I just received this book today and just finished it. I purchased this book to help my son (8 years old) to begin to understand the value of money and economic systems. As an amateur economist and also a financial professional, this is an excellent, simple, and easy to understand book about the basics of money and the laws of supply and demand, which - regardless if we like it or not - drive our economic engine. It has, does, and always will, even if our politicians (and in many cases with the best of intentions) wish to control through price fixing, interest rates, and money supply to help avoid the bursts and bubbles. Unfortunately the over-meddling by our government/s only exacerbates the problem. There is a fine line between regulating and legislation vs. intervention, I would argue (and I believe this book articulates) that the line has blurred and that our government/s have moved into the dangerous realm of intervention that has plagued many civilizations over history.
Socialism gives rise under economic stress and also with the best of intentions to help the people and businesses that are struggling. We have breed an entitlement generation, in which people have grown up to believe that everyone is a winner, failure is NOT an option, and that we are entitled to jobs, healthcare, homes, and the American Dream. We are not entitled to anything, but rather have the RIGHT to pursue our dreams.
A fun, but excellent quote, by Spock (from Star Trek) right before he gives his life to save the crew is so important and valid as to the problems that plague our government. "Logic clearly dictates that the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few." Yet our own government has ignored this very important point and we have sacrificed the many (through higher taxes and the lapse of many of our personal freedoms) to save the few (unions, special interest, and corporations). If we continue on the path to serve the few and the expense of the many, we will continue not only see our currency devalue (inflate), but also our liberties to erode.
This is an excellent and simple book of common sense, but sometimes even knowledgeable and wise adults forget the simple and over complicate issues.
This should be recommended reading for every school kid.
"All paper money returns to its intrinsic value....zero!" - Voltaire
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Kindle version no good
The Kindle version is formatted incorrectly. It is sideways no matter which way you turn the device you are reading it on. As a result, only half a page is printed on each digital page and it cause one line of the text to be cut off making the book unreadable. Make sure you check any book you order from Kindle within 7 days because they are non returnable after that. I was over the deadline, but they made an exception because the book was defective.
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- Reviewed in the United States on November 8, 2007
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- Reviewed in the United States on December 29, 2002
Top reviews from other countries
- robin brownReviewed in Canada on December 7, 2015
Should be mandatory reading for teens.
