Don't expect to learn much, 13 Oct 2008
This is very typical of self-help books. Full of self-assessment exercises, quotes taken from The Oxford Book of Quotations or similar. The text is cobbled together from popular psychology and management theory. Some of the questionnaires would seem to belong in a women's magazine, rather than an academic book. Anyone who has done PD/PSE or a motivation course will have a good idea what to expect. It is amazing that this is set as essential reading on many university courses now.

Excellent book, 01 Oct 2008
I used this in conjunction with the Experts Guide Job Interview DVD Job Interview Skills - Extended DVD & CD, and found them both to be indispensable.

Excellent guide to PDP, 09 Oct 2007
For students at school and university this is an essential guide. Personal and Professional Development Planning is key to making the most out of your experience in any educational institution. Employers are looking for much more that the diploma/degree that you emerge form Uni' with. You are required to be able to demostrate your skills and attributes as they apply to the work that you would be doing. Cottrell shows you how to draw these out, collect evidence and demonstrate what you have gained and achieved through your educational experience.



Lot's of detail, too much, not inspiring, 09 Feb 2006
i was dissapointed when i bought my copy of this book. it is set out very much as an academic text and not very user friendly. i was surprised by the style of book the author chose to do. mostly forms and questionaires to fill in, followed by some short paragraphs. it is very much the typical type of offering from an hr department when they are encouraging time management, or reflective practice. not inspiring or motivational at all. the content is ok, but reminded me very much of the type of exercise they gave us for professinal development courses at university. i did not get a lot from them either. thorough but left me dissapointed.

Personal finance author and lecturer Robert Kiyosaki developed his unique economic perspective through exposure to a pair of disparate influences: his own highly educated, but fiscally unstable father, and the multimillionaire eighth-grade dropout father of his closest friend. The lifelong monetary problems experienced by his "poor dad" (whose weekly paychecks, while respectable, were never quite sufficient to meet family needs) pounded home the counterpoint communicated by his "rich dad" (that "the poor and the middle class work for money," but "the rich have money work for them"). Taking that message to heart, Kiyosaki was able to retire at 47. Rich Dad Poor Dad, written with consultant and CPA Sharon L. Lechter, lays out his the philosophy behind his relationship with money. Although Kiyosaki can take a frustratingly long time to make his points, his book is nonetheless a compelling advocate for the type of "financial literacy" that's never taught in schools. Based on the principle that income-generating assets always provide healthier bottom-line results than even the best of traditional jobs, it explains how the former might be acquired so that the latter eventually can be shed. --Howard Rothman, Amazon.com

Don't expect to learn much, 13 Oct 2008
This is very typical of self-help books. Full of self-assessment exercises, quotes taken from The Oxford Book of Quotations or similar. The text is cobbled together from popular psychology and management theory. Some of the questionnaires would seem to belong in a women's magazine, rather than an academic book. Anyone who has done PD/PSE or a motivation course will have a good idea what to expect. It is amazing that this is set as essential reading on many university courses now.

Excellent book, 01 Oct 2008
I used this in conjunction with the Experts Guide Job Interview DVD Job Interview Skills - Extended DVD & CD, and found them both to be indispensable.

Excellent guide to PDP, 09 Oct 2007
For students at school and university this is an essential guide. Personal and Professional Development Planning is key to making the most out of your experience in any educational institution. Employers are looking for much more that the diploma/degree that you emerge form Uni' with. You are required to be able to demostrate your skills and attributes as they apply to the work that you would be doing. Cottrell shows you how to draw these out, collect evidence and demonstrate what you have gained and achieved through your educational experience.



Lot's of detail, too much, not inspiring, 09 Feb 2006
i was dissapointed when i bought my copy of this book. it is set out very much as an academic text and not very user friendly. i was surprised by the style of book the author chose to do. mostly forms and questionaires to fill in, followed by some short paragraphs. it is very much the typical type of offering from an hr department when they are encouraging time management, or reflective practice. not inspiring or motivational at all. the content is ok, but reminded me very much of the type of exercise they gave us for professinal development courses at university. i did not get a lot from them either. thorough but left me dissapointed.

Must Have Book!, 11 Oct 2008
With probably the weirdest choice of a cover and a title!! Comes an amazing read!
TO be honest with you never have i ever bothered to review anything be that a book or a movie; however this book to me deserve the effort. After i got over the choice of cover and title, choosing not to judge the book by that, i started reading from page one, little did i know i will finish it within days!! No bus journey or train journey went by without this book. The style, emotion and moments captured so elegantly in the book; that no matter how knowledgeable you are- you WILL learn something different.
Rich dad, poor dad - never failed to force me going into a thinking frenzy and review my life and direction as well as agreeing to Every point made. Made me look at finance and my dreams in a different light. Further to it encourage the made theme of the book: Financial IQ!!!
Truly is a life changing book.

Pathetic, 05 Oct 2008
Okay first of all (for those of you who have already read it), how many 9 year olds do you know who have in depth conversations about finances? The author has already stated that 'rich dad is about as real as santa'. This is a very obvious con. I know it has recived 5 stars from many people, and i do understand where they are coming from - this book is inspirational! It really is! And i have given it 2 stars because it does make you realise about making money work for you. but thats it! How many readers have become millionairs? To be honest i think most of this should be common sense anyway.

But what fustrates me the most is this is an obvious con. Just get this so you know what i mean (or you could spend the money putting it into bonds! i hear bradford and bingly are doing great!).

Excellent!!!, 11 Aug 2008
I have to say, I am not a reader, or rather I was never a reader till I read this book. After reading it I have gone to read half a dozen more and I have never stopped.

This book will open you mind towards your finances and will teach you to think like the rich do. A must read if you want to get out of debt and take control of your finances.

Mr. EKM

Definitely Worth The Read - Inspirational, 31 Jul 2008
I first read this book about seven years ago. I still have a copy in my bookcase and will always keep it.

Whether one is into making money from real estate or not, this book is quite an inspirational read and well worth taking a look at. There are some very important life lessons contained in the pages; lessons about what's more useful in life, lessons that definitely aren't taught in most schools.

We all need education, sure, but we also need to learn how to be survivors in a very competitive world and develop business smarts and not just academic ones. Our minds need to be more free and open to opportunities and possibilities. Sometimes the systematic approach of the education system tends to make us all think rather compartmentalized rather than projecting our minds and visions outside the square.

The overall message and information Robert Kyosaki provides in this book will benefit just about everybody.

How To Keep Your Man: And Keep Him For Good

Real Life Dramas - Volume One: 1

Darren G. Burton

don't buy this, 07 Jul 2008
i bought this on audio and that made the whole thing a lot worse. not only was i having the bloody obvious drone on, but also by someone who sounded like he was reading to his 5 year old child.
the guy makes a few good points but these could have been summed up in a paragraph or two , perhaps an essay of an A4 page at a push.
You keep on thinking that something really new is coming up but no its just the same again and again. you know those american documentries that come back after their commercial break and seem to feel the need to remind you what was on only 4 minutes earlier, well this is very much the same.

don't bother

Don't expect to learn much, 13 Oct 2008
This is very typical of self-help books. Full of self-assessment exercises, quotes taken from The Oxford Book of Quotations or similar. The text is cobbled together from popular psychology and management theory. Some of the questionnaires would seem to belong in a women's magazine, rather than an academic book. Anyone who has done PD/PSE or a motivation course will have a good idea what to expect. It is amazing that this is set as essential reading on many university courses now.

Excellent book, 01 Oct 2008
I used this in conjunction with the Experts Guide Job Interview DVD Job Interview Skills - Extended DVD & CD, and found them both to be indispensable.

Excellent guide to PDP, 09 Oct 2007
For students at school and university this is an essential guide. Personal and Professional Development Planning is key to making the most out of your experience in any educational institution. Employers are looking for much more that the diploma/degree that you emerge form Uni' with. You are required to be able to demostrate your skills and attributes as they apply to the work that you would be doing. Cottrell shows you how to draw these out, collect evidence and demonstrate what you have gained and achieved through your educational experience.



Lot's of detail, too much, not inspiring, 09 Feb 2006
i was dissapointed when i bought my copy of this book. it is set out very much as an academic text and not very user friendly. i was surprised by the style of book the author chose to do. mostly forms and questionaires to fill in, followed by some short paragraphs. it is very much the typical type of offering from an hr department when they are encouraging time management, or reflective practice. not inspiring or motivational at all. the content is ok, but reminded me very much of the type of exercise they gave us for professinal development courses at university. i did not get a lot from them either. thorough but left me dissapointed.

Must Have Book!, 11 Oct 2008
With probably the weirdest choice of a cover and a title!! Comes an amazing read!
TO be honest with you never have i ever bothered to review anything be that a book or a movie; however this book to me deserve the effort. After i got over the choice of cover and title, choosing not to judge the book by that, i started reading from page one, little did i know i will finish it within days!! No bus journey or train journey went by without this book. The style, emotion and moments captured so elegantly in the book; that no matter how knowledgeable you are- you WILL learn something different.
Rich dad, poor dad - never failed to force me going into a thinking frenzy and review my life and direction as well as agreeing to Every point made. Made me look at finance and my dreams in a different light. Further to it encourage the made theme of the book: Financial IQ!!!
Truly is a life changing book.

Pathetic, 05 Oct 2008
Okay first of all (for those of you who have already read it), how many 9 year olds do you know who have in depth conversations about finances? The author has already stated that 'rich dad is about as real as santa'. This is a very obvious con. I know it has recived 5 stars from many people, and i do understand where they are coming from - this book is inspirational! It really is! And i have given it 2 stars because it does make you realise about making money work for you. but thats it! How many readers have become millionairs? To be honest i think most of this should be common sense anyway.

But what fustrates me the most is this is an obvious con. Just get this so you know what i mean (or you could spend the money putting it into bonds! i hear bradford and bingly are doing great!).

Excellent!!!, 11 Aug 2008
I have to say, I am not a reader, or rather I was never a reader till I read this book. After reading it I have gone to read half a dozen more and I have never stopped.

This book will open you mind towards your finances and will teach you to think like the rich do. A must read if you want to get out of debt and take control of your finances.

Mr. EKM

Definitely Worth The Read - Inspirational, 31 Jul 2008
I first read this book about seven years ago. I still have a copy in my bookcase and will always keep it.

Whether one is into making money from real estate or not, this book is quite an inspirational read and well worth taking a look at. There are some very important life lessons contained in the pages; lessons about what's more useful in life, lessons that definitely aren't taught in most schools.

We all need education, sure, but we also need to learn how to be survivors in a very competitive world and develop business smarts and not just academic ones. Our minds need to be more free and open to opportunities and possibilities. Sometimes the systematic approach of the education system tends to make us all think rather compartmentalized rather than projecting our minds and visions outside the square.

The overall message and information Robert Kyosaki provides in this book will benefit just about everybody.

How To Keep Your Man: And Keep Him For Good

Real Life Dramas - Volume One: 1

Darren G. Burton

don't buy this, 07 Jul 2008
i bought this on audio and that made the whole thing a lot worse. not only was i having the bloody obvious drone on, but also by someone who sounded like he was reading to his 5 year old child.
the guy makes a few good points but these could have been summed up in a paragraph or two , perhaps an essay of an A4 page at a push.
You keep on thinking that something really new is coming up but no its just the same again and again. you know those american documentries that come back after their commercial break and seem to feel the need to remind you what was on only 4 minutes earlier, well this is very much the same.

don't bother

Uninspiring, 22 Feb 2008
As someone keen to learn from entrepreneurs I didn't find this book useful; it is too brief and lacking in substance to be of any real use in that respect. I like Richard Branson and feel that he surely has much more insight to offer than is contained within this short book, so I will probably buy his full autobiography.



To coin an old cliché "short and sweet", 20 Jan 2008
Having not read Richard Branson's biog, I would have to assume that many of the stories of inspiration he uses have been well covered before. To me it was new material and added lots of insight into a great business mind.

A short book that I read in just two sittings. I only put it down the first time because I had to go to work! Best 'three quid' I have spent recently.

Get the full story!, 04 Jan 2008
I have read Richard Branson biography, Losing my Virginity only recently and so this book contains nothing new...too bad i bought this one. Although cheap it's not really worth the money i have to admit. Go for his book, Losing my Virginity and you will get your money's worth! I don't understand the marketing strategy, if they even had one with this one!

Quick read, shallow story ...., 05 Dec 2007
I'm reviewing this book, not the man. The book is so concise (big print, designed for emergent readers) that even though you get through it cover to cover in just two hours there is very little satisfaction to be had.

It's a collection of snippets. Those who composed it do not even do us the service of keeping it to a decent chronological flow. It leaps back and forth chapter by chapter.

In compressing so many deeds into so few pages, I was left with the perception that Richard Branson was very smug; I did this good deed, then I had this great adventure, then I set up and sold a big business for a large profit, then I brokered a hostage-saving deal with Saddam Hussein, then I persuaded Elton John to sing at Princess Diana's funeral. I am sure that he is not the smug man that this book might lead you to believe. I would guess that you'd be better served (and learn more) by reading a fuller story.

PS I had to laugh at the Scottish reviewer of this book who worked out that he'd gotten just two words to the penny! Laugh out Loud!!


Easy way to learn from the best, 12 Nov 2007
There's no debate about it- Sir Richard Branson is one of the most successful entrepreneurs of our time and a role model for so many.

Im a big believer that if you want to be like the best, you need to learn from the best. This book helps you do just that.

Great business and life concepts are easily explained. And at a bargain price- what more do you want?

Don't expect to learn much, 13 Oct 2008
This is very typical of self-help books. Full of self-assessment exercises, quotes taken from The Oxford Book of Quotations or similar. The text is cobbled together from popular psychology and management theory. Some of the questionnaires would seem to belong in a women's magazine, rather than an academic book. Anyone who has done PD/PSE or a motivation course will have a good idea what to expect. It is amazing that this is set as essential reading on many university courses now.

Excellent book, 01 Oct 2008
I used this in conjunction with the Experts Guide Job Interview DVD Job Interview Skills - Extended DVD & CD, and found them both to be indispensable.

Excellent guide to PDP, 09 Oct 2007
For students at school and university this is an essential guide. Personal and Professional Development Planning is key to making the most out of your experience in any educational institution. Employers are looking for much more that the diploma/degree that you emerge form Uni' with. You are required to be able to demostrate your skills and attributes as they apply to the work that you would be doing. Cottrell shows you how to draw these out, collect evidence and demonstrate what you have gained and achieved through your educational experience.



Lot's of detail, too much, not inspiring, 09 Feb 2006
i was dissapointed when i bought my copy of this book. it is set out very much as an academic text and not very user friendly. i was surprised by the style of book the author chose to do. mostly forms and questionaires to fill in, followed by some short paragraphs. it is very much the typical type of offering from an hr department when they are encouraging time management, or reflective practice. not inspiring or motivational at all. the content is ok, but reminded me very much of the type of exercise they gave us for professinal development courses at university. i did not get a lot from them either. thorough but left me dissapointed.

Must Have Book!, 11 Oct 2008
With probably the weirdest choice of a cover and a title!! Comes an amazing read!
TO be honest with you never have i ever bothered to review anything be that a book or a movie; however this book to me deserve the effort. After i got over the choice of cover and title, choosing not to judge the book by that, i started reading from page one, little did i know i will finish it within days!! No bus journey or train journey went by without this book. The style, emotion and moments captured so elegantly in the book; that no matter how knowledgeable you are- you WILL learn something different.
Rich dad, poor dad - never failed to force me going into a thinking frenzy and review my life and direction as well as agreeing to Every point made. Made me look at finance and my dreams in a different light. Further to it encourage the made theme of the book: Financial IQ!!!
Truly is a life changing book.

Pathetic, 05 Oct 2008
Okay first of all (for those of you who have already read it), how many 9 year olds do you know who have in depth conversations about finances? The author has already stated that 'rich dad is about as real as santa'. This is a very obvious con. I know it has recived 5 stars from many people, and i do understand where they are coming from - this book is inspirational! It really is! And i have given it 2 stars because it does make you realise about making money work for you. but thats it! How many readers have become millionairs? To be honest i think most of this should be common sense anyway.

But what fustrates me the most is this is an obvious con. Just get this so you know what i mean (or you could spend the money putting it into bonds! i hear bradford and bingly are doing great!).

Excellent!!!, 11 Aug 2008
I have to say, I am not a reader, or rather I was never a reader till I read this book. After reading it I have gone to read half a dozen more and I have never stopped.

This book will open you mind towards your finances and will teach you to think like the rich do. A must read if you want to get out of debt and take control of your finances.

Mr. EKM

Definitely Worth The Read - Inspirational, 31 Jul 2008
I first read this book about seven years ago. I still have a copy in my bookcase and will always keep it.

Whether one is into making money from real estate or not, this book is quite an inspirational read and well worth taking a look at. There are some very important life lessons contained in the pages; lessons about what's more useful in life, lessons that definitely aren't taught in most schools.

We all need education, sure, but we also need to learn how to be survivors in a very competitive world and develop business smarts and not just academic ones. Our minds need to be more free and open to opportunities and possibilities. Sometimes the systematic approach of the education system tends to make us all think rather compartmentalized rather than projecting our minds and visions outside the square.

The overall message and information Robert Kyosaki provides in this book will benefit just about everybody.

How To Keep Your Man: And Keep Him For Good

Real Life Dramas - Volume One: 1

Darren G. Burton

don't buy this, 07 Jul 2008
i bought this on audio and that made the whole thing a lot worse. not only was i having the bloody obvious drone on, but also by someone who sounded like he was reading to his 5 year old child.
the guy makes a few good points but these could have been summed up in a paragraph or two , perhaps an essay of an A4 page at a push.
You keep on thinking that something really new is coming up but no its just the same again and again. you know those american documentries that come back after their commercial break and seem to feel the need to remind you what was on only 4 minutes earlier, well this is very much the same.

don't bother

Uninspiring, 22 Feb 2008
As someone keen to learn from entrepreneurs I didn't find this book useful; it is too brief and lacking in substance to be of any real use in that respect. I like Richard Branson and feel that he surely has much more insight to offer than is contained within this short book, so I will probably buy his full autobiography.



To coin an old cliché "short and sweet", 20 Jan 2008
Having not read Richard Branson's biog, I would have to assume that many of the stories of inspiration he uses have been well covered before. To me it was new material and added lots of insight into a great business mind.

A short book that I read in just two sittings. I only put it down the first time because I had to go to work! Best 'three quid' I have spent recently.

Get the full story!, 04 Jan 2008
I have read Richard Branson biography, Losing my Virginity only recently and so this book contains nothing new...too bad i bought this one. Although cheap it's not really worth the money i have to admit. Go for his book, Losing my Virginity and you will get your money's worth! I don't understand the marketing strategy, if they even had one with this one!

Quick read, shallow story ...., 05 Dec 2007
I'm reviewing this book, not the man. The book is so concise (big print, designed for emergent readers) that even though you get through it cover to cover in just two hours there is very little satisfaction to be had.

It's a collection of snippets. Those who composed it do not even do us the service of keeping it to a decent chronological flow. It leaps back and forth chapter by chapter.

In compressing so many deeds into so few pages, I was left with the perception that Richard Branson was very smug; I did this good deed, then I had this great adventure, then I set up and sold a big business for a large profit, then I brokered a hostage-saving deal with Saddam Hussein, then I persuaded Elton John to sing at Princess Diana's funeral. I am sure that he is not the smug man that this book might lead you to believe. I would guess that you'd be better served (and learn more) by reading a fuller story.

PS I had to laugh at the Scottish reviewer of this book who worked out that he'd gotten just two words to the penny! Laugh out Loud!!


Easy way to learn from the best, 12 Nov 2007
There's no debate about it- Sir Richard Branson is one of the most successful entrepreneurs of our time and a role model for so many.

Im a big believer that if you want to be like the best, you need to learn from the best. This book helps you do just that.

Great business and life concepts are easily explained. And at a bargain price- what more do you want?

Basically it's just an access code, 22 Aug 2008
The code inside enables you to take the test to discover your strengths. Once you have done the test, you get can download your profile as well as a description of the 34 strengths tested by the online questionnaire. This description of 34 strengths you can download is the same as the bulk of the book. Gallup would be better off to arrange for a paid inscription to their website and don't waste time on the book.

I'm sure there has been a lot of research in the making of the test but nothing reflects in the book. Gallup says the results aren't supposed to change a lot over a lifetime and it shouldn't be influenced by your current state of mind, fatigue or stress. But other then "trust us, we've used this tests thousands of times" they offer no proof of those claims.

It's a nice to have the 34 strengths handy but a more developed book would be better.


Eye-Opening, 31 Jul 2008
Strengths Finder 2.0 not only helped me to learn more about myself, but it gave me a greater understanding (and tolerance) of those around me. It is an interactive book that requires the reader to take a test that helps to reveal one's strengths. It can also be quite fun to partake of the test with family, friends and co-workers. Another interesting book is Personality Plus by Florence Littauer.

How To Keep Your Man: And Keep Him For Good

Real Life Dramas - Volume One: 1

Darren G. Burton

Great at describing your personality, with no useful advice about what to do with it, 28 Apr 2008
The online test is stunningly accurate and described me far better than I've managed to do myself. The strength finder however had no followup on this with little useful advice about what these traits would be suited to.

King Herod just opened a crèche, 12 Nov 2007
98% Inspiration and 2% Perspiration in the discovery and development of personal strengths must encourage all to uncover what they do best.

Most when asked, "Name four personal strengths you possess". Look at you as though you have just announced `King Herod just opened a crèche on the corner of their road'.

If you want to get ahead in life you should at least understand `what makes you tick' by revealing, even uncovering and discovering what your psychological drives are and how to build them daily, weekly and monthly so you strive to reach maximum enjoyment and satisfaction in all you do.

Tom Rath author offers the above solutions in Strength Finder 2.0. It provides a real return on investment and the WoW factor is sensational. It is `a must' for all seriously wanting to reach the Whitenburgh motto `least effort - maximum benefit' in every aspect of life.

Recommend a buy - bought four additional copies as presents for business friends and my family.

Michael J Whitenburgh
Psychoanalyst


"Mirror, mirror on the wall....", 04 Apr 2007

You will probably find no head-snapping revelations in this book if you have already read Marcus Buckingham and Curt Coffman's First, Break All the Rules and/or Buckingham and Donald O. Clifton's Now, Discover Your Strengths (especially the latter). Nor does Tom Rath claim to offer any. Rather, this is a new and upgraded edition of the Gallup organization's previous online test (StrengthsFinder 1.0) that enables those who take it to identify and measure their talents relative to "more than 5,000 new personalized Strengths Insights that we have discovered in recent years."

In Rath's two previously published books, How Full Is Your Bucket? co-authored with Donald O. Clifton and Vital Friends, he shares his own reactions to an abundance of research data which reveals the importance of two separate but related forces which have profound impact on the workplace: getting strengths in alignment with work to be done and then developing them even more with strategic delegation and close supervision.

What we have in this book, Strengths Finder 2.0, is a wealth of new research material that Rath examines with exceptional precision and uncommon eloquence. I strongly encourage each reader to take full advantage of the self-diagnostic opportunities that both Rath and the Gallup organization generously offer. Of course, once various exercises are completed, a significant challenge remains: to take effective and productive action to apply what has been learned. It is helpful to be aware of what Jeffrey Pfeffer and Robert I. Sutton so aptly characterize as the "knowing-doing" and "doing-knowing" gaps. It is also helpful to recall Peter Drucker's observation more than 40 years ago: "There is surely nothing quite so useless as doing with great efficiency what should not be done at all."

Presumably Rath agrees that, more often than not, the Yoda is right: "Do or do not. There is no try."

Don't expect to learn much, 13 Oct 2008
This is very typical of self-help books. Full of self-assessment exercises, quotes taken from The Oxford Book of Quotations or similar. The text is cobbled together from popular psychology and management theory. Some of the questionnaires would seem to belong in a women's magazine, rather than an academic book. Anyone who has done PD/PSE or a motivation course will have a good idea what to expect. It is amazing that this is set as essential reading on many university courses now.

Excellent book, 01 Oct 2008
I used this in conjunction with the Experts Guide Job Interview DVD Job Interview Skills - Extended DVD & CD, and found them both to be indispensable.

Excellent guide to PDP, 09 Oct 2007
For students at school and university this is an essential guide. Personal and Professional Development Planning is key to making the most out of your experience in any educational institution. Employers are looking for much more that the diploma/degree that you emerge form Uni' with. You are required to be able to demostrate your skills and attributes as they apply to the work that you would be doing. Cottrell shows you how to draw these out, collect evidence and demonstrate what you have gained and achieved through your educational experience.



Lot's of detail, too much, not inspiring, 09 Feb 2006
i was dissapointed when i bought my copy of this book. it is set out very much as an academic text and not very user friendly. i was surprised by the style of book the author chose to do. mostly forms and questionaires to fill in, followed by some short paragraphs. it is very much the typical type of offering from an hr department when they are encouraging time management, or reflective practice. not inspiring or motivational at all. the content is ok, but reminded me very much of the type of exercise they gave us for professinal development courses at university. i did not get a lot from them either. thorough but left me dissapointed.

Must Have Book!, 11 Oct 2008
With probably the weirdest choice of a cover and a title!! Comes an amazing read!
TO be honest with you never have i ever bothered to review anything be that a book or a movie; however this book to me deserve the effort. After i got over the choice of cover and title, choosing not to judge the book by that, i started reading from page one, little did i know i will finish it within days!! No bus journey or train journey went by without this book. The style, emotion and moments captured so elegantly in the book; that no matter how knowledgeable you are- you WILL learn something different.
Rich dad, poor dad - never failed to force me going into a thinking frenzy and review my life and direction as well as agreeing to Every point made. Made me look at finance and my dreams in a different light. Further to it encourage the made theme of the book: Financial IQ!!!
Truly is a life changing book.

Pathetic, 05 Oct 2008
Okay first of all (for those of you who have already read it), how many 9 year olds do you know who have in depth conversations about finances? The author has already stated that 'rich dad is about as real as santa'. This is a very obvious con. I know it has recived 5 stars from many people, and i do understand where they are coming from - this book is inspirational! It really is! And i have given it 2 stars because it does make you realise about making money work for you. but thats it! How many readers have become millionairs? To be honest i think most of this should be common sense anyway.

But what fustrates me the most is this is an obvious con. Just get this so you know what i mean (or you could spend the money putting it into bonds! i hear bradford and bingly are doing great!).

Excellent!!!, 11 Aug 2008
I have to say, I am not a reader, or rather I was never a reader till I read this book. After reading it I have gone to read half a dozen more and I have never stopped.

This book will open you mind towards your finances and will teach you to think like the rich do. A must read if you want to get out of debt and take control of your finances.

Mr. EKM

Definitely Worth The Read - Inspirational, 31 Jul 2008
I first read this book about seven years ago. I still have a copy in my bookcase and will always keep it.

Whether one is into making money from real estate or not, this book is quite an inspirational read and well worth taking a look at. There are some very important life lessons contained in the pages; lessons about what's more useful in life, lessons that definitely aren't taught in most schools.

We all need education, sure, but we also need to learn how to be survivors in a very competitive world and develop business smarts and not just academic ones. Our minds need to be more free and open to opportunities and possibilities. Sometimes the systematic approach of the education system tends to make us all think rather compartmentalized rather than projecting our minds and visions outside the square.

The overall message and information Robert Kyosaki provides in this book will benefit just about everybody.

How To Keep Your Man: And Keep Him For Good

Real Life Dramas - Volume One: 1

Darren G. Burton

don't buy this, 07 Jul 2008
i bought this on audio and that made the whole thing a lot worse. not only was i having the bloody obvious drone on, but also by someone who sounded like he was reading to his 5 year old child.
the guy makes a few good points but these could have been summed up in a paragraph or two , perhaps an essay of an A4 page at a push.
You keep on thinking that something really new is coming up but no its just the same again and again. you know those american documentries that come back after their commercial break and seem to feel the need to remind you what was on only 4 minutes earlier, well this is very much the same.

don't bother

Uninspiring, 22 Feb 2008
As someone keen to learn from entrepreneurs I didn't find this book useful; it is too brief and lacking in substance to be of any real use in that respect. I like Richard Branson and feel that he surely has much more insight to offer than is contained within this short book, so I will probably buy his full autobiography.



To coin an old cliché "short and sweet", 20 Jan 2008
Having not read Richard Branson's biog, I would have to assume that many of the stories of inspiration he uses have been well covered before. To me it was new material and added lots of insight into a great business mind.

A short book that I read in just two sittings. I only put it down the first time because I had to go to work! Best 'three quid' I have spent recently.

Get the full story!, 04 Jan 2008
I have read Richard Branson biography, Losing my Virginity only recently and so this book contains nothing new...too bad i bought this one. Although cheap it's not really worth the money i have to admit. Go for his book, Losing my Virginity and you will get your money's worth! I don't understand the marketing strategy, if they even had one with this one!

Quick read, shallow story ...., 05 Dec 2007
I'm reviewing this book, not the man. The book is so concise (big print, designed for emergent readers) that even though you get through it cover to cover in just two hours there is very little satisfaction to be had.

It's a collection of snippets. Those who composed it do not even do us the service of keeping it to a decent chronological flow. It leaps back and forth chapter by chapter.

In compressing so many deeds into so few pages, I was left with the perception that Richard Branson was very smug; I did this good deed, then I had this great adventure, then I set up and sold a big business for a large profit, then I brokered a hostage-saving deal with Saddam Hussein, then I persuaded Elton John to sing at Princess Diana's funeral. I am sure that he is not the smug man that this book might lead you to believe. I would guess that you'd be better served (and learn more) by reading a fuller story.

PS I had to laugh at the Scottish reviewer of this book who worked out that he'd gotten just two words to the penny! Laugh out Loud!!


Easy way to learn from the best, 12 Nov 2007
There's no debate about it- Sir Richard Branson is one of the most successful entrepreneurs of our time and a role model for so many.

Im a big believer that if you want to be like the best, you need to learn from the best. This book helps you do just that.

Great business and life concepts are easily explained. And at a bargain price- what more do you want?

Basically it's just an access code, 22 Aug 2008
The code inside enables you to take the test to discover your strengths. Once you have done the test, you get can download your profile as well as a description of the 34 strengths tested by the online questionnaire. This description of 34 strengths you can download is the same as the bulk of the book. Gallup would be better off to arrange for a paid inscription to their website and don't waste time on the book.

I'm sure there has been a lot of research in the making of the test but nothing reflects in the book. Gallup says the results aren't supposed to change a lot over a lifetime and it shouldn't be influenced by your current state of mind, fatigue or stress. But other then "trust us, we've used this tests thousands of times" they offer no proof of those claims.

It's a nice to have the 34 strengths handy but a more developed book would be better.


Eye-Opening, 31 Jul 2008
Strengths Finder 2.0 not only helped me to learn more about myself, but it gave me a greater understanding (and tolerance) of those around me. It is an interactive book that requires the reader to take a test that helps to reveal one's strengths. It can also be quite fun to partake of the test with family, friends and co-workers. Another interesting book is Personality Plus by Florence Littauer.

How To Keep Your Man: And Keep Him For Good

Real Life Dramas - Volume One: 1

Darren G. Burton

Great at describing your personality, with no useful advice about what to do with it, 28 Apr 2008
The online test is stunningly accurate and described me far better than I've managed to do myself. The strength finder however had no followup on this with little useful advice about what these traits would be suited to.

King Herod just opened a crèche, 12 Nov 2007
98% Inspiration and 2% Perspiration in the discovery and development of personal strengths must encourage all to uncover what they do best.

Most when asked, "Name four personal strengths you possess". Look at you as though you have just announced `King Herod just opened a crèche on the corner of their road'.

If you want to get ahead in life you should at least understand `what makes you tick' by revealing, even uncovering and discovering what your psychological drives are and how to build them daily, weekly and monthly so you strive to reach maximum enjoyment and satisfaction in all you do.

Tom Rath author offers the above solutions in Strength Finder 2.0. It provides a real return on investment and the WoW factor is sensational. It is `a must' for all seriously wanting to reach the Whitenburgh motto `least effort - maximum benefit' in every aspect of life.

Recommend a buy - bought four additional copies as presents for business friends and my family.

Michael J Whitenburgh
Psychoanalyst


"Mirror, mirror on the wall....", 04 Apr 2007

You will probably find no head-snapping revelations in this book if you have already read Marcus Buckingham and Curt Coffman's First, Break All the Rules and/or Buckingham and Donald O. Clifton's Now, Discover Your Strengths (especially the latter). Nor does Tom Rath claim to offer any. Rather, this is a new and upgraded edition of the Gallup organization's previous online test (StrengthsFinder 1.0) that enables those who take it to identify and measure their talents relative to "more than 5,000 new personalized Strengths Insights that we have discovered in recent years."

In Rath's two previously published books, How Full Is Your Bucket? co-authored with Donald O. Clifton and Vital Friends, he shares his own reactions to an abundance of research data which reveals the importance of two separate but related forces which have profound impact on the workplace: getting strengths in alignment with work to be done and then developing them even more with strategic delegation and close supervision.

What we have in this book, Strengths Finder 2.0, is a wealth of new research material that Rath examines with exceptional precision and uncommon eloquence. I strongly encourage each reader to take full advantage of the self-diagnostic opportunities that both Rath and the Gallup organization generously offer. Of course, once various exercises are completed, a significant challenge remains: to take effective and productive action to apply what has been learned. It is helpful to be aware of what Jeffrey Pfeffer and Robert I. Sutton so aptly characterize as the "knowing-doing" and "doing-knowing" gaps. It is also helpful to recall Peter Drucker's observation more than 40 years ago: "There is surely nothing quite so useless as doing with great efficiency what should not be done at all."

Presumably Rath agrees that, more often than not, the Yoda is right: "Do or do not. There is no try."

A good intermediate finance book, 20 Nov 2003
Although a little long-winded in places, this is a good reference book for anyone wanting a slightly more than basic understanding of various corporate finance concepts, talking about derivatives, hedges, ratios etc. It was certainly useful to me obtaining an A in a module in it at university!

Making corporate finance understandable!, 20 Jul 2000
Economics and finance are not the easiest subjects to understand (well not for me anyway! ). Having looked at all the US finance texts, most of which ressemble the London phone book, it was a relief to find a book that explains the principles of finance in an easy to understand fashion and that gradually introduces you to the more advanced topics. The chapters flow in a logical manner and I found myself almost enjoying studying finance! Finding a book that balances readability and depth is often hard but this book does.

Don't expect to learn much, 13 Oct 2008
This is very typical of self-help books. Full of self-assessment exercises, quotes taken from The Oxford Book of Quotations or similar. The text is cobbled together from popular psychology and management theory. Some of the questionnaires would seem to belong in a women's magazine, rather than an academic book. Anyone who has done PD/PSE or a motivation course will have a good idea what to expect. It is amazing that this is set as essential reading on many university courses now.

Excellent book, 01 Oct 2008
I used this in conjunction with the Experts Guide Job Interview DVD Job Interview Skills - Extended DVD & CD, and found them both to be indispensable.

Excellent guide to PDP, 09 Oct 2007
For students at school and university this is an essential guide. Personal and Professional Development Planning is key to making the most out of your experience in any educational institution. Employers are looking for much more that the diploma/degree that you emerge form Uni' with. You are required to be able to demostrate your skills and attributes as they apply to the work that you would be doing. Cottrell shows you how to draw these out, collect evidence and demonstrate what you have gained and achieved through your educational experience.



Lot's of detail, too much, not inspiring, 09 Feb 2006
i was dissapointed when i bought my copy of this book. it is set out very much as an academic text and not very user friendly. i was surprised by the style of book the author chose to do. mostly forms and questionaires to fill in, followed by some short paragraphs. it is very much the typical type of offering from an hr department when they are encouraging time management, or reflective practice. not inspiring or motivational at all. the content is ok, but reminded me very much of the type of exercise they gave us for professinal development courses at university. i did not get a lot from them either. thorough but left me dissapointed.

Must Have Book!, 11 Oct 2008
With probably the weirdest choice of a cover and a title!! Comes an amazing read!
TO be honest with you never have i ever bothered to review anything be that a book or a movie; however this book to me deserve the effort. After i got over the choice of cover and title, choosing not to judge the book by that, i started reading from page one, little did i know i will finish it within days!! No bus journey or train journey went by without this book. The style, emotion and moments captured so elegantly in the book; that no matter how knowledgeable you are- you WILL learn something different.
Rich dad, poor dad - never failed to force me going into a thinking frenzy and review my life and direction as well as agreeing to Every point made. Made me look at finance and my dreams in a different light. Further to it encourage the made theme of the book: Financial IQ!!!
Truly is a life changing book.

Pathetic, 05 Oct 2008
Okay first of all (for those of you who have already read it), how many 9 year olds do you know who have in depth conversations about finances? The author has already stated that 'rich dad is about as real as santa'. This is a very obvious con. I know it has recived 5 stars from many people, and i do understand where they are coming from - this book is inspirational! It really is! And i have given it 2 stars because it does make you realise about making money work for you. but thats it! How many readers have become millionairs? To be honest i think most of this should be common sense anyway.

But what fustrates me the most is this is an obvious con. Just get this so you know what i mean (or you could spend the money putting it into bonds! i hear bradford and bingly are doing great!).

Excellent!!!, 11 Aug 2008
I have to say, I am not a reader, or rather I was never a reader till I read this book. After reading it I have gone to read half a dozen more and I have never stopped.

This book will open you mind towards your finances and will teach you to think like the rich do. A must read if you want to get out of debt and take control of your finances.

Mr. EKM

Definitely Worth The Read - Inspirational, 31 Jul 2008
I first read this book about seven years ago. I still have a copy in my bookcase and will always keep it.

Whether one is into making money from real estate or not, this book is quite an inspirational read and well worth taking a look at. There are some very important life lessons contained in the pages; lessons about what's more useful in life, lessons that definitely aren't taught in most schools.

We all need education, sure, but we also need to learn how to be survivors in a very competitive world and develop business smarts and not just academic ones. Our minds need to be more free and open to opportunities and possibilities. Sometimes the systematic approach of the education system tends to make us all think rather compartmentalized rather than projecting our minds and visions outside the square.

The overall message and information Robert Kyosaki provides in this book will benefit just about everybody.

How To Keep Your Man: And Keep Him For Good

Real Life Dramas - Volume One: 1

Darren G. Burton

don't buy this, 07 Jul 2008
i bought this on audio and that made the whole thing a lot worse. not only was i having the bloody obvious drone on, but also by someone who sounded like he was reading to his 5 year old child.
the guy makes a few good points but these could have been summed up in a paragraph or two , perhaps an essay of an A4 page at a push.
You keep on thinking that something really new is coming up but no its just the same again and again. you know those american documentries that come back after their commercial break and seem to feel the need to remind you what was on only 4 minutes earlier, well this is very much the same.

don't bother

Uninspiring, 22 Feb 2008
As someone keen to learn from entrepreneurs I didn't find this book useful; it is too brief and lacking in substance to be of any real use in that respect. I like Richard Branson and feel that he surely has much more insight to offer than is contained within this short book, so I will probably buy his full autobiography.



To coin an old cliché "short and sweet", 20 Jan 2008
Having not read Richard Branson's biog, I would have to assume that many of the stories of inspiration he uses have been well covered before. To me it was new material and added lots of insight into a great business mind.

A short book that I read in just two sittings. I only put it down the first time because I had to go to work! Best 'three quid' I have spent recently.

Get the full story!, 04 Jan 2008
I have read Richard Branson biography, Losing my Virginity only recently and so this book contains nothing new...too bad i bought this one. Although cheap it's not really worth the money i have to admit. Go for his book, Losing my Virginity and you will get your money's worth! I don't understand the marketing strategy, if they even had one with this one!

Quick read, shallow story ...., 05 Dec 2007
I'm reviewing this book, not the man. The book is so concise (big print, designed for emergent readers) that even though you get through it cover to cover in just two hours there is very little satisfaction to be had.

It's a collection of snippets. Those who composed it do not even do us the service of keeping it to a decent chronological flow. It leaps back and forth chapter by chapter.

In compressing so many deeds into so few pages, I was left with the perception that Richard Branson was very smug; I did this good deed, then I had this great adventure, then I set up and sold a big business for a large profit, then I brokered a hostage-saving deal with Saddam Hussein, then I persuaded Elton John to sing at Princess Diana's funeral. I am sure that he is not the smug man that this book might lead you to believe. I would guess that you'd be better served (and learn more) by reading a fuller story.

PS I had to laugh at the Scottish reviewer of this book who worked out that he'd gotten just two words to the penny! Laugh out Loud!!


Easy way to learn from the best, 12 Nov 2007
There's no debate about it- Sir Richard Branson is one of the most successful entrepreneurs of our time and a role model for so many.

Im a big believer that if you want to be like the best, you need to learn from the best. This book helps you do just that.

Great business and life concepts are easily explained. And at a bargain price- what more do you want?

Basically it's just an access code, 22 Aug 2008
The code inside enables you to take the test to discover your strengths. Once you have done the test, you get can download your profile as well as a description of the 34 strengths tested by the online questionnaire. This description of 34 strengths you can download is the same as the bulk of the book. Gallup would be better off to arrange for a paid inscription to their website and don't waste time on the book.

I'm sure there has been a lot of research in the making of the test but nothing reflects in the book. Gallup says the results aren't supposed to change a lot over a lifetime and it shouldn't be influenced by your current state of mind, fatigue or stress. But other then "trust us, we've used this tests thousands of times" they offer no proof of those claims.

It's a nice to have the 34 strengths handy but a more developed book would be better.


Eye-Opening, 31 Jul 2008
Strengths Finder 2.0 not only helped me to learn more about myself, but it gave me a greater understanding (and tolerance) of those around me. It is an interactive book that requires the reader to take a test that helps to reveal one's strengths. It can also be quite fun to partake of the test with family, friends and co-workers. Another interesting book is Personality Plus by Florence Littauer.

How To Keep Your Man: And Keep Him For Good

Real Life Dramas - Volume One: 1

Darren G. Burton

Great at describing your personality, with no useful advice about what to do with it, 28 Apr 2008
The online test is stunningly accurate and described me far better than I've managed to do myself. The strength finder however had no followup on this with little useful advice about what these traits would be suited to.

King Herod just opened a crèche, 12 Nov 2007
98% Inspiration and 2% Perspiration in the discovery and development of personal strengths must encourage all to uncover what they do best.

Most when asked, "Name four personal strengths you possess". Look at you as though you have just announced `King Herod just opened a crèche on the corner of their road'.

If you want to get ahead in life you should at least understand `what makes you tick' by revealing, even uncovering and discovering what your psychological drives are and how to build them daily, weekly and monthly so you strive to reach maximum enjoyment and satisfaction in all you do.

Tom Rath author offers the above solutions in Strength Finder 2.0. It provides a real return on investment and the WoW factor is sensational. It is `a must' for all seriously wanting to reach the Whitenburgh motto `least effort - maximum benefit' in every aspect of life.

Recommend a buy - bought four additional copies as presents for business friends and my family.

Michael J Whitenburgh
Psychoanalyst


"Mirror, mirror on the wall....", 04 Apr 2007

You will probably find no head-snapping revelations in this book if you have already read Marcus Buckingham and Curt Coffman's First, Break All the Rules and/or Buckingham and Donald O. Clifton's Now, Discover Your Strengths (especially the latter). Nor does Tom Rath claim to offer any. Rather, this is a new and upgraded edition of the Gallup organization's previous online test (StrengthsFinder 1.0) that enables those who take it to identify and measure their talents relative to "more than 5,000 new personalized Strengths Insights that we have discovered in recent years."

In Rath's two previously published books, How Full Is Your Bucket? co-authored with Donald O. Clifton and Vital Friends, he shares his own reactions to an abundance of research data which reveals the importance of two separate but related forces which have profound impact on the workplace: getting strengths in alignment with work to be done and then developing them even more with strategic delegation and close supervision.

What we have in this book, Strengths Finder 2.0, is a wealth of new research material that Rath examines with exceptional precision and uncommon eloquence. I strongly encourage each reader to take full advantage of the self-diagnostic opportunities that both Rath and the Gallup organization generously offer. Of course, once various exercises are completed, a significant challenge remains: to take effective and productive action to apply what has been learned. It is helpful to be aware of what Jeffrey Pfeffer and Robert I. Sutton so aptly characterize as the "knowing-doing" and "doing-knowing" gaps. It is also helpful to recall Peter Drucker's observation more than 40 years ago: "There is surely nothing quite so useless as doing with great efficiency what should not be done at all."

Presumably Rath agrees that, more often than not, the Yoda is right: "Do or do not. There is no try."

A good intermediate finance book, 20 Nov 2003
Although a little long-winded in places, this is a good reference book for anyone wanting a slightly more than basic understanding of various corporate finance concepts, talking about derivatives, hedges, ratios etc. It was certainly useful to me obtaining an A in a module in it at university!

Making corporate finance understandable!, 20 Jul 2000
Economics and finance are not the easiest subjects to understand (well not for me anyway! ). Having looked at all the US finance texts, most of which ressemble the London phone book, it was a relief to find a book that explains the principles of finance in an easy to understand fashion and that gradually introduces you to the more advanced topics. The chapters flow in a logical manner and I found myself almost enjoying studying finance! Finding a book that balances readability and depth is often hard but this book does.

How to get rich slowly, 20 Sep 2008
This is just about the best non fiction book I have ever read and most certainly the best £4 I ever spent.

There are many thousands of books out there which claim to make us millionaires over night, many of which are sold here on Amazon. But while they quite often have overall 5 star ratings, you never actually see any customer reviews informing us they did indeed become a millionaire over night. What The Richest Man In Babylon does though is instead tell us that through using common sense and a bit of self discipline, we can all become rich over time.

The synopsis is simple, through a series of very brief stories taken from recently excavated scrolls perportedly found in the ancient lost city of Babylon, you are told how to manage your money. Each little tale has one main message and pretty much all of them ring true today.

The startling thing about the success of this book for me was that there isn't actually anything new in it. The classic example of this is one of the early messages: 'Spend less than you earn and you will become rich.' Duh! Blatantly obvious really but if you think about it how many of us in this day and age actually do this? Where credit is so easy to obtain, how many of us now live beyond our means? I genuinely feel this should be given to kids and taught in schools as they are the ones who would most benefit from it.

One of the tales did stick in my throat a little bit and is slightly more difficult to apply in today's society: A chap in considerable debt who has decided to turn his life around is advised to go and see all his creditors to inform them that he is sorting it out and that they will get their money back gradually over a certain period, all the while still maintaining his 'spend less than he earns' mantra.

A good idea indeed but not very practicle in today's economy. Let's say an individual owes a large amount on their credit card and their minimum payments plus their other outgoings amount to more than they earn. (sound familiar?!) If he goes to his credit card company and says "look, sorry - I can't pay what you want each month but can give you £100 a month until it's cleared." The credit card company will probably agree to this in some form or another, after all £100 is better than nothing and this is pointed out in the book. But this kind of Individual Voluntary Arrangement today now becomes a social stigma and official black mark against our name, effectively stopping us from getting mortgages or any other type of ligitimate credit in the future.

The author of the 'scrolls' would say that this was not an issue as we should never use credit but today it is a necessary part of life and certainly about the only way most of us would be able to buy a house.

This minor quibble aside, I still wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone who listens (and a few who don't, especially if they have kids too young to have made their parents' financial mistakes). Unlike one previous reviewer, I found the style very easy to read and even managed to get through entire chapters while waiting for my kettle to boil!

While there isn't really any true method to follow as such, I've applied the messages to my finances where possible for nearly 2 years now and have reduced my debt to a 10th of what it was and saved up a tidy few quid. I know it won't make me rich over night on it's own but I also know that I certainly won't be working for the rest of my life!

Get it, read it, follow what it says and you will become rich evetually.

Motivating a Wealth Mentality!, 25 Aug 2008
I read this book back in 1994. It has much timeless knowledge.

The Richest Man in Babylon is an inspirational book on helping to create an investment mentality by using parables of how the Richest Man in Babylon would have invested. It is for beginning investors who need good reasons to develop a proper mindset to start working towards becoming financially independent. It also is a good book for recharging a wealth mentality in any investor.

The concepts in the book are simple, but their effects on wealth are profound! For example, George Clason covers The Five Laws of Gold . From the version I read, they are:

I. Gold cometh gladly and in increasing quantities to any man who will put by not less than one-tenth of his earnings to create an estate for his future and that of his family.

II. Gold laboreth diligently and contentedly for the wise owner who finds for it profitable employment, multiplying even as the flocks in the field.

III. Gold clingeth to the protection of the cautious owner who invests it under the advice of men wise in its handling.

IV. Gold slippeth away from the man who invests it in businesses or purposes with which he is not familiar or which are not approved by those skilled in its keep.

V. Gold flees the man who would force it to impossible earnings or who followeth the alluring advice of tricksters and schemers or who trusts it to his own inexperience and romantic desires in investment.

Overall an excellent book for beginners though advanced investors.

The Re-Discovery of Common Sense: A Guide To: The Lost Art of Critical Thinking

Financial detox!, 19 Aug 2008
'The Richest Man in Babylon' is inspirational and has radically changed my outlook on my finances. It begins by using a parable about a poor man in Babylon who seeks the advice of a wealthy man to let him know the secrets of his seemingly never ending pot of gold. He discovers that these secrets are actually quite straightforward and easily put into practice, which he does with proven results. Pitfalls are overcome and all the while we are learning the core rules of accumulating wealth, maintaining wealth and, most importantly, multiplying wealth.

Although this book is set in Ancient Babylon the rules still apply today, although now we are talking about money in the bank as opposed to bars of gold or shekels in your purse! Overall this has given me a far more balanced view of my money and life in general. It almost feels like you are cleansing your soul as you read it - a sort of mind detox! So for anyone who dreads opening letters from the bank or buries their head in the sand, this book is for you!

Brilliant, 09 Aug 2008
This book is quite simply brilliant. I have bought copies for other people as presents and all of them really enjoyed it. Yes its message is simple, but simple ideas are nearly always the best. Do your self a favour and just buy it now.

Excellent, 25 Jul 2008
Very good book to help you examine your way of thinking to finance. Ideal for the beach when on holiday or a long plane flight as the book is difficult to put down, one of the few really good books on finance. The government should make this a part of the national curriculum in school to make future generations more responcible and sucessful with their own personal finances.

Don't expect to learn much, 13 Oct 2008
This is very typical of self-help books. Full of self-assessment exercises, quotes taken from The Oxford Book of Quotations or similar. The text is cobbled together from popular psychology and management theory. Some of the questionnaires would seem to belong in a women's magazine, rather than an academic book. Anyone who has done PD/PSE or a motivation course will have a good idea what to expect. It is amazing that this is set as essential reading on many university courses now.

Excellent book, 01 Oct 2008
I used this in conjunction with the Experts Guide Job Interview DVD Job Interview Skills - Extended DVD & CD, and found them both to be indispensable.

Excellent guide to PDP, 09 Oct 2007
For students at school and university this is an essential guide. Personal and Professional Development Planning is key to making the most out of your experience in any educational institution. Employers are looking for much more that the diploma/degree that you emerge form Uni' with. You are required to be able to demostrate your skills and attributes as they apply to the work that you would be doing. Cottrell shows you how to draw these out, collect evidence and demonstrate what you have gained and achieved through your educational experience.



Lot's of detail, too much, not inspiring, 09 Feb 2006
i was dissapointed when i bought my copy of this book. it is set out very much as an academic text and not very user friendly. i was surprised by the style of book the author chose to do. mostly forms and questionaires to fill in, followed by some short paragraphs. it is very much the typical type of offering from an hr department when they are encouraging time management, or reflective practice. not inspiring or motivational at all. the content is ok, but reminded me very much of the type of exercise they gave us for professinal development courses at university. i did not get a lot from them either. thorough but left me dissapointed.

Must Have Book!, 11 Oct 2008
With probably the weirdest choice of a cover and a title!! Comes an amazing read!
TO be honest with you never have i ever bothered to review anything be that a book or a movie; however this book to me deserve the effort. After i got over the choice of cover and title, choosing not to judge the book by that, i started reading from page one, little did i know i will finish it within days!! No bus journey or train journey went by without this book. The style, emotion and moments captured so elegantly in the book; that no matter how knowledgeable you are- you WILL learn something different.
Rich dad, poor dad - never failed to force me going into a thinking frenzy and review my life and direction as well as agreeing to Every point made. Made me look at finance and my dreams in a different light. Further to it encourage the made theme of the book: Financial IQ!!!
Truly is a life changing book.

Pathetic, 05 Oct 2008
Okay first of all (for those of you who have already read it), how many 9 year olds do you know who have in depth conversations about finances? The author has already stated that 'rich dad is about as real as santa'. This is a very obvious con. I know it has recived 5 stars from many people, and i do understand where they are coming from - this book is inspirational! It really is! And i have given it 2 stars because it does make you realise about making money work for you. but thats it! How many readers have become millionairs? To be honest i think most of this should be common sense anyway.

But what fustrates me the most is this is an obvious con. Just get this so you know what i mean (or you could spend the money putting it into bonds! i hear bradford and bingly are doing great!).

Excellent!!!, 11 Aug 2008
I have to say, I am not a reader, or rather I was never a reader till I read this book. After reading it I have gone to read half a dozen more and I have never stopped.

This book will open you mind towards your finances and will teach you to think like the rich do. A must read if you want to get out of debt and take control of your finances.

Mr. EKM

Definitely Worth The Read - Inspirational, 31 Jul 2008
I first read this book about seven years ago. I still have a copy in my bookcase and will always keep it.

Whether one is into making money from real estate or not, this book is quite an inspirational read and well worth taking a look at. There are some very important life lessons contained in the pages; lessons about what's more useful in life, lessons that definitely aren't taught in most schools.

We all need education, sure, but we also need to learn how to be survivors in a very competitive world and develop business smarts and not just academic ones. Our minds need to be more free and open to opportunities and possibilities. Sometimes the systematic approach of the education system tends to make us all think rather compartmentalized rather than projecting our minds and visions outside the square.

The overall message and information Robert Kyosaki provides in this book will benefit just about everybody.

How To Keep Your Man: And Keep Him For Good

Real Life Dramas - Volume One: 1

Darren G. Burton

don't buy this, 07 Jul 2008
i bought this on audio and that made the whole thing a lot worse. not only was i having the bloody obvious drone on, but also by someone who sounded like he was reading to his 5 year old child.
the guy makes a few good points but these could have been summed up in a paragraph or two , perhaps an essay of an A4 page at a push.
You keep on thinking that something really new is coming up but no its just the same again and again. you know those american documentries that come back after their commercial break and seem to feel the need to remind you what was on only 4 minutes earlier, well this is very much the same.

don't bother

Uninspiring, 22 Feb 2008
As someone keen to learn from entrepreneurs I didn't find this book useful; it is too brief and lacking in substance to be of any real use in that respect. I like Richard Branson and feel that he surely has much more insight to offer than is contained within this short book, so I will probably buy his full autobiography.



To coin an old cliché "short and sweet", 20 Jan 2008
Having not read Richard Branson's biog, I would have to assume that many of the stories of inspiration he uses have been well covered before. To me it was new material and added lots of insight into a great business mind.

A short book that I read in just two sittings. I only put it down the first time because I had to go to work! Best 'three quid' I have spent recently.

Get the full story!, 04 Jan 2008
I have read Richard Branson biography, Losing my Virginity only recently and so this book contains nothing new...too bad i bought this one. Although cheap it's not really worth the money i have to admit. Go for his book, Losing my Virginity and you will get your money's worth! I don't understand the marketing strategy, if they even had one with this one!

Quick read, shallow story ...., 05 Dec 2007
I'm reviewing this book, not the man. The book is so concise (big print, designed for emergent readers) that even though you get through it cover to cover in just two hours there is very little satisfaction to be had.

It's a collection of snippets. Those who composed it do not even do us the service of keeping it to a decent chronological flow. It leaps back and forth chapter by chapter.

In compressing so many deeds into so few pages, I was left with the perception that Richard Branson was very smug; I did this good deed, then I had this great adventure, then I set up and sold a big business for a large profit, then I brokered a hostage-saving deal with Saddam Hussein, then I persuaded Elton John to sing at Princess Diana's funeral. I am sure that he is not the smug man that this book might lead you to believe. I would guess that you'd be better served (and learn more) by reading a fuller story.

PS I had to laugh at the Scottish reviewer of this book who worked out that he'd gotten just two words to the penny! Laugh out Loud!!


Easy way to learn from the best, 12 Nov 2007
There's no debate about it- Sir Richard Branson is one of the most successful entrepreneurs of our time and a role model for so many.

Im a big believer that if you want to be like the best, you need to learn from the best. This book helps you do just that.

Great business and life concepts are easily explained. And at a bargain price- what more do you want?

Basically it's just an access code, 22 Aug 2008
The code inside enables you to take the test to discover your strengths. Once you have done the test, you get can download your profile as well as a description of the 34 strengths tested by the online questionnaire. This description of 34 strengths you can download is the same as the bulk of the book. Gallup would be better off to arrange for a paid inscription to their website and don't waste time on the book.

I'm sure there has been a lot of research in the making of the test but nothing reflects in the book. Gallup says the results aren't supposed to change a lot over a lifetime and it shouldn't be influenced by your current state of mind, fatigue or stress. But other then "trust us, we've used this tests thousands of times" they offer no proof of those claims.

It's a nice to have the 34 strengths handy but a more developed book would be better.


Eye-Opening, 31 Jul 2008
Strengths Finder 2.0 not only helped me to learn more about myself, but it gave me a greater understanding (and tolerance) of those around me. It is an interactive book that requires the reader to take a test that helps to reveal one's strengths. It can also be quite fun to partake of the test with family, friends and co-workers. Another interesting book is Personality Plus by Florence Littauer.

How To Keep Your Man: And Keep Him For Good

Real Life Dramas - Volume One: 1

Darren G. Burton

Great at describing your personality, with no useful advice about what to do with it, 28 Apr 2008
The online test is stunningly accurate and described me far better than I've managed to do myself. The strength finder however had no followup on this with little useful advice about what these traits would be suited to.

King Herod just opened a crèche, 12 Nov 2007
98% Inspiration and 2% Perspiration in the discovery and development of personal strengths must encourage all to uncover what they do best.

Most when asked, "Name four personal strengths you possess". Look at you as though you have just announced `King Herod just opened a crèche on the corner of their road'.

If you want to get ahead in life you should at least understand `what makes you tick' by revealing, even uncovering and discovering what your psychological drives are and how to build them daily, weekly and monthly so you strive to reach maximum enjoyment and satisfaction in all you do.

Tom Rath author offers the above solutions in Strength Finder 2.0. It provides a real return on investment and the WoW factor is sensational. It is `a must' for all seriously wanting to reach the Whitenburgh motto `least effort - maximum benefit' in every aspect of life.

Recommend a buy - bought four additional copies as presents for business friends and my family.

Michael J Whitenburgh
Psychoanalyst


"Mirror, mirror on the wall....", 04 Apr 2007

You will probably find no head-snapping revelations in this book if you have already read Marcus Buckingham and Curt Coffman's First, Break All the Rules and/or Buckingham and Donald O. Clifton's Now, Discover Your Strengths (especially the latter). Nor does Tom Rath claim to offer any. Rather, this is a new and upgraded edition of the Gallup organization's previous online test (StrengthsFinder 1.0) that enables those who take it to identify and measure their talents relative to "more than 5,000 new personalized Strengths Insights that we have discovered in recent years."

In Rath's two previously published books, How Full Is Your Bucket? co-authored with Donald O. Clifton and Vital Friends, he shares his own reactions to an abundance of research data which reveals the importance of two separate but related forces which have profound impact on the workplace: getting strengths in alignment with work to be done and then developing them even more with strategic delegation and close supervision.

What we have in this book, Strengths Finder 2.0, is a wealth of new research material that Rath examines with exceptional precision and uncommon eloquence. I strongly encourage each reader to take full advantage of the self-diagnostic opportunities that both Rath and the Gallup organization generously offer. Of course, once various exercises are completed, a significant challenge remains: to take effective and productive action to apply what has been learned. It is helpful to be aware of what Jeffrey Pfeffer and Robert I. Sutton so aptly characterize as the "knowing-doing" and "doing-knowing" gaps. It is also helpful to recall Peter Drucker's observation more than 40 years ago: "There is surely nothing quite so useless as doing with great efficiency what should not be done at all."

Presumably Rath agrees that, more often than not, the Yoda is right: "Do or do not. There is no try."

A good intermediate finance book, 20 Nov 2003
Although a little long-winded in places, this is a good reference book for anyone wanting a slightly more than basic understanding of various corporate finance concepts, talking about derivatives, hedges, ratios etc. It was certainly useful to me obtaining an A in a module in it at university!

Making corporate finance understandable!, 20 Jul 2000
Economics and finance are not the easiest subjects to understand (well not for me anyway! ). Having looked at all the US finance texts, most of which ressemble the London phone book, it was a relief to find a book that explains the principles of finance in an easy to understand fashion and that gradually introduces you to the more advanced topics. The chapters flow in a logical manner and I found myself almost enjoying studying finance! Finding a book that balances readability and depth is often hard but this book does.

How to get rich slowly, 20 Sep 2008
This is just about the best non fiction book I have ever read and most certainly the best £4 I ever spent.

There are many thousands of books out there which claim to make us millionaires over night, many of which are sold here on Amazon. But while they quite often have overall 5 star ratings, you never actually see any customer reviews informing us they did indeed become a millionaire over night. What The Richest Man In Babylon does though is instead tell us that through using common sense and a bit of self discipline, we can all become rich over time.

The synopsis is simple, through a series of very brief stories taken from recently excavated scrolls perportedly found in the ancient lost city of Babylon, you are told how to manage your money. Each little tale has one main message and pretty much all of them ring true today.

The startling thing about the success of this book for me was that there isn't actually anything new in it. The classic example of this is one of the early messages: 'Spend less than you earn and you will become rich.' Duh! Blatantly obvious really but if you think about it how many of us in this day and age actually do this? Where credit is so easy to obtain, how many of us now live beyond our means? I genuinely feel this should be given to kids and taught in schools as they are the ones who would most benefit from it.

One of the tales did stick in my throat a little bit and is slightly more difficult to apply in today's society: A chap in considerable debt who has decided to turn his life around is advised to go and see all his creditors to inform them that he is sorting it out and that they will get their money back gradually over a certain period, all the while still maintaining his 'spend less than he earns' mantra.

A good idea indeed but not very practicle in today's economy. Let's say an individual owes a large amount on their credit card and their minimum payments plus their other outgoings amount to more than they earn. (sound familiar?!) If he goes to his credit card company and says "look, sorry - I can't pay what you want each month but can give you £100 a month until it's cleared." The credit card company will probably agree to this in some form or another, after all £100 is better than nothing and this is pointed out in the book. But this kind of Individual Voluntary Arrangement today now becomes a social stigma and official black mark against our name, effectively stopping us from getting mortgages or any other type of ligitimate credit in the future.

The author of the 'scrolls' would say that this was not an issue as we should never use credit but today it is a necessary part of life and certainly about the only way most of us would be able to buy a house.

This minor quibble aside, I still wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone who listens (and a few who don't, especially if they have kids too young to have made their parents' financial mistakes). Unlike one previous reviewer, I found the style very easy to read and even managed to get through entire chapters while waiting for my kettle to boil!

While there isn't really any true method to follow as such, I've applied the messages to my finances where possible for nearly 2 years now and have reduced my debt to a 10th of what it was and saved up a tidy few quid. I know it won't make me rich over night on it's own but I also know that I certainly won't be working for the rest of my life!

Get it, read it, follow what it says and you will become rich evetually.

Motivating a Wealth Mentality!, 25 Aug 2008
I read this book back in 1994. It has much timeless knowledge.

The Richest Man in Babylon is an inspirational book on helping to create an investment mentality by using parables of how the Richest Man in Babylon would have invested. It is for beginning investors who need good reasons to develop a proper mindset to start working towards becoming financially independent. It also is a good book for recharging a wealth mentality in any investor.

The concepts in the book are simple, but their effects on wealth are profound! For example, George Clason covers The Five Laws of Gold . From the version I read, they are:

I. Gold cometh gladly and in increasing quantities to any man who will put by not less than one-tenth of his earnings to create an estate for his future and that of his family.

II. Gold laboreth diligently and contentedly for the wise owner who finds for it profitable employment, multiplying even as the flocks in the field.

III. Gold clingeth to the protection of the cautious owner who invests it under the advice of men wise in its handling.

IV. Gold slippeth away from the man who invests it in businesses or purposes with which he is not familiar or which are not approved by those skilled in its keep.

V. Gold flees the man who would force it to impossible earnings or who followeth the alluring advice of tricksters and schemers or who trusts it to his own inexperience and romantic desires in investment.

Overall an excellent book for beginners though advanced investors.

The Re-Discovery of Common Sense: A Guide To: The Lost Art of Critical Thinking

Financial detox!, 19 Aug 2008
'The Richest Man in Babylon' is inspirational and has radically changed my outlook on my finances. It begins by using a parable about a poor man in Babylon who seeks the advice of a wealthy man to let him know the secrets of his seemingly never ending pot of gold. He discovers that these secrets are actually quite straightforward and easily put into practice, which he does with proven results. Pitfalls are overcome and all the while we are learning the core rules of accumulating wealth, maintaining wealth and, most importantly, multiplying wealth.

Although this book is set in Ancient Babylon the rules still apply today, although now we are talking about money in the bank as opposed to bars of gold or shekels in your purse! Overall this has given me a far more balanced view of my money and life in general. It almost feels like you are cleansing your soul as you read it - a sort of mind detox! So for anyone who dreads opening letters from the bank or buries their head in the sand, this book is for you!

Brilliant, 09 Aug 2008
This book is quite simply brilliant. I have bought copies for other people as presents and all of them really enjoyed it. Yes its message is simple, but simple ideas are nearly always the best. Do your self a favour and just buy it now.

Excellent, 25 Jul 2008
Very good book to help you examine your way of thinking to finance. Ideal for the beach when on holiday or a long plane flight as the book is difficult to put down, one of the few really good books on finance. The government should make this a part of the national curriculum in school to make future generations more responcible and sucessful with their own personal finances.

covers a fundemental area for social workers. A must have!, 22 Nov 2001
The subject is by no means new, yet I found the book a perfect start for understanding the principles around the contruction of values and the dangers of having oppressive values. Banks' writing style is fluid and the language used means that the information is accessable. The Use of examples will help any student (or practising) Social Worker to focus on their own value base.