Rating: 
Summary: This is a book to make the authors richer.
Review: I bought the book (should have borrowed it), and found: 1. Not many new points, we should read the Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin, or keep your parents' advices in mind; 2. Anyone who is keen in numbers, is self-disciplined or self-controlled, and knows how to search for advices in finance, should become rich; 3. Know what you're looking for in your life; 4. This book should be an article on a newspaper instead of occupying space in bookstores. It kills trees and makes the authors and the publisher richer.
Rating: 
Summary: A good book, but missed an opportunity
Review: I enjoyed reading MND, but found little new information. It solidly reinforced everything I have read in various financial planning books and magazines and would be great for someone not on the wealth track. What I found to be missing, and would have been farily easy to gather given all of the interviewing done, was some spending data. Granted, they talk about cars, clothes and watches, but what does the typical millionaire's budget look like. The book does indicate the majority of millionaires use a budget, so where are they spending what little money they spend. A couple of the wordy tables could have been replaced with some actual budgets and some budget statistics from the population of millionaires. I still enjoyed the book and will encourage my UAW acquaintances to read it. (funny thing about UAWs, they tend not to read books like this!)
Rating:
Summary: Common Sense is not so common
Review: Wow! I read the pro and con reviews preceding mine. My circle of friends had the same mixed reactions. Our conclusion: We still are working at being millionaires, getting closer all the time. One thing we refuse to become is either self centered or miserly, or miserable. Some of the codgers interviewed in this book need to loosen up a bit. Much of what was said in this book was better capsulized in the old tried and true "The Richest Man in Babylon." I would recommend it heartily to those in quest for riches of all kinds.
Rating: 
Summary: Say it one more time ...
Review: The MND was an interesting mix of sound advise, sound advise and sound advise ... oh, am I repeating. So does the book. It could have been written in 75 pages ... the central points had been clearly driven home by then. In addition, the tables became annoying ... they were simply filler. Nevertheless, the core principals were sound advise, I'm repeating again.
Rating: 
Summary: Good advice!
Review: A good companion to this book is "Die Broke." It also deals with the philosophy of money, and includes advice on how to save toward a goal for enjoyment, not just to leave your children an inheritence. The fact is, many do get rich through conservative spending and investing-just look at our parents.
Rating:
Summary: Great Book....Let's Add A Chapter.
Review: I highly recommend this book. By the authors' criteria, my wife an I are considered wealthy at age 36 and 33. We got that way by virtually mirroring the book's advice. It was great to read the book and find out that our approach to life and wealth has now been validated. I would add one more chapter, however: on the defensive side of wealth accumulation, one should do things around the home for themselves rather than calling professional repairmen (plumbers, electricians, painters) or other craftsman (deck builders, roofers, concrete guys) at every juncture. This type of work is not really all that hard or complicated once you understand the basics ( I knew nothing about any home improvement project when I bought my first home, but I've learned!)....but the cost savings, learning experience, and personal satisfaction from doing a project yourself are well worth the effort. I have saved a lot of money this way, and increased the value of and improved my home. In addition, I'm spending my spare time productively, teaching my son the value of hard work and to be self-reliant, and spending time with him....and that part is priceless!
Rating:
Summary: Borrow it from the Library
Review: This book has a great start, then it just repeats itself. What a waste of time. I agree that it would have made a great pamphlet or essay. Invest your $15 elsewhere and borrow your soon to be millionaire next door neighbors' book for a night.
Rating:
Summary: The book that finally documents the true American Millionare
Review: Finally, someone has taken the time to actually look at the reality of becoming wealthy! This book looks at our misperception of the wealthy. Now we can see what really makes most millionares wealthy instead of the professional athlete or the lucky individual who through happenstance lucks into a once in a lifetime investment. Money seldom comes in big spurts, but rather through consistenty over time. I think for those who genuinely would like to become a millionare this book is a must read. I have recommeded this book to many of my friends!
Rating:
Summary: misleading research, good advice
Review: As an economist, I worry about using the term "research" to apply to a historical accident. The main finding of this book, which is provocative and interesting, is that many people have accumulated wealth by patiently saving. Keep in mind that this book appears in 1997 in the United States. The past 15 years in this country have been unique in the annals of history in the extent to which financial conditions have been aligned to reward savers and investors. Given the historical context, the research results are to be expected. It would be much more surprising if they found similar results in the United States in 1980, or in Weimar Germany in 1930, or in Southeast Asia today. Nonetheless, I heartily endorse the advice to "live within your means." I cannot think of anyone who has regretted doing so. With my own children, my fervent hope is that they will grow up to resist mass media consumerism and focus instead on personal relationships and their role in the community. I hope that they live within their means, regardless of whether that leads to accumulating a big bank account.
Arnold Kling
Rating: 
Summary: Book falls short
Review: I applaud the book for restating, at least implicitly, that the more-is-better assumption to living life is a fallacy. After all, the hallmark of the frugal life style is that more is not necessarily better at all. I prefer the approach that there is something called "enough" that we all need to find out for ourselves. I think a much better read on this subject is "Your Money or Your Life", by Vickie Robin and Joe Dominguez. This latter book gets to the core of the issue far better than the Millionaire Next Door. Kudos to all who did not pay to read this book - who borrowed it from the library.
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