Investing: March 2007 Archives

A few years ago, I picked up The Richest Man in Babylon by George S. Clason because I was interested in learning about money. It’s an amazing subject really, and I wanted to know more about it. The book more than fulfilled my hopes.

Written in 1926, the book is a collection of stories set in ancient Babylon, chosen because many of the financial principles still in use today originated there. The book opens with the story of Bansir and his friend Kobbi. Both have worked hard for many years and yet seem to have nothing to show for it. As they discuss how they would like to possess some of the riches they see around them, Kobbi asks what I consider to be a question so obvious I was surprised it had never occurred to me, “Might we not find out how others acquire gold and do as they do?”