the richest man in atherstone

I'm between journal entries at the moment.

I've been busy researching money-making ideas and running trials with those that I thought were worthy of testing after due diligence. But until the trials are finished, unfortunately I have nothing to report.

So, I thought I'd fill the void with a run-down of my top three favourite books. Usually, when I've read a book I toss it aside and it either gathers dust in a cupboard or earns me a few quid from eBay. Occasionally, I'll come across a book that I think deserves a second read because I feel that I haven't grasped the points the author is trying to convey. Very rarely, I discover a tome that I can read time and time again without getting bored and learning something new each time. The books I present below fall into this latter category.

In third place is Dale Carnegie's 'How to Win Friends & Influence People'. I think that maybe this book especially appeals to me because, I am not a particularly sociable person.

A few years ago, I was having a lot of difficulties maintaining cordial relationships with colleagues and acquaintances, in part because one of my core values is honesty - I very rarely lie about anything - and also because I didn't understand other people particularly well.

This book came to my rescue. I learned how to look at things from other people's point of view, how to handle different types of people, how to motivate and lead and how to communicate effectively. In short, my people skills improved one hundredfold and what's more I wasn't being untruthful and I didn't feel as though I were manipulating my fellow (wo)man.

Although the title does sound very shallow, the text is very deep and informative and has developed my personal skills and improved the way I feel about myself. It has had a significant and positive effect on my life.

Taking second place is Napoleon Hill's 'Think & Grow Rich'. This book has taught me the true power and enormity of the human mind. If you want to learn how to get anything you want whether it be money, a new car or even a beach house in the Bahamas this book shows you how to achieve your desires.

Although it did take a few reads for me to open myself up to the ideas presented in the book, the text was inspiring enough to keep me entertained throughout. To fully appreciate the wisdom within does require both an open mind and a 'leap of faith' because the theory and methods do seem to be nothing less than magical but for a reason unknown to me, they do seem to work.

It is not a quick and easy guide to riches - I'm not a multi-millionaire yet! But since implementing Hill's ideas, I've achieved more than I could have possibly imagined.

Unsurprisingly, taking the number one spot is George S. Clason's 'The Richest Man in Babylon' - the book that inspired me to start this journal. A series of short stories set in ancient Babylonia impart sound and practical advice for financial success.

I would say this is a must-read for anyone that wants to improve their financial situation. With ridiculously simple techniques such as saving 10% of your income and controlling your expenditures, Clason gives the common man the knowledge to become wealthy.

All the principals of the book are presented in story form providing an entertaining read which 'sticks' in the mind and makes it almost impossible to forget.

Since reading this book, my personal finances have improved dramatically with relatively little effort on my part. And, of course, if I hadn't discovered it, this blog wouldn't exist!