High-Speed Reads

Noel Whittaker is an international bestselling author, finance, and investment expert. He is also a radio broadcaster, newspaper columnist and public speaker. He is also one of the world’s foremost authorities on personal finance. In 1988 Noel was named Australian Investment Planner of the Year and, in 2003, he was awarded the Australian Centenary Medal in recognition of his services to the financial services industry. In 2011 he was made a Member of the Order of Australia for service to the community in raising awareness of personal finance. Today we are covering one of Noel Whittaker’s many books, Making Money Made Simple, which is a nice all-rounder in terms of finance tips for the budding saver. It covers all aspects of financial health, including but not limited to, superannuation, housing, and the stock market.

Welcome to another episode of WILFRED – what I learned from reading: an educational discourse. Thanks so much for joining me yet again, for our sixth episode. Simon Sinek is a British born American author and inspirational speaker. Described as an unshakable optimist, he is the author of five books, including Start with Why, which was released in 2009 and is today’s book in focus. What follows is a summary of what I have learned from reading Start With Why.

Introducing this week’s author, Mark Manson – he is a superstar blogger, turned author – who brings us this refreshing slap of reality. This book will allow the reader to gain and build “resilience, happiness and freedom”, according to Ryan Holiday, a successful author in his own right. I selected this book for our fifth instalment – as it’s “as much a pat on the back as a slap in the face” (as Mark’s website puts it). Manson was born and raised in the Lone Star state, Texas, and went to college in Boston. Although I’ve never heard him speak, I’m going to assume he sounds like a combination of Ethan Hawke and Marky Mark… oooooooh dreamy. Anyways, what follows is a summary of what I have learned from reading The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life.

The ASX investor education team has been providing the essentials about share investing for over 30 years. The latest edition of Starting Out in Shares the ASX Way is your one-stop resource to understanding what shares are—and how to buy and sell them. This book will allow the reader to build a strong foundation in understanding the basics of investing, prior to doing so themselves. I selected this book for our fourth, as those listening seemed very intrigued by the basics discussed in the second episode, Rich Dad Poor Dad. What follows is a summary of what I have learned from reading Starting Out in Shares.

I thought this book was a sound choice for our third discussion, as it has remained highly regarded throughout the decades, being first published in 1937, during the Great Depression. Amazon states that over 100 million copies have been sold worldwide since it was first published. More than just a personal finance and/or personal development book, Think and Grow Rich focuses on philosophy and the power of the mind, with regards to wealth building. What follows is a summary of what I have learned from reading Think and Grow Rich.

I thought this book was fitting for our second discussion, as it is THE most successful book within the Personal Finance genre, with over 32 million copies sold in more than 51 languages, across more than 109 countries. To put that in perspective, that’s 8 times more sales than Atomic Habits, by James Clear – which we reviewed in our first episode. As you already know from the title, it’s Rich Dad Poor Dad, by Robert T. Kiyosaki. What follows is a summary of what I have learned from reading Rich Dad Poor Dad.

James Clear is well respected author and public speaker, who primarily focuses on habits, also speaking on self-awareness, and continuous improvement. He is the author of the New York Times bestseller, Atomic Habits, selling over 4 million copies. This book embodies both its secondary titles – as once you read it, you will understand how to apply its ‘easy’ and ‘proven’ methods to form good habits and break bad ones. You will also develop an understanding of how tiny changes can compound into remarkable results.