The following review was contributed by ROGER E. HERMAN

 Age-Old Wisdom, Easily Digested

Untold numbers of books have been written about how to build wealth. They range from the get rich quick schemes to solid advice on investments. Some are so thick or so filled with formulas and charts that it takes an economist to understand them. Some are inspirational volumes that are filled with platitudes and little else.

In this short book, Siegel spins a story that, at times, almost seems like a fable that’s come to life. The story centers on two men having difficulty building wealth and a rich man who mentors them to success. In each chapter, the author imparts, through his fictional wealthy character, advice that we all know but fail to follow religiously. His advisees learn from practicing what they are taught and become successful in their own right.

While there are places that the dialog becomes more of a monologue, the rules of wealth accumulation are delivered, illustrated, and repeated for emphasis and easy reference. The teacher—the man behind the curtain of the fictional story—is well qualified to present this message to his readers. Siegel is a highly successful businessman who functions as an investment advisor and owns two other companies. He knows what he’s talking about, and presents the cogent advice in a form that’s easy to digest.

This book is recommended for anyone who wants to learn the steps to accumulated wealth through savings, building, and investing. It’s not a deep volume, just comprehensive enough to stand well on its own…and perhaps stimulate some readers to explore Siegel’s previous books or other books on investing. The best time to begin this kind of program is twenty years ago, to paraphrase one of the quotations Siegel uses to season the book; the second best time is now. This is a valuable book for parents to give their children, so they can start the process early in life.