Ed Baker's The Elephant in the Room ~ Reviewed

THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM

By Ed Baker

Published by New Life Book Distributors

Hardback 142 pages

Back Cover:

Michael Davidson is a thirty-ish executive with a good job, a loving wife, and two wonderful children and financial problems. Despite a healthy income and successful career, the Davidson’s can’t seem to accumulate any savings and are living paycheck to paycheck.

Michael is frustrated about his lack of progress toward a successful financial future, and turns to someone in his family who has been successful for “The Secret”. He is surprised when Aunt Katherine starts talking about ”the elephant in the room” rather than money, numbers, or specific investment strategies. Over a series of meetings, Michael discovers that several easy-to-understand fundamental elements, all under his control, are the REAL secrets that will have a profound impact on his family’s financial future.

Follow Michael as he discovers that the secret to financial success is having a sound financial plan that reflects your values, goals and having the disciplined behavior to stick to it. This story shows that there is no magic bullet or secret to financial success.

The real secret is contained inside, and is so easy anyone can do it.

Review:

This fictional story was one quick, easy and influential book that everyone should read at least once. It reminded me of the movie “Karate Kid” (hang in with me here). Daniel wanted to learn how to fight and be the BEST at karate. He wanted Mr. Miyagi to teach him the tricks that made him so amazing and powerful when he used karate. The first week Daniel comes to Mr. Miyagi and he has him wash the car. Then the next week he has him waxing the car. Daniel gets exasperated and feels that Mr. Miyagi is taking advantage of him. He doesn’t want to be the cleaning boy he wants to learn karate. Then one day Mr. Miyagi puts it all together for him. Daniel then sees that he had been learning Karate all along thru these tasks and at the same time getting physically stronger each week.

The same is true with Michael in this story but instead of Karate – Michael wants to learn how to be rich. He wants to be rich right now. What is the secret? What is the short cut? Each week he meets with his Aunt Katherine in hopes of this discovery. At first he’s excited about their meetings and the possibility of learning THE SECRET from his Aunt. But after a few weeks he thinks all these things she is having him and his wife do are foolish. He later finds out the rest of the story just like Daniel in karate kid. Life lessons are tough to learn sometimes. I wish I would have read this book when I was a teenager. This book has a great way of explaining a financial base from where you can start to have financial freedom. It’s made me look at several things about money in my own life that I think I need to be tweaked. It might make you take a second look at the way you manage money too. I’m very excited for this financial tool from which I can starting talking to my kids about money and not have them close the door on that subject before I even say a word. The story speaks for itself. I like that.

Reviewed by: Nora St.Laurent