Commercial books are published every day, and from thousands of commercial books to choose from, how do you know which books to read? Some authors publish books to really help you make more money or get out of debt, but there are hundreds of authors who just want to take care of themselves and don’t care about your financial life.
Today, there are hundreds of books that can really change your attitude to money and help improve your financial situation today. Before buying another business book, think about the following eight recommendations and make sure your book isn’t just another fast-food book that wastes your time.
- Check out ratings and reviews on Amazon.
Amazon is a great tool to find out what people think about the book you want to read. Amazon offers a 5-star rating system with a step of 1/2 star, so you can tell whether the book is highly recommended at 5 out of 5 stars or not recommended at a lower estimate, such as 1 in 5. But be careful. with Amazon. You want to read various reviews and make sure they look real and legitimate. Many lesser-known authors create fake usernames and allow their colleagues to do the same to boost their star ratings. It’s a sad way to do more and make your books better than they really are. If you find that the book has a similar rating and only five stars, check it out again before buying. Also check out the author’s other books and see how they are evaluated. This can give you a good idea of whether the author is a worthy and respected writer.
Find the author’s credentials.
Use your favorite search engine and enter the author’s name. Check their website and find information about publishers, reviews in major newspapers and who they have written for in the past. If you find that the author is published by a reputable publisher such as Harper Collins, Three Rivers Press, Norton, Random House or John Wiley and Sons, you probably have a well-known and respected author. If you find a review of a New York Times book or a positive review in a newspaper like the Boston Globe, you can be sure that the review is in order and the book will be well read.
- Ask a friend or counselor what they recommend.
Some of the best book recommendations that some people will ever receive come from respected mentors and colleagues. For example, if you are attending business classes at a university or working in a professional office, ask your professors or colleagues what they have read and recommended. You’ll find that most people are happy to talk about books and their favorite things. People are always happy to give advice on what you should read and about the most important books they have read. Why read what strangers think online if you can hear a first-person book story from someone you trust. - Harper Collins Business Fundamentals
Harper Collins is releasing a series of books called Business Essentials, a collection of business books that are the best of the best. Many colleges and universities use these books as compulsory to read undergraduate and MBA courses. This series includes books by authors such as Michael Dell, founders Hewlett Packard and Benjamin Graham. Books of this series have sold millions of copies, and all of them should be read by any serious businessman.
Find books from business tycoons
If you go to your local bookstore and find books with reliable business advice, you’ll probably find that the vast majority of them quickly get useful advice and just take the time to read them. Many of these authors claim that they are rich and they have no links to give you financial advice. In truth, most business book authors tend to make money. However, there are writers who have properly earned their millions and billions of dollars and want to tell you how they did it for your own benefit. Bill Gates, Warren Buffett, Michael Dell, etc., have made their money right. These people don’t want to take your money; they already have billions of dollars. They just hope to tell you their story and tell you how anyone, including you, can turn from rags into riches. You can be sure that your money is well spent on books written by business moguls, and that their tips are some of the best of the best in the business world.
- Avoid the books “Fast Enrichment” or “Earn millions now.”
Everyone has heard the saying: “If it sounds too good to be true, most likely it is.” The same rule applies to commercial books. Bookstore shelves are filled with books on how to “get rich quickly” or how to use the author’s Five Secret Steps to become a millionaire. In truth, most of these books are completely unnecessary. The authors will tell you that they are millionaires who have earned themselves, and live the life that they have always dreamed of, but will never tell how they earned millions of dollars. Why ask for advice about money from someone you’ve never heard of? Instead of spending hard-earned money on useless books of potential millionaires, it is wise to spend money on proven books written by someone outstanding.
Read the front pages
If you usually buy books from your local bookstore or online on websites such as Corner Office Books or Amazon, read not only book reviews, but also front pages. Reading the first 5-10 pages, look for phrases that may interest you, telling you how to live the life you’ve always dreamed of, and how to quickly earn a million dollars. You can get a general idea of the book’s authenticity by reading a few pages in a few minutes.
- Look for books that have been sold for more than 50 years.
There are many books that have been published for decades. You may even come across books by authors such as Dale Carnegie that have been highly recommended and published for over 70 years. If the book has been published for decades, you can bet it’s a great book. You will also find books by authors such as Benjamin Graham and Warren Buffett that are proven and full of good principles and advice. These authors are usually very old or dead, but their books were alive and tried to get good advice and principles that are today valuable to businessmen.