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    The Richest Man in Babylon: The most inspiring book on wealth ever written
    The Richest Man in Babylon: The most inspiring book on wealth ever written
    The Richest Man in Babylon: The most inspiring book on wealth ever written
    Ebook176 pages3 hours

    The Richest Man in Babylon: The most inspiring book on wealth ever written

    By George S. Clason

    4.5/5

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    About this ebook

    The Richest Man in Babylon' is considered as the greatest of all inspirational works on the subject of thrift, financial planning, and personal wealth. Revealed inside are the secrets to acquiring money, keeping money, and making money earn more money.
    Providing financial wisdom through parables, 'The Richest Man in Babylon' was originally a set of pamphlets, written by the author and distributed by banks and insurance companies. These pamphlets were later bundled together, giving birth to a book. In this new rendering by Charles Conrad, the classic tale is retold in clear, simple language for today's readers. These fascinating and informative stories set you on a sure path to prosperity and its accompanying joys.

    About the Author:
    George Samuel Clason was born in Louisiana, Missouri, on November 7, 1874. He attended the University of Nebraska and served in the United States Army during the Spanish-American War. Beginning a long career in publishing, he founded the Clason Map Company of Denver, Colorado, and published the first road atlas of the United States and Canada. In 1926, he issued the first of a famous series of pamphlets on thrift and financial success, using parables set in ancient Babylon to make each of his points. These were distributed in large quantities by banks and insurance companies and became familiar to millions, the most famous being 'The Richest Man in Babylon', the parable from which the present volume takes its title. These 'Babylonian parables' have become a modern inspirational classic.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherGeneral Press
    Release dateMar 8, 2018
    ISBN9789387669383
    The Richest Man in Babylon: The most inspiring book on wealth ever written
    Author

    George S. Clason

    Born in 1874, George S. Clason founded two publishing companies and was the first to publish a road atlas of North America. He is best known for writing a series of pamphlets advising readers on finding financial success, which were later compiled to form the classic bestseller The Richest Man in Babylon.

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    Reviews for The Richest Man in Babylon

    4.5/5

    102 ratings25 reviews

    What our readers think

    Readers find this title to be one of the best books about financial education. It offers practical advice and principles for becoming wealthy and successful. The book is easy to read and includes practical stories from the past that can be applied to today's life. Readers appreciate how the principles are still relevant and applicable to our economy. The book provides practical ways to save money, pay debts, and grow assets. Overall, readers find this book inspiring and a valuable resource for financial discipline and success.

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 5/5
      Thank You This Is Very Good, Maybe This Can Help You ----- Download Full Ebook Very Detail Here ---- https://amzn.to/3XOf46C ---- - You Can See Full Book/ebook Offline Any Time - You Can Read All Important Knowledge Here - You Can Become A Master In Your Business
    • 5/5
      Loved it...Best book I've read in a long time on money
    • 5/5
      inspiring story! wealth is belong to the men who spent their entire life to enjoy hard work, and the most importanly save the one-thenth (minimum) from their earning.
    • 5/5
      Nice book as it provides discipline no how to thrive through life
    • 5/5
      Awesome book. I learned a lot from Babylonians, especially on how to grow and take care of my gold but now money or assets.
    • 5/5
      One of the best books about financial education. Easy to read with practical stories from the past that can be applied to todays life.
    • 5/5
      I believe this may be the best book ever written.
    • 5/5
      This book gives you practical ways on how to save your money and also pay your debts. A wonderful book.
    • 5/5
      Though some of the advises offered in this book are familiar ones already , it makes a lot more sense in the format with which it was written . It takes on practical ways of the ancient successful men of Babylon , people who started from scratch as well as people who had fallen from high levels and had faced failures . This book not only provided simple principles one can follow to become wealthy and successful but also highlighted how it was applied to different works of life. This is an old book set in ancient Babylon but I can tell you every word as written in this book is still very much relevant and applicable to our today economy , am glad I read this book from start to finish and I wasn't bored even for a moment .
    • 3/5
      This book used a fable format to impart financial advice. It was a good way to get you to think about your finances from another point of view.
    • 3/5
      THE RICHEST MAN IN BAYLON provides a few very basic concepts, but ones that are at the root of financial success: pay yourself first, live frugally, invest wisely, don't chase returns, and don't give out your hard-earned dollars to someone who doesn't have the skills and discipline to safeguard them as you would. Whether this is the right book for you depends on whether you enjoy reading these concepts presented in an awkward, ancient style as if you're sitting around with Yul Brynner, Charleton Heston and the golden calf waiting for the Red Sea to open. What's here is certainly shorter than most other financial success tomes on the market today, so in that regard, it provides more pop per page. Worth a read.
    • 3/5
      This was an interesting book to listen to due to the biblical style and the setting of ancient Babylon. There are great concepts in regards to money management and wealth, however nothing that I not heard before. Whilst these financial concepts to provide great tips and advice on how to become more financially secure, I feel that in today's society it is easier said than done for the average person due to the increase in economic inequality and instability. Whilst I think that one's financial habits has a lot to do with how well off a person is, I don't think this is all the story as so much depends on the financial advantages or disadvantages that a person begins with in life.
    • 5/5
      Babylon a city dating back to 1792 BC. In this book the author states that several number of stone tablets were unearthed through excavation about the city of Babylon these tablets did not just detail the everyday lives of Babylonians but gave advise on how to manage and invest ones money in order to produce wealth. Lessons which are still as viable today as they were back in Babylonian times.

      4 people found this helpful

    • 5/5
      5 Stars. Inspiring. An excellent quick read about business thinking and money management. Really basic powerful principles. This book provides so much wisdom. I highly recommend.

      3 people found this helpful

    • 5/5
      This is one of the best books of all time about finance. Follow the simple rules in this book and you will be wealthy.

      3 people found this helpful

    • 5/5
      I enjoyed reading the book. A classic novel on the timeless principles of personal finances. I believe all young adults just starting out on their own should read this book. It also is a good read for those who desire to take back control of their financial but don't know where to start.

      2 people found this helpful

    • 4/5
      Great beginning primer on basic financial management
    • 4/5
      Parables about money management set in ancient Babylon, that were originally released as individual pamphlets and distributed by banks & insurance companies. I had seen this recommended a lot on the Motley Fool boards, and I can see why. Read this book to learn the secrets of making your gold into a hardworking slave.
    • 5/5
      It was a nice, short read that concisely summarizes a lot of other financial books I've read. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in fixing their financial situation.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 2/5
      Although I know this book is considered a classic, I didn't find it very helpful. There was nothing in it that is new to me. For someone who is just learning to manage their money, it might be a helpful book.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      Just because something is old, doesn't automatically mean that it is outdated. A good example for this is "The Richest Man in Babylon". The original version was written in the 1920's yet its financial advice is as current as it was back then. I enjoyed listening to these ancient tales while noting all the important money lessons. Especially now that we are faced with a weak economy it is important to remind ourselves of some of these basic rules when it comes to handling money and building wealth.

      For example:

      Pay yourself first.

      Live on less than you make.

      Live on a budget.

      Invest your money.

      Diversify.

      And don't go into debt.

      I believe that these rules will always hold true no matter how advanced our society becomes. This book is definitely a good way to refresh some of our financial common sense. Short and straight to the point.

      3 people found this helpful

    • 4/5
      According to Wikipedia, The Richest Man in Babylon began in 1926 as a series of informational pamphlets. Due to their popularity, Mr. Clason compiled the most popular of these pamplets into the book that exists today.

      I selected The Richest Man in Babylon as an audiobook because it's one of those classics that I'd just never gotten around to reading. As described in the previous paragraph, the book is a series of vignets about good, conservative money management. Among other things, the tales highlight the importance of: saving at least 10% of your money, choosing a conservative way to (invest) make your money grow, paying your debts, being entrepreneurial, working hard, and asking for financial guidance. This interesting thing about this book is that many others have taken one topic of the book and expanded it into a stand alone work - or even a series of works. So many examples come to mind...Your Money or Your Life, the Dave Ramsey books (The Total Money Makeover, Financial Peace, etc.), the David Bach books (The Automatic Millionaire, etc.), the Suze Orman books, etc., etc.

      While I found the book to be great foundational information, it's certainly dated with it's "where art", "thou", "makest", etc. language. This is intentional since it's conversation between men of Babylon. That's not really a problem so much as personal preference. There are several well written books that emphasize many of the same concepts in a more modern tone (which for me, makes it more readable). I would suggest Your Money or Your Life or The Total Money Makeover.

      This book provides a very high level overview (but lacks in some details) of what must be done if you want to build wealth over the long term. It's also one of the original books on that topic. For those reasons, I gave it 3.5 stars. It is a good book and I would recommend it to others.

      3 people found this helpful

    • 4/5
      If nothing else, this was an entertaining read. Reading about finances is usually dead boring. This book avoided that pitfall by presenting itself as a series of narratives focused around the principles it wanted to teach.

      I'm not sure Babylon is a model I wish to emulate, given that it was considered one of the more depraved cities of the world and now stands as an allusion to pride and idolatry. Riches, yes, but great sins as well. But these tales are not, of course, actually from Babylon, so I suppose that's not much of a problem.

      As for the "laws of gold" themselves, they seem fairly simple and logical. It's actually living by their principles that would be hard. The income distribution map that he highlights in the last few chapters doesn't exactly fit my purposes - I donate regularly to my church, and he has no room in his budget for tithing or taxes - but the model of self-control and of being the master of your own money is solid.

      2 people found this helpful

    • 4/5
      This book provides the reader with sound financial advise all the while being disguised as ancient parables. The advice is practical, and is easy enough for anyone to follow in establishing ones own financial freedom.

      The steps to follow are all there in black and white. I found myself nodding in agreement as I read this book. I only have one problem.......I am not financially stable. Why you may ask? I never practiced what I read. Shame on me. Hmph!!

      1 person found this helpful

    • 4/5
      This book, considered a "classic" by professional networkers, home-based business owners, self-help aficionados, and Network Marketers, comes close to living up to its potential.

      Written in the 1920s, it has some dated aspects which make it somewhat distracting in today's politically-correct culture. Yet, the narrative, which reads like a translation of an ancient text, actually helps set it apart from all the other books out there, dealing with personal finance.

      The question is, how does one become wealthy?

      And we get basically the same answer that any reputable book will provide: save some money (they use the requisite 10 percent here), and spend less than you make. But there are a couple emphases placed in this book, in which it does add some real value:

      First - there are only three real major pieces of advice found throughout the book. Each of the three are sliced and diced in many different ways. But I like the simplicity of having only three major points.

      The first is found everywhere else: save some money, and spend less than you earn. And the classic ten percent is recommended.

      The next two, of the three, are different:

      1) Increase your earning potential.

      2) Pay back your debts.

      I found the third to be the most instructive, and even convicting. The person that pays back debts in a timely way, may still need to ask for loans - but if you are good about attempting to pay them back, it will be easier to obtain money in the future. And personal loans from friends and family are always to be preferred over institutional loans.

      So - this book is not all it is cracked up to be, but good nevertheless. You can read it in a day, and should.

      Now - here's to paying back all my debts, first, and quickly!

    Book preview

    The Richest Man in Babylon - George S. Clason

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    Contents

    About the Author

    Foreword

    An Historical Sketch of Babylon

    The Man Who Desired Gold

    The Richest Man in Babylon

    Seven Cures for a Lean Purse

    Start Thy Purse to Fattening

    Control Thy Expenditures

    Make Thy Gold Multiply

    Guard Thy Treasures from Loss

    Make of Thy Dwelling A Profitable Investment

    Insure A Future Income

    Increase Thy Ability to Earn

    Meet the Goddess of Good Luck

    The Five Laws of Gold

    THE FIVE LAWS OF GOLD

    The First Law of Gold

    The Second Law of Gold

    The Third Law of Gold

    The Fourth Law of Gold

    The Fifth Law of Gold

    The Gold Lender of Babylon

    The Walls of Babylon

    The Camel Trader of Babylon

    The Clay Tablets from Babylon

    TABLET NO. I

    TABLET NO. II

    TABLET NO. III

    TABLET NO. IV

    TABLET NO. V

    The Luckiest Man in Babylon

    About the Author

    George Samuel Clason was born in Louisiana, Missouri, on November 7, 1874. He attended the University of Nebraska and served in the United States Army during the Spanish-American War. Beginning a long career in publishing, he founded the Clason Map Company of Denver, Colorado, and published the first road atlas of the United States and Canada. In 1926, he issued the first of a famous series of pamphlets on thrift and financial success, using parables set in ancient Babylon to make each of his points. These were distributed in large quantities by banks and insurance companies and became familiar to millions, the most famous being The Richest Man in Babylon, the parable from which the present volume takes its title. These Babylonian parables have become a modern inspirational classic.

    Ahead of you stretches your future like a road leading into the distance. Along that road are ambitions you wish to accomplish... desires you wish to gratify.

    To bring your ambitions and desires to fulfillment, you must be successful with money. Use the financial principles made clear in the pages which follow. Let them guide you away from the stringencies of a lean purse to that fuller, happier life a full purse makes possible.

    Like the law of gravity, they are universal and unchanging. May they prove for you, as they have proven to so many others, a sure key to a fat purse, larger bank balances and gratifying financial progress.

    LO, MONEY IS PLENTIFUL

    FOR THOSE WHO UNDERSTAND

    THE SIMPLE RULES OF ITS ACQUISITION

    1. Start thy purse to fattening

    2. Control thy expenditures

    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

    —The Richest Man in Babylon

    Foreword

    Our prosperity as a nation depends upon the personal financial prosperity of each of us as individuals.

    This book deals with the personal successes of each of us. Success means accomplishments as the result of our own efforts and abilities. Proper preparation is the key to our success. Our acts can be no wiser than our thoughts. Our thinking can be no wiser than our understanding.

    This book of cures for lean purses has been termed a guide to financial understanding. That, indeed, is its purpose: to offer those who are ambitious for financial success an insight which will aid them to acquire money, to keep money and to make their surpluses earn more money.

    In the pages which follow, we are taken back to Babylon, the cradle in which was nurtured the basic principles of finance now recognized and used the world over.

    To new readers the author is happy to extend the wish that its pages may contain for them the same inspiration for growing bank accounts, greater financial successes and the solution of difficult personal financial problems so enthusiastically reported by readers from coast to coast.

    To the business executives who have distributed these tales in such generous quantities to friends, relatives, employees and associates, the author takes this opportunity to express his gratitude. No endorsement could be higher than that of practical men who appreciate its teachings because they, themselves, have worked up to important successes by applying the very principles it advocates.

    Babylon became the wealthiest city of the ancient world because its citizens were the richest people of their time. They appreciated the value of money. They practiced sound financial principles in acquiring money, keeping money and making their money earn more money. They provided for themselves what we all desire . . . incomes for the future.

    —G. S. C.

    An Historical Sketch of Babylon

    In the pages of history there lives no city more glamorous than Babylon. Its very name conjures visions of wealth and splendor. Its treasures of gold and jewels were fabulous. One naturally pictures such a wealthy city as located in a suitable setting of tropical luxury, surrounded by rich natural resources of forests, and mines. Such was not the case. It was located beside the Euphrates River, in a flat, arid valley. It had no forests, no mines—not even stone for building. It was not even located upon a natural trade-route. The rainfall was insufficient to raise crops.

    Babylon is an outstanding example of man’s ability to achieve great objectives, using whatever means are at his disposal. All of the resources supporting this large city were man-developed. All of its riches were man-made.

    Babylon possessed just two natural resources—a fertile soil and water in the river. With one of the greatest engineering accomplishments of this or any other day, Babylonian engineers diverted the waters from the river by means of dams and immense irrigation canals. Far out across that arid valley went these canals to pour the life giving waters over the fertile soil. This ranks among the first engineering feats known to history. Such abundant crops as were the reward of this irrigation system the world had never seen before.

    Fortunately, during its long existence, Babylon was ruled by successive lines of kings to whom conquest and plunder were but incidental. While it engaged in many wars, most of these were local or defensive against ambitious conquerors from other countries who coveted the fabulous treasures of Babylon. The outstanding rulers of Babylon live in history because of their wisdom, enterprise and justice. Babylon produced no strutting monarchs who sought to conquer the known world that all nations might pay homage to their egotism.

    As a city, Babylon exists no more. When those energizing human forces that built and maintained the city for thousands of years were withdrawn, it soon became a deserted ruin. The site of the city is in Asia about six hundred miles east of the Suez Canal, just north of the Persian Gulf. The latitude is about thirty degrees 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.

    Today, this valley of the Euphrates, once a populous irrigated farming district, is again a wind-swept arid waste. Scant grass and desert shrubs strive for existence against the windblown sands. Gone are the fertile fields, the mammoth cities and the long caravans of rich merchandise. Nomadic bands of Arabs, securing a scant living by tending small herds, are the only inhabitants. Such it has been since about the beginning of the Christian era.

    Dotting this valley are earthen hills. For centuries, they were considered by travelers to be nothing else. The attention of archaeologists were finally attracted to them because of broken pieces of pottery and brick washed down by the occasional rain storms. Expeditions, financed by European and American museums, were sent here to excavate and see what could be found. Picks and shovels soon proved these hills to be ancient cities. City graves, they might well be called.

    Babylon was one of these. Over it for something like twenty centuries, the winds had scattered the desert dust. Built originally of brick, all exposed walls had disintegrated and gone back to earth once more. Such is Babylon, the 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.

    Many scientists consider the civilization of Babylon and other cities in this valley to be the oldest of which there is a definite record. Positive dates have been proved reaching back 8000 years. An interesting fact in this connection is the means used to determine these dates. Uncovered in the ruins of Babylon were descriptions of an eclipse of the sun. Modern astronomers readily computed the time when such an eclipse, visible in Babylon, occurred and thus established a known relationship between their calendar and our own.

    In this way, we have proved that 8000 years ago, the Sumerites, who inhabited Babylonia, were living in walled cities. One can only conjecture for how many centuries previous such cities had existed. Their inhabitants were not mere barbarians living within protecting walls. They were an educated and enlightened people. So far as written history goes, they were the first engineers, the first astronomers, the first mathematicians, the first financiers and the first people to have a written language.

    Mention has already been made of the irrigation systems which transformed the arid valley into an agricultural paradise. The remains of these canals can still be traced, although they are mostly filled with accumulated sand. Some of them were of such size that, when empty of water, a dozen horses could be ridden abreast along their bottoms. In size they compare favorably with the largest canals in Colorado and Utah.

    In addition to irrigating the valley lands, Babylonian engineers completed another project of similar magnitude. By means of an elaborate drainage system they reclaimed an immense area of swamp land at the mouths of the Euphrates and Tigris Rivers and put this also under cultivation.

    Herodotus, the Greek traveler and historian, visited Babylon while it was in its prime and has given us the only known description by an outsider. His writings give a graphic description of the city and some of the unusual customs of its people. He mentions the remarkable fertility of the soil and the bountiful harvest

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