by Rohit Gupta ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 9, 2020
A clear and sensible, if simplistic, financial guide.
A manual offers an introduction to the basics of savings and investment.
Gupta cautions readers that it is “critical to build a second source of income that will allow you to live life on your terms.” He doesn’t mean a second job, just another opportunity to trade time for money, but rather a passive income that generates itself. To that end, the author focuses on the long-term results of savings—he recommends putting aside 12% to 15% of one’s income—and investment, both of which can produce extraordinary gains given the “magic of compound interest.” Gupta furnishes a brief—the entire book is under 100 pages—primer that is not meant to articulate very specific strategies or to limn an in-depth picture of the inner workings of the market. He explains the basic nature of stocks and bonds, the various kinds of funds one can invest in, and their comparative advantages and disadvantages. He also discusses, with great clarity and a minimum of technicality, mortgages, life insurance, market volatility, and the fundamentals of individual stock purchasing. He concentrates on providing a clear understanding of the most “basic concepts,” and as a result, this book will only be useful to those bringing virtually no knowledge or experience to the table. The underlying philosophy of his method is as lucid as it is sensible: “The plan at its core is simple: start saving early, invest as much as you can, and try to earn a reasonable rate of return.” But Gupta’s approach can be so simplistic that it borders on condescension—the first rule of his investment philosophy is “never lose money,” advice that is surely prudent but also banal. There are many books that deliver investment tips and include both more analytical depth and more actionable strategies.
A clear and sensible, if simplistic, financial guide.Pub Date: Sept. 9, 2020
ISBN: N/A
Page Count: 114
Publisher: Self
Review Posted Online: Sept. 17, 2020
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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by Ryan Holiday ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 1, 2019
A timely, vividly realized reminder to slow down and harness the restorative wonders of serenity.
An exploration of the importance of clarity through calmness in an increasingly fast-paced world.
Austin-based speaker and strategist Holiday (Conspiracy: Peter Thiel, Hulk Hogan, Gawker, and the Anatomy of Intrigue, 2018, etc.) believes in downshifting one’s life and activities in order to fully grasp the wonder of stillness. He bolsters this theory with a wide array of perspectives—some based on ancient wisdom (one of the author’s specialties), others more modern—all with the intent to direct readers toward the essential importance of stillness and its “attainable path to enlightenment and excellence, greatness and happiness, performance as well as presence.” Readers will be encouraged by Holiday’s insistence that his methods are within anyone’s grasp. He acknowledges that this rare and coveted calm is already inside each of us, but it’s been worn down by the hustle of busy lives and distractions. Recognizing that this goal requires immense personal discipline, the author draws on the representational histories of John F. Kennedy, Buddha, Tiger Woods, Fred Rogers, Leonardo da Vinci, and many other creative thinkers and scholarly, scientific texts. These examples demonstrate how others have evolved past the noise of modern life and into the solitude of productive thought and cleansing tranquility. Holiday splits his accessible, empowering, and sporadically meandering narrative into a three-part “timeless trinity of mind, body, soul—the head, the heart, the human body.” He juxtaposes Stoic philosopher Seneca’s internal reflection and wisdom against Donald Trump’s egocentric existence, with much of his time spent “in his bathrobe, ranting about the news.” Holiday stresses that while contemporary life is filled with a dizzying variety of “competing priorities and beliefs,” the frenzy can be quelled and serenity maintained through a deliberative calming of the mind and body. The author shows how “stillness is what aims the arrow,” fostering focus, internal harmony, and the kind of holistic self-examination necessary for optimal contentment and mind-body centeredness. Throughout the narrative, he promotes that concept mindfully and convincingly.
A timely, vividly realized reminder to slow down and harness the restorative wonders of serenity.Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2019
ISBN: 978-0-525-53858-5
Page Count: 288
Publisher: Portfolio
Review Posted Online: July 20, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2019
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by Gucci Mane with Soren Baker ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 13, 2020
Gucci demonstrates all the bravado and ferocious self-confidence that he counsels—and the photos are a nice bonus.
A hip-hop star who went on his first international tour wearing an ankle monitor explains how to succeed.
“The words you are about to read can help you,” writes Gucci. “That’s because there is truth in them. These are words of wisdom, like the Bible and its proverbs.” Unquestionably, Gucci likes to aim high, as many of his proverbs attest: “Stop Underestimating Yourself”; “Whatever You’re Thinking, Think Bigger”; “Nobody Cares. Work Harder”; “When They Sleep, I’m Grinding”; “Do More, Get More.” And never forget, “Women Are Brilliant.” Gucci not only shares his recipes for success. As in a cookbook that shows pictures of the end result, the author includes dozens of dazzling photos of himself and his beautiful wife, among them a series on his surprise wedding proposal at an Atlanta Hawks game. After the success of his bestselling debut, The Autobiography of Gucci Mane, Gucci has realized there is money to be made in the book business. In addition to the Bible, he has his eye on Malcolm Gladwell and his reported $5 million advances. While he is “cool with Malcolm Gladwell being more celebrated than me as an author…the difference between Malcolm Gladwell and me is that I’m going to make more money because I’m going to make so many books for my following….You can enjoy this book or not, but I’m going to make my fifty-second book, my hundred and eighth book.” Many readers will hope that one of them will be a diet book, as the 100-plus pounds Gucci has lost and kept off are a frequent topic—alas, he doesn’t reveal his weight loss secrets here. Until the next book, try to live the Gucci Mane way. “Avoid lazy and miserable people,” and “Find something to be excited about every day.”
Gucci demonstrates all the bravado and ferocious self-confidence that he counsels—and the photos are a nice bonus.Pub Date: Oct. 13, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-982146-78-8
Page Count: 272
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Sept. 9, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2020
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