Rich Dad Poor Dad

With the flu season on, all four of us are down. I took a couple of days off from work so I can be with the kids. With nothing much to do when the kids slept, I looked for a book to read. I had bought some books at the airport store in Bangalore and this was one of them. I still remember the look my husband had given when I picked this book. With one child next to me and another in my tummy, he had expected me to pick some books on parenting. But, I remembered one of my friend mentioning this book and I picked it. I had never read a book on investment and I felt all the more compelled to pick this.

Well, this book is quite an easy read; give it a couple of evenings. It teaches you common sense and these books fascinate me. How people make millions by writing about common sense? Aren't we supposed to know it? Well, let me save that topic for another day. There are most of us that pay very little attention to investment. While we all dream of a happy retired life but not many of us plan for it. This book is an eye-opener of sorts if you have never ever read an investment book, like me :-) The author emphasizes that rich people teach their kids to make money work for them, while the poor teach them get an education and work for money. By poor, the author does not mean people that cannot afford 2 meals a day. When he says poor, they are the people who have more liabilities than assets. The sort that spend too much on car, clothes etc and assume they are living a rich life. For instance, he says that if someone considers their home the biggest investment, then that person is in trouble. He points out a couple of ways to make money like real estate and stocks, which of course has worked for him but the same may not work for everyone! The author does a good job at narrating ideas but has very little information on implementing them. This book is more of an inspirational book than a financial book. So get hooked, if you want some inspiration to save money! If you are looking for a recipe to get rich, pass this one.

A lot of people seem to suggest "The Millionaire Next Door" is a better book. I may read it sometime but this is FYI.

The Alchemist

This is a book that different people may see differently: a fairy-tale for adults, a self-help inspirational book or it can be a simple easy book with some good quotes.
Basically, the books tells you to follow your heart, dream of something and live a life trying to achieve it. That is when life feels fulfilled. It is a story about a shepherd Santiago, who follows his dream and very prectiably, realizes them. Well, it is certainly a page turner, describing the various people he meets and the path to his destination. While this book can be a life changer for some, it was refreshing for me. There were some inspirational quotes and it was a different book. A very easy read and the book can be finished in one evening. What I take away from this book is, lead a life following a dream but the journey to achieve the dream is more beautiful than the dream itself.

More quotes from this book:

* When a person really desires something, all the Universe conspires to help that person to realize his dream

* There is only one thing that makes a dream impossible to achieve: the fear of failure.

* The fear of suffering is worse than suffering itself. And that no heart has ever suffered when it goes in search its dreams, because every second of the search is a second's encounter with God and with eternity.

* Every search begins with beginner's luck. And every search ends with the victor being severely tested.

* Everyone seems to have a clear idea of how other people should lead their lives, but none about his or her own.

* It's not what enters man's mouth that is evil, it's what comes out of their mouth that is.

* When someone makes a decision, he is diving into a strong current that will carry him places he had never dreamed of when he first made the decision.

Blink: The Power Of Thinking Without Thinking

While I am writing one review for Malcolm Gladwell, I decided I should review the other book I have read too. Next time Malcolm Gladwell writes a book, I will buy it without blinking. I have read his Tipping point and this is his second book I read. I truly respect this author for the way he presents his ideas and the data. Coginitive science is presented in the form of a story book. He debates throughout the book if we should follow our gut-feeling or not. There are times when this have proven right and sometimes it has proven wrong. There are some good examples of how instincts may not be always right : as in sipping Pepsi and deciding if it is better than Coke (note : its just a sip), listening to one song by an artist and deciding if he is good or bad. There are no conclusions drawn whatsoever. If you are looking at core Cognitive science as in "science", then this is not the book for you. This book has more examples than explanation of human behavior.
All in all, it is a very light read like his previous book. It leaves you hungry, looking for more than what you read and an explanation of why we do what we do. Well, don't expect answers. Read it for the fun of reading! Have fun.

Some lines I liked:

* It is quite possible for people who have never met us and who have spent only twenty minutes thinking about us to come to a better understanding of who we are than people who have known us for years.

* There can be as much value in the blink of an eye as in months of rational analysis.

Tipping Point

This is a book I read about a year back. And if I remember something today, then I believe that book has left some impression. This book is about data. Data gathered and presented well. Malcolm Gladwell does a wonderful job of correlating data. So if you are the kind that says "Show me the data to prove your point", then go for this one. The author starts the book with a Hushpuppies example. They were out of trend and a bunch of teenagers made them the fashion statement. The drop in the crime rate in NY city is another example of a phenomenon that reached the tipping point. This book is not only about mass behavior that causes a huge change but there are examples of personaities too. Overall, I enjoyed this book and would recommend this for a light Sunday afternoon on the deck.

Books and more books!

I often wonder, when I look at the books on Amazon.com; how can one life be enough to read so many books. My wishlist keeps growing and so does my library at home. I know that not all books are read-worthy, but I don't want to miss out on any of the best books. So, even with my hectic schedule, I am trying to make time to read some books. I will post some reviews as I read them, maybe some favorite lines from the books, but feel free to add you comments and/or suggest books.