The Way to Wealth by Benjamin Franklin

The Way to Wealth Reviews

• 
  Amir Tesla

  موضوع کتاب راه ثروت، نوشته بنجامین فرانکلین مجموعه درس هایی هست که در طول عمرش در خصوص دولتمندی و ثروت فرا گرفت.
  
  محتوای کتاب توصیه های فرانکلین شامل چهار پند کلی هست در این کتاب که شامل تلاش، اعتماد نکردن بیجا و کورکورانه، صرف جویی و غرض نکردن پول (بدهکار نبودن) می شه.
  نکته جالبی که متوجش شدم ضرب المثل هایی هست که پراکنده شنیده بودم و تعدادیشون رو در این کتاب دیدم.
  یکی جمله های مورد علاقم که زیاد تکرارش می کنم با دوستانم از دکتر شریعتی هست که می گه: زندگی را به بیداری بگذرانیم که سال ها بالاجبار خواهیم خفت. در کتاب جمله ای بسیار شبیه با این وجود داشت:
  
  How much more than is necessary do we spend in sleep! Forgetting that the sleeping fox catches no poultry, and that there will be sleeping enough in the grave.
  
  یا یک ضرب المثل مشهور دیگه (حداقل بین انگلیسی زبان ها) که معادل سحر خیز باش تا کام روا باشی خودمون:
  Early to bed, early to rise, keeps a man healthy, wealthy and wise.
  
  کتاب پارگراف های الهام بخش و انگیزشی زیادی داره و واقعا خوندنش چند وقت یکبار به خصوص بخش اولش که در خصوص تلاش هست می تونه بسیار انرژی بخش باشه.
  
  طبق عادات همیشه، دست چین بهترین های کتاب:
  
  1. People often complaining about government's tax, while not being aware that they're taxed twice as much by their idleness, three ties as much by their pride and four times as much by their folly.
  
  2. Sloth (laziness), like rust, consumes faster than labor wears (corrupts).
  3. He that lives upon hope will die fasting.
  
  4. One today is worth two, tomorrow.
  5. A fat kitchen makes a lean will.
  
  6. You may think perhaps that a little entertainment now and then, occasional indulges or a little punch now and then can be no great matter; but remember: many a little, makes a mickle, and beware of little expenses, a small leak will sink a great ship.
  
  7. Buy what thou hast no need of, and ere long thou shalt sell thy necessaries:
  اگر چیزهایی را بخریم که نیازی به آن ها نداشته باشیم، به زودی مجبور می شویم چیزهایی را که لازم داریم را بفروشیم.
  
  8. Wise men learn by others' harms, fools scarcely by their own.
  9. Think what you do when you run in debt; you give to another power over your liberty.
  
  10. They that won't be counseled, can't be helped.
  
  Thanks to my dear friend "Saeed" for having me read this delicate book.
• 
  Jon Nakapalau

  Still has so much to say to us after so many years - sound advice that is rooted in common sense. I really like reading about those who were responsible for forming the political systems we live under; it is amazing to me how they convince others to follow their visions. Been Franklin is certainly such a figure; the 'grandfather revolutionary' who could have lived in relative comfort, yet risked it all to support his principals. Great gift for a young person studying business in college.
  
• 
  Vaishali

  An interesting read from Colonial America's Renaissance man. Franklin frequently quotes his alias, Poor Richard. He also laments high taxes under the crown (then 10% ).
  
  A few wonderful, noteworthy quotes :
  ------------------------------
  
  "Lost time can never be found again."
  
  "One today is worth two tomorrows."
  
  "Since thou are not sure of a minute, throw not away an hour."
  
  "Keep thy shop, and thy shop will keep thee."
  
  "If you would have a faithful servant, and one you'd like, serve yourself."
  
  "A fat kitchen makes a lean will."
  
  "Wise men learn by others harms; fools scarcely by their own."
  
  "A ploughman on his legs is higher than a gentleman on his knees."
  
  "Pride is as loud a beggar as want."
  
  "They that won't be counseled can't be helped."
  
  .
• 
  Saeed

  We are taxed twice as much by our idleness. Idleness taxes many of us much more, if we reckon all that is spent in absolute sloth, or doing of nothing, with that which is spent in idle employments or amusements, that amount to nothing.
  
  Sloth,by bringing on diseases, absolutely shortens life.
  
  
  Sloth, like rust, consumes faster than labor wears, while the used key is always bright.
  
  
  ---------------------------
  The Indies have not made Spain rich, because her outgoes are greater than her incomes. Away then with your expensive follies, and you will not have so much cause to complain of hard times, heavy taxes, and chargeable families; for, as Poor Dick says,
  
  
  Women and wine, game and deceit,
  Make the wealth small, and the wants great.
• 
  Faye

  This essay is a great read I would recommend to everyone for practical and common sense advice that is so lacking in modern society. What a shame.
• 
  Jo

  Good advice for retards with no common sense
• 
  Tomás

  ...as poor richard says
• 
  Joe Moses

  Hodgepodge of ideological advice which Franklin synthesized from his Poor Richard's Almanack arranged as a type of sermon from "Father Abraham". Certainly contains some witty adages and timeless truisms on prudence, temperance, and diligence, but overall its philosophy is a secularized "Calvinist work ethic" which was common in colonial times - a valuing of frugality and hard work as a means to social status and success in order to prove one's salvation. Although the modern "American work ethic" may no longer carry the motivation to prove one's predestination, it nevertheless evolved from such industrious "wisdom". Franklin, a deist, were he alive now, might see the emphasis on industriousness for the sake of consumerism and materialism in the U.S. today as a kind of vice rather than virtue. The text is more valuable as an artifact of American history rather than a timeless classic containing any coherent economic philosophy.
• 
  Kristin

  Quick little read that contains an amazing number of famous sayings. Virtues of savings and frugality have a long history dating back to Ben Franklin. Your financial independence reading list isn’t complete without breezing through this little historical treasure.
• 
  Stamen Stoev

  Мъдростта събрана в тази книжка е трудно да бъде поставена в някакви граници. В своята цялост тя е сбор от афоризми на Бенджамин Франклин и събрани поуки от всички векове и народи, както самият той казва под името Ричард Сондърс.
• 
  Hunter

  Some real protestant work ethic secular asceticism if I ever saw it.
• 
  Kevin Keating

  This book is kind of a ripoff. Small. Kinda boring. I think I got a bad edition. Anyway, from now on I'll look up Franklin stuff up online.
• 
  Simon Eskildsen

  Very short book that does a great job of extracting the parts of Franklin's autobiography and almanac on matters relevant to setting yourself up for success in business. "Experience keeps a dear school, but fools learn in no other" is one of my favourite quotes from the book. Another one on the defence of state taxes: "We are taxed twice as much by our idleness, three times as much by our pride, and four times as much by our folly."
  
  The book is structured around 5 areas that you must master: (1) Industry; time is money, don't post-pone work, and remember that many small strokes, fell great oaks, (2) Self-reliance; can be summed up as "a life of leisure is a life of laziness", (3) Frugality; "a small leak will sink a great ship", or "When you bought one fine thing, you must buy ten more. It is easier to suppress the first desire than to satisfy all that follow", (4) Charity: Help others, (5) Experience: Quote from above sums it up, in other words, read and pursue new knowledge!
• 
  Cagliostro

  Ο Δρόμος προς τον Πλούτο αποτελεί ένα εξαισιο δείγμα πρακτικής σοφίας που ξεχειλίζει απο την βαθιά κατανόηση της ζωής που προσφέρει η αεικίνητη παρατήρηση συνδυαζόμενη με την άσβεστη δίψα για γνώση. Ειδική αναφορά οφείλω να κάνω για την επιστολή στην Δεσποινίδα Στιβενσον (16-5-1760) η οποία αποτελεί μια άρτια παιδαγωγική συμβουλή,ικανή να προσφέρει έμπνευση και μια εναρκτήρια μέθοδο για την αναζήτηση της γνώσης σε κάθε νεοκοπο μελετητή.Αν και πολλά από τα ζητήματα που θίγονται ηχούν γνώριμα στα αυτιά μας δεν παύει να εκπλήσσει η υπενθύμιση της απλοτητας που κρύβεται στο προφανές.
• 
  Brian Mikołajczyk

  Arguably Benjamin Franklin's most famous work, the Way to Wealth is a collection of the Almanack sayings of Poor Richard (a reoccurring character Franklin employs) about industriousness, frugality, and thriftiness.
  Many valuable lessons can be drawn from his personal finance philosophy.
• 
  Renjith R

  Some good old ideas to practice for financial security and better life. I think some are still applicable in modern times and some other ideas can also be practised with minor alterations.
• 
  Dawson

  Short easy read. Chalk full of wisdom about financial management from the business O.G., Ben Franklin. I especially loved the sections about managing businesses and frugality.
• 
  Stephanie

  A quick, short read that I didn't think would be all that interesting, but it took me by surprise.
• 
  Phat Nguyen

  Benjamin Franklin is undoubtedly one of the wisest man in his generation. This little book compose only a few pages, but deliver the wisdom of Ben about the rules to be wealthy. Even though these principles may seem simple and familiar, they are actually very much valuable, as this is the lessons learned by someone who was a genius in his ages.
  My only regret is that I was unable to understand all the proverbs Ben used in this book. I will definitely re-read it to gain a deeper understanding of the content.
• 
  Henrik Haapala

  "Sloth makes all things difficult, but industry all easy, as Poor Richard says; and he that riseth late, must trot all day, and shall scarce overtake his business at night. While laziness travels so slowly, that poverty soon overtakes him, as we read in Poor Richard, who adds, drive thy business, let not that drive thee; and early to bed, and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise."
• 
  Katelyn Jenkins

  Pretty good. Don't take out loans and invest. Don't bite off more than you can chew. And work an honest days work. Good stuff from a well-learnt man. Full of quotes from Poor Richards Almanac, I figure Ben loved it, so I will read this next too! :)
• 
  Haley

  This was a read for school.
  
  While I do agree with the majority of Franklin’s sentiments on frugality, some seemed flawed and unreasonable. This was interesting to read however it has a lot of topics that could be debated on.
  
  4 stars
• 
  Senthil

  Best book on personal finance and success. After reading this I have decided that I am not going to read any other book on self-help/personal finance/success in my life time.
• 
  Brian Cox

  Great investment in yourself.
  
  Easy and enjoyable to read. Filled with wisdom. I'm excited to start focusing on the thirteen virtues and applying them to my daily life.
• 
  Carole Martell

  The workaholic's bible
• 
  Raphael Bernardo

  15 minute read but you get to hear Ben Franklin say 'No Pain, No Gain' and 'Can't teach a pig to fly' in old English. Good Shit. Read it.
• 
  Kholoud

  It is amazing how this book relates so much to our consumer mentality nowadays. It is very captivating and full of wisdom that is delivered in an amusing way.