Koncocoo

Best Personal Finance

The Total Money Makeover: Classic Edition: A Proven Plan for Financial Fitness
Hey, if you’re tired of the lies and sick of the false promises, take a look at this—it’s the simplest, most straightforward game plan for completely making over your money habits. Design a sure-fire plan for paying off all debt—meaning cars, houses, everything Recognize the 10 most dangerous money myths (these will kill you) Secure a big, fat nest egg for emergencies and retirement! His seven-step plan includes paying off all debts except the home mortgage at an accelerated speed, creating a financial safety net that covers three to six months' expenses, investing 15 percent of income in a retirement fund, and saving for children's college expenses.
Reviews
"The baby steps are pretty straightforward: Baby Step 1 – $1,000 to start an Emergency Fund - you'll find this way easier than you expect to. Baby Step 3 – 3 to 6 months of expenses in savings. Baby Step 4 – Invest 15% of household income into Roth IRAs and pre-tax retirement. Baby Step 5 – College funding for children. Baby Step 6 – Pay off home early. Baby Step 7 – Build wealth and give. The rules are simple: 1) Live and breathe by your budget."
"In 4 months, I paid off my car loan, all credit cards and doctor bills!!!"
"* He lays out his seven Baby Steps and makes them simple to understand. * I really liked the quote, "If you worked for a company called YOU Inc. and you managed money at YOU Inc. the way you manage your own money now, would you fire you?" Dave Ramsey is rich because he is a business owner who can make money from his radio show, books, seminars, programs, etc. It would have been great to get his advice on that, but he probably didn't want to overwhelm the reader with too many topics. College loans can be very appropriate for some people, business loans can be great in the right situation, and his statement that you should put money toward paying down debt rather than getting the company 401(k) match seemed too extreme to me. goals or having an accountability partner, which have been shown to greatly help people achieve all kinds of dreams."
"This book has been adopted for the South African situation, but needs to be extended to other parts of Africa."
"This book is fantastic."
"A must read for all high school and college aged persons."
"If this book doesn’t make you want to change your financial life than you don’t like following simple easy to use steps."
"Just as described and very fast shipping, thank you!!"
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Tribe of Mentors: Short Life Advice from the Best in the World
Tim Ferriss, the #1 New York Times best-selling author of The 4-Hour Workweek , shares the ultimate choose-your-own-adventure book—a compilation of tools, tactics, and habits from 130+ of the world's top performers. From iconic entrepreneurs to elite athletes, from artists to billionaire investors, their short profiles can help you answer life's most challenging questions, achieve extraordinary results, and transform your life. To find answers, I reached out to the most impressive world-class performers in the world, ranging from wunderkinds in their 20s to icons in their 70s and 80s. This book, Tribe of Mentors , includes many of the people I grew up viewing as idols or demi-gods. • Why tennis champion Maria Sharapova believe that “losing makes you think in ways victories can’t.”. • How to truly achieve work-life balance (and why most people tell you it isn’t realistic). This reference book, which I wrote for myself, has already changed my life. TIM FERRISS has been called “a cross between Jack Welch and a Buddhist monk” by The New York Times .
Reviews
"You are supposed to find an actionable nugget on every page, from some of the best people in the world. He basically sent out an email to hundreds of successful people, asking them the same questions. But unlike his "Tools of Titan" (which is one of the most valuable books you can have in your bookshelf), the informations is shallow. I like the Tools of Titans format, since it is more of Tim's distillied notes and higlights."
"The fascination with Hollywood and stardom and constantly introducing people as “billionaire” and “‘New York Times’ Bestselling Author” etc. Ah, the old Tools of Titans profiles of everyday brilliant heroes profiled elsewhere like P. Attia, R. Patrick, D. D'agostino, N. Ravikant, W. Hof; C. Sommer and P. Tsatsouline...real, complete, true people - also Gabi and Laird come to mind - who are true mentors in action, word and bravery...thank you again Tim for that. But now with Tribe we see many others who have reaped far too much pathological adoration already, too many money whores and power whores who deign to preach to us plebes, and too few everyday heroes who are truly humbling, inspiring, and unsung."
"It was a massive treasure trove of wisdom and knowledge from some of the smartest people in the world. Most of the people who responded to his interview questions are not interesting people, especially the Hollywood celebrities."
"The introduction (a few pages) by Tim is the only valuable part of the book."
"I'm a big fan of Tim Ferriss and ran to the nearby Barnes and Nobles as soon as I heard that this book is released."
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Principles: Life and Work
Ray Dalio, one of the world’s most successful investors and entrepreneurs, shares the unconventional principles that he’s developed, refined, and used over the past forty years to create unique results in both life and business—and which any person or organization can adopt to help achieve their goals. Along the way, Dalio discovered a set of unique principles that have led to Bridgewater’s exceptionally effective culture, which he describes as “an idea meritocracy that strives to achieve meaningful work and meaningful relationships through radical transparency.” It is these principles, and not anything special about Dalio—who grew up an ordinary kid in a middle-class Long Island neighborhood—that he believes are the reason behind his success. It is a deeply personal story, with Mr. Dalio wading into how he started his firm in 1975, internal conflicts inside the company, and strife early on in his career. Underneath what may seem like a clinical, emotionless approach is something different and far more poignant: Mr. Dalio is preaching for individuals to have a sense of humility and introspection, an ability to open themselves to appreciate pointed criticism and use it to improve.” — The New York Times. “Ray Dalio’s market acumen is legendary, but it was creating and living by a set of principles that allowed him to reach the top. “It’s important and instructive to share what you’ve learned in life with others, and Ray does this in an interesting and provocative way in this compelling work.” —Jamie Dimon. “The billionaire investor has created the strongest culture I’ve ever seen in an organization—one that prizes radical transparency over politics and meritocracy over democracy.
Reviews
"It was somewhat astounding to learn that Mr. Dalio was literally broke in 1982 and has come-back to build a 150 billion dollar hedge fund. The tricky part for most people (in my humble opinion) is finding a goal or objective that they can focus and remain passionate about for an extended period. In short, the reader needs to get the culture right, get the people right, and then build and evolve the protocols that run the organization at a fundamental level. In my humble opinion, MBA programs should be designing management courses around the information contained in this book. I've started to list my own principles, but it's hard identifying unique ideas beyond those found in the book (because it's so thorough)."
"Also, if you watch his frequent talks (can be found on YouTube), you will already know a lot about his personal history and the history of Bridgewater as covered in the beginning of this book."
"I have read literally thousands of books and if I had one book to recommend to someone for living a better life and achieving success it would be this one! I expect that this book will become one of those rare books that are still read and recommended 100 years from now as the Principles are timeless, clear, and potentially life-changing."
"To be honest I got less than halfway through the book before I just gave up."
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Best Budgeting & Money Management

The Total Money Makeover: Classic Edition: A Proven Plan for Financial Fitness
Hey, if you’re tired of the lies and sick of the false promises, take a look at this—it’s the simplest, most straightforward game plan for completely making over your money habits. Design a sure-fire plan for paying off all debt—meaning cars, houses, everything Recognize the 10 most dangerous money myths (these will kill you) Secure a big, fat nest egg for emergencies and retirement! His seven-step plan includes paying off all debts except the home mortgage at an accelerated speed, creating a financial safety net that covers three to six months' expenses, investing 15 percent of income in a retirement fund, and saving for children's college expenses.
Reviews
"The baby steps are pretty straightforward: Baby Step 1 – $1,000 to start an Emergency Fund - you'll find this way easier than you expect to. Baby Step 3 – 3 to 6 months of expenses in savings. Baby Step 4 – Invest 15% of household income into Roth IRAs and pre-tax retirement. Baby Step 5 – College funding for children. Baby Step 6 – Pay off home early. Baby Step 7 – Build wealth and give. The rules are simple: 1) Live and breathe by your budget."
"In 4 months, I paid off my car loan, all credit cards and doctor bills!!!"
"* He lays out his seven Baby Steps and makes them simple to understand. * I really liked the quote, "If you worked for a company called YOU Inc. and you managed money at YOU Inc. the way you manage your own money now, would you fire you?" Dave Ramsey is rich because he is a business owner who can make money from his radio show, books, seminars, programs, etc. It would have been great to get his advice on that, but he probably didn't want to overwhelm the reader with too many topics. College loans can be very appropriate for some people, business loans can be great in the right situation, and his statement that you should put money toward paying down debt rather than getting the company 401(k) match seemed too extreme to me. goals or having an accountability partner, which have been shown to greatly help people achieve all kinds of dreams."
"This book has been adopted for the South African situation, but needs to be extended to other parts of Africa."
"This book is fantastic."
"A must read for all high school and college aged persons."
"If this book doesn’t make you want to change your financial life than you don’t like following simple easy to use steps."
"Just as described and very fast shipping, thank you!!"
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Best College & Education Costs

Paying the Price: College Costs, Financial Aid, and the Betrayal of the American Dream
Quite simply, college is far too expensive for many people today, and the confusing mix of federal, state, institutional, and private financial aid leaves countless students without the resources they need to pay for it. Drawing on an unprecedented study of 3,000 young adults who entered public colleges and universities in Wisconsin in 2008 with the support of federal aid and Pell Grants, Goldrick-Rab reveals the devastating effect of these shortfalls. (John Warner Chicago Tribune ). "Ultimately, though, Goldrick-Rab argues that we need a new system, 'a Financial Aid 2.0 that is based on accessible and affordable high-quality public higher education.'. Tennessee already offers tuition-free community college to all, and other states are considering similar programs, so this final recommendation provides a glimmer of hope that investing in our own young people is something a divided nation might eventually agree on. (Diane Ravitch). “A hardworking group of young Americans is struggling with regular hunger, periodic homelessness, constant stress, and unrelenting exhaustion—all this while trying to master organic chemistry, business accounting, and British literature. Through rigorous research and careful analysis, Sara Goldrick-Rab shows how the American Dream is structurally compromised by the exorbitant costs of higher education and a thoroughly dysfunctional financial aid system. (Marc Lamont Hill, author of Nobody: Casualties of America's War on the Vulnerable, From Ferguson to Flint and Beyond). " Paying the Price is a must-read not only for policymakers but also for anyone wanting a better grasp of our nation's college financial aid system. What started out as the promise to enable hardworking students to achieve their hopes of living the American Dream by improving their lot through higher education has morphed over the past five decades into an unwieldy system betraying that very ideal at huge costs to society. We must act now so that the 45 million young people who will turn 18 in the next 10 years don’t face the tough choices that 75 percent of Americans currently confront when they come to grips with the fact that they can’t afford college." The students she profiles through her research represent thousands of individuals who pursue a degree in pursuit of social mobility and the American Dream, only to find themselves unable to make ends meet and often drowning in debt. Goldrick-Rab's scholarship fills a critical void in our conversations about the realities of financial aid policy in the face of rapidly rising tuition and important poignant reminder of the ongoing negative impact of state appropriation reductions in this era."
Reviews
"We in higher education have been talking about and feeling the impact of the "perfect storm" (decreased state and federal funding, increased tuition and fees, and more need for college degrees) for almost two decades."
"Sara Goodrick-Rab and colleagues six year longitudinal study of low income students making their way through the financial maze of college completion is a must read for anyone concerned about the future of higher education."
"Bought this for a higher education finance course last semester."
"Dr. Goldrick-Rab focuses on the quantity of students affected by this issue, but more importantly, she focuses on the quality or lack therof of their lives and their education because of the impacts of the issue."
"An important volume that humanizes the struggle of today's college students to pursue not only their education, but their life dreams in the face of dwindling financial support and demoralizing popular narratives of "coddled college students.""
"Every professor or anyone who cares about higher ed should read this book."
"A great read."
"As described and fast shipping."
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Best Credit Ratings & Repair

The Total Money Makeover: Classic Edition: A Proven Plan for Financial Fitness
Hey, if you’re tired of the lies and sick of the false promises, take a look at this—it’s the simplest, most straightforward game plan for completely making over your money habits. Design a sure-fire plan for paying off all debt—meaning cars, houses, everything Recognize the 10 most dangerous money myths (these will kill you) Secure a big, fat nest egg for emergencies and retirement! His seven-step plan includes paying off all debts except the home mortgage at an accelerated speed, creating a financial safety net that covers three to six months' expenses, investing 15 percent of income in a retirement fund, and saving for children's college expenses.
Reviews
"The baby steps are pretty straightforward: Baby Step 1 – $1,000 to start an Emergency Fund - you'll find this way easier than you expect to. Baby Step 3 – 3 to 6 months of expenses in savings. Baby Step 4 – Invest 15% of household income into Roth IRAs and pre-tax retirement. Baby Step 5 – College funding for children. Baby Step 6 – Pay off home early. Baby Step 7 – Build wealth and give. The rules are simple: 1) Live and breathe by your budget."
"In 4 months, I paid off my car loan, all credit cards and doctor bills!!!"
"* He lays out his seven Baby Steps and makes them simple to understand. * I really liked the quote, "If you worked for a company called YOU Inc. and you managed money at YOU Inc. the way you manage your own money now, would you fire you?" Dave Ramsey is rich because he is a business owner who can make money from his radio show, books, seminars, programs, etc. It would have been great to get his advice on that, but he probably didn't want to overwhelm the reader with too many topics. College loans can be very appropriate for some people, business loans can be great in the right situation, and his statement that you should put money toward paying down debt rather than getting the company 401(k) match seemed too extreme to me. goals or having an accountability partner, which have been shown to greatly help people achieve all kinds of dreams."
"This book has been adopted for the South African situation, but needs to be extended to other parts of Africa."
"This book is fantastic."
"A must read for all high school and college aged persons."
"If this book doesn’t make you want to change your financial life than you don’t like following simple easy to use steps."
"Just as described and very fast shipping, thank you!!"
Find Best Price at Amazon

Best Retirement Planning

How to Retire Happy, Wild, and Free: Retirement Wisdom That You Won't Get from Your Financial Advisor
The key to achieving an active and satisfying retirement involves a great deal more than having adequate financial resources; it also encompasses all other aspects of life -- interesting leisure activities, creative pursuits, physical well-being, mental well-being, and solid social support. There are many ingredients of a happy retirement and several retirement planning tools that help retirees plan for their retirement in new and more meaningful ways. How to Retire Happy Wild, and Free helps readers create an active, satisfying, and happy retirement in a way such that they don't need a million dollars to retire. Ernie is the author of the international bestsellers "The Joy of Not Working" (over 250,000 copies sold and published in seventeen languages) and "How to Retire Happy, Wild, and Free" (over 175,000 copies sold and published in nine languages), two life-changing books that have helped hundreds of thousands of individuals around the world live happier and more satisying lives. Ernie's latest books include the inspirational novel "Look Ma, Life's Easy: How Ordinary People Attain Extraordinary Success and Remarkable Prosperity" and its companion "Life's Secret Handbook: Reminders for Adventurous Souls Who Want to Make a Big Difference in This World".
Reviews
"The material is important and good since the author really explores the non-financial aspects of retirement – whereas many retirement books are financial in orientation which only a small part of the puzzle."
"Reading this book has set me on a path of investigation, motivation, contemplation and serious planning to escape from the traditional notions of retirement."
"Some interesting comments and several great lists of recommendations and retirement sites, but also a lot of common recommendations and common discussions on retirement."
"Very healthy helpful view or retirement."
"It also cautioned the reader even after retiring there is a temptation to concentrate on the financial aspects to the neglect of considering opportunities that do not necessarily focus on financial gain or loss."
"While I have always known I want to have the fewest regrets at the end, this book gives you common sense advice and encourages fun as well as meaning."
"This book is filled with so many inspirational tips on focusing on the wonderful and positive side of retirement."
"Thought there would be real life examples and actual tips."
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Best Financial Interest

Understanding Business, 10th Edition
Understanding Business by Nickels, McHugh, and McHugh has been the number one textbook in the introduction to business market for several editions for three reasons: (1) The commitment and dedication of an author team that teaches this course and believes in the importance and power of this learning experience, (2) we listen to our customers, and (3) the quality of our supplements package. He has written a marketing communications text and two marketing principles texts in addition to many articles in business publications.
Reviews
"My professor actually wrote on our syllabus to get the 11th edition, however, he told us in person that he would rather have us buy an older edition for cheaper."
"It would have been 180 to rent at school and over 200$ to buy but hear it's only like 18-30$ to rent plus tax for the whole semester!"
"What I like about Understanding Business are the examples provided within each chapter."
"It was actually the previous edition to what my professor was using at the time, but almost exactly the same, including the pictures and captions, only difference was page numbers and a few minor details."
"It is a textbook, but arrived safely and in good condition."
"Book is fine, but the price is way too expensive for a rental."
"This textbook is interesting, it was used for class."
"I was under the impression that the book came with Connect Plus since the title reads "Understanding Business with Connect Plus.""
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Best Life Insurance

SuperFreakonomics: Global Cooling, Patriotic Prostitutes, and Why Suicide Bombers Should Buy Life Insurance
Now authors. Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner return with more iconoclastic insights and observations in SuperFreakonomics —the long awaited follow-up to their New York Times Notable blockbuster. The New York Times best-selling Freakonomics was a worldwide sensation, selling over four million copies in thirty-five languages and changing the way we look at the world. Now, Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner return with SuperFreakonomics, and fans and newcomers alike will find that the freakquel is even bolder, funnier, and more surprising than the first. Levitt and Dubner mix smart thinking and great storytelling like no one else, whether investigating a solution to global warming or explaining why the price of oral sex has fallen so drastically. By examining how people respond to incentives, they show the world for what it really is – good, bad, ugly, and, in the final analysis, super freaky. The spread of cable and satellite television. C. Projects that pay women to not abort female babies. D. Condoms made specially for the Indian market Question 2: 3 points. Among Chicago street prostitutes, which night of the week is the most profitable? A. Saturday. B. Monday. C. Wednesday. D. Friday Question 3: 5 points. You land in an emergency room with a serious condition and your fate lies in the hands of the doctor you draw. Is female. C. Gets high ratings from peers. D. Spends more money on treatment Question 4: 3 points. Which cancer is chemotherapy more likely to be effective for? A. Public-awareness campaigns to discourage consumption. B. Cap-and-trade agreements on carbon emissions. C. Volcanic explosions. D. Planting lots of trees Question 9: 5 points. In the 19th century, one of the gravest threats of childbearing was puerperal fever, which was often fatal to mother and child. C. The psychological effects of the attacks caused people to cut back on their consumption of alcohol, which led to a decrease in traffic accidents. D. The increase in border security was a boon to some California farmers, who, as Mexican and Canadian imports declined, sold so much marijuana that it became one of the states most valuable crops. While Friday nights are the busiest, the single greatest determinant of a prostitute’s price is the specific trick she is hired to perform. Expensive medical procedures, while technologically dazzling, are responsible for a remarkably small share of the improvement in heart disease. Question 7. B, Shifting less than one day per week’s worth of calories from red meat and dairy products to chicken, fish, eggs, or a vegetable-based diet achieves more greenhouse-gas reduction than buying all locally sourced food, according to a recent study by Christopher Weber and H. Scott Matthews, two Carnegie Mellon researchers. Every time a Prius or other hybrid owner drives to the grocery store, she may be cancelling out its emissions-reducing benefit, at least if she shops in the meat section. Emission from cows, as well as sheep and other ruminants, are 25 times more potent as a greenhouse gas than the carbon dioxide released by cars and humans.
Reviews
"In a few areas it kind of moves off in a tangent but brings itself back by the end of the chapter..... if a little abruptly."
"If folks would just open their minds to the possibilities of what actual data will reveal they might find what they believe to be true because of gut feelings is really false thinking."
"It contains a few pieces data now discredited, but it is a fountain of thought provoking data."
"The reasons people act as they do in activities is interesting."
"A new insight to how societies interact."
"Good perspective on things."
"Great follow up to Freakonomics."
"While I loved the Freakonomics I was disappointed by the sequel."
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Best Real Estate

The Millionaire Real Estate Agent: It's Not About the Money...It's About Being the Best You Can Be!
Three concepts that drive production Economic, organizational, and lead generation models that are the foundations of any high-achiever's business How to "Earn a Million," "Net a Million," and "Receive a Million" in annual income. "Hundreds of people who have attended The Millionaire Real Estate Agent seminars have all asked Dave and me the same thing—when will The Millionaire Real Estate Agent be available in audiobook form?"
Reviews
"Helped me well with my Real Estate business this year."
"Informative and interesting read."
"Well written and excellent advise."
"I've read this book four times."
"Gary Keller tried his best to give advice and guidance to newbies, ameteur or even master!"
"Great how to for real estate professionalservices, regardless of experience."
"Very good book explains things well and gives great ways on how to net a million."
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Best Mutual Funds Investing

The White Coat Investor: A Doctor's Guide To Personal Finance And Investing
Written by a practicing emergency physician, The White Coat Investor is a high-yield manual that specifically deals with the financial issues facing medical students, residents, physicians, dentists, and similar high-income professionals. Graduate from medical school with as little debt as possible Escape from student loans within two to five years of residency graduation Purchase the right types and amounts of insurance Decide when to buy a house and how much to spend on it Learn to invest in a sensible, low-cost and effective manner with or without the assistance of an advisor Avoid investments which are designed to be sold, not bought Select advisors who give great service and advice at a fair price Become a millionaire within five to ten years of residency graduation Use a “Backdoor Roth IRA” and “Stealth IRA” to boost your retirement funds and decrease your taxes Protect your hard-won assets from professional and personal lawsuits Avoid estate taxes, avoid probate, and ensure your children and your money go where you want when you die Minimize your tax burden, keeping more of your hard-earned money Decide between an employee job and an independent contractor job Choose between sole proprietorship, Limited Liability Company, S Corporation, and C Corporation. “Jim Dahle has done a lot of thinking about the peculiar financial problems facing physicians, and you, lucky reader, are about to reap the bounty of both his experience and his research.” – William J. Bernstein, MD , Author of The Investor’s Manifesto and seven other investing books. As a medical resident, he grew tired of being ripped off by unscrupulous financial professionals including mutual fund salesmen, insurance agents, realtors, mortgage lenders, and stock brokers and began educating himself on the ins and outs of personal finance and investing. Now he shares his wisdom with medical students, residents, physicians, dentists and similar high income professionals so they can free themselves from debt, quit worrying about money, build wealth, live “the good life,” and get back to practicing medicine on their own terms.
Reviews
"All premed students should read this book!"
"this book is pretty simple but it does a good job of introducing key concepts and providing insight into the specific financial pressures of healthcare."
"Unfortunately, physicians and high-income professionals can be susceptible to unscrupulous sales tactics due to a lack of financial education and money management."
"Seems to be a must-read for physicians in investing."
"As described on the whitecoatinvestor.com, this book is a great introduction for those of you interested in getting up to speed on the basics."
"Definitely recommend this book to medical/dental students."
"I really appreciate how this book focuses on how you can really mess things up, and how to avoid doing those things."
"A great overview of personal (& some business) finances and investing, especially for physicians."
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Best Investing

The Intelligent Investor: The Definitive Book on Value Investing. A Book of Practical Counsel (Revised Edition) (Collins Business Essentials)
While preserving the integrity of Graham's original text, this revised edition includes updated commentary by noted financial journalist Jason Zweig, whose perspective incorporates the realities of today's market, draws parallels between Graham's examples and today's financial headlines, and gives readers a more thorough understanding of how to apply Graham's principles. Among the library of investment books promising no-fail strategies for riches, Benjamin Graham's classic, The Intelligent Investor , offers no guarantees or gimmicks but overflows with the wisdom at the core of all good portfolio management. Graham's sage advice, analytical guides, and cautionary tales are still valid for the contemporary investor, and Zweig's commentaries demonstrate the relevance of Graham's principles in light of 1990s and early twenty-first century market trends.
Reviews
"If you are not a professional - you'll appreciate the commentaries and epilogue - read it first? Several rules of thumbs I noted into my keep: - Investor buys the business [based on its price/value], speculator buys the stock [based on an absurd believe that he can foresee where the stock price will go]. Thus, invest in such old economy companies while bubble grows, as soon as the bubble burst - undervalued companies would rise back. Dividends - money firm pays you for providing capital, they belong to you."
"Not only will you get superb financial advice, but also an outstanding piece of literature written by a brilliant mind. In an illustrative contrast between the two men, while Graham might show what he thinks about a certain Wall Street practice with a sardonic quote from classical literature, Zweig disparages IPOs by showing us how many silly phrases he can think up to stand for the acronym."
"It is not a 101 guide to the basics of the stock market, but even if you go into this book with little to no knowledge of the stock market, it is informative enough that if you are intuitive, you can learn (by deduction) about investing."
"Very good that one book all information available for investor."
"New and seal in plastic wrap."
"Difficult for me to follow."
"The original text was updated in 1972 by Graham and then Jason Zweig adds his commentary in 2003 to relate to the changes at that time."
"No complaints of the book itself, but the Kindle edition of it is bad."
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Best Business Management

StrengthsFinder 2.0
To help people uncover their talents, Gallup introduced the first version of its online assessment, StrengthsFinder, in 2001 which ignited a global conversation and helped millions to discover their top five talents. * A new and upgraded edition of the StrengthsFinder assessment. * A personalized Strengths Discovery and Action-Planning Guide for applying your strengths in the next week, month, and year. * A more customized version of your top five theme report. * 50 Ideas for Action (10 strategies for building on each of your top five themes). Those who are familiar with the StrengthsFinder assessment know that it is designed to uncover certain key talents -- patterns of thought, feeling, and behavior that can be productively applied. Those talents, when multiplied by the investment of time spent practicing, developing skills, and building knowledge, can become strengths. But some of it seems counterintuitive and runs directly against conventional wisdom: No amount of training will help you excel in your areas of weakness. StrengthsFinder has resonated with the business community because there's a direct link between talent development and performance. In this interview, Tom Rath, author of StrengthsFinder 2.0, discusses what Gallup scientists have learned since the publication of the first book, what more there is to discover about your talents, and why it's bad to focus on your employees' weaknesses, but simply cruel to ignore them completely. Tom Rath: StrengthsFinder 2.0 is an effort to get the core message and language out to a much broader audience. We had no idea how well received the first strengths book would be by general readers -- it was oriented more toward managers -- or that the energy and excitement would continue to grow. We also added more than five thousand Strengths Insights to version 2.0 that allow us to offer more individualized theme descriptions than we could before. But in the last ten years, we've also found that it's a good strategy just to wipe out the extreme negativity in the workplace. You may not take someone who's actively disengaged and make him into your most engaged employee, but it will help get him out of that mindset where he's scaring off colleagues and customers. GMJ: So is that the business case to be made for putting people in roles that play to their strengths? [Taking] StrengthsFinder is just a starting point; it's step one of a hundred in figuring out the areas where you have the most potential for growth. So while we have hundreds of new case studies and meta-analyses about strengths -- and about employee engagement and business outcomes -- we tried to stay as close as we could to the basics. Rath: Yes, we looked at that extensively as we started to review our plan for the updated version of the assessment. We found that so far, the thirty-four themes have done a good job of describing much of what we've learned since releasing the first version of the assessment.
Reviews
"Each copy includes a scratch off passcode that gives you access to the StrengthsFinder 2.0 test. Knowing these strengths is critical, because they are unchangeable traits that will enable you to succeed to your fullest potential."
"I really enjoyed taking this assessment and 4 of the 5 were spot on."
"Just be sure you are the first owner of the book since the code for the test is one time use only and isn't worth buying the book and then paying additionally for the test."
"This book definitely lives up to it's hype!"
"This book helped me understand myself and others better."
"A great way to figure out what your strengths and weaknesses are."
"But, like most tests, it is flawed in that it is your own evaluation of yourself and your preferences. People also tend to take the findings of tests like this and make excuses ("I can't be expected to do detailed work, it's not by strength") or pigeonhole others ("You can't be expected to do any work with the Marketing team, you're not creative enough.")."
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Best Work Life Balance in Business

Living Forward: A Proven Plan to Stop Drifting and Get the Life You Want
That's what New York Times bestselling author Michael Hyatt and executive coach Daniel Harkavy show us how to do: to design a life with the end in mind, determining in advance the outcomes we desire and path to get there. New York Times bestselling author Michael Hyatt and executive coach Daniel Harkavy have both lived the very same story but they rewrote the ending. In this step-by-step guide, Hyatt and Harkavy share simple but proven principles to help you stop drifting, design a Life Plan with the end in mind, and chart a path that will take you there. Daniel Harkavy has been coaching business leaders to peak levels of success, performance, profitability, and fulfillment for more than twenty-five years. He lives just outside Portland, Oregon, with his wife and actively serves his community as a member of nonprofit boards and a mentor to those seeking leadership advice.
Reviews
"Despite the fact this book lists 53 endorsements from names as famous as Tony Robbins, Seth Godin, and Pat Flynn, there is very little here that hasn’t already been published dozens of times. Living Forward reads like a series of Chicken Soup for the Soul, feel-good short stories, all supporting two ideas: 1, write your own eulogy describing how people will remember you, and 2, take a day to create SMART goals that will make this eulogy possible. Then, SMART goals, based on your eulogy of your wife remembering how much you loved her, should be enough to spur you into taking more enlightened action. Unfortunately, this book only speaks to people who have already achieved huge career success, have omniscient vision and complete mastery of themselves, and are ready for the life-changing realization that work is not everything. These concepts come complete with stories, diagrams, and the skeleton of a process: schedule the hours of your week, project manage your SMART goals every quarter, and mark your current status in all areas of life on a four quadrant grid."
"Out of a profound respect for Michael Hyatt's past work, I forced myself to finish this. It seemed to me that the book was an attempt to condense or replicate co-author David Harkavy's workshops on life planning. I honestly believe this workshop could be effective in person, but as a DIY activity rolled into book, it didn't speak to me at all. The 5-start review used to represent the general readership, but now, it's just a reflection of the author's tribe supporting him."
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Best Real Estate Investments

The Millionaire Real Estate Agent: It's Not About the Money...It's About Being the Best You Can Be!
Three concepts that drive production Economic, organizational, and lead generation models that are the foundations of any high-achiever's business How to "Earn a Million," "Net a Million," and "Receive a Million" in annual income. "Hundreds of people who have attended The Millionaire Real Estate Agent seminars have all asked Dave and me the same thing—when will The Millionaire Real Estate Agent be available in audiobook form?"
Reviews
"Helped me well with my Real Estate business this year."
"Informative and interesting read."
"Well written and excellent advise."
"I've read this book four times."
"Gary Keller tried his best to give advice and guidance to newbies, ameteur or even master!"
"Great how to for real estate professionalservices, regardless of experience."
"Very good book explains things well and gives great ways on how to net a million."
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Best Systems & Planning

Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap and Others Don't
How can good companies, mediocre companies, even bad companies achieve enduring greatness? The Standards: Using tough benchmarks, Collins and his research team identified a set of elite companies that made the leap to great results and sustained those results for at least fifteen years. The Comparisons: The research team contrasted the good-to-great companies with a carefully selected set of comparison companies that failed to make the leap from good to great. Why did one set of companies become truly great performers while the other set remained only good? At the heart of the findings about these companies' stellar successes is what Collins calls the Hedgehog Concept, a product or service that leads a company to outshine all worldwide competitors, that drives a company's economic engine and that a company is passionate about.
Reviews
"Finally, a book from Jim Collins on Good to Great for Social Sectors which should be read by everybody working in social enterprises and organization, who are not operating as businesses and companies in their field, but who want to contribute their very best in the interest of people's rights and wellbeing around the world."
"Yet the proof is in the results that these level 5 leaders have achieved, for example Fannie Mae's CEO David Maxwell who exemplified these qualities and grew the company 3.8 times the general stock market."
"Good to Great is a marvelous description of what makes companies elevate themselves in the minds of their customers and their other constituencies."
"An interesting read, but I'm not sure his conclusions are sound--info is fairly anecdotal and correlational, not causal."
"Practical - because the Great companies' analysis indicates duplicateable concepts and steps which are universal in any field by aspiring Level 5 leaders. Encouraging - Some of the toughest decisions made by Level 5 leaders are being made by leaders aspiring to attain the Level 5 mentality."
"The book is based on a huge amount of research and has great examples to underpin their conclusions."
"If you work in government, non-profit or higher education, I recommend the companion monograph for the Social Sectors, which helps apply these business-focused concepts in a more meaningful way."
"Just a great, thorough book."
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Best Business Leadership

Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win (New Edition)
Willink and Babin returned home from deployment and instituted SEAL leadership training to pass on their harsh lessons learned in combat to help forge the next generation of SEAL leaders. Detailing the mindset and principles that enable SEAL units to accomplish the most difficult combat missions, Extreme Ownership demonstrates how to apply them to any team or organization, in any leadership environment. Riveting, engaging, and free from the usual cliché platitudes, this book is strikingly impactful and will dramatically improve leaders of all types.” ― Amy Brandt Schumacher, entrepreneur, executive, and philanthropist. An inspiring and page-turning read, the leadership lessons are easy to digest and implement. This book made me a better leader and enabled my entire team step up our game!” ― Jared Hamilton, founder and CEO, DrivingSales "One of the best books on leadership I've ever read and a tremendous war story book as well."
Reviews
"Extreme Ownership is written by two former Navy SEALs, Jocko Willink and Leif Babin, who now head a leadership training company. There aren't many books out there that give such detailed glimpses into the lives of SEALs in action. The authors convey one main point per chapter by sharing a story from their battlefield experiences, then highlighting the main principle of that story, and finally giving a concrete example of how this principle applies in business settings. In my opinion, the simplicity, clarity, and structure of this book are it's greatest strengths. There are several moments when the authors share a complete story or personal thought--and then share the story again, but this time in the context of telling it to either their SEAL teams or to a group of business executives. Second, while this book is very descriptive--especially with the battle scenes--it is also incredibly restrained, almost cold. Their lessons are insightful and thought-provoking, and I can definitely see how their experiences will help guide leaders in the business world."
"They explain hard-learned principles of leadership, which they experienced first-hand as US Navy SEALs, specifically in and around their 2006 deployment to Ramadi, Iraq, one of the most dangerous places and times in the war. Military recruits & officers, parents, corporate executives, students, low-level management, spouses, shop foremen, independent contractors, and sole proprietors will all benefit from the lessons of Extreme Ownership. If you feel you're stuck in a rut, lacking self-discipline, or perhaps know someone who simply needs to improve their lot, this book is an excellent starting point."
"I like the approach of looking at real life examples of leadership on the battlefield, followed by principles of leadership based on those experiences and concluding with proving the validity of these principles in areas requiring effective leadership."
"Instant purchase, my husband doesn't read a lot but he really enjoys reading this book and said it was the perfect gift."
"Good read, I've been reading multiple chapters at a time."
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Best Theory of Economics

Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything
But Steven D. Levitt is not a typical economist. “Principles of economics are used to examine daily life in this fun read.” (People: Great Reads). “Levitt dissects complex real-world phenomena, e.g. baby-naming patterns and Sumo wrestling, with an economist’s laser.” (San Diego Union-Tribune). This is bracing fun of the highest order.” (Kurt Andersen, host of public radio's Studio 360 and author of Turn of the Century). “Freakonomics challenges conventional wisdom and makes for fun reading.” (Book Sense Picks and Notables). “Economics is not widely considered to be one of the sexier sciences.... Steven D. Levitt will change some minds.” (Amazon.com).
Reviews
"Indeed, the most common reaction I get from people when telling them that I am an economist is that they have read Freakonomics, which implies that they have at least seen some work similar to what I do at aguanomics. All I remember was a lot of math and curves.” This depressing outcome results from lecturers who merely reproduce problems and equations on the blackboard, without helping students understand either why those theories are used or how they came to be so popular with economists. Third, there are books like mine [pdf] that try to explain how to improve failing policies using basic economic insights and incentives. This book with a memorable (but useless) name provides readers with just-so stories that are good for cocktail conversations but not for understanding economics. What struck me is their ongoing attempts to hold onto at least some elements in the original claim in later blog posts in what I’d call a “my-ladydoth-protest-too-much” manner. Looking over their other chapters (on cheating sumo wrestlers, drug dealers who live with their moms, the KKK as a multilevel marketing organization, etc. ), I agree that the chapters are interesting and thought provoking, but they do not provide “lessons on the hidden side of everything.” Instead, they read like a series of magazine articles whose quirky “insights” might contribute to your next cocktail conversation. [7] I didn’t detect any reliable technique (except perhaps to collect a neat dataset and call Steve Levitt), and that’s where I was disappointed. In this case, street dealers are (a) NOT condemned to death, (b) not able to find other work with their experience, and (c) not aware of their statistical mortality as much as their potential wealth. Dubner and Levitt present interesting puzzles worthy of cocktail conversation, but they overstate their contributions and accuracy (“numbers don’t lie” but theory can be incomplete or just wrong). He's a fine person and excellent economist, but this book is too “pop” in its oversimplification of his work and hagiographic treatment of his insights. Yes, he brings interesting statistical tools to“freaky” questions, but he’s not a “rogue economist exploring the hidden side of everything.” He’s just a guy with a dataset and empirical theory who finds some strong correlations. (8) My years of experience traveling in 100+ countries leads me to respect the diversity of beliefs and institutions that result in a variety of outcomes. As another example, take Dubner on page 199, who writes “that paper [on police officer counts and crime] was later disputed… a gradate student found an obvious mathematical mistake in it — but Levitt’s ingenuity was obvious.” I’m not sure I’d say the same about someone whose claims rested on logic with “obvious mathematical mistakes”!"
"I enjoyed the many hidden causal connections that no one without the proper research could ever have put together."
"This book is absolutely brilliant."
"You may or may not agree with everything in here, but that is not the point."
"I thought this book was both thought provoking and interesting."
"Really a great book."
"Here's my verdict: if you want a fun, engaging read, and have a lot of time, don't read non-fiction a lot, etc., this would be a lot of fun."
"Only gripe I have with this particular edition (really of no fault to the book or its authors) is that I thought it was much longer (311 pages) than the actual book (192 pages) is."
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Best Business & Economics in Japanese

75noseirijutu (Japanese Edition)
モノには「気」が存在しています。散らかった部屋は落ち着かない、観葉植物があるとほっとするなど、至る所で実は「気」を感じることが出来ます。. 「気」が良い、ということはあなた自身の感覚です。「気」は心が決めていることなのです。心を整理すると、気が良くなるのです。そうして、夢の実現に近づくことが出来ます。. 本書では認知科学者の苫米地英人(とまべちひでと)が気を良くして、夢の実現をする具体的な方法を「75」のトピックにまとめてわかりやすく説明しています。. 読むと意外と簡単に部屋の整理が出来てしまうことに気付くでしょう。. 部屋を片付けて、夢を実現、なるほどと思うでしょう。. 夢の実現がなかなか出来ない人、そもそも夢が無い人、ステップアップして、是非「気」を良くしてみてくださいね。. きっと夢が定まり、実現に向かいます。. *****. この書籍は2011年9月に株式会社永岡書店から出版された『気を整えて夢を叶えるリセット整理術』を再編集、電子書籍化したものです。.
Reviews
"Before organize or clean our rooms, we should throw away something we don't using now and we don't needing now."
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Best Introduction to Investing

The Intelligent Investor: The Definitive Book on Value Investing. A Book of Practical Counsel (Revised Edition) (Collins Business Essentials)
While preserving the integrity of Graham's original text, this revised edition includes updated commentary by noted financial journalist Jason Zweig, whose perspective incorporates the realities of today's market, draws parallels between Graham's examples and today's financial headlines, and gives readers a more thorough understanding of how to apply Graham's principles. Among the library of investment books promising no-fail strategies for riches, Benjamin Graham's classic, The Intelligent Investor , offers no guarantees or gimmicks but overflows with the wisdom at the core of all good portfolio management. Graham's sage advice, analytical guides, and cautionary tales are still valid for the contemporary investor, and Zweig's commentaries demonstrate the relevance of Graham's principles in light of 1990s and early twenty-first century market trends.
Reviews
"If you are not a professional - you'll appreciate the commentaries and epilogue - read it first? Several rules of thumbs I noted into my keep: - Investor buys the business [based on its price/value], speculator buys the stock [based on an absurd believe that he can foresee where the stock price will go]. Thus, invest in such old economy companies while bubble grows, as soon as the bubble burst - undervalued companies would rise back. Dividends - money firm pays you for providing capital, they belong to you."
"Not only will you get superb financial advice, but also an outstanding piece of literature written by a brilliant mind. In an illustrative contrast between the two men, while Graham might show what he thinks about a certain Wall Street practice with a sardonic quote from classical literature, Zweig disparages IPOs by showing us how many silly phrases he can think up to stand for the acronym."
"It is not a 101 guide to the basics of the stock market, but even if you go into this book with little to no knowledge of the stock market, it is informative enough that if you are intuitive, you can learn (by deduction) about investing."
"Very good that one book all information available for investor."
"New and seal in plastic wrap."
"Difficult for me to follow."
"The original text was updated in 1972 by Graham and then Jason Zweig adds his commentary in 2003 to relate to the changes at that time."
"No complaints of the book itself, but the Kindle edition of it is bad."
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Best Buying & Selling Homes

The Book on Rental Property Investing: How to Create Wealth and Passive Income Through Intelligent Buy & Hold Real Estate Investing!
In The Book on Rental Property Investing, real estate investor and co-host of the BiggerPockets Podcast Brandon Turner has one goal in mind: to give you every strategy, tool, tip, and technique needed to become a millionaire rental property investor―while helping you avoid the junk that pulls down so many wannabes! You’ll find practical, up-to-date, exciting strategies that investors across the world are using to build wealth and significant cash flow through rental properties. Brandon Turner’s The Book on Rental Property Investing does that, and does it in a way that puts financial freedom through real estate within reach of anyone who wants it.”.
Reviews
"This is better then most of the top books on real estate investing, actually explaining "how" to get started and actually steps of action to take. As I read and explored the site I realized this book is amazing and the author knows what he is talking about and actually wants to help instead of asking me to sign up for a week long crash course on making millions of dollars in real estate. This is one of the few books that is not only a good introduction but also has a ton of information for seasoned real estate investors as well."
"This book is very informative and practical."
"I definitely have a new perspective om investing in rental properties."
"Great book to reference during the home buying experience."
"After purchasing this book it has really helped me understand rental properties much better."
"Brandon does a good job of categorizing the different aspects of buying and owning rental property and explaining each in layman's terms."
"Step by step from finding the deal, funding the deal to managing the property."
"There are no statistics, no scientific data, no analysis.. just random stories like "I was sitting at a Chinese restaurant, I opened my fortune cookie, and it told me that I'm meant for greater things so I decided to invest in real estate." I'm sorry, but if you're going to suggest people throw all their life savings into one basket, you should maybe give them some hard facts. Instead I was reading about a guy who had loads of luck and managed to build his rental property empire. A piece of free advice from me - if you're going to invest in property, do your own research and don't think it's as easy and as glamorous as some people might make it sound."
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Best Business Management & Leadership

Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win (New Edition)
Willink and Babin returned home from deployment and instituted SEAL leadership training to pass on their harsh lessons learned in combat to help forge the next generation of SEAL leaders. Detailing the mindset and principles that enable SEAL units to accomplish the most difficult combat missions, Extreme Ownership demonstrates how to apply them to any team or organization, in any leadership environment. Riveting, engaging, and free from the usual cliché platitudes, this book is strikingly impactful and will dramatically improve leaders of all types.” ― Amy Brandt Schumacher, entrepreneur, executive, and philanthropist. An inspiring and page-turning read, the leadership lessons are easy to digest and implement. This book made me a better leader and enabled my entire team step up our game!” ― Jared Hamilton, founder and CEO, DrivingSales "One of the best books on leadership I've ever read and a tremendous war story book as well."
Reviews
"Extreme Ownership is written by two former Navy SEALs, Jocko Willink and Leif Babin, who now head a leadership training company. There aren't many books out there that give such detailed glimpses into the lives of SEALs in action. The authors convey one main point per chapter by sharing a story from their battlefield experiences, then highlighting the main principle of that story, and finally giving a concrete example of how this principle applies in business settings. In my opinion, the simplicity, clarity, and structure of this book are it's greatest strengths. There are several moments when the authors share a complete story or personal thought--and then share the story again, but this time in the context of telling it to either their SEAL teams or to a group of business executives. Second, while this book is very descriptive--especially with the battle scenes--it is also incredibly restrained, almost cold. Their lessons are insightful and thought-provoking, and I can definitely see how their experiences will help guide leaders in the business world."
"They explain hard-learned principles of leadership, which they experienced first-hand as US Navy SEALs, specifically in and around their 2006 deployment to Ramadi, Iraq, one of the most dangerous places and times in the war. Military recruits & officers, parents, corporate executives, students, low-level management, spouses, shop foremen, independent contractors, and sole proprietors will all benefit from the lessons of Extreme Ownership. If you feel you're stuck in a rut, lacking self-discipline, or perhaps know someone who simply needs to improve their lot, this book is an excellent starting point."
"I like the approach of looking at real life examples of leadership on the battlefield, followed by principles of leadership based on those experiences and concluding with proving the validity of these principles in areas requiring effective leadership."
"Instant purchase, my husband doesn't read a lot but he really enjoys reading this book and said it was the perfect gift."
"Good read, I've been reading multiple chapters at a time."
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