Customer Reviews

Direct Pointing to Real Wealth: Thomas J. Elpel's Field Guide to Money

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Thomas Elpel's book covers a broad span of topics, from do-it-yourself skills around the house and garden to international economic theory and practice, but its core message is that many people seem to plan their lives backwards. They go out to make money without first thinking about how to spend it to make themselves secure and happy, or how their work might hurt the environment and other people. Elpel proposes that we first decide what we want in life, including material wants, then work toward those things as goals, making money when we need it but not as our primary objective. Not everyone will want to move to the country and raise their own food, but every reader of this book will find food for thought and kernels of insight into the way our lives, the economy, and the world function. A lot of people who frequently get themselves into financial trouble would benefit from this book but, unfortunately, they're probably the ones least likely to read it.

This is the third book of Tom's that I have read. There is no way to say enough to describe how this book has affected me. It comfimed, for me ways that I veiwed money and my personal views of finances. It also gave me the inspiration and insight to approach finances from a different level. I bought the book on a gut feeling (I wasn't interested in it, that I knew of) and I am really glad I did. Starting in November a class will be taught at our Nature School using this classic "Field Guide". Bravo Tom, great information, Thank you! And to those wondering to read it or not...definately, get this book and cherish it!

I am reviewing this book from the viewpoint of a person who is on a very limited income. I must say that I was quite excited about the possibilities this book had to offer after reading some articles related to the subject on the Hollowtop website. Those articles were very well written, and had some advice that was helpful to someone like me dealing with extremely limited funds. Reading those, and thinking that they were a taste of what was to come, I decided to buy the book.
Sadly, those articles were much better written than the book.
There are some excellent ideas presented on economic/enviormental theory, and closing the loop on waste; hence the 2 stars, but most of the information seems to be recycled from other authors/sources, and written for corporations. He even recycles several of his own paragraphs word for word throughout the book. I felt that the text wandered on the most interesting points, leaving me frustrated over the effort to see his reasoning. Some passages had the distinct feeling of listening to a Brian Tracy "success tape".
I had hoped that the author would elaborate on the building of their house, the methods his family uses to close the loop on waste, and how they got by on 5% of their income.
This is a fascinating subject. I'd like to see a more cohesive version written in the author's personal experiences, and scaled to a small as well as corporate level.

I discovered Field Guide to Money about ten years ago and was so struck by the power of it that I evangelized everywhere I went about the simple truth that he was able to so eloquently convey within it's pages. That truth is this: Money is a token to represent calories, and we live in a system designed so inefficiently that we waste as many dollars as we create, and so we effectively burn our calories without getting any work from them. In closing the loop on waste in our lives we can effectively give ourselves a pay raise, have more free time and reduce our carbon footprints. I was so effected by that book that I restructured my life in many ways and now, even in this recession my wife and I are able to live well and put money away. This is an amazing book and the one of the best investments I have ever made.

Certainly this is not the best written book. Also, it's not the most original one. But from my point of view, it's absolutely fantastic. So many ideas, theories and practices combined in one view and put into logical order. It is quite easy to understand where the writer is going when you have some background with these theories. It clearly motivates the readers to access their own lives and situation.

I regret that I haven't found this book before, otherwise my life would be different now for sure. This is definitely THE book that will have a huge impact on my life for years.

Must Buy!

Lots of Information, but hard to read. I really liked the message though.

Brian Housewert