Review of You Don't Have to Be Rich: Comfort, Happiness, and Financial Security on Your Own Terms (Hardcover)

There are dozens of books which address many of the same topics and issues and this is one of the best because it was written primarily for non-experts such as I who seek "comfort, happiness, and financial security on [our] terms," of course, and need guidance to make appropriate decisions. Answers to questions such as these are more difficult to formulate now than at any prior time that I recall:

*What are the significant differences between standard of living and quality of life?
*Are they mutually exclusive?
*How can -- and should -- "wealth" be measured?
*To what extent (if any) is there a correlation between personal happiness and net worth?
*What do the happiest people seem to share in common?
*What are the most damaging misconceptions many people have when formulating a financial plan?
*Which strategies and tactics are most effective to achieve financial security? Why?
*What are "The Ten Commandments of Financial Happiness"?

Chatzky address these and countless other questions which many of us may have but feel embarrassed to ask. Of course, we can retain highly reputable financial planners whose services are worth every dollar they cost. However, my own experience suggests that a financial planner's best client is a well-informed client. More specifically, financial planners are most valuable once a client has carefully completed exercises such as those which Chatzky includes in her book. Invoking direct address, what do you REALLY want in life? Being rich and being happy are NOT mutually-exclusive. Many people are unhappy because they are essentially insolvent, if not destitute. No savings, credit unworthy, deeply in debt, in danger of foreclosure or eviction, etc. Many others are just as unhappy because of their affluence. They yearn to possess what money can't buy: physical health, peace of mind, friendship worthy of the name, etc.

Caveat: Do NOT purchase this book or any other such book unless and until you are wholeheartedly committed to doing the "homework" required and then to following through on whatever decisions you make. I think that Chapter 6 (all by itself) is worth far more than the cost of the book. However, do you REALLY understand the requirements as well as the benefits of living within your means? Tough decisions may need to be made. (I mean TOUGH.) Do you have what it takes to make them? More importantly, do you have what it takes to stick with those decisions no matter what? Years ago, the actor Rod Steiger was asked if young people ever requested career advice. "Oh yeah, sure, all the time. I look them right in the eye and ask `Do you want to be an actor or do you HAVE to be an actor?' The longer it takes themto answer, the less likely they'll ever make it." If you HAVE to have financial security, Jean Chatzky can help you to achieve it.Otherwise....



Click Here to see more reviews about: You Don't Have to Be Rich: Comfort, Happiness, and Financial Security on Your Own Terms (Hardcover)

Review of You Don't Have to Be Rich: Comfort, Happiness, and Financial Security on Your Own Terms (Hardcover)

There are dozens of books which address many of the same topics and issues and this is one of the best because it was written primarily for non-experts such as I who seek "comfort, happiness, and financial security on [our] terms," of course, and need guidance to make appropriate decisions. Answers to questions such as these are more difficult to formulate now than at any prior time that I recall:

*What are the significant differences between standard of living and quality of life?
*Are they mutually exclusive?
*How can -- and should -- "wealth" be measured?
*To what extent (if any) is there a correlation between personal happiness and net worth?
*What do the happiest people seem to share in common?
*What are the most damaging misconceptions many people have when formulating a financial plan?
*Which strategies and tactics are most effective to achieve financial security? Why?
*What are "The Ten Commandments of Financial Happiness"?

Chatzky address these and countless other questions which many of us may have but feel embarrassed to ask. Of course, we can retain highly reputable financial planners whose services are worth every dollar they cost. However, my own experience suggests that a financial planner's best client is a well-informed client. More specifically, financial planners are most valuable once a client has carefully completed exercises such as those which Chatzky includes in her book. Invoking direct address, what do you REALLY want in life? Being rich and being happy are NOT mutually-exclusive. Many people are unhappy because they are essentially insolvent, if not destitute. No savings, credit unworthy, deeply in debt, in danger of foreclosure or eviction, etc. Many others are just as unhappy because of their affluence. They yearn to possess what money can't buy: physical health, peace of mind, friendship worthy of the name, etc.

Caveat: Do NOT purchase this book or any other such book unless and until you are wholeheartedly committed to doing the "homework" required and then to following through on whatever decisions you make. I think that Chapter 6 (all by itself) is worth far more than the cost of the book. However, do you REALLY understand the requirements as well as the benefits of living within your means? Tough decisions may need to be made. (I mean TOUGH.) Do you have what it takes to make them? More importantly, do you have what it takes to stick with those decisions no matter what? Years ago, the actor Rod Steiger was asked if young people ever requested career advice. "Oh yeah, sure, all the time. I look them right in the eye and ask `Do you want to be an actor or do you HAVE to be an actor?' The longer it takes themto answer, the less likely they'll ever make it." If you HAVE to have financial security, Jean Chatzky can help you to achieve it.Otherwise....



Click Here to see more reviews about: You Don't Have to Be Rich: Comfort, Happiness, and Financial Security on Your Own Terms (Hardcover)

Review of The Genius of Instinct: Reclaim Mother Nature's Tools for Enhancing Your Health, Happiness, Family, and Work (Hardcover)

I was expecting much more from this book but I found it generally disappointing.First, Dr. Weisinger has a very poor writing style and could have used significantly more help from a good editor (and a proof reader).There are some obvious typos and some bad grammar (the use of disconnect "with" instead of disconnect "from", for example).The good doctor uses a slew of cliches sometimes even bringing home a point with a terrible allusion to something from popular culture.One example: there is one sentence referring to the lion kings being aware of the circle of life (maybe this was subtle product placement for the Disney movie).In another place he mentions how a clan would face extinction, which could be final.I wasn't aware of the non-final version of extinction.

As far as the content, Weisinger's thesis is that Mother Nature (whom he refers to sometimes as if it were an actual person) has endowed us with instincts that have helped us survive for all this millenia.Because these instincts have brought us succesfully to where we are today, we should become familiar with them and use them to our advantage.This logic holds up well; however, Weisinger's presentation of evidence to support this is often very speculative, running something like this: since this instinct seems to work today, it must have worked in the past to get our ancestors out of some pickle or to help in the process of natural selection of certain traits (and those who exhibit them) over others.He then conjures up (not "conjectures up", as Weisinger often writes) some very detailed scenario of what must have happened and how.Dr. Weisinger must have had access to some primitive Youtube application when researsching his book.It might have helped if Weisinger included references to actual studies and perhaps footnotes, since so many of his claims rely on other people's work.

On the positive side, perhaps the last fourth of the book or so, Weisinger's tale is a little stronger, with an excellent description of and prescription for how to apply novely to increase motivation and curiosity.



Click Here to see more reviews about: The Genius of Instinct: Reclaim Mother Nature's Tools for Enhancing Your Health, Happiness, Family, and Work (Hardcover)