Overview

Do you worry about money? Having enough money to pay your bills? Figuring out how to pay for your student loans? Your rent? Your next meal? Do you ever have the feeling that the financial system is overly complicated? That it's rigged? That it's working against you? Guess what-you're right. The system is rigged. The modern American consumer-oriented economy helps rich people get richer. It helps comfortable people stay comfortable. This book is for the rest of us. Think about a worst-case scenario. No job. Lots of debt. And about the worst employment resume you could possibly have. Most recent position? Prison inmate. How do you get on a path to financial security when that's where you're starting out? The Richest Man in Babylon, a collection of pamphlets written in the 1920s by George S. Clason, tells stories, set in ancient Babylon, about how to manage money. The tales are cartoonish and superficial in many ways, but were very influential when published and are well-remembered today, even by professional financial planners. This book, The Richest Man in New Babylon, builds on the principles contained in Clason's parables. It reimagines and expands on these ideas in a new story set in a contemporary, mid-sized American city. You'll meet memorable characters who introduce a set of key principles for money management-the rules. You'll also learn to appreciate the additional personal and social skills required for success. And, as you follow one person's journey, the story offers one more vital element to help you on the path to financial security. Hope. This is a book for people who want to keep it simple. It's a book for people who want to cut through the clouds of consumerism and murk of marketing. It's a book for people who work hard and feel like they deserve to keep some of their hard-earned money. What Other Readers Say I really like this book; both the financial advice and the story. It provides actionable, practical, and up-to-date financial lessons presented in an engaging story. You will cheer for Jamaal as he takes control of his financial affairs and his life. Jean Abbott, EdD, MBA, CPA; Associate Professor of Business Studies, Accounting; Stockton University I enjoyed the book and found it to be an easy read. It covered the important elements of personal financial planning without overwhelming the reader with technical details. Kenneth B. Shapiro, CPA/PFS, CFP; Shapiro Financial Security Group, Inc.; Hazlet, New Jersey I just finished the book. The last part brought tears to my eyes. Seeing this young man change and grow, and then come full circle to help someone else was inspiring. The rules are laid out in a way as to make them timely and accessible. Jeanne Felfe; Author and Editor; St. Charles, Missouri As I read, I found myself comparing the rules that were taught to my own practices and can honestly say, I learned a lot and will have to put several of the rules into practice. Taneisha Spall, M.Ed.; Corrections School Principal; SCI - Chester, PA The story was engaging and I rooted for Jamaal. Sometimes these stories tend to be a little too in-your-face or morally superior, but you did a good job avoiding that by keeping it strictly on Jamaal and his journey. I also thought you did a good job of portraying black people. While there were certainly stereotypical types, you painted them as human, which I appreciated. Michael La Ronn, Author, YouTuber and Podcaster, Des Moines, Iowa

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9781951989026

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Reviews

I really like this book; both the financial advice and the story. It provides actionable, practical, and up-to-date financial lessons presented in an engaging story. You will cheer for Jamaal as he takes control of his financial affairs and his life. Jean Abbott, EdD, MBA, CPA; Associate Professor of Business Studies, Accounting; Stockton University I enjoyed the book and found it to be an easy read. It covered the important elements of personal financial planning without overwhelming the reader with technical details. Kenneth B. Shapiro, CPA/PFS, CFP; Shapiro Financial Security Group, Inc.; Hazlet, New Jersey I just finished the book. The last part brought tears to my eyes. Seeing this young man change and grow, and then come full circle to help someone else was inspiring. The rules are laid out in a way as to make them timely and accessible. Jeanne Felfe; Author and Editor; St. Charles, Missouri As I read, I found myself comparing the rules that were taught to my own practices and can honestly say, I learned a lot and will have to put several of the rules into practice. Taneisha Spall, M.Ed.; Corrections School Principal; SCI - Chester, PA The story was engaging and I rooted for Jamaal. Sometimes these stories tend to be a little too in-your-face or morally superior, but you did a good job avoiding that by keeping it strictly on Jamaal and his journey. I also thought you did a good job of portraying black people. While there were certainly stereotypical types, you painted them as human, which I appreciated. Michael La Ronn, Author, YouTuber and Podcaster, Des Moines, Iowa I found the book to be engaging and informative, with real-world practical advice for those faced with the difficulty of overwhelming debt and limited income opportunities. The Rules, while very functional for rebuilding financial stability, are also effective when applied to many other life situations. Perhaps the most important part of this book, however, is the natural incorporation of soft skills and the emphasis on acceptance of diversity. Anna Schubarth, FCCM Correctional Education Professional

Author Information

Ridge Kennedy was born in Fort Smith, Arkansas. Then he moved to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Columbus, Ohio; Indianapolis, Indiana; Tokyo, Japan; Hatfield, Pennsylvania; Bangkok, Thailand; Fort Smith (again); Indianapolis (again); Cleveland, Ohio; and Mentor, Ohio. Then he went off to high school in New Hampshire. No, he wasn't a military brat; his parents were in the newspaper business. After majoring in speech and theatre in college and teaching theatre classes at Hiram College and Bucknell University, Ridge went into the family business, starting off as an intern at The Evansville Press. Over the next thirty years, he earned a living primarily as a writer: newspapers, technical writing, advertising, public relations and marketing. In the early days of the personal computer, he expanded his interests into technology. In the early 2000s his career veered into information technology; providing tech support and writing code instead of words. Throughout his life, Ridge has also pursued an interest in folk music and dance. He is a song leader and dance caller. Google yodeling square and his name on YouTube for a glimpse of his alter ego in the folk arts world. The Richest Man in New Babylon reflects another important area of interest for him; a deeply-felt desire to make the world a better place. Not just for him, his family and friends; but for people he doesn't know. Fellow Americans. Fellow residents of Planet Earth. Global warming, racism, income inequality, dictators and genocides-he worries about all that stuff, too. His work on The Richest Man in New Babylon is a not-for-profit effort to address the challenges faced by people, disproportionately men of color, who have been incarcerated in the United States. But the rules described in his book can be applied by anyone, anywhere, so that ticks the income inequality checkbox on Ridge's worry list, too. For more information about Ridge and his ongoing projects, visit www.ridgekennedy.com. If you would like to support the effort to increase financial literacy for people who have been incarcerated, visit www.richestmaninnewbabylon.com.

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