. By following the path laid out by Stanley and Danko's real life millionaires, it seems very clear that even those of moderate income can get to a million dollar net worth. There are other paths - just ask Madonna but the probabilities of getting a millionaire using another method are very low like a lottery. There could be barriers beyond one's control such as serious health problems but barring these types of extremes, there are no excuses, only lack of planning and implementation. Incidentally, by following their methods - my husband and I crossed the million dollar mark this year (our ages 46 & 39) - next step early retirement!
Rating: 
Summary: Not worth the money or time to read it.
Review: This book is simply clever marketing of common sense money management. It could be reduced down to a couple of chapters. Basically all the advice and anecdotes boil down to is to live within or beneath your means, save a percentage of your income and invest it carefully. There are a few pearls of wisdom, but they are few and far between, and not worth the time it takes to read the book. There are much better books on money management that actually help you construct and realize a plan for your financial health.
Rating:
Summary: A wonderful guidebook for those seeking financial FREEDOM
Review: I'm frugal, yet this book excited me so much that I bought a pile of them and gave them to many close friends with strong urgings to read. The second time this has ever happened to me. This book presents a realistic method for becoming financially independent. The key element is saving 15% of your pre-tax income, and investing that for the long term. What a small price to pay for true financial freedom! A core idea implied here is changing the typical American "order of operation". By sacrificing some spending now, one can then have plenty of toys and goodies later, if that is important. Or do whatever you want - free of a ball-and-chain job. An unexpected bonus was a look into the (counter-intuitive) effects of parents giving substantial sums of money to adult children. Hint - it usually makes them worse off financially in the long run. They also had some excellent data on thinking about your investments in AFTER-tax terms. This was before index funds became the rage, and I hadn't thought enough about this. Simple, practical advice that helped me seek out better alternatives, and therefore a more lucrative long term strategy. What I really liked about this book was that it presented the "live an honest, frugal, and hardworking life" in a practical context - that of reaping the substantial reward of financial freedom. For so many of these people, the independence they had gained, and the personal pride and contentment in that freedom made them so happy, it's hard to imagine any amount of consumer goods providing that. Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness...hmmm - sound familiar? For me it was a great motivator. While I'm much younger than the typical late 50ish to early 60ish millioniare interviwed, it showed me that I'm well on track if I just keep at it. That has REALLY helped for the past several years. If you're looking for a quick fix or magic bullet, or you can't stand the idea of giving up some of your pretax income for now - to have a much better financial life down the road, then this book isn't for you. However, if you are willing to consider some spending moderation, and are looking for practical advice that will truly work - this book is definitely for you. ***ANYONE*** with a moderate (say $30K and up) income, plus some desire and self discipline can become truly self sufficient financially - let freedom ring! I think that's truly wonderful, and this book can set you on that path.
Rating:
Summary: Sensational!
Review: The people giving this book one stars and whining miss the point. You can have a lifestyle while building for the future. Nowhere does it say you have to live like a hermit. Frugality is the key. I'll bet that all of the one stars are also living paycheck to paycheck and broke (but having a great time) Am I right??? I also recommend Buffetology and More Wealth without Risk. All three are excellent books and must reading for anyone seeking financial succe$$!
Rating:
Summary: Sensational!
Review: The people givin this book one stars and whining miss the point. You can have a lifestyle while building for the future. Nowhere does it say you have to live like a hermit. Frugality is the key. I'll bet that all of the one stars are also livig paycheck to paycheck and broke (but having a great time) I also recommend Buffetology and More Wealth without Risk.
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