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Summary: Statistical Methodolgy "Questionable" but good Anecdotes
Review: I like the book in general, but hated the ending. On the VERY LAST PAGE, (the 3rd to last sentence) the authors state ALL their statistical evidence is based on the results from surveys of only 385 "Millionaire families". 385! Do you have any idea of the statistical inaccuracies that can result from such a small sample group? No wonder they buried this piece of information. It would be like a political pollster asking people of conservative area a question, then stating that's how all Americans felt. Plus the way they use the statistics only help to confuse the reader, not make their point.Their anecdotal evidence is much better. There is a lot to learn from the stories they tell. As a whole, I liked the book. But I never like it when authors try to slip one past me.
Rating: 
Summary: A must have!
Review: As a financial advisor, I recommend this book to my clients. The writing is empowering... and it serves as a perfect guide for those who want to be millionaires, but aren't winning the lottery or getting $15 mil to make a movie. And for the latter, it serves as an excellent grounding for how to keep those millions.
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Summary: Excellent book
Review: This is such an excellent book. It is really a good read for everyone and is definitely an eye-opener. I would have never guessed that most millionaires live in middle-class and upper middle-class neighborhoods and that they usually do not drive expensive import luxury vehicles and don't belong to country clubs. I suppose not buying luxury consumer goods was a big contributor to their financial success, along with extensive saving and investing plans. This book does state that being thrifty will really help you become wealthy, but it also infers that you don't have to deprive yourself of every luxury to build wealth. If you are looking for a book to tell you how to invest to become wealthy, this book is NOT for you. However, if you are looking for a book to find out simple common-sense behaviors you can partake in to assist you in building wealth (along with saving and investing), this book does a marvelous job.
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Summary: learn the lessons of self-made millionaires
Review: Great book. There isn't any spoonfeeding... just statistics that help you draw your own conclusions. There are many lessons to be learned in this book.
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Summary: You'll never look at your neighbor through the same eyes
Review: This book is not the average inspirational RAH! RAH! type of book. It goes beyond that in delivering REAL DATA in the REAL WORLD today. If you are trying to keep up with the Jones, don't. They probably have everything mortgaged to the hilt! You will find yourself as POOR as they truly are. If you really want to know how to become WEALTHY - read this book.
Rating: 
Summary: Beats the key ideas into the ground- but many need to read
Review: Stanley and Danko do a commendable job of re-presenting academic findings in lay language, complete with anecdotes. This book delivers as advertised. It is simply a cogent description of WHO America's successful wealth-accumulators are, and more importantly HOW they ended up with massive nest eggs toward or at the end of their earning years. They make abundantly clear that the majority of America's wealthy are 1) individuals who did not inherit their wealth 2) individuals who lived well below their means so as to save and invest large portions of employment income, and 3) self-employed, often providing jobs for numerous others. The authors neither promise nor deliver any extensive commentary about the ethical dimensions of workload and investing versus spending behaviors, nor should they. Reviewers decrying the lifestyles of these "prodigious accumulators of wealth" miss the mark. One may take issue with the quote of one surveyed millionaire- "I am my favorite charity", but that is a completely different issue. This book should be read by the legions of Americans who are in for a rude awakening when they can no longer work becuase they have accumulated few assets to work FOR them. Finally, I would challenge any "progressive" thinker who advocates estate taxes for "the rich" to read about who they really are. Where is the justice in confiscating the (already-taxed) fruits of a lifetime of self-discipline to bail out others whose lives have been spent in the trappings of the cushiest lifestyle they could afford paycheck-to paycheck? On that policy basis alone, this book is worth a read. My only beef with this work is that it tends to belabor the same key points, but given the stakes, perhaps that is not such a bad thing....
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Summary: The secret to becoming a millionaire is ...
Review: A book worth reading. But the finding are quite surprising - eg within occupations, choose dry cleaning but where are the property developers ?: in terms of ethnicity being scottish helps but where are the asian eg chinese/korean millionaires ?; finally where are the dot.com millionaires (I know the situation is different in 2003, but surely they were around when the book was published). Certainly the findings would seem to merit a further study eg comparative studies from other industrialised countries (I wonder why no university researchers have done that ?).
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Summary: A real eye opener for the dilusional
Review: So many of us are brought up to earn then spend. This book introduces the reader to a philosophy different than that to which most Americans adhere when it comes to money and its use in life. You don't need to be a finance major to read this one, in fact, I would recommend this book to anyone with a job and a positive life span. This book really delivers. kscrow
Rating: 
Summary: not so much fun...
Review: I was given this book as a gift and was thoroughly disappointed. This book simply states that you should live below your means, stay out of debt and save money, if you want to be a millionaire. Shocking! The statistical data shows that most millionaires don't live in fancy houses, drive fancy cars, belong to country clubs or eat out a lot. True. Most millionaires are people nearing retirement with large 401(k)s/pensions and houses that have appreciated significantly in value. In order to take advantage of this savings, they'll need to sell their homes and begin to liquidate their 401(k)s. In other words, they will be living off this money as retirees. They will not be dining on caviar and champagne every night nor living on a $500,000 yacht. They will need every dime in this high priced world. In other words, they will not be rich . . . and let's face it, people are buying this book because they want to know how to "get rich" not how to have a safe retirement. I suppose a better title for this book should have been: "A safe retirement is within reach for someone with fiscal discipline". Boring and obvious advice.
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Summary: a very good read
Review: This book uncovers many of the myths that surrond the American Millionaire. This book suggests that most millionaires in America are extremely thrifty and frugal despite the common belief they all drive expensive cars and live in huge houses. This book also distinguishes the difference between being wealthy and having a high income. Overall, it is very interesting and well worth your time.
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