
Title : Invest Like Warren Buffett, Live Like Jimmy Buffett: A Money Manual for Those Who Haven't Won the Lottery
Author : Luki Vail
Rating : 2 Stars out of 5.
Summary : Disappointment for fans of either Buffett.
If you are looking for some insights into Warren Buffett's investing success, look elsewhere. If you are looking for insights into Jimmy Buffett's lifestyle success, again, look elsewhere. This book takes some very pedestrian financial advice and wraps it up in a catchy title. I strongly suggest you avoid this book and search for more serious financial planning assistance.

Title : Basic Investing Guide for the New Investor: Start Investing for Your Retirement with as Little as $50 Per Month
Author : Alfred V. Scillitani
Rating : 5 Stars out of 5.
Summary : Overcoming Important Misconceptions of Young Investors
This book is aimed at the young person who will be starting a first full-time job in the next year. I have graded it for its appropriateness for that audience.
Stock investing is treated now in families like sex education was conducted in the fifties. People try to avoid any reference to this delicate subject.
As a parent, you can spend over $100,000 to send your child to a private college or $50,000 for a public one. In neither place will your child pick up the basic information to make her or him financially literate about doing long-term stock investing.
Or your child may not go to or finish college, and potentially have less income as a result. Investing becomes even more important in this situation.
What's worse, regardless of what educational or vocational route these capable young people take, they will have picked up misconceptions that will discourage him or her from getting started. This book can remedy that problem, by helping your daughter or son (or grandson or granddaughter) realize that they should begin investing as soon as they have enough income to save some ($50 or so) money every month.
If you are a young person just starting your career, chances are that you are handicapped by lack of information, and misconceptions about what you should be doing. Ordering this book today is a simple, effective step towards overcoming that situation.
This book effectively addresses these misconceptions:
(1) It doesn't matter much when you start (Actually, starting young is the biggest advantage any investor has)
(2) You need thousands of dollars to get started (Some investments can be started with $25, and putting in small amounts regularly makes you more money than larger amounts less often)
(3) It's too complicated for a young person to understand (Most of what you need to know is covered in less than 50 pages in this book, with not that many words on a page. If you can pass algebra and high school English, you will have no trouble with this material.)
(4) It takes too much time to get started (You should be able to take the right steps after spending less than 15 hours over a period of two months or so.)
But taking action counts for a lot in investments (as in other areas). So I suggest that you be sure the young adults in your family know this information. You can get a copy and teach them yourself, or you can simply give each person their own. Ask them what they have done about the information from time to time, and praise any actions they take to get information, start saving, or begin investing.
If you are a young person, every month you delay starting investing is costing you hundreds of dollars over your lifetime. Can you afford to waste that much money?
I think this book will make the most sense if read after Rich Dad, Poor Dad. After reading this book, I suggest that John Bogle's Common Sense About Mutual Funds be read to deepen and widen the interest that Basic Investing Guide for the New Investor will stimulate. If you already feel motivated to invest and do not have the misconceptions I mentioned above, you may already be ready for Bogle.
May your money and your children's money be saved and invested in ways to create much financial security for your children and grandchildren!
As a parent, consider that giving this book is a lot cheaper than providing any other form of education, or providing on-going financial security for the next two generations. It's a great investment for you, as well.
As a young person, consider that investing your money well is a lot less work than taking on a second job for most of your life to increase your income. This is important to creating time and balance in your life to enjoy your family and relationships.
Get started as soon as possible!

Title : Social Security Benefits Handbook (Social Security Benefits Handbook)
Author : Stanley A. Tomkiel
Rating : 2 Stars out of 5.
Summary : Boring
Sakes alive, I was bored out of my skull. I don't know what I was thinking when I bought this book. I only got through the first chapter or two before my brain started going numb. I'm just 40, so what do I care anyhow. Man, what a waste of $20. Save yourself the pain if you are a youngster like me, and wait and see what transpires over the next decade as the debacle over social security unfolds.

Title : How to Retire Rich
Author : James O'Shaughnessey
Rating : 5 Stars out of 5.
Summary : I am buying one of these books for each member of my family.
As an avid reader and a novice investor I could not put the book down. The information was clear and very understandable. I immediately went on line and was able to pull up the 50 stocks I will be using for Reasonable Runaways. My goal was to self manage my 401k. This has given me the tools to do so. I'm in it for the long term so will let you know in 25 years how the strategy worked. I feel strongly enough about the concept to share it with all my friends and family. Wouldn't it be fun to grow wealthy together???
I have also read "What Works on Wall Street". If you must chose between the two "How to Retire Rich" is the better book in my opinion. "What Works" does provide reinforcement of the ideas if that is important to you.

Title : Retire Rich with a Property Pension
Author : Nicholas Braun
Rating : 5 Stars out of 5.
Summary : A fascinating read
If you're into property investment this book is absolutely critical reading. From April 2006 residential property will be an approved pension investment. This book does a good job of explaining why and how you should take advantage of this fantastic opportunity and save literally tens of thousands of pounds in tax.
There's also lots of info on the current commercial property sipps and all the other important pension changes that come into effect in 2006.
The author's has a good writing style and uses loads of examples throughout.
If you're into property investment or using property as an alternative to a traditional pension you'll find it a worthwhile read.

Title : The New Golden Door to Retirement Living in Costa Rica
Author : Christopher Howard
Rating : 5 Stars out of 5.
Summary : "This Books is my Right Hand"
This book is my Right Hand, as manager of the Residents Association of Costa Rica (ARCR), I have found that newcomers sometimes seem to know more about Costa Rica than people living here just because they read this excellent book.

Title : Get a Life: You Don't Need a Million to Retire Well (Get a Life: You Don't Need a Million to Retire Well)
Author : Ralph E. Warner
Rating : 5 Stars out of 5.
Summary : Excellent Contrarian Viewpoint
This book should be required reading for anyone who thinks about retirement, from those just starting out in their 20's and 30's to those nearing retirement. The book is a refreshing, contrarian view to the conventional wisdom of "save tons of money for retirement", "you'll need 70-100% of your current income in retirement", etc., etc., etc. The traditional retirement literature is focused almost exclusively on money, with which Warner takes exception.
Warner's focus is on the whole person - he makes a very compelling argument that money is a FACTOR in a good retirement, but that it is also important to cultivate health, outside interests, friendships and family. He believes these latter factors have a FAR greater influence on a successful retirement than money. He bases this viewpoint on research among those enjoying active, successful retirements.
Warner is not a Pollyanna, saying not to even think about retirement savings (as some critics seem to suggest). The book contains some common sense ideas on savings and admits that having SOME money may help. Warner's point, however, is that money alone isn't going to make you have a successful retirement if you neglected your family, friends, outside interests, spirituality and health in order to get the money.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who ever thinks about retirement. You may not agree with the proposition, but the book will really help expand your view of the elements of a good retirement and may help you plan a more enjoyable life.