Never heard of the guy. Not once. Turns out he's an infrequent poster (username "paperhawk") on the Motley Fool message boards. And a financial author, apparently.
Author/Book Site
I dunno. Any book whose publisher touts it as being "...in the tradition of Rich Dad Poor Dad" sort of makes me shudder. Is that supposed to be an especially good thing?
Nevertheless, I'll probably buy the book (used) and read it anyway. Can't be much worse than David Bach, right?
For those interested, there is a .PDF excerpt from the book here.
Friday, February 25, 2005
Jon Hanson
— Posted by Michael @ 12:02 AM
1 Comments:
Nice site Michael.
Thanks for posting information about Good Debt, Bad Debt. I really started writing a few years ago to purge my sarcasm gland. I suppose in my late forties I was starting to feel mortal, and I wanted a guide to leave my children. I can see from some of your posts about debt and the “New Affluent” you may enjoy Good Debt, Bad Debt a bit more than you are expecting.
Yes, my publisher compared it to Rich Dad, Poor Dad but that is because we want sales like RDPD, not that the book is “like it” at all.
I wrote every single character of Good Debt, Bad Debt on my lap top at Panera Bread in Reynoldsburg, Ohio. Aside from 10 or 15,000 people in America that heard me speaking on real estate in the mid 1980’s few will have heard of me. Truly, the message I would like to get through to America and the world is how debt takes more than just your money. I also cover houses, spouses, and cars.
It is a call to personal responsibility and total stewardship. We sold the Taiwanese rights last month and the book will be printed in Mandarin in a month or two. The accolades from People Magazine, USAToday and the Chicago Tribune in the last two months were great, but what really does my heart good is the emails I am getting from all over the world. From Singapore to Hornbeak, Tennessee these are people that really have never gave much thought about where their actions and choices will ultimately take them. If I can be the guy that helps wake them up, all the better. Many confuse income with wealth and develop what I have termed “Debtabetes®” or the inability (because of lack of cash flow or ‘financial insulin’) to break down and eliminate their debt. This is the financial equivalent of diabetes.
All the fun and sarcasm aside, US consumers are surfin’ a Tsunami of debt to what will be financial death for many. Bad Debt or consumer debt has doubled in the past five years. When I say Good Debt, I mean good uses of debt. I don’t think bad debt needs much explanation. If I can do for Good and Bad debt what Kiyosaki has done for assets and liabilities that would be good. That’s a comparison I don’t mind.
I think the reason Good Debt, Bad Debt is selling so well is that the book arises from my experience and pain. I don’t beat people up (except me) in the book I just lay out the choices and people recognize that. It is great to get emails from people that have recommended it to their friends.
Remember, the past is the past unless you still owe for it. Debt for consumption is the worst. It is a no win situation. You have granted a claim on your future for something that is gone. Debt for consumption is like financing ice in hell…
I also wrote the sarcastic songs and comedy you may access from the site. http://www.gooddebt.com/multimedia.htm
Jon Hanson
jon@gooddebt.com
www.gooddebt.com
"The Past is The Past, Unless You Still Owe For It."
A Best Bet Self-Improvement Book
Good Debt, Bad Debt by Jon Hanson. Deep down, you know the difference...But Hanson’s bracing, snappily written manual (“credit cards are the crack cocaine of the credit industry”) just might help you live like you do.— People Magazine (January 10th issue)
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