12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
A good examination of conscience for those with wealth, January 25, 2009
This review is from: What Your Money Means: And How to Use It Well (Hardcover)
I had very mixed feeling throughout the course of reading this book. While I agree with most of the premises the author puts forth and while there are certainly some excellent chapters, as a whole I had trouble making my way through to the end and wasn't thoroughly convicted of some of the main points of the book. Part of me wants to give the book 5 stars for its willingness to address difficult issues concerning wealth in a complete manner; however, another part of me wants to give the book 2 stars for its style of writing and the somewhat condescending tone throughout the book.
The first part of the book reads as a quasi-philosophical examantion of money and wealth. Those familiar with studies in philosophy will rocognize a scholastic or Aristotilean approach throughout the text. The book is heavy with quotes from great thinkers and businessmen and lacks a great deal of in-depth real-life examples.
Those expecting practical examples of what to do with money will be sorely dissappointed. If you're struggling to get out of debt or are a young person getting started in the world (as am I), and you want to develop a practical attitude towards money and providing for your family, start with a book by Dave Ramsey such as
The Total Money Makeover: A Proven Plan for Financial Fitness. If, however, you want to "sharpen your mind" concerning wealth you have already built up, and you want to learn how to responsibily give it away, this may be the book for you.
THE POSITIVE:
This books provides an excellent way for a person to examine their conscience concerning their attitude towards money and wealth. The first half of the book provides a good understanding of what money is used for, and the chapters breaking down the different priorities of uses of money provide a good start to understanding the basics of money from a philosophical standpoint.
Chapter 10, "Wealth creation: the second vocation of those with money," is a gem in this book and might even entice a buyer to pick up this book just to explore this chapter. In this chapter, the author opened up my mind to the responsibility and even the vocation of those with wealth-creating acumen to use their money to build wealth and provide work so that others can earn money to purchase the bare necesseties and fundamentals of life. In the midst of a deepening recession, there are fewer ways greater to be charitable to other human beings than operate a business that allows them to earn a meaningful income to provide for themselves and their family.
THE NEGATIVE:
For starters, this book would have been much better titled as "What your WEALTH means and how to use it well." While those without surplus of non-essential wealth (using the author's terminology) will certainly find value in this book, I feel that this book is intended mainly for those who have large amounts of money to give away; the broad scope of the title seems detached from the more narrow audience of the book. While I'm not sure if it was the author's attention to be writing only to those who are already wealth, it was hard for me not to feel out of the scope of audience and distant from his message. As a 24-year-old man getting married in July, I'm more focused on what I need to do to EARN wealth and provide for my family, not how to give large sums of money away to charity (even though I do hope to be there some day!).
While there are a plethora of quotes from nearly every age of western culture and literature inserted throughout the book, I would have much preferred specific real-life examples to back up the author's points. The quotations were so numerous that, rather than adding to the text, they seemed to distract from the author's thesis that all wealth is intended for the universal destination of goods. It was difficult for me to see the author's point when I constantly had to shift my focus to the thoughts of someone else.
This book would have benefited from more real-life examples. For instance, I would have been very interested to see detailed examples of what brought the author to define his "ten rules of thumb for donors." Even though they're presented as "guidelines," they would have carried more weight had the author backed them up with examples.
I mentioned above that I felt the book had a "somewhat condescending tone." This is difficult accusation for me to make, particularly because I don't believe it was the author's intent, but there are nonetheless portions of the book where the reader may feel "talked down to." While the author seemingly wants to write in universal terms that appear "above" religious dialogue, there are parts that run this mood, such as when he begins a sentence, "Even an atheist...". I also got the feeling that the points given in the book were presented as sufficient in themselves, backed with lots of quotes from great men. I would have much preferred to have been walked through real-life examples so I could reach conclusions WITH the author, rather than receive them FROM the author.
OVERALL:
I really wanted to rate this book higher, especially because Mr. Hanna seems a man with a great heart and an excellent attitude towards wealth. When I have non-essential wealth to give away, I will certainly employ many of his principles in my own attitudes towards money. However, because I felt outside the scope of his audience and because the book lacked real-life examples, it was difficult to "nail down" his thesis into my understanding of wealth.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Breakthrough, October 3, 2008
This review is from: What Your Money Means: And How to Use It Well (Hardcover)
Frank Hanna's book introducing readers to the mysteries of making and retaining money is easy-going in its language and arguments from the beginning. What permeates the whole book is this ease that comes from experience and a world-view that gives him relaxation with his own nature as a money-maker. Hanna knows how to gauge morally the dangers and achievements of "filthy lucre." With a trained legal and rhetorical mind, Hanna can perceive the differences in ideas and language that determine the boundaries of good and evil in that most ambiguous of human arenas, the market place. In this sense, the book is a breakthrough because it dares to encompass larger spheres as well as the most practical.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
