The Hot Iron

Wednesday, September 12, 2007

My Take-Aways from Art of Money Getting

You don’t have to walk far into any bookstore today to see a myriad of books about making money and getting rich.  Where some of these publications give a unique perspective, some are merely reiterating timeless advice on money and wealth.  This became more evident when I read Art of Money Getting, published in 1880 by an iconic businessman.

P.T. Barnum name is recognized in the full name of the Ringling Bros. Barnum and Bailey Circus.  He was a businessman and showman whose entertainment was billed as “the greatest show on Earth” a phrase that still is popular today.  He published several books in his life as a way to promote himself and his entertainment offerings.  Art of Getting Money was one of them, and it is a quick read that offers very practical information about living life and earning, saving and spending money.

My biggest take-away from the book was how appropriate in 2007 Barnum’s advice is.  For example, the chapter titled “Advertise Your Business” not only applies today, but today’s media, including online advertising.  The name of the title speaks loudly of getting directly to your point without any fluff.  For someone of Barnum’s reputation, he uses many quotes from famous people from Benjamin Franklin to Goethe to reinforce his statements and points.  If this book was a Web site, it would be full of hyperlinks!

I recommend reading Art of Getting Money.  It is a quick read that packs a lot of useful information is a confident tone.  The book has attitude, and could be compared to The 4-Hour Workweek or any book written by Donald Trump.  Now that would be a good pair to get in a room, P.T, Barnum and Donald Trump, but I digress.

Of note is how I read this book.  I read the book over a series of email messages from DailyLit, a service that delivery many public-domain books in this manner.  For this book, it was distributed over 26 emails.  It will automatically send one email a day, or you can request the next message sent once you read the first one.  Check out the site, as it is a unique and quality service.