The Richest Man In Babylon by George Clason
April 8th, 2008Title: The Richest Man In Babylon
Author: George Clason
Publisher: Signet (2004 – reprint)
I am a personal finance nerd. I read multiple personal finance blogs everyday. There are about 1 million of them, so it’s pretty easy to find some. A while ago one of the blogs I like, Free Money Finance, did a series on The Richest Man in Babylon. I had never heard of that book, so I figured I would check it out.
It was written (kind of) back in 1926…it started as a series of pamphlets and eventually was printed into a book. It is written as a grouping of parables back in old-timey Babylon. Clason decided to write it in the language (except in English) style of those times, which makes it REALLY hard to follow. Apparently I am not quite smart enough to be able to follow it.
The basic points of the book are solid, and not all that different from other personal finance advice. Save your money…spend less than you earn…using compounding interest to your advantage…etc.
The book was probably pretty revolutionary at the time…but is just kind of boring and difficult to read now. I didn’t like it. Apparently there is a new translated version into modern language. I haven’t checked it out and I probably won’t…I pretty much know what the book was about.
Rating: 1 out of 5
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April 9th, 2008 at 11:24 pm
I’ve gotta ask, which finance blogs do you read?
April 10th, 2008 at 12:55 am
Free Money Finance and Get Rich Slowly are the two that I read most often.
Occasionally I will read Five Cent Nickel too.
May 29th, 2008 at 4:58 pm
This simple story holds deep truths for the reader. I’ve toyed with the idea of reading it to my children so that it becomes a ‘bedtime story’ that teaches real truths about how to be successful.
The basic premise of Richest Man In Babylon is that we need to pay ourselves but more deeply, it’s about how we view money; who is master & who is slave?
Both me & my wife grew up in families that always seemed to have money problems. Money was ‘tight’ and we ‘didn’t have money to spare.’
I too was caught up in this trap & having gone through the Richest Man In Babylon as well as other critical wealth building books, I decided to chronicle my rise to riches, my fall to poverty & return to riches on http://secretsofthemillionaires.blogspot.com/
I would strongly encourage everyone to read & re-read The Richest Man In Babylon.
Darrell
June 23rd, 2008 at 3:59 pm
This book changed my life. It teaches the basics of how money works. For those who are ready to lear its wisdom it is invaluable. Carry on Darrell!
August 18th, 2008 at 11:20 am
This book holds everlasting “secrets”. Don’t underestimate this book for being simple. Truth’s always simple.
August 20th, 2008 at 3:01 am
The Richest Man in Babylon: The knowledge and truth in this book took me from the slave of money to the master of money. It also revealed the thruth about people, it is far easier to learn these lessons from a book, than to experience it.
I am eternally greatful for this knowledge.
September 20th, 2008 at 5:34 am
please how can i get this book of wisdom, I lost mine while trying to save it by carrying it arround with we, i read it every minute of the day, please advise
October 10th, 2008 at 10:02 am
i bet you rent an HDTV.
October 12th, 2008 at 11:17 am
haha…no georage…I do not rent my HDTV. I bought it with saved money and everything.
As I said in the review…the concepts are solid. The book is just a bad read.
December 2nd, 2008 at 3:49 pm
This book is also available as an audio book (which I borrowed from the library). It’s read by actors, and “beith that thou can listen upon these words, and cast not thy eyes, it is of great and noble service”… lol.
Listening to the book, I thought the Old-English narration added to the material’s charm and “stickiness”. The wisdom of this material, in it’s condensed and simplified form is paralleled only by the wisdom of presenting it through numerous colorful and drawn out examples of a more medieval time. There is a desire on the author’s part to convey this material as if being passed along first person – in the form of a story. If you’re a concept/bullet point kind of person, you won’t appreciate this book. But then, you probably wouldn’t follow the advice of this book if presented in bullet points either due it’s lack of apparent depth.
Kind of like reading a great quote, “If you have to eat a frog, don’t look at it too long” by Mark Twain. You may agree with this quote, but you won’t internalize the message and change your bad habit of procrastination because the bullet point by itself is not convincing enough. The way this book presents material through first person imagery and countless “stories” allows the messages to sink in, settle, and resonate with the same advice you’ve certainly heard in another form. The difference is the conviction you’re left with to try the advice when you’re all done. This book could be a life-changing turning point on your path to personal wealth if you let it. “What say thee?”
December 23rd, 2008 at 8:33 am
That’s a good job. Well done!
I am wondering whether this particular book can be related to another book titled: ” The Seven C’s of Consulting” written by Mick Cope.
I hope you can help me out.
January 13th, 2009 at 12:33 am
I have just finished reading this book (in modern english), the ‘lessons’ in this book resonated with me, the common sense is astounding but I’m gobsmacked by the simplicity and the fact that I had no idea that the principles of living comfortably whilst working hard and having some rainiy day money in the bank were so simple. I am immediately going to pay myself 10%, review my expenditure (most of which I acknowledge I don’t need) and start learning some stuff about wealth creation (the ‘Mentoring for Success’ course I have enrolled required this book to be read and a one page review prepared – that’s why I have read it, so high hopes for this course).
Why the b%@@%y hell is this stuff not taught in schools, with a nation of hard working, thrifty, wealthy, fun loving populations the whole world will be better off.
No more living from pay to pay for me and mine!
July 8th, 2009 at 4:59 pm
I found this to be the most inspirational book on finance I have ever read. Its really based on common sense, which as an adult you’d think everyone would save their money in this way. I gave the book to my nephew and niece as they entered college to help them figure out how to save money for the future and create a good foundation…
July 14th, 2011 at 3:13 pm
this is actually on DVD now:
http://goo.gl/CI8c7
November 5th, 2011 at 9:29 pm
So…you’re going to rate a book poorly because you’re not smart enough to follow the “thee’s and thou’s”. Give me a break.
November 9th, 2011 at 12:53 pm
i’m just a university studen,and i enjoy reading this book ‘the richest man in babylon’.how do i start making wealth on my own.
January 5th, 2012 at 12:20 am
Excellent collection of laws for financial freedom.
How about using audio visual based on this book?
A must for college and university student.