Rich Dad, Poor Dad: What the Rich Teach Their Kids About Money--That the Poor and Middle Class Do Not!

"I have heard too many negative reviews of Kiyosaki's financial strategies to take him seriously; however, there is one aspect to this book that is absolutely spot-on. The financial messages and lessons that our kids are learning today (and what I was told in HS 35 years ago) are utterly worthless.

I remember reading Future Shock by Alvin Tofler decades ago, explaining that the world is changing so fast that human society hasn't the time to readjust and position itself to thrive in the new paradigms and systems. The introduction to Rich Dad is effectively this same premise: people are being given financial advice that was golden a hundred years ago, but will doom people to squalor in the current economic climate.

I will not take issue with the author's financial advice. I am not a finance expert, and the real experts all seem to agree that this Kiyosaki clown is nothing but Anthony Robbins for the cash crowd: all flash and no foundation.

However, if you were to take the book out of the library and just read the introduction alone, it will stimulate you to giving serious thought to just how much really bad advice you have been given by so many people because of two reasons:

1. The same advice has been given for decades and nobody wants to rock the boat, and

2. 99% of all people (especially positicians and actors) know that when you open your mouth, the most important thing is to do is make your words appealling and enticing, hopeful and non-controversial. That's why nobody wants to come out and admit the following conclusion about how most people will thrive in the current economic world: It's MERCENARY!

Yap about "teamwork" and groupthink until the cows come home. The 30-year job with the Rolex at retirement time is as DEAD as Monty Python's parrot sketch. Most people stay in organizations for less than 4 years today. Downsizing, rightsizing, corporate takeovers...don't get me started. "Loyalty" for the American worker is the religion of the doomed. It's look out for yourself today, don't trust your corporate pension and the only friend you have is money in YOUR bank account.

Oh, sure, I sound cynical and negative.

Enron. Tyco. I could go on. Spare me the flag-waving capitalistic jingoism.

The one point that Rich Dad makes, in the intro, is that it's a whole new ballgame out there and the rules have changed so much that, were our grandparents alive today and had to make it in the marketplace, they'd all starve to death if they clung to the old rules.

Read the intro to Rich Dad...then throw away the rest."
~ Written on 2008-07-06

"I enjoyed reading this book. It was very interesting and at times funny. I did not want to put it down. However, if you are looking for a get rich quick idea or scheme, it is not in this book. Also, if you are not interested in real estate, you may not like this book, because that is most of the author's story. When I heard about this book, I thought it would show me how to get rich. The book does not show you how to get rich, it tells the story. If you want to get rich you only need do one thing, MAKE MONEY. I know it sounds stupid, but my uncle told me, "if you want to make big money, you have to do things in a big way." You can get rich by going to school, or by working in a restaurant, or by selling cars, getting rich is up to you. Just turn on the tv and you will see lots of rich people who did lots of different things to get rich. Good Luck!"
~ Written on 2008-06-24

"This book is amazing for the reason that it teaches you the way to financial independence, and how any person would start thinking business. The examples of implmenting this in the real estate are very nice, and help us to start small. A similar pattern / principle can be applied to any other business. "
~ Written on 2008-06-22

"I can't read this stuff. The stories are long and seemingly pointless. I tried skipping through to find the pearls of wisdom, but I never found any. One story tells in endless dull detail how he worked for 10 cents an hour when he was a kid. Who cares? Just get to the point.
I've seen this guy on TV, and he's a salesman. He tells you, over and over, how rich he is and how smart he is, but he never tells you anything you can use. I suspect he got rich by selling these books, which tell you how to get rich, supposedly. Looks like baloney to me. "
~ Written on 2008-06-19

"I recently purchased this book for my husband as well as several other books in the series. My husband is in the military and also takes a big interest in real estate. Since giving him the books several of the other guys in his platoon have borrowed the books and have found new passion and insite not only in real estate but their personal goals in life. Although most books in the series expand on the writers experiences in real estate, the principals can be applied to many different occupations, personal and professional goals. I highly reccomend this book to anyone feeling the "hamster in the wheel" syndrome, (running real fast but getting no where) and anyone re-evaluating or concidering a career move. If anything, it may motivate you to make a change. Maybe not into real estate but a change to better your situation."
~ Written on 2008-06-19