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Beyond Wealth: The Road Map to a Rich Life
Leo Tolstoy said, "Nobody knows where the human race is going. The highest wisdom, then, is to know where you are going." Yet many today chase the false rabbits of status, luxury, reputation and material possessions. In the quest to "have it all," our lives often lack real meaning and purpose. Beyond Wealth is the antidote. New York Times bestselling author Alexander Green takes things right down to brass We are here for a short time. Knowledge is limitless. Therefore, the most critical knowledge is not any particular skill but rather wisdom about "how to live." Fortunately, men and women have had several thousand years to think about what it means to live "the good life." And the answers found here, from Plato and Aristotle to Mahatma Gandhi and Stephen Hawking, will both surprise and delight you. Beyond Wealth provides insightful commentary on the most important aspects of our love, work, honor, trust, freedom, death, fear, truth, beauty and other timeless issues. The book is both a thought provoking read and the ideal gift, guaranteed to ennoble, uplift and inspire.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published March 31, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
June 29, 2021
By no means a book related to personal finance. But more a philosophical examination of the meaning of life once one has mastered personal finance. The idea that there is more to a wealthy life than riches alone escapes many people caught up in the rat race of Western culture. Though most of the essays in this book convey relatively basic models of what constitutes "the good life," I think that is likely the point. We don't need any sort of grandiose narratives to find contentment in life beyond our material possessions. These basic principles we've likely known since we are children are difficult enough to grasp over an entire lifetime. Green simply reminds us if that.
August 4, 2023
Thought provoking and well-written. 4 stars.
February 27, 2023
Loved it, I would recommend it for people that like to think about living a fulfilling life. The writer is noticeably a rich, religious American guy but for me that added an valuable extra layer of different perspectives.
February 7, 2016
This book is mostly a bunch of platitudes and summaries of the authors personal preferences. Its well written, and some of the essays are enjoyable, but there is nothing particularly well thought out here.
November 1, 2021
A collection of contemplative essays on different ways to make your life more meaningful (unplug, chocolate, classical music, wine, the art of conversation). The book slowed me down and made me think about what really matters in my life and how to make sure I get more of that.
Want to read
December 13, 2022I am skipping wealth, going directly beyond.
December 17, 2016
The topics were interesting, but the author pompous beyond my tolerance level. His best thoughts were quotes. Just read them.
February 25, 2023
I absolutely loved reading this books, especially since I don’t think that I have ever read something similar before. The topics are so wide-ranging, yet so universal. Green’s perspective on life and how one ought to live is so though-provoking that I found myself constantly highlighting passages to re-read later! I would definitely recommend.
July 13, 2023
An interesting approach to exploring life beyond wealth and the little things that have more meaning in life. I felt a little bit bored and didn't finish the book, interesting, although it failed to inspire me to take that beyond wealth step.
February 7, 2023
Wealth is not only material Wealth
Spiritual Wealth, health , family and relationships are more important than material Wealth.
A great reminder to all of us.
Thanks Alexander.
Spiritual Wealth, health , family and relationships are more important than material Wealth.
A great reminder to all of us.
Thanks Alexander.
March 17, 2023
Not too bad. I would say it was actually a pleasant read.
Very short chapters each different but sometimes connected that teaches you about a new concept regarding living a better life.
I personally knew about most of them as this book was written around 2010, in the 12 years since its publication there are numerous other books that aproach the subject.
Personally i found it a nice book to have next to your bed to read a chapter or two before going to sleep
Very short chapters each different but sometimes connected that teaches you about a new concept regarding living a better life.
I personally knew about most of them as this book was written around 2010, in the 12 years since its publication there are numerous other books that aproach the subject.
Personally i found it a nice book to have next to your bed to read a chapter or two before going to sleep
March 20, 2023
Okay but some things were a bit dated.
May 10, 2013
Not a bad book and makes good points. One of my favorites: notes that people can "use up" their location, drain it of what it can teach you. It seems if you stay too long in such a place you can begin to shrivel intellectually, emotionally, like people born of a too limited gene pool.
Also, could not overlook the seeming obvious: that Alexander Green is the new Richard Carlson (of Don't Sweat the Small Stuff fame.)
Also, could not overlook the seeming obvious: that Alexander Green is the new Richard Carlson (of Don't Sweat the Small Stuff fame.)
September 27, 2011
These essays really make you stop and think about what's important in life. Accumulating things and making lots of money aren't at the top of the author's list. Instead he writes about enjoying nature, poetry, jazz, people, learning more about science to make informed decisions. The list goes on. I have many notes about things I want to do or learn more about.
June 11, 2023
Was expecting some finance related stuff... But was surprised by subjects and topics covered by the author.
April 4, 2023
While I must say that the content of the book is quite informative, it falls short in terms of presentation. The author has shared some valuable insights and tips on living a rich life, but unfortunately, the printed version of this book is not engaging enough.
I found the writing style to be dull and lacking in personality, making it difficult for me to stay engaged with the material. Additionally, the formatting and layout of the book felt outdated, which further contributed to my lack of enthusiasm while reading.
Despite the book's shortcomings in terms of presentation, it still offers valuable advice on personal finance and life management. However, I would recommend readers to consider purchasing the digital version of this book as it may be a more enjoyable reading experience than the printed version. Overall, I would give Beyond Wealth a three-star book review.
I found the writing style to be dull and lacking in personality, making it difficult for me to stay engaged with the material. Additionally, the formatting and layout of the book felt outdated, which further contributed to my lack of enthusiasm while reading.
Despite the book's shortcomings in terms of presentation, it still offers valuable advice on personal finance and life management. However, I would recommend readers to consider purchasing the digital version of this book as it may be a more enjoyable reading experience than the printed version. Overall, I would give Beyond Wealth a three-star book review.
May 21, 2023
When I read a non-fiction book, I do so with the expectation that I will learn something. While this was a very quick listen via audio book, I felt as though the book meandered all over the place without a cohesive means of pulling the topics together. The book also started off as 10 minutes of bragging or convincing the audience that the author was, in fact, qualified to write a book on this topic. TIP: If you're recording a book for audio, do not read the reviews. This was quite a turn-off? Was the author convincing himself that he was qualified? So, much of what is contained in this book, I already knew. Let me end with this philosophical quote in regards to having enough: "So why would I not relax and enjoy it (life) now."
December 21, 2022
Sometimes you read a book exactly when you're ready for the message. This book was probably that for me. I've been searching for a path that is beyond...TV? Social media?
What I liked about the book: the essays were well-written and the topics mostly interested me. The author is clearly well-read, and I liked all of the references to other books I might find interesting.
What was slightly sub-optimal: he sort-of takes a shotgun approach to some topics (particularly, it seemed to me, the religion section).
Anyway - this book solidified my decision to quit TV. That alone was worth the price of admission.
What I liked about the book: the essays were well-written and the topics mostly interested me. The author is clearly well-read, and I liked all of the references to other books I might find interesting.
What was slightly sub-optimal: he sort-of takes a shotgun approach to some topics (particularly, it seemed to me, the religion section).
Anyway - this book solidified my decision to quit TV. That alone was worth the price of admission.
January 12, 2023
3.5, rounding to 4. A collection of essays that deal with the topic of "how do you live life". None of them are really meant to be prescriptive, but rather a collection of the author's thoughts. Some of them are things like "go listen to more jazz/classical music", "don't disregard historical literacy", etc. I wouldn't say this is like a traditional self-help book: it's not selling you anything, it's not giving you a quick hack - just food for thought. I appreciate that there is a large collection of essays covering a lot of topics, as opposed to beating you over the head about the same thing for 300 pages.
September 13, 2018
This was the first book I've read on philosophy and living your best life and must say I feel as though it is the perfect introduction. While he doesn't say a whole lot that was highly complex and thought out by himself, he does a great job of compiling, organizing, and commentating on the deep thoughts of the men and women throughout history who have explored what it means to be human, and how we can live our best lives.
June 30, 2019
A great read if you’ve reached some level of professional/career/financial success and need a reminder that there are more than just economic achievements in life. I read this on the recommendation of Mr Money Mustache and highly recommend.
January 23, 2024
1.5 ⭐️ - recommended by Ali Abdaal, figured i'd give it a shot. generally i'm not a big fan of essay collection books and this was no exception. there were a few good quotes here and there but nothing strongly memorable for me. it was at least novel the focus placed on the importance of charity.
March 5, 2024
Terrible book with nothing to offer. The author basically tells you that once you’re rich you should allow yourself to focus on meaningless things like drinking wine. The recipe to a good life is seeking out knowledge, not spending the second half of your life on useless things.
February 25, 2018
I thought this was a nice collection of essays and I enjoyed the parallels the suggestions the author made to live the "rich life".
April 20, 2018
A great book about the human condition and what is really important in life. Some very well thought out perspectives on spirituality and how to live the best life possible.
December 1, 2019
Wisdom is knowing what to overlook. Be sure not to overlook beyond wealth if you want to fully encapsulate being Rich.
January 15, 2020
Collection of essays concerning aspects of life that constitute wealth beyond material value. Easy to read.
January 16, 2023
Pretentious
February 1, 2023
Lågmäld bok, från början tänkte jag men när kommer poängen. Sen blev det flera bra historier om vad som är meningen med livet. Lyssnade på boken och kommer köpa den i bokformat, utmärkt.
August 21, 2023
Liked the 7 spiritual principles. A reasonable set of 7 in our post-modern, post-religious world.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews