Rich Brother, Rich Sister: 04/06/09

Here I am again with the unpleasant task of reviewing an unsolicited book. It's a book that I would have never said yes to because I don't like reading self-help or get-rich-my-way type of books. Rich Brother, Rich Sister by siblings Robert and Emi Kiyosaki has the added squick factor that rich brother won't help out sick sister with her health care costs unless she helps him write a book. And I'm somehow supposed to get the warm fuzzies from this? No, what I want to do is give both siblings a boot to the head (but for different reasons).

The book is written in alternating parts by both siblings. They spend a good deal of their time reminiscing about how tough their childhoods were in Hawaii growing up in a family of well educated parents with a tight budget. Gosh, it sounds terrible growing up in a stable loving family.

Robert's parts are further tempered with his time in Vietnam and his anger at God. He tries to use these experiences to explain why I should want to use his system for getting rich and for why he's making his sister write this book. It doesn't work. He just comes off as annoying, whinny and selfish.

Emi's parts don't fare much better unfortunately. I expected a little more insight from a Buddhist monk but none of that comes through in this book. Instead her chapters about how hard it was to be a girl in a family of boys and how she felt compelled to abandon her daughter with her ex-husband to seek out spiritual enlightenment and how she's now a better person for all of it. That's nice message but it's not presented in a convincing manner.

The only thing I came away from this book is something I already knew: siblings are very different people even when they have the same parents. The same set of experiences can have very different life lessons and that's just part of life.

Comments (0)

Comment #1: Tuesday, April, 7, 2009 at 22:35:49

Jade

Very honest review. I agree with the last paragraph: siblings are very different people even when they have the same parents. So true.

Comment #2: Saturday, April 11, 2009 at 16:50:34

Pussreboots

Thank you for your comment. I normally would not have read this book but I feel like I should when I'm sent a book for review (even an unsolicited one).