Title: Money, Wealth & War
Author: Robert Shuler
Publisher: Robert Shuler
ISBN: 978-0-9911130-4-0
Pages: 300
Genre: Non-fiction, Business

Reviewed by: Suzanne Gattis, Pacific Book Review

 

Book Review

Robert Shuler’s Money, Wealth & War is an interesting and educating read looking at the roles of money, wealth, trade, and war and its impact on our society today and in the past.  The scope of the book is not limited to individual investors; in fact, I found it to explore the world economy as a whole.  Shuler’s call to action reminds us that the wealthy are the ones who make important decisions that affect our freedoms, policies and individual welfare.  By the end of the book, you feel like it is your duty and privilege to become a wealthier, more financially diverse American.

Reading the book made me feel like I was introduced to the inside secret on how the world works.  Anyone who has said that money does not make the world go round has not read this book.  I enjoyed the style the author used in the book.  As I am a big history buff, I enjoyed looking at the family backgrounds of the wealthy included in the book, history and world review.  I also enjoyed the author analyzing the patterns of wealth and pointing out that not all things are the same. This book surprised me, not knowing what to expect, by being, overly simplified, a book about cause and consequences.

I think one of the first things that struck me about the book is how intelligent the author must be and how informative the book was.  In 300 pages, a lot of concepts were covered and lessons learned.  Shuler’s writing style reminded me at times of Malcolm Gladwell, who uses stories and humor to educate readers.  My only disappointment in the research and content development of the book came at the end when I noticed that Wikipedia was referenced quite frequently in the end notes.  The use of more reliable resources would add even further validity to the book.

Though some readers may find the subject matter a bit daunting, the author’s intent remains clear: to educate and promote participation in the development of America’s financial infrastructure and elevate it to the forefront of the global innovation marketplace.  I think this book is directed more toward educated individuals who have some experience with investments.  With the tools that the author uses, short chapters and the infographics, Shuler does a great job to simplify what can be a difficult topic to grasp.  He also provides accessible solutions toward increasing knowledge and awareness of our investments and wealth.

Overall, any person that is interested in investing and wants to understand the role of money in our society or an informative historical read would benefit from having this book as part of their collection.  A busy yet passionately motivating call for action.

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