Money and the Meaning of Life

Rating:
Summary: Buy It But Skip The First 20 Chapters
Review: A self-described "trained philosopher" (a term which he never defines), Professor Needleman is also an undisciplined writer. Had this book not been recommended to me by one of my more intelligent students, I would have thrown it aside after reading the first few chapters. Instead, based upon my student's recommendation, I read it through to the end, and am glad I did.

The topic, the place of money in the life of the modern thinking person, is a compelling one, and Professor Needleman provides a lucid and intelligent discussion of it in the third part of the book, beginning at chapter 21. Unfortunately, you will gain nothing more by reading the first 20 chapters, which consist of undisciplined ramblings by an author who considers himself charismatic. It is as if they were written by a totally different person.

Rating:
Summary: Buy It But Skip The First 20 Chapters
Review: A self-described "trained philosopher" (a term which he never defines), Professor Needleman is also an undisciplined writer. Had this book not been recommended to me by one of my more intelligent students, I would have thrown it aside after reading the first few chapters. Instead, based upon my student's recommendation, I read it through to the end, and am glad I did.

The topic, the place of money in the life of the modern thinking person, is a compelling one, and Professor Needleman provides a lucid and intelligent discussion of it in the third part of the book, beginning at chapter 21. Unfortunately, you will gain nothing more by reading the first 20 chapters, which consist of undisciplined ramblings by an author who considers himself charismatic. It is as if they were written by a totally different person.

Rating:
Summary: A deeply spiritual and provocative look at life and money.
Review: Could there be a subject more charged with the drama of human life? Each of us lives in some private, personal struggle with money that to a great extent dictates the course of our dreams, our search for meaning, and our compromises with deep Self. If you read nothing else about money, give yourself the great treat of opening the pages of this book. You may finally begin to comprehend why, if you have ever attempted to make money conscious, make it work for you rather than against you, take it into the domain of spirit, you have not succeeded. Not succeeded in finding deep or lasting satisfaction with it: as it squeezes you this way, frightens you that way, appears, disappears, plays with your hidden shame, seduces you to give up your heart's desire for more of it, etc. Beginning to understand why, you may also begin to have compassion for yourself in the midst of this journey, this search for The Way, in and through money. Needleman is fluent, wise, humble, and provocative as he lays out the foundation of a timely and really comprehensible thesis about the power of the most ubiquitous of elements fueling our lives and fantasies, money.

Rating:
Summary: A deeply spiritual and provocative look at life and money.
Review: Could there be a subject more charged with the drama of human life? Each of us lives in some private, personal struggle with money that to a great extent dictates the course of our dreams, our search for meaning, and our compromises with deep Self. If you read nothing else about money, give yourself the great treat of opening the pages of this book. You may finally begin to comprehend why, if you have ever attempted to make money conscious, make it work for you rather than against you, take it into the domain of spirit, you have not succeeded. Not succeeded in finding deep or lasting satisfaction with it: as it squeezes you this way, frightens you that way, appears, disappears, plays with your hidden shame, seduces you to give up your heart's desire for more of it, etc. Beginning to understand why, you may also begin to have compassion for yourself in the midst of this journey, this search for The Way, in and through money. Needleman is fluent, wise, humble, and provocative as he lays out the foundation of a timely and really comprehensible thesis about the power of the most ubiquitous of elements fueling our lives and fantasies, money.

Rating:
Summary: The needle can be found in this haystack...
Review: I found Needleman's book inspiring and profound. Not only did I learn a great deal about the history of money, but it helped me see how it affects my life. I have recommended it to many friends.

Rating:
Summary: So, "that's" the meaning of life.
Review: I found Needleman's book inspiring and profound. Not only did I learn a great deal about the history of money, but it helped me see how it affects my life. I have recommended it to many friends.

Rating:
Summary: When Is Money Not Money?
Review: I have been on a never-ending search for a higher-paying, more satisfying job/career my entire life believing totally that this would be the answer to many of my life's challenges and problems. Further, I believed that all of these challenges and problems were for the most part being driven by external factors. After reading this book, I appreciate that my search surely was and is about more than making money.

The structure of the book is somewhat like a quilt pieced together of various subject matter, ideas and reflections about money. I had to make an effort to stay with the flow when I couldn't see where it was going. Perhaps this was a strategy the author choose to use and the one that kept me reading to the end.

It's not a book I was able to rush through because as I read the truth of what he was saying presented me with quite an accurate and painful reflection of my own behavior and beliefs about money. I could only read a little bit of the truth at a time because as I recall hearing once, the truth will set you free but first it's going to just about kill you. I had to let it kill me a little bit at a time.

An excellent companion piece to this book and one that Needleman cites is by Lewis Hyde entitled, "The Gift."

Rating:
Summary: When Is Money Not Money?
Review: I have been on a never-ending search for a higher-paying, more satisfying job/career my entire life believing totally that this would be the answer to many of my life's challenges and problems. Further, I believed that all of these challenges and problems were for the most part being driven by external factors. After reading this book, I appreciate that my search surely was and is about more than making money.

The structure of the book is somewhat like a quilt pieced together of various subject matter, ideas and reflections about money. I had to make an effort to stay with the flow when I couldn't see where it was going. Perhaps this was a strategy the author choose to use and the one that kept me reading to the end.

It's not a book I was able to rush through because as I read the truth of what he was saying presented me with quite an accurate and painful reflection of my own behavior and beliefs about money. I could only read a little bit of the truth at a time because as I recall hearing once, the truth will set you free but first it's going to just about kill you. I had to let it kill me a little bit at a time.

An excellent companion piece to this book and one that Needleman cites is by Lewis Hyde entitled, "The Gift."

Rating:
Summary: The needle can be found in this haystack...
Review: I took the audio version of this book (as read by the author), and have listened to it three times. There are tremendous segements to this book, but since it doesn't start with, but builds toward, the tale of Give to Caesar what is Caesar's, it takes a while to see where the first half of the material is headed. Instead the first half offers a number of interesting, thought provoking, reflections that may be useful for one and all. A bit wordy, but worth the time...

Rating:
Summary: Pretentious, read chapter 20 onward,
Review: I'd give it five stars but 1) It lacks an index. 2) It borders on salve for gilded yuppies much like Chopra's Seven Laws for Spiritual success. Don't feel sorry about making lots of dough, even if it's a immoral occupation - you deserve it was the main message I got. Ok, I know there's more to it than that.

But when the author in Chap 20 says money can buy you everything even love, I was vexed. Or that ethics and morality can be bought and sold like a pair of sneakers. And that unless we buy them, we cannot understand the things we can't buy! So if you're middle class forget understanding higher concepts, you don't got the bucks to buy enlightenment. Hmmm sounds like Sam Walton meets Eckhart meets The Fellowship of Friends. Everything is reduced to transactionalism. No meanings or values only cost.
Your teacher is the Benjamin Franklin in your wallet.

It's odd that Needleman promotes a idea which would condemed by any authentic spiritual tradition in the world.

Overall Prof. Needleman did a good job, but just barely, his style of writing is as usual, excellent. But content wise it is not up to par with his earlier works on philosophy or religion.
The target audience which again seems to be well off folks with guilt trips, yuppies, dot commies, etc. Ought to love it. But start at chapter 20 cause that's where it gets interesting.

If you work hard at a blue collar job skip it, this book is not meant for you. Only wealthy types with spiritual pretensions need apply, since this book is partly derived from seminars he gives around the country based on similar topics for corporate clients.

He also skipped on the psychopathology of wealth and money obsession. Why are so many of the new wealthy class, anti-charity and greedy to the point of amoral? Witness the fraud on Wall Street, how money corrupted our democracy, Dot com swindles or the S&L scandals. He's seems to ignore the corrosive effect money has on people also or why it's worshipped so much in our society. Money counts not character or essence.

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