Review:
I received this book from Reshmy Pillai (of thetalespensieve.com) for reviewing.
Reshmy has been very generous with me. Perhaps, this is third or fourth book - I have a very bad memory - that I received from/through her. Even her IQR challenge has made me a star book critic overnight. Hats off to your idea, Pillai! On the same note, I want to apologize publicly, if not personally, for my delay on submitting the review of the book. I know that I have crossed your 10 days deadline. But please do understand that the student, as I am, don't get many holidays and I've got a month of it now, so I was lost myself somewhere in South India. I strolled quiet a few places, so it took this long to come back. Anyways, I want to make up to it and read this book in a record time of two days. At least, it is a record time for me. The review of the other book will be up soon. So if there is anyone to whom you have to answer for the delay of the review, direct them to this page. Once again, thank you, Pillai, for considering me eligible to judge and review this book.
Description (from the jacket):
Never forget Rule No. 1. Let me add a Rule No. 3: Know how to apply Rule No. 1. For, neither our upbringing nor our education gives money any significant place. Money is the least discussed topic within a family. Formal education about it is absent.
The aim of this book is to help people from non-financial background to become aware of the world of money. In a simple, jargon-free language, it tries to acquaint us with this world — the various options one has of investing and the things one should bear in mind while choosing an option. We come to know of the complexities of the global investment climate we live in today and the dangers to our investments.
Remember: It is not important what one earns; true wealth is what one manages to keep.
About the author:
An MBA from the University of Sheffield (UK), Akhil Khanna specializes in Financial Management. He left his illustrious corporate career to run a business of trading in industrial and electrical consumable goods. In 2009, he developed a keen interest in financial markets. Since 2010, he has acted as a consultant to a number of high net-worth individuals. He has researched the role of derivatives in the modern-day world of finance and published a number of papers and articles on the global financial crisis.
The author may be contacted at letstalkmoney2012@gmail.com.
My take on the book:
Cover design:
There isn't much to be told about the cover design. The entire cover - front and back - consists of majorly white and a image with a woman (don't ask me how knew that it is a woman) holding a piggy bank in one hand and crediting a coin into the piggy bank with the other hand. It is perfect for the subject of discussion in this book. There is no need of a comical character or a design with higher artistic value because this isn't a work of fiction but some serious research. The cover picture and the design can't be more apt, if you ask me.
Publishers:
Times Group Books. This is the first time I heard of a publishing group belonging to one of the top newspaper of India - THE TIMES OF INDIA. I didn't know they published book. All the while I was under the impression that their publishing was restricted till newspapers and magazines. Later, I came to learn from Srinivas - the other author of the blog - that these people print and publish books, not recently but since a very long time. He also told me that all the works they published were non-fictions and dealt more with serious research and stuff. Then, it was obvious that I never heard about this publishers. I never read anything serious. No, not even my text books!
Content, story and other aspects:
It has been a long time since I've read something serious. In simple words, I haven't read any non-fictions lately. It is justifiable considering how much fun and entertaining - two of the many positive aspects non-fictions lacked - the fictions were.
If non-fiction was so boring, why applied to review it in the first place, you ask me? At first, I wasn't interested in the book. Let's Talk Money. Can anything get more boring, I thought. But then, my eye caught the name, Warren Buffet. Then I went on to read the description which was anything but boring. The very next moment I found myself applying to review the book.
Though I voluntarily applied to review this book, ever since I received it, I felt a strange laziness whenever I thought of reading it. Even when the size of the book and the number of pages is considered, it is indeed a small book. Then, I decided to read it. Dutifully, if nothing else.
From the very first page to the last page, I was glued to the book. Believe me, it came as a vibrant surprise to myself even. How can a non-fiction be so interesting? I was expecting a text-book like prose. Perhaps, it depended on the author and his style of putting front the view. The examples and illustrations used by the author in the book were entertaining and teaching at the same time. I badly wanted the authors of my text book to be at least quarter as good as Akhil Khanna.
But there was part of the book when it became very monotonous and boring. I experienced it at around the middle of the book. The first part and last parts were interesting, but the middle part bored me. Maybe, being an engineering student is one reason. Or maybe, the fiction read, as I was, could be the reason. On the contrary, during the first part of the story, I was elated that I right away wanted to invest my monthly allowance in shares. Yeah, being the typical reluctant youth of 21st century, I knew nothing of shares, but this book, the words of Akhil Khanna, sparked up the confidence that with the knowledge from this book, I could multiply my money. In simple words, I would like to call this book, The Handbook of Investment. Every option of investment - like shares, properties, banks, et al - is explained to the very scratch of a detail. Each option is divided into different chapter and dealt in explaining briefly about investment in that option, in the modern, jargon-free language which is understand by everyone; from a 'high school student to a retired person'.
As I have told earlier, the middle part of the book felt a bit boring. But then, I am a engineering student and it is unmistakable that I lacked interest in economics. I am certain Commerce student would love it and understand it more. Perhaps, it could enhance their academics.
Overall, though the book wasn't as entertaining as an fiction novel, it fulfilled its purpose to the rim.
Recommendations:
All commerce-pursuing students and people who are planning in investing their money in something should definitely go through this book. It is of great help to everyone!
