Rich Like Them: My Door-to-Door Search for the Secrets of Wealth in America's Richest Neighborhoods (Hardcover)

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Key Phrases: average net worth, Beverly Hills, Silicon Valley, Palm Beach (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

While academics frequently conduct research to try to unlock the secrets of garnering great wealth, Esquire editor D'Agostino took a more direct—and more entertaining—route: he picked the 20 wealthiest neighborhoods in America and went door to door, garnering interviews with 50 very wealthy, very different individuals—including doctors, art dealers, real estate moguls and one shrimp-peeling–machine manufacturer. Many of the author's subjects confessed that they have been less motivated by a drive for wealth than a desire for a certain lifestyle, an obsession with a certain field and a need for independence, and that focus, passion and street smarts have contributed more to their success than luck or any formal training. Several of his interviewees leveraged their success through reinvestment, often in real estate, raising the question of how well their net worths have survived in the current credit crunch. While D'Agostino freely admits that his sample is far from scientific, weighted heavily to friendly people who happened to be at home when he went calling, his debut is witty and inspiring. (Jan.)
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From Booklist

Think door-to-door journalist who, out of curiosity and a desire to uncover so-called fail-safe secrets, knocks on approximately 200 doors in 20 of the wealthiest neighborhoods in the U.S. What’s even more amazing is that 50 responded cordially in face-to-face meetings with this Esquire magazine reporter. Armed with demographic information, D’Agostino trains, planes, and autos, often in Motel 6 and other inexpensive accommodations, from coast to coast to get the story. He backs up his primary interviews with solid psychological research, such as the study concluding that “persistence in pursuit of knowledge leads to success.” Although no one particularly famous is featured, all conversations help the author formulate five major (and many minor) observations: (1) to connect the dots that lead to wealth, first you have to see the dots; (2) luck doesn’t exist; (3) you need an intensity that will scare people; (4) the myth of risk—which is a bet you’ve tried to rig; and (5) never let pride get in the way of profit; humility is the secret ingredient. Dialogue is sharp, bright, and engaging. --Barbara Jacobs

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Little, Brown and Company; 1 edition (January 5, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0316021466
• ISBN-13: 978-0316021463
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 5.9 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #140,615 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars How do the wealthy get that way? Either they rise up the corporate ranks and then go solo. Or they simply start their own biz., January 1, 2009

By	Jeff Lippincott "www.Jlippin.com" (Princeton, NJ USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

I liked this book. It is the write-up of a research project the author undertook regarding how rich people generally get to be rich or to stay rich. 50 rich people from around the country who live among the top 50 well-to-do zip codes in the country were interviewed. They resided in one of 19 towns within 11 states. And the results of the interviews were compiled into the 5 chapters included in this book. I encourage you to take a look at the Search Inside feature Amazon provides. You can see the Table of Contents there.

Sprinkled through the 5 chapters were 41 point headings that represented words of wisdom the author learned from those he interviewed. My favorites were as follows:

>>Connect the people you meet
>>Once you connect the dots, then follow through
>>Don't deviate from your planned path to get a quick gain
>>Perseverance doesn't take forever
>>Do one thing and do it well
>>Don't plan a career - plan a life
>>Never stop being a student
>>Calculate every risk - even the one you live in
>>Don't worry about what other people think
>>If you hate your career, um, change it
>>Sometimes the biggest risk is doing nothing
>>Never let pride get in the way of profit
>>Be humble even if you're as rich as Brooke Astor
>>Understand your limitations
>>Don't be a slave to Plan A - it'll prevent you from seeing Plan B

Supposedly half of those interviewed had started their own business or businesses to become wealthy. I'm not sure about the other half, but they either had high paying corporate jobs or had inherited their wealth. Of course, the author points out that those who inherit have a full time job just preserving their wealth.

I thought the book could have been a little better written. Part of it seemed a little repetitive to me. The real value in the book is the 41 point headings I refer to above. But it was a fun read and quick to complete. And it was an interesting concept for a book. 4 stars!

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Great idea, wasted opportunity, January 21, 2009

By	James (Washington, D.C.) - See all my reviews

Great Idea for a book. I was anticipating its release with excitement. After completing it last week, I have to say that the opportunity was wasted.

He does what he says, but gets about an inch deep with the individuals, then he crams the few insights they had into whatever his outline's mantra is for that chapter (he puts words in their mouth to fit his format).

Also, the author is confused about what kind of writer he is. I mean, this book isn't Old Man and the Sea, so it seems out of place when he slips in and out of wild descriptive periods and clever similes that seem like he's been waiting to use them. They feel shoe-horned into descriptions.

But I don't want to just bash him here. Its an interesting read, but seems shallow for all the time he put in. He is also genuine about his interest in the subject.

13 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Great Idea - No Substance, February 1, 2009

By	Sebastian J. (Berlin Deutschland) - See all my reviews

I hate to knock someone who has put in the effort to write a book and has even had a great idea for it, but after thinking about it for a couple of nights, I couldn't hold back anymore with all the good reviews floating around.

I have read tons of personal finance books and this is by far the worst book I have read so far.

- You actually don't find out what the rich people think but rather what the author thinks you should do and then he just pulls single sentences from "the rich" to prove his "points".

- His "points" are just too general. There is no insight in there that you wouldn't have heard if you just read one other PF book.

- most of what you get is a description of him walking around and knocking on doors, e.g. not enough substance and it's not exactly like Odysseus.

- I just can't shake the feeling that the author thinks he is very interesting. To be honest, I just don't give a hoot about what his daddy or brother has done or what he's thinking. I bought the book on the premise that he will tell me what the richt told him and you get practically nothing of that. (Take "Millionaire Next Door" if you don't know that one yet.)

I for one am going to return the book. And you shouldn't get it as it is neither informative nor fun to read.