COLUMN by Noel Whittaker 10th December 2007 Yes, Christmas is almost upon us once more, and you are probably wracking your brains for some special gifts. Books have long been my favourite present because they’re reasonably inexpensive, can be personalised and, if chosen well, can bring lasting benefits to the recipient. The problem is that you can be overwhelmed by the massive range of books available now, so once again, I’ve done the rounds and selected some titles that should be welcomed by anybody who is into financial matters or personal development. For people interested in investment history, it’s hard to go past “100 Minds that Made the Market” by Ken Fisher which gives a fascinating account of the origins of the major players in world financial markets. In it you will meet people like Charles Dow who founded the Wall Street Journal, and Edward Jones who was his leading reporter, as well as B.C. Forbes who started Forbes magazine. Their names are now immortalised in the Dow Jones Index and the Forbes 500, the annual list of American’s top 500 companies. It’s a warts and all book so you will also meet villains like Charles Ponzi, the source of the term “Ponzi Schemes” and Walter Tellier, who churned out a whole range of worthless stocks that sucked millions out of the pockets of hapless investors. It’s available at Amazon.com for US$13.57 - if you go to the website you can read excerpts on line. For history of a different kind, try Robert Greene’s “The 33 Strategies of War” ($39.95). In this book successful military principles from a range of cultures and eras are applied to 21st century situations. Readers will learn how to use the Death Ground Strategy employed by Cortes against the Aztecs to give them the impetus to go after what they really want – by cutting off escape routes. For Cortes this meant destroying the ships which were his men’s lifeline to the Old World; for today’s employee it might mean tossing in a secure but boring job to take on something more interesting. This is a controversial and intriguing mixture of history, sociology and winning in today’s world. The perfect gift for anybody in business. The next book stands in stark contrast to Greene’s ‘take no prisoners’ view of society. It too aims at helping people (in this case children) get what they want from life, and I sure wish it had been around when I was a boy. Julie Davey’s “R for Richlife” targets the 10 to 13 year old market and shows its readers how to get ‘rich’ in every sense of the word. It asks kids to work out what ‘richness’ means to them: relationships, health, hobbies, a new bike - and then helps them develop positive mindsets so they can move towards their goals. The book presents financial matters such as saving, investing and budgeting in fun ways that children will relate to, while providing them with skills that go far beyond the monetary. It retails for $19.95 in the shops or you can order it at AforAttitude.com.au. I’ve long believed that success principles are universal – what works in the sporting arena will also work in the business one. This is why another pick is “Fitter Faster Stronger Smarter” by performance psychologist, Miranda Banks, who unveils the principles that top sporting individuals and teams use to improve performance. She then illustrates how ‘the average person’ can use this model to effect personal change in their own lives. This book will encourage readers to spring off the starting blocks to deliver their personal best in any area. You’ll find it at all good bookstores for $29.95. If these are unavailable don’t forget the old favourites The Richest Man in Babylon by Clason, Ageing Well by Vaillant and my own Making Money Made Simple. They have all been in the best seller list for years. When you are browsing, remember the famous words of speaker Charlie Tremendous Jones – “where you will be in the next five years will depend on the books you read and the people you meet in that time.” A good book chosen carefully can change a life. Noel Whittaker is a director of Whittaker Macnaught, a division of HBOS Australia. This advice is general in nature and readers should seek their own expert advice before making financial decisions. His email is noelwhit@gil.com.au Click here to visit the A for Attitude product page to learn more about this and other Attitude resources.