The Richest Man In Babylon
Book Review

Completed writing this on 26-May-2007. MORE THAN TWO MILLION BOOKS SOLD This is a book that will change your life. Get your copy today and join the other millions who's lives have been changed by the book. The Success Secrets Of The Ancients - The Most Inspiring Book On Wealth Ever Written 144 pages By George S. Clason. ISBN: 0451205367 Published by Penguin Group (USA) Published: February 2005 Imprint: Signet Special Price: $ 4.50 Cover Price: $ 6.99 I bought this book from V. S. Mani Book Stall, Center One Navi Mumbai for Rs. 250/- and thoroughly enjoyed. Buy In India for As low as Rs. 193 .

Book Contents

Lo, Money is Plentiful,
For Those Who Understand the Simple Rules of Its Acquisition

1. Start thy purse to fattening
2. Control thy expenditure
3. Make thy gold multiply
4. Guard thy treasures from loss
5. Make of thy dwelling a profitable investment
6. Insure a future income
7. Increase thy ability to earn

Who will enjoy reading this book

• Anyone who is conscious about his/her spendings
• Who wants to be wealthy
• Who wants prosperity along with wealth.

Who may not enjoy reading this book

• Who do not like old english
• Who finds it difficult to understand words like thy thee.
• Who already have huge money and do not wish to have any more.

Controversies

• It talks alot about slaves and handling of slaves, it talks about extreme tortures to slaves in the last part of the book.
• Many of in-human punishments are detailed in slaves life. Some of the rules which governed the Slaves.
• This book is for Man and Men. Womans are perfectly neglected in all the talk of the book. This gives impression generations are represented by Men.

Overall it is great book to learn how to make flowing wealth, which can not be stolen. As per book, wealth building is wisdom and not occasionally acquiring Gold. This book tells you how to bend streams of wealth flowing towards you. If you just got into some business or some service, don't wait before you make any mistake in your concern. Start building your wealth now. If you've been disappointed for various reasons you lost the money, there are great laws to learn here.

In the Book

Rules to Learn

• A Part of all you earn is yours to keep. It should not be not less than tenth no matter how little you earn
• He who takes advice about his savings from one who is inexperienced in such matters, shall pay with his savings for proving falsity of their options.
• Counsel with wise men. Seek the advice of men whose daily work is handling money. Let them save you from such an error.
• You do eat the children of your savings. Then how do you expect them to work for you? And how can they have children that will also work for you? First get thee an army of golden slaves and then many a rich banquet maay you enjoy without regret.
• Learn to make your treasure work for you, Make it your slave. Make its children and its children's children work for you.
• Opportunity is haughty goddess who wastes no time with those who are unprepared.
• Wealth grows whenever men exert energy.
• If a rich man builds him a new palace, is the gold he pays out gone? No, the brickmaker has part of it and the laborer has part of it, and the artist has part of it. And everyone who labors upon the house has part of it. Yet when the palace is completed is it not worth all it cost? And is the ground upon which is stands not worth more because it is there? And is he ground that adjoins it not worth more because it is there?
• Wealth grows in magic ways. No man can prophesy the limit of it.
• Enjoy life while you are here. Do not overstrain or try to save too much.

Seven Cures for a Lean Purse

1. Start thy purse to fattening
   For each ten coins I put in, to spend but nine.
2. Control thy expenditure
   Budget thy expenses that thou mayest have coins to pay for thy necessities, to pay for thy enjoyments and to gratify thy worthwhile desires without spending more than nine-tenth of thy earning
3. Make thy gold multiply
   To put each coin to laboring that it may reproduce its kind even as the flocks of the field and help bring to thee income, a stream of wealth that shall flow constantly into thy purse.
4. Guard thy treasures from loss:
   Guard thy treasure from loss by investing only where thy principal is safe, where it may be reclaimed if desirable, and where thou will not fail to collect a fair rental. Consult with wise men. Secure the advice of those experienced in the profitable handling of gold. Let their wisdom protect thy treasure from unsafe investments.
5. Make of thy dwelling profitable investment
   Own thy own home
6. Insure a future income
   Provide in advance for the needs of thy growing age and the protection of thy family.
7. Increase thy ability to earn
   The more of wisdom we know, the more we may earn. That man who seeks to learn more of his craft shall be richly rewarded. Always do the affairs of man change and improve because keen-minded men seek greater skill that thy may better serve those upon who patronage they depend. Therefore, I urge all men to be in the front rank of progress and not to stand still, lest they be left behind.

Meet with Goddess of Good Luck

• Tall Clothweaver shares story of found purse with pices of gold.
• Well robed young man shared the story of gaming table where Goddess of luck was not at all present.
• Person curious how did Arkad bet on gray horses from Nineveh yesterday?
• "When a man playeth the games, the situation is reveresed for the chances of profit are always against him and always in favor of the game keeper. The game is so arranged that it will always favor the keeper. "
  " Wagers placed upon the cube. Each time it is cast we bet which side will be uppermost. If it be the red side the game master pays to us four times our bet. Bet if any other of the five sides come uppermost, we lose our bet. Thus the figures show that for each cast we have five chances to loose."
• When Arkad found not many to encounter with Goddess of Luck he asks "Who among you have had good luck within your grasp only to see it escape?"
• Arkad shares the story of Old father insisting his Young married child to invest in plan to build waterwheels and raise life-giving waters to the fertile soil. And child postponing the opportunity to realize his biggest mistake of his life.
• Good Luck waits to come to that man who accepts opportunity
• Syrian shares his story of procrastinator or Merchant who deals in camels and horses and sheeps sometime. After travelling long in the dark he gets an offer to buy nine hundred flocks but to pay immediately because farmer needed the money urgently. Even after accepting the deal he refuses to pay farmer saying he can pay only in daylight. Next morning farmer sells the flocks at three time the price because city was threatened with siege.
• It is neccessary to take advantage of opportunity
• Good Luck can be enticed by accepting opportunity.
• MEN OF ACTION ARE FAVORED BY THE GODDESS OF GOOD LUCK

The Five Laws of Gold

1. Gold cometh gladly and in increasing quantity 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.
2. Gold laboreth diligently and contentedly for the wise owner who finds for it profitable employment, multiplying even as the flocks of the field.
3. Gold clingeth to the protection of the cautious owner who invests it under the advice of men wise in its handling.
4. 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.
5. Gold flees the man who would force it to impossible earning or who followeth the alluring advice of tricksters and schemers or who trusts it to his own inexperience and romantic desires in investment.

The Gold Lender of Babylon

• Rodan the spearmaker of old babylon is awarded with fifty pieces of gold. Rodan is looking for advice to lend 50 pieces of gold to his sister's husband or not.
• Mathon is only visted by men in need of gold or men returning gold. Mathon is delighted to see somebody visiting him for an expert advice.
• Mathon shares "Gold bringeth unto its possessor responsibility and a changed position with his fellow men. It bringeth a fear lest he lose it or it be tricked away from him. It bringeth a feeling of power and ability to do good. Likewise, it bringeth opportunities whereby his very good intentions may bring him into difficulties."
• Nineveh story of donkey and ass with moral "If you desire to help thy friend, do so in a way that will not bring thy friend's burden upon thyself."
• Rodan is curious if gold borrowers pay back.
• Mathon shows the chest of tokens he collects from gold borrowers.
  • Safest loans are those whose possessions are of more value than the one they desire. They own lands , or jewels, or camels, or other things which could be sold to repay the loan.
  • Other Safe loans are those who have the capacity to earn. They labor or serve and repay. They have income and if they are honest and suffer no misfortune, they also repay. These loans are based on human efforts.
  • Other are those who have neither the property nor assured earning capacity. Some of them who cannot adjust themselves fail to repay.
• "Be not swayed by foolish sentiments of obligation to trust thy treasure to any person. If thou wouldst help thy family or thy friends, find other ways than risking the loss of thy treasure. Forget not that gold slippeth away in unexpected ways from those unskilled in guarding it. As well waste thy treasure in extravagance as let others lose it for thee.
• Seek to associate thyself with men and enterprises whose success is estabilished that thy treasure may earn liberally under their skillful use and be gaurded safely by 'their wisdom and experience.
• BETTER A LITTLE CAUTION THAN A GREAT REGRET.

The Walls of Babylon

• King of Babylon had taken his army to fight with Elamities the neighbouring country.
• During that time Asyrian attack Babylon from the north.
• Pains, disappointment & Fear is discussed in various context about the War.
• Banzar keeps assuring the inmates of safety and normal functioning.
• On fifth night of fourth week the war ends.
• Walls of Babylon are compared with man's desire for protection. This desire is inherent in the human race.
• Behind the impregnable walls of insurance, saving accounts and dependable walls of insurance we can guard ourselves against the unexpected tragedies that may enter the door and seat themselves before any fireside.
• WE CANNOT AFFORD TO BE WITHOUT ADEQUATE PROTECTION

The Camel Trader of Babylon

• Tarkad, the son of Azure had borrowed enough of copper and silver from all the people in Babylon.
• Now he is not having a single copper for food since two days. Hunger had never enhanced his sensitivity to food odors so strong.
• He encounters Debasir from whom he had borrowed two pieces of copper and one piece of silver long back.
• Debasir catches Tarkad and shares his story as a moral.
• "Ill Fortune pursues every man who thinks more of borrowing than of repaying"
• Debasir with his excellent wife lived in Babylon. He realized shopkeepers let him pay later because of trust he built.
• One find day Debasir realized he could not use his earning to live or pay debts.
• His life became miserable and his wife returned to her father.
• Unsuccessfuly working with caravans Debasir got in group of robbers who attacked unarmed caravans.
• In one of the robbery he was caught and stripped and sold in Damascus for two pices of silver.
• Sira first of four wifes of Debasirs owner asked Debasir to lead her camel in desert to take her to her sick mother.
• When Debasir conveyed that he is not born slave Sira gives him the lesson "How can you call yourself a free man when your weakness has bought you to this? If a man has in himself the sould of a slave will he not become one no matter what his birth, even as water seeks its level? If a man has within him the sould of a free man, will he not become respected and honored in has own city in spite of his misfortune?"
• "Does not they great king fight his enemies in every way he can and with every force he has? Thy depts are the enemies. They ran thee out of Babylon."
• Sira once again goes to her sick mother, this time with more food and two camels. After reaching asks if Debasir has the sould of a free man he can run away with food and camels begin his life again.
• In search of Babylon Debasir goes in desearts with two camels for 9 days. With great hunger and no food and water he is at the verge of dying. Then he asks himself "Have I the soul of a slave or the sould of a free man?" These lines gave him the power to struggle further and touch the limits.
• Soon after walking some more he gets the water and then the food. This way he returns to Babylon
• Debasir gets his good wife back from her fathers place and gradually pays every debt to become respectful man in Babylon
• Tarkad realizes the mistake he has done and assures that he will repay his debt
• Debasir with the help of mathon learns the camel trade from Nebatur and becomes camel trader in Babylon.
• WHERE THE DETERMINATION IS, THE WAY CAN BE FOUND.

The Clay Tablets from Babylon

• Five Clay tablets as deciphered by Alfred H. Shrewsbury during 1934.
• These tablets tell the inscribed by Debasir in Babylon. Story covered in the chapter "The Camel Trader of Babylon"
• What is described clearly how Debasir came out of his debt by basic rule.
• Debasir started earning silvers from Camel Trade.
• He kept 1/10 for himself, 2/10 paid to debtors, 7/10 used for living.
• Fortunately by using these rules even Alfred H. Shrewsbury came out of debts.

The Luckiest Man in Babylon

• Sharru Nada is Merchant Prince of Babylon and enjoys good lifestyle. He is heading the caravan from Damascus to Babylon.
• Arad Gula was his great partner in business they carried out. He is no more and gone to darkness.
• Hadan Gula is Arad Gula's grandson.
• Sharru Nada felt he owed a debt of gratitue to Arad Gula, so he should do something for Hadan Gula being his grandson. Hadan Gula and his fater are not going through good times of their life.
• Sharru Nanda says "Why wish his spirit to linger on earth beyond its alloted time? Thou and they father can well carry on his good work".
• There is difference of opinion between both of them at the begining of journey.
• Hadan Gula believes Work was made for slaves. Young man has spendthrift ideas and bejeweled hands.
• During this journey, Sharru Nanda tells his story how he raised himself from a slave to Prince Merchant.
• Megiddo who was also slave kept on preaching about work to Sharru Nada "Some men hate it. They make it their enemy. Better to treat it like a friend, make thyself like it. Don't mind because it is hard. If thou thinkest about what a good house thou build, then who cares if the beams are heavy and it is far from the well to carry the water for the plaster. Promise me, boy, if thou get a master, work for him as hard as hard as thou canst. If he does not appreciate all thou do, never mind. Remember, work, well-done, does good to the man who does it. it makes him a better man."
• Sharru Nada about Arad Gula: "Work attracted his many friends who admired his industry and the success it brought. Work brought him the honors he enjoyed so much in Dumascus."
• Lfe is rich with many pleasures for men to enjoy. Each has its place. I am glad that work is not reserved for slaves. Were that the case I would be deprived of my gratest pleasure. Many things do I enjoy but nothing takes the place of work."

An Historical Sketch of Babylon

• Babylon: Its name conjures vision of wealth and splendor.
• Located beside the Euphrates River, in a flat, arid valley.
• Babylon is an outstanding example of man's ability to achive great objectives, using whatever means are at his disposal. All of the resources supporting this large city were man-developed.
• Babylon possessed just two natural resources - a fertile soil and water in the river.
• Babylonian engineers diverted the waters from the river by means of dams and immense irrigation canals.
• The outstanding rulers of Babylon live in history because of their wisdom, enterprise and justice.
• The site of the city is in asia about six hundred miles east of the Suez Canal, just north of Persian Gulf.
• The latitude is about thirty degree above the Equator, practically the same as that of Yuma, Arizona.
• It possessed a climate similar to that of this American city, hot and dry.
• Built originally of brick, all exposed walls had disintiegrated and gone back to earth once more. Such is Babylon, they wealthy city, today. A heap of dirt, so long abandoned that no living person even knew its name until it was discovered by carefully removing the refuse of centuries from the streets and the fallen wreckage of its noble temples and palaces.
• Civilization of Babylon is believed to be reaching back 8000 years.
• One of the outstanding wonders of Babylon was the immense walls surrounding the city. The ancients ranked them with the great pyramid of Egypt as belonging to the "Seven wonders of the world".
• About six hundred years before the time of Christ, King Nabopolassar rebuilt the famous walls of Babylon. Re-built took so long that work was continued by his son King Nebuchadnezzar.
• Babylon was never entered by hostile armies until about 540 BC. by Cyrus who conquered the Babylon.
• The eons of time have crumbled but the wisdom of Babylon endures.

All Book Reviews

My New Blog

My Award winning Whitepaper

Trace Mobile Location

My Book Reviews
 

Free Download SCJP Mock Test With 250 Questions

Learn 'C' The Mother of All Languages 8 short Sessions

Tech Jokes Worth Reading