Money Books

This book is a fun read and a very interesting concept. I would recommend this book highly.

I think it was great, loved how it made me feel like I was right there.
Very well written, can't wait for another one.

The story line really holds your interest and the author does a great job developing the characters. You feel as if they are real people you might know!

Loved the book - could not put it down once I started it !!! I always wondered whether phone calls could be monitored ? Great first book ! Keep them coming !!

A page turner. Could not wait to see what was going to happen next!!

This book was a great read.I remember hearing about Willie Sutton when I was a child.I have also read I,Willie Sutton which was written in 1953.This is by far the better book.Willie kept the code until the latter years of his life.After reading both books I saw the truth in this publication.Highly recommended.

Excellent fast paced read. Will keep you interested all the time. A real journey thru a bank robber's life. Must Read!

I stumbled upon this book in the library, and thought it looked pretty interesting, so I checked it out. Little did I realize how interesting it would be. This book details the life of Willie Sutton, bank robber extraordinare, a man who held the #1 most wanted spot for over two years. I expected him to be a thuggish man, but boy was I wrong. It turns out he was quite a gentleman and intellectual, who had some kind of compulsion to rob banks. He never fired a gun, never physically harmed anyone, and managed to steal so much money from the government that they made him their most wanted man. When they caught him and sent him to prison, he spent his time reading Kierkegaard, Kant, Victor Hugo, etc. He then escapes from a maximum security prison which no one has escaped from in it's 100+ year existence, and works in a nursing home while trying to lay low, because he wanted to help people. He gets caught again, escapes again from a maximum security prison, makes the Most Wanted list, and is finally caught when he is in his 50's. He ends up with three life sentences. He decided he was too old to escape from prison again, so instead he spent a few years reading all the law books he could get his hands on, appealed all of his court decision, and had all of them overturned on technicalities that he had come across while reading. He spent the last 10-15 years of his life peacefully, as a law abiding citicen. Quite an interesting story to say the least. When asked by a reporter why he robbed banks, he supposedly said "Because that's where the money is." Hence the title of the book.

I did a little research on Sutton after I read the book, thinking that perhaps he had just tried to make himself look good. It turns out that he spent his post-jail life lecturing on prison reform and helping banks increase the level of their security. Mr. Sutton is perhaps the only class act robber I have read of this side of Robin Hood.

Overall grade: A

Where the Money Was by Willie Suton was an excellent book. It takes you through his crimes, escapes, and prison time. I would recomend it to anyone.

This book makes you feel like you are side-by-side with Willie thru the planning, bank robberies, getaways, and even prison breaks. It is written in down-to-earth language and makes you feel like Willie is your buddy, and you are sitting there listening to him tell his story. Willie makes you feel like it was okay to rob the banks, and you find yourself rooting for him. It was amazing how his mind worked, so methodically planning breaking INTO the banks, and the same mindset is what helped him break OUT of prison.

"HIGHLY RECOMMENDED"

William D. Rutherford's "Who Shot Goldilocks?: How Alan Greenspan Did in Our Jobs, Savings, and Retirement Plans" is an intelligent and well-researched analysis of the economy of the United States.

The United States economy in the nineteen nineties was efficient and productive, and economists said it was ideal. The public and governments from all over the world looked up to the U.S. economy with admiration mingled with envy. The U.S. economy did not encourage inflation, as the growth was steady. At the same time because of the stable state of affairs, it created a congenial atmosphere for production. In other words, the economy was "just right!" and hence was called the Goldilocks economy.

However, by the end of the decade, the economy faltered and stopped growing. The stock market crashed. Some businesses were closed down. Many people lost their jobs and savings. There was no hint or warning that this type of crash could happen to the economy, and the economists and government were caught unawares. They did not even realize what had happened, and hence were not in a position to try and set it right.

Rutherford explores the downturn of the economy, searching for who is responsible for the current state of the economy. He then scathingly criticizes the responsible parties for their role in the economic downswing. He also demonstrates that the implosion of the economy could have been prevented.

Despite the focus of the book being what went wrong in the economy, he ends on a note of hope, saying that the American economy will still prosper due to the efforts of industrialists who are innovative risk takers. Rutherford concludes that the world economy could be better. However, he also feels that the economy of Europe will falter because of European industries' lack of insight into the intricacies of the economy. Rutherford presents the difficult topic, the U.S. economy, in a simple manner, explaining how economies function. His simple language allows him to present his ideas lucidly to laymen. An engrossing read, "Who Shot Goldilocks?: How Alan Greenspan Did in Our Jobs, Savings, and Retirement Plans" will surely be appreciated by economists and anyone who wants to know the reason why the U.S. economy faltered.

- BookWire Review, May 19, 2005

This book has answers for anyone who got crushed in the dot.com bust. An impassioned and efficient analysis of 20 years of American financial history. Of significant interest to anyone with money in the market or with concerns about the concentration of economic power in the Federal Reserve Bank.

This book is a great way to look at Alan Greenspan's effect on the federal reserve, stock markets, interest rates and inflation. It is well-written and easily accessible for someone wanting to learn about how these entities interact. The perspective on Alan Greenspan is interesting and left me wanting to learn more. It would also be helpful for anyone interested in learning about the stock market or bond market as Greenspan has had such a dramatic effect in both these areas.

This book is very well written and easily understood. For someone like me who is not a well versed on the matters of the various factors affecting the financial markets, it provided a number of new insights. I do not profess to offer an opinion on the matter of Greenspan's success or failure, but this book does offer a different perspective from what is generally portrayed in the media. Worth reading.

Shocking! Mr. Rutherford has done his homework. Who shot Goldilocks? will give you new insight into the internal workings of the Federal Reserve, Mr. Greenspan's seriously flawed decision making techniques and the unbelievable amount of power wielded by so few. In fact, this book will leave you with grave concern for the current economy and longing for answers to a much needed money-system overhaul. A great read!
S. Miller

This is one of the most enjoyable books I have ever read. Gilroy's wit will have you laughing out loud on every page. He has a unique style that manages to say so much with so little. His timing is classic. His voice is family familiar. I wanted the book to never end. Bravo.

Gilroy's insights into the industry, coupled with his stellar wit, make this book a gem to read. Both inspirational and informative, "Writing for Love" gives the reader an insider's first hand account of what it is to be a working writer. I couldn't put it down until I reached the end. Great book!

[...]

Frank Gilroy is a Master writer. Anyone starting out, finishing up or anything in between, will find great value and humor and pleasure in this truly wonderful memoir.

An excellent rendition of what a writer once had to go through in order to get recognized...

Pulitzer-winning playwright Frank D. Gilroy presents Writing for Love and/or Money: Outtakes from a Life on Spec, a memoir of his life as a writer and a gambler, his service during World War II, and his double love affairs with failure and success. Composed entirely of brief vignettes strung together into a narrative whole - told in present tense, a technique that emphasizes the feel of the moment - Writing for Love and/or Money recounts the practical difficulties of writing to earn one's daily bread, whether as a journalist, a playwright, or a script writer, and the colorful ups and downs of a life boldly lived. A handful of black-and-white photographs illustrate this unforgettable, flowing life story.

Several top Christian financial teachers share helpful insights for those entering the second half of life. The book is practical, realistic and encouraging. The style is informal but the content is invaluable. The teaching gives those who haven't planned well some useful tools for getting on track before it's too late, and it gives those who've already been planning wisely some useful tools for making sure their plans are solid.

About the reviewer: Stephen Bloom is a Christian lawyer, speaker and author of The Believer's Guide to Legal Issues

It really helped to take the mystery out of retirement. There's always the question of "how much is enough", what is reasonable, and what contingencies should you prepare for. This laid a very good foundation to enable me to answer those questions.

This book is a must have for those who are approaching retirement. It is well written with a wealth of advice that will help you understand your financial needs as you get closer to retirement. Worth every penny. Great insight into a Christian way of saving and giving and yet enjoying your retirement years.

Good book, yes. Really good, even great for thought and practice in the years approaching and during "retirement". Blue and Burkett do not see retirement as a time of leisure and recreation, but a time of service and mentoring. They give a definitive philosophy for creative, fulfilled living: "Living until you die", my sister and I call it.

But it is also a good book when purchased through Amazon under the name: The Burkett & Blue Definitive Guide to Securing Wealth to Last: Money Essentials for the Second Half of Life (Hardcover) 2005. In fact, it's the same book. And, it's being bundled together with itself, so to speak, for a "discounted" price!

I bought the 2005 version and, not knowing it was the same book in paperback with a different name, the 2007 version. Good thing I wanted to pass it along to my sister, too.

What a great book to begin understanding the life of pre-retirement and after retirement. This book does a wonderful job of being objective to the many options available. There is no clear cut answer to growing old and decisions should be made once the options are understood. This was fun and enjoyable to read!

CS:

I received this book and believe it is as expected. Price is at FMV (Fair Market Value). I have not yet proof read it but what I have seen it makes a great reference for those who collect currency. However, it would have been helpful to include the Friedberg number in the Appendix along with the description. Yes, this number can be variable but you have included prices that are also variable and approximate. It may have been better to give a ratio(range)year column price divided by the face value of the currency.

This book was exactly what I expected. Good photos and stories behind 100 of the most famous notes in history. Great as a reference or as a coffe table book.

This is an incredible book to have in your library if your a collector of U.S. Paper Currency or not. Stunning pictures of each of the notes this book goes into great detail in discussing. I have this book and the 100 Greatest U.S. Coins book sitting out in my livingroom for all to see and everyone who has stopped by can not help but pick up these books. Then the oh's and ah's start pouring out !!! Absolute incredible book to have in anyone's private library without a doubt.

It is the rare numismatic book that is educational AND entertaining. This book is one of those rare books.
I wrote a review of this book for the Bank Note Reporter, the newpaper for collectors of paper money. I have included an only slightly altered version of that review below.

My best purchase at the Chicago Paper Money Exposition was a copy of the new book 100 Greatest American Currency Notes by two of my favorite numismatists--Q. David Bowers and David M. Sundman. Chet Krause and Cliff Mishler wrote a foreword for the book making that four of my favorites all in one book. No, that is not right. Tom Denly was something called valuations editor for the book so that makes five of my favorite--and greatest--numismatists all in one volume.
In short, the book is beautiful to behold and a joy to read. That sums it up quite nicely, but I do have a lot more to say about it. I feel that I am particularly qualified to do this because I had started a book with exactly the same premise. I still have my notebook with my work. That means that they stole my idea! Of course that is easy to say after they have completed their work and I only have a notebook. It is also untrue. The original idea was Jeff Garrett and Ron Guth's popular 100 Greatest American Coins. Imitation is indeed the sincerest form of flattery. I must also say that Bowers and Sundman did a far better job than I would have done (not that I did not have a few enhancements).
The basic premise of the book is to select and discuss the 100 greatest American notes. The authors have done this admirably. The basic methodology was to survey a wide group of dealers asking them to list what they considered to be the top notes. While the methodology was good and the results were great, my first complaint is that I would have liked to have learned more about the methodology. The authors tabulated the results then provided the discussion. As the creators of this project, they have a greater insight than anyone on the subject. I would at a minimum have liked to read more of their thoughts on the results, but these are small complaints.
If you have not seen the book you can cast a silent vote right now for your top note or top ten. Now that you have done that, you will probably not be surprised that the clear favorite of the survey was the "Grand watermelon" ($1000 Series 1890 Silver Certificate). The authors expected it to be number one and I had it number one in the notes for my book. You have to figure that a note with a nickname like that would come in first or to look at it the other way that a note worthy of being first would have a nick name. Indeed, nine of the top ten have nicknames.
Two pages are devoted to discussing the grand watermelon and each of the top ten notes. Thereafter it is one page per note. This is the meat of the book. Indeed, the book could just as easily have been something like 100 Great Paper Money Stories.
The two Davids excelled in the preparation of the text to describe the notes. They supplemented the illustrations of the notes and their discussions with additional illustrations (some of these of coins (gasp)). Most ot these are excellent and some are great in both content and quality. They are a highlight of the book. This seems to be an appropriate place to mention the superb quality of book production. It is color throughout and truly excellent. My one complaint is that the book is in a large format 10 x 12 inches. Many people will consider this a feature. Authors (including me) like these large formats, but they are harder to read. They look great on the coffee table, but are difficult to handle curled up in a chair or in an airline torture seat.
I did not know that the watermelon description of this note could be traced back to an 1891 newspaper story. Perhaps I had read this before, but if I had, I had forgotten it. The entire quotation from the paper is included. From the footnotes at the back of the book I learned this interesting tidbit. The quotation is "From an 1891 clipping, no day date, in a scrapbook compiled in 1891 and 1892 (now owned by Q. David Bowers)." I found many of the notes worth reading.
Each entry includes a box with "historic Market Values" and "Commentary on Value." This is the work of the valuations editor. This book is not a catalog of values (I like that), but the inclusion of this information is interesting in its own right and is nice balances with the text and graphics. When I was working on my project, I had not thought of anything like this.
Number two in the survey is the $500 national bank note. It is a good and obvious choice. It was also number two on my list.
The third note in the survey is Massachusetts Bay Colony 5-shilling notes of December 10, 1690. It is the first government-issue American paper money (according to Eric Newman). Among other interesting (amazing) things that I learned in this entry is that in the 17th century the annual calendar ran from March 25 to March 24. I also learned that the unique example of this note resides in the Essex Institute, Salem, Massachusetts. That is certainly an appropriate city. I wonder if the note is on public display.
The balance of the top ten are very interesting indeed. Instead of being great rarities they are dominated by relatively common notes and certainly are affordable in circulated grades to most collectors. The one exception is number eight, the "Spread Eagle Note" (Series of 1862 and 1863 $100 Legal Tender note).
The others are respectively in positions four though ten (except eight): Lazy Deuce ($2 National Bank Note), $5 Educational note (Series of 1896 Silver Certificate), and Bison Note" (Series of 1891 $10 Legal Tender note), $1 "Educational Note (Series of 1896 Silver Certificate," $20 "Technicolor note" (Series of 1905 Gold Certificate, and the "Indian Chief" (Series of 1899 $5 Silver Certificate).
The other ninety notes include a wide array of interesting and historical notes. The entry on every single one is worth studying, but to me the most interesting (especially for discussion here) are those that might not be obvious choices.
United States fractional notes get two entries on the list. Interestingly, number 14, the fractional currency shield, is not a note at all, but a virtual collection of notes. Having said, that I think that it is a good choice.
Four Confederate notes make the list with several of them having nicknames (the Indian Princess and Montgomery notes (two denominations making the list)).
That vast, amorphous, and ill defined area known as obsolete notes are also included. Numbers 23 and 24 are Santa Clause notes and polar bear notes even though they are more categories than actual notes. Again, I think that they were good choices.
I was pleased and even a little surprised to see both World War II issues (Hawaii and North Africa) make the top 100. They won their places because of their extraordinary historical reasons for issue.
These various categories of notes included in the book are the apparent reason for the awkward book title. I offer this criticism with respect because I struggled with this problem in my unversion of this book. If you say United States notes you probably should not include Confederate notes. Colonial and Continental notes would not really fit. "Obsolete" notes would be in doubt too. Even American notes (as chosen) presents some problems. Does American include Canada? Mexico? I do not like the term currency notes, but I understand the problem. Bank notes does not fit because most of the notes selected were not issued by banks under any definition. Many people (unfortunately) would simply say currency but that is a very bad choice because currency is coins and paper money. In most constructions paper money does not work (100 Greatest American Paper Money). Even notes has some problems. Certainly, national bank notes are notes. but are silver and gold certificates notes? In the final analysis, having said that I do not like what we was used, but I do not have a better title.
I love the book, but I disagree with some of the choices. That is one of the wonderful aspects of books of lists. They are certain to generate discussion if not controversy. I was surprised that no error or star notes made the list. I can understand that they can be excluded as being sort of varieties of other issues, but, still, I think that a token from either or both of these categories could have been included.
You will probably not be surprised that I think that a military payment certificate should have been on the list. Having said that, I should be prepared to tell you which one. I gave that considerable thought in my work. I considered the unknown replacements and the unique replacements. Of course there is the Series 541 $5 with its attractive design and world record price history. I thought about the unique specimen booklets for Series 541 and 591. I really liked them because they have nicknames ("Comptroller Booklets"). Finally, I decided that the best choice would be the unique specimen and progressive proof set of Series 661. It does not have a widely recognized nickname, but it is still a good choice. I had a brief exchange with Tom Denly on this very subject after drafting this review. He said that he thought that if an MPC were to be included, it should be something like a Series 692 $10 or $20 because they would be very recognizable and would also be collectible. I like his thinking!
There are other good features good features of the book that I have not mentioned. The formatter is all quite good. You can imagine my surprise at finding my name mentioned. Earning that honor as an old timer (my term) is a double edged honor. The selected bibliography and recap of the top 100 in an appendix are also useful.
I expect that this will be a very successful book, just as the Garrett-Guth version on coins was. Can it generate more spinoffs like the 100 Greatest World Notes, or even the 100 Greatest National Bank Notes? I doubt it, but I would love to have both of those in my own library.
If it is not obvious, I highly recommend 100 Greatest American Currency Notes by Q. David Bowers and David Sundman. It was published by Whitman Publishing and should be available wherever numismatic books are sold and even in many book stores at around $30.

I really enjoyed this book. It is a great book to reference for business negotionating. It is put togther so very well that makes it enjoyable to read as well as an extremely awesome resource.

If you are opening or running a small architecural practice, this book is IT! Real life- from the treches advice, that I used right away. The format is readable and visually clear. More than worth the price. I hope my competitors don't buy it. Franklin is the guru of good practice!

Excellent grouping of ideas. The author doesn't talk down to you, doesn't talk over your head, and doesn't have the ego of saying he knows everything. This is current, timely, and easy to read. The adhoc diagrams are exactly the kind of medium that is effective to architects. I'm buying another and requiring the entire office to read it.

This book is a wonderful source for architecture firm owners, and employees working in small firms. The "hands-on" diagrams give you the clear vision on proceedures, rules, and guides. Included in this book are tips, and tools you can use to organize yourself, understand cause and effect relations, and help you work more efficiently. Great not only to read, but I use it as a reference often. I have hundreds of books, but this is one of the select few that resides on my desk!

Vito Tanzi has written a compact, highly readable account, of the causes and consequences of Argentina's economic decline since the early Twentieth Century, providing valuable lessons for Argentina, for other countries, and for the International Monetary Fund. According to Mr. Tanzi, a persistent lack of fiscal discipline led to economic disaster, and the International Monetary Fund fed, prolonged, and intensified the process. In telling this compelling account, he also provides an appealing introduction to Argentina, with its beautiful tourist attractions and rich cultural heritage. I highly recommend this book both to economists and non-economists alike.

This book captures the inside political economy of the Argentine fiscal recent history. Tanzi added to his traditional solid economics and well-written prose a thoughtful inside angle of Argentine politics of fiscal policy. This is a nice reading which teaches about the process of policy making on public finance and lessons learned to better frame fiscal reforms.Argentina: An Economic Chronicle. How one of the richest countries in the world lost its wealth

This is a special book for a number of reasons. It is an excellent account of how bad policies and politicians can destroy wealth. The problem is much deeper than just the lack of fiscal discipline, though the observations on the continuous deterioration of the Argentine fiscal system are really enlightening. But Vito Tanzi offers much more than just a pure "narrow-minded" economic analysis, he describes a society that lost the most important element of success, social coordination. A fascinating reading for everyone, economists and non-economists alike. I cannot resist pointing out that there is another beautiful country in Europe Vito frequently visited in the past four decades that would certainly benefit from a book like this.

An outstanding book that blends very well a traveler's description of this beautiful and outstanding country, together with important glimpses of recent and important political events as well as a thorough analysis of the history of Argentina's poor fiscal policies, that ultimately lead to its economic decline. An easy to read book that should not be limited to economists, by to all of those interested in what has happened to Argentina in the last few decades.

This book contains timeless principles about business, making money and how to preserve money. They seem trivial but the U.S. economy early 2008 would be in a much better shape if all participants followed them...We just forget these words of wisdom and we should revert to the work of P.T. Barnum more frequently to avoid the foolish business mistake we all make.

Solid, timeless advice for anyone seeking wealth... and how to keep it once you get it.

This is a book that every young man and young lady should read - so that they ensure their safe passage along the road to success as opposed to the road to destruction.

Barnum gives 20 "rules" that a person must abide by in order to be successful. Given that Barnum was one of the wealthiest men in America during his day, given that Barnum was received by Kings and Queens the world over, his "rules" are worthy of attention.

If you are already striving along the path to success, you will likely find the "rule" that you have been breaking to this point, that has been holding you back. When you read this book, you'll see it, and your success will be accelerated greatly.

By the way, all 20 of these "rules" are fully applicable to today's world and environment. There is absolutely nothing that is "dated" about this book.

As an aside, this book was actually a speech that Barnum gave on the "speakers circuit" of his day. As such, it provides a great model from which a person can construct a speech of their own. You'll see how Barnum gets "personal", uses jokes, quotes, and stories to bring his speech to life and make it interesting.

Lastly, in the realm of success books, there isn't an easier book to read anywhere since this book is a mere 32 pages long.

Phineas Taylor Barnum (July 5, 1810 - April 7, 1891), American showman who is best remembered for his entertaining hoaxes and for founding the circus that eventually became Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus.

In Brooklyn, New York in 1871, he established "P.T. Barnum's Grand Traveling Museum, Menagerie, Caravan, and Circus", a traveling amalgamation of circus, menagerie and museum of "freaks", which by 1872 was billing itself as "The Greatest Show on Earth".

There's a sucker born every minute" is a phrase often credited to P.T. Barnum. However, when Barnum's biographer tried to track down when Barnum had uttered this phrase, all of Barnum's friends and acquaintances told him it was out of character. Barnum's credo was more along the lines of "there's a customer born every minute" -- he wanted to find ways to draw new customers in all the time because competition was fierce and people bored easily

Barnum wrote several books, including The Humbugs of the World (1865), Struggles and Triumphs (1869), and his Autobiography (first in 1854, and later editions including 1869).

The Art of Money Getting is really the story of how to run a sales organization by understanding the mind and tastes of your primary customer base.

Barnum is a treat to read and is never boring! I highly recommend his books.

A terrific mystery that keeps you guessing until the very end. The plot does not get bogged down, the characters develop individual personalities, overall...a good read.

I had trouble putting the book down. Having visited the Sunshine Coast, I was totally enthralled with not only the suspense in the novel, but also being able to envision how it was all taking place. Highly recommended

I had trouble putting the book down. Having visited the Sunshine Coast, I was totally enthralled with not only the suspense in the novel, but also being able to envision how it was all taking place. Highly recommended reading!!

Avarice is well written. Lots of description making it feel as though you are there experiencing the area, characters, and events. As a murder mystery it is hard to figure out who the culprit is until the second to last chapter. Several of my friends have read "Avarice" and say the same.