
Title : Celebration
Author : Harry Crews
Rating : 4 Stars out of 5.
Summary : more twisted stuff from harry
While not the best Crews book i have read, and not the book i would recommend to a first time Crews reader, this still is a winner. You can just tell that Crews is feeling his age getting to him, which makes this seem more heart-felt. Yes, it is slightly more ridiculous than usual, but it is more of the same pained bizarre cruelty that stabs at the heart of human nature. So far, Crews is the person who has been able to capture that better than anyone else.

Title : The Old Fool's Retirement Guide
Author : Rob Davies
Rating : 2 Stars out of 5.
Summary : Disappointing book from an excellent stable
The 'Motley Fool' series is a really excellent one. For the first time reader of their works this book will provide something, indeed much, of interest. However, compared to their other books (and I have read them all) this is a disappointment. There is little which is new in this book and the retirement sections of, for example, the Motley Fool UK Investment guide, are actually more informative. The authors of Motley Fool really must decide on a standard version of thier investment philosophy and develop this, rather than simply repeat it in several differnet ways.
The book really cant make up its mind whether it is for those saving for old age, or already in it and trying to decide how best to take their income. It tries to do both and falls short on both counts, but particularly the latter. There is little or no discussion of many things -such as bonds or zeros - if only to dismiss them. These are (albeit briefly) explored in the Motley Fool UK Investment Guide - where the section on 'Hermiones old age' was very informative. If ths present book could have used this as a starting point we could have learned much more.
Likewise, there is little consideration of those already in their forties but with little or no investment. The book all to often assumes you are in the early stages of a career or at the end of it.
Buy this book if you are a first timer to the Motley Fool - otherwise stick with the UK Investment Guide and wait for the second edition of Old Age.......

Title : Non-Resident Offshore Tax Planning
Author : Lee Hadnum
Rating : 1 Stars out of 5.
Summary : I wouldn't trust it
At only 122 pages it's only about as thick as a magazine, this would be fair enough if it was accurate... however the area I was interested in regarding the sale of property in the uk while a resident in Spain as covered page 37-38 states I would escape capital gains tax altogether IS INCORRECT. The author does not understand the the concept of dual tax treaties which stop someone from paying tax twice but does not help in avoiding tax, so even though article 13(1) states that capital gains from immovable property MAY be taxed in the country it is situated (ie the UK) it does not prevent the Spanish from also taxing it if you are resident there (WHICH THEY WILL AT 15%), the author needs to understand MAY does not mean MAY ONLY.

Title : The Old Fool's Retirement Guide
Author : Rob Davies
Rating : 5 Stars out of 5.
Summary : Invaluable advice for not much money.
Unfortunately, the majority of people in the UK are rather ignorant of matters financial. As a Nation we are more than happy to delegate the management of our finances to so called "experts":- Financial advisers, pension consultants, Banks, Stock Brokers etc. etc. The big problem with this approach is the inescapable fact that all these middlemen take a big slice out of the individuals hard earned money in fees thereby reducing substancially the overall returns that are possible.
The antidote to this is to adopt the "Pick your own Strawberries" approach to your finances. In the same way that you can get lots of lovely strawberries for less money by picking them direct from the field yourself, (cutting out the middlemen!) you can, with a little time and effort adopt the same principles with your finances.
The Motley Fool series of books are the best I have yet come across to help the would be "Financial do it yourself'er". The OLD FOOLS RETIREMENT GUIDE is the latest in the series and is packed with invaluable information as to how to plan for your financial future. It is written in a concise easily digestible format and conveys it's very relevant points with humour and honesty. Pensions and investments need not be complicated as the City types would have you believe. This book blows a hole in the pomposity that surrounds finance and pensions. A great little read.

Title : Rich Dad's Retire Young, Retire Rich: How to Get Rich Quickly and Stay Rich Forever! (Rich Dad)
Author : Robert T. Kiyosaki
Rating : 5 Stars out of 5.
Summary : EXCELLENT!!!!
I have just finished reading this book and it was absolutely fantastic. I must admit that some of it was alittle tough going but stick it out it is well worth it.
I read this book and was left feeling more inspired than I have ever before. It has completely changed my way of thought and I have already started buying the other books to continue learning rich dad's way of thought, anything is possible if you believe it is. I WILL be rich!!