How to Be Rich (Paperback)

by J. Paul Getty (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Jove (September 1, 1986)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0515087378
• ISBN-13: 978-0515087376
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.1 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (25 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #136,844 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Knowledge is Power. This book is full of Knowledge., May 22, 1998

By	[e-mail] (Tampa, FL) - See all my reviews

This is not a book about how to get rich. As its title implies, it is a book about how to be rich. Accordingly, much of Getty's advice is directed toward the development of a particular state of mind rather than detailing a formula for monetary acquisition. Although Getty earned the basis of his mega-fortune as a wildcatter in the oilfields of California, Texas and Oklahoma, he was a highly-educated man. Following graduation from college in California, he attended Oxford University, earning a graduate degree there. Only after his return from England did he plunge into the enterprise of oil exploration and drilling that paid off so handsomely. Thus, Getty's book is not the one-dimensional tract so commonly written today by lesser intellects. He discusses what it means to be rich -- the attitudes, the appreciation for the cultural heritage of classical music, literature and art (The Getty museum in California, based on his original collections, is one of the largest repositories of fine art in the world today). He discusses how an individual's outlook and attitudes constitute a virtual program for either success or failure. Then he provides the intellectual tools for changing self-limiting habits and developing productive and beneficial ones. He provides practical advice and an expert evaluation of the various forms of investment. In recent years, we have seen sports figures, entertainers and lawsuit winners squander their fortunes. On the other hand, we have seen immigrants like those who escaped Castro's Cuba with nothing but their lives -- their entire life's work stolen by the communist thugs -- only to earn a second fortune in the US. Why is this? Because, having been rich, they knew how to be rich -- they had programmed themselves to be rich. Getty's book goes a long way toward imparting that information to its readers. Once in possession of Getty's guidance, however, the hard work of implementing it still lies ahead, but his book is a literary roadmap to success without peer.

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars 'Richness' has as much to do with perspective as wealth, October 5, 1999

By A Customer

Getty brilliantly and boldly shares the attitude, ethics, backbone and independent thinking that was the key to his prosperity. Don't look merely for 'how-to-make-more-money' tips: this book transcends that. If you're looking for honest, direct insight on how to 'be' successful in any business day or age, Getty is the man!

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a hard hitting truthful book, November 7, 1997

By A Customer

A lot of books tell you how to be rich, but they rarely work. This book is truthful and written by a man who in todays dollars would be richer than Bill Gates and Warren Buffett combined. This is the best book I have ever bought on finance. Getty doesn't cut corners on his advice. Best of all this book makes a lot of sense, and doesn't sugar coat the truth. This is something that cannot be said for many books.