Tuesday, 15 March 2016

Early Retirement Extreme (Jacob Lung Fisker)


The author is also the man behind the website of the same name. He managed to retire in his thirties and this book details his thoughts and philosophies.

As Fisker states, this is not a how-to book, investment book or even a pure money management book. Instead, it is a book to inspire thinking about thinking and the way to lead one's life. There is a section covering the book's purpose, Fisker's thoughts about our culture and society today, ideas of different kinds of economic men, his ideals, strategy and tactics and tips on how to lead an ideal lifestyle to reach retirement. However, it is not limited to retirement as there are comments on spending, thinking, health, environment, etc. which are different aspects of his holistic view, which he imparts in the book. 

The examples and concepts have been abstracted so that it is applicable to almost anyone. An open-minded person would find this book enlightening. It is easy to read but the ideas need time for reflection and internalisation. I would not recommend this book for everyone except for people who are interested in an alternative lifestyle. However, it is still a very good book and is sure to give readers a different angle to consider about their lives and their environment beyond money. The recommended reading list in the back holds a wide range of topics across a few "famous" books, which I particularly liked. 

Recommended: No. This book is not for everyone although select readers will find it useful. 

Found in NLB: Yes