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

This book review is part of a series that covers the topic of Personal Finance. The Official SelfGrowth.com Guide to Personal Finance is Leo J. Quinn. Personal Finance involves the ways in which individuals obtain, budget, save, and spend money over time.nnRich Dad, Poor Dad: What the Rich Teach Their Kids About Money--That the Poor and Middle Class Do Not! is a valuable resource for people interested in Personal Finance, and it is available through Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble.nnThe Barnes & Noble ReviewnThe advice that dads traditionally give is so commonplace, it seems almost clichéd: Go to school and do well. Save your money. Work hard, and financial reward will follow. nWhat would you say upon learning that dear ol' Dad was dead wrong? nnIn his explosive financial manuals, Robert T. Kiyosaki suggests that perhaps you shouldn't have taken Dad's advice, encouraging a new look at an old financial mind-set. The subtitle of Rich Dad, Poor Dad says it all: "What the Rich Teach Their Kids About Money — That the Poor and Middle Class Do Not!" Contending that the wealthy have learned to make money work for them, rather than toiling for the almighty dollar, Kiyosaki reveals the secrets to success — his way. nnA millionaire himself, Kiyosaki's own experience plays a part in his controversial financial guidebooks. His real father, an educated, diligent man who became superintendent of education in Hawaii, gave his son the traditional fatherly counsel about hard work and financial gain. He died broke and bitter. Kiyosaki's "second father," his friend Mike's dad, was a high school dropout who taught Kiyosaki all that he now knows to be true about money. His "rich dad" lived up to Kiyosaki's affectionate name for him, becoming one of Hawaii's wealthiest men. nnRobert Kiyosaki's philosophy — including the assertion that a high income does not a wealthy person make — forms the cornerstone of his remarkable books, and his message is clear: "Take responsibility for yourfinancesor take orders all your life. You're either a master of money or a slave to it." With Kiyosaki's guidance, explode the myth that you need to earn a high income to become rich, challenge the belief that your house is an asset, and refuse to rely on the school system to teach kids about money. nnThese books — which exploded onto bestseller lists back in 1997 when the authors published them under their own Tech Press imprint — will help anyone who's serious about claiming control of his or her financial future. Discover what to teach your kids about money — and they will benefit in ways you did not.