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How to Get Rich: One of the World's Greatest Entrepreneurs Shares His Secrets by Felix Dennis
chinney's review against another edition
challenging
informative
inspiring
slow-paced
4.0
Good on the basics. The rah rahs at the end were a little tiresome. Whole book could have been cut in 1/2 because of the repetition. Served a little like a memoir, too.
sedgewren's review against another edition
funny
informative
medium-paced
2.75
Although the main message of this book could have been an email (making lots of money is really not worth it for most people; if you want to make money, start and own a business), I thought learning from Dennis's life experience was interesting (even if I disagree strongly with his political takes — he literally quotes Margaret Thatcher. Basically encapsulates his attitude towards wealth: individualistic and ruthless. At least he admits that capitalism is "a rotten and debased system of managing human affairs").
I appreciate the pep talk style, but it is a bit roundabout and sometimes infuriating. The poetry is honestly kinda bad, but it adds a bit of character (and padding) to the book.
I think his advice applies well to me individually but he doesn't have any empathy or understanding of the structural limitations — he says "money isn't prejudiced, people are" but it's precisely these people who are your potential customers, investors, colleagues, connections, advocates. It's not as simple as "if you want it enough, you can have it" — your average cis het white man doesn't need to "want it" as much as other people without those privileges.
However, this book is basically a call to do what you want, and not listen to what other naysayers say. It's a reminder to me that a fear of failure is the fear of embarrassment from failure, and recognising that makes me realise that although I can't often control if I fail, my reaction is something I can control.
His analysis of Steve Jobs' failings misses the mark — it is the jealous guarding of its operating system and other integrations that has led to Apple maintaining its exclusive status. Sure, if Apple built mediocre products, nobody would buy into its ecosystem, but Apple products consistently wow in UX and design. Also, the whole description of Steve only allowing someone else to take the reins "over his dead body" really didn't age well.
All in all, a book with helpful tips grounded in reality but it is infuriating at times.
I appreciate the pep talk style, but it is a bit roundabout and sometimes infuriating. The poetry is honestly kinda bad, but it adds a bit of character (and padding) to the book.
I think his advice applies well to me individually but he doesn't have any empathy or understanding of the structural limitations — he says "money isn't prejudiced, people are" but it's precisely these people who are your potential customers, investors, colleagues, connections, advocates. It's not as simple as "if you want it enough, you can have it" — your average cis het white man doesn't need to "want it" as much as other people without those privileges.
However, this book is basically a call to do what you want, and not listen to what other naysayers say. It's a reminder to me that a fear of failure is the fear of embarrassment from failure, and recognising that makes me realise that although I can't often control if I fail, my reaction is something I can control.
His analysis of Steve Jobs' failings misses the mark — it is the jealous guarding of its operating system and other integrations that has led to Apple maintaining its exclusive status. Sure, if Apple built mediocre products, nobody would buy into its ecosystem, but Apple products consistently wow in UX and design. Also, the whole description of Steve only allowing someone else to take the reins "over his dead body" really didn't age well.
All in all, a book with helpful tips grounded in reality but it is infuriating at times.
badoit90's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 Stars // Mirror, Mirror on the wall…
I think this book has the wrong title. Because the author tells you how to (theoretically) get rich pretty early on in the book: Set up your own business.
From then on it’s rather a guide on how to deal with that prospect, rather than a book that explores the titular goal in a more broader manner.
As I went in blind and was therefore not expecting yet another book solely focusing on business / entrepreneurship, I must admit that I had a love-hate relationship with this one.
One of the things I appreciated about it was the fact that the author, a renowned publisher and entrepreneur, does not sugarcoat the harsh realities of the business world. His candid descriptions of his personal experiences and the obstacles he faced while building his fortune are refreshing, especially when compared to other books that tend to romanticise the idea of becoming wealthy. Dennis also tells it like it is by debunking common myths such as the notion that anyone can become rich if they work hard enough – according to him, there's a lot more to it than just putting in the hours.
The book also provides practical advice for those who are motivated to try their hand at entrepreneurship. Dennis covers topics such as how to choose the right industry, deal with competitors, and take calculated risks, among others. As a reader, I found these tips to be grounded in reality and useful for anyone starting their business journey.
The main problem I had with it, was the weird tone and prose of the book. The author is not only a self-made multi-millionaire, but also a self-proclaimed poet, meaning: he loves poems, lyrics and fairytales - and this shows in how the book is written. More often than not it felt like your uncle tells you some life advice packaged in a bedtime story. One chapter is even completely written in the style of a fairytale, which overall came across as very cringy to me.
That being said, if you can look past the clunky prose, "How to Get Rich" by Felix Dennis does have some solid advice and compelling stories from the author's own experiences. It's a raw and honest book that doesn't shy away from the brutal truth about creating wealth – and I appreciated that. In the end though it can only repeat the same old mantras yet again: Set up a business, be successful and reap in the rewards. Duh.
jero's review
5.0
Wow this was a really entertaining book, loved the intertwined humor Mr. Dennis uses to convey his message about this cliche topic. He pointed quite correctly, that there are many other things more important in life than money, but as any other person in a free country we are free to choose whatever road we want to take. So he writes what he has learned about it for any of those who wish to walk that path. IMHO one of the best books on this topic, from somebody who actually went through all of it to tell it how it really is. Great read!
shadowq_'s review against another edition
funny
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
fast-paced
5.0
bookshelfthrowaway's review against another edition
4.0
Non-sugar-coated account of how Dennis got rich, as well as some of the drawbacks. A couple of the stories struck me as exaggerated, but it's impossible to say.
anawilson05's review against another edition
2.0
His advice is basically don't have a life, have no friends or family and work all hours god sends.
No wonder he died young with no kids, no spouse and a bunch of cars he couldn't drive.
That's not aspirational! I'd rather stay a poor than live like that!
No wonder he died young with no kids, no spouse and a bunch of cars he couldn't drive.
That's not aspirational! I'd rather stay a poor than live like that!