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The Gospel of Wealth Essays and Other Writings (text only) annotated edition edition by D. Nasaw A. Carnegie
The Gospel of Wealth Essays and Other Writings (Penguin Classics) [Paperback]Andrew Carnegie (Author) David Nasaw (Contributor)
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First published May 16, 1901
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
January 12, 2010
I WANT to like Andrew Carnegie. After all, my first "real" job was at the Carnegie Museum, I went to grad school at Carnegie Mellon, and often visited my local Carnegie Library. So he must be a good guy, right?
In the world of philanthropy, I've heard "The Gospel of Wealth" spoken of in positive terms. But, wow, it's really quite different from what I imagined. I was shocked to read what Carnegie thought about wealth and its proper distribution.
The book contains more than that one essay, and though I read about half of the other works, it's really that central piece that is a must-read if you want to gain a little more insight into the truth about Carnegie, as opposed to the glorified myth you may have in mind (especially if you grew up in southwestern Pennsylvania).
In the world of philanthropy, I've heard "The Gospel of Wealth" spoken of in positive terms. But, wow, it's really quite different from what I imagined. I was shocked to read what Carnegie thought about wealth and its proper distribution.
The book contains more than that one essay, and though I read about half of the other works, it's really that central piece that is a must-read if you want to gain a little more insight into the truth about Carnegie, as opposed to the glorified myth you may have in mind (especially if you grew up in southwestern Pennsylvania).
February 16, 2021
“The man who dies thus rich dies disgraced.”
An exercise in recalibration for those whom wish to accumulate wealth for wealths sake. Written over 100 years ago by the then richest man in the world, this book provides examples of how the successful businessperson should allocate their resources; not for frivolous extravagance but rather for the betterment of society as a whole.
To paraphrase Carnegie, those who accumulate great wealth are simply caretakers of that wealth and have the responsibility to spend it in ways which benefit the communities from which it was derived.
This collection of essays is truly a must read for all of those currently pursuing or just starting their journey in business.
An exercise in recalibration for those whom wish to accumulate wealth for wealths sake. Written over 100 years ago by the then richest man in the world, this book provides examples of how the successful businessperson should allocate their resources; not for frivolous extravagance but rather for the betterment of society as a whole.
To paraphrase Carnegie, those who accumulate great wealth are simply caretakers of that wealth and have the responsibility to spend it in ways which benefit the communities from which it was derived.
This collection of essays is truly a must read for all of those currently pursuing or just starting their journey in business.
March 13, 2020
who knew what money had to offer? this was the man to ask.
why go and chase money? its a waste of time. this man Andrew Carnegie was the best teacher to have, when we hear of Carnegie hall or the Carnegie library this was the man that made all that happen.
he throws everyone off balance by showing what the purpose of money was truly about, not the things but the people we are to help. we bigin by looking at the change in the labor practices to the way that estates are putting money into practice.
this is a must read, if you think you know how to handle money you don't till you read this. slow down and pay attention and be inspired by the truth on what true wealth is. this was a hard learned lesson that only was learned after years of heart ache and pain and regret.
hope you get this book i highly recommend it and truly enjoyed learned from such a man that made a lasting impact on the world we currently live in. i can only hope that i can be able to do half as much.
i sincerely suggest you read such a book by such a great man.
why go and chase money? its a waste of time. this man Andrew Carnegie was the best teacher to have, when we hear of Carnegie hall or the Carnegie library this was the man that made all that happen.
he throws everyone off balance by showing what the purpose of money was truly about, not the things but the people we are to help. we bigin by looking at the change in the labor practices to the way that estates are putting money into practice.
this is a must read, if you think you know how to handle money you don't till you read this. slow down and pay attention and be inspired by the truth on what true wealth is. this was a hard learned lesson that only was learned after years of heart ache and pain and regret.
hope you get this book i highly recommend it and truly enjoyed learned from such a man that made a lasting impact on the world we currently live in. i can only hope that i can be able to do half as much.
i sincerely suggest you read such a book by such a great man.
September 2, 2021
For me, this book really showed its age. The parts that deal with Andrew Carnegie's beliefs about philanthropy and wealth hold up pretty well, but much of the rest is woven through with overgeneralizations and outdated viewpoints. That's the hazard of putting down your thoughts on paper for future generations to read, I guess! I did take away a few nuggets of wisdom, but overall this was a slog to get through.
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April 5, 2021Skipped the eponymous essay because Carnegie was a social Darwinist. I read the essay on 'how to become a man of business', which I liked.
May 4, 2020
Refreshing to see a capitalist pushing for greater distribution taxes (more specifically for inheritance taxes) and for greater philanthropy. John Rawls-ish arguments where Carnegie argues that a capitalist cannot credit all of his profits merely to his own talent and hardwork, as his profits are a product of his community's prosperity - think real estate and their value appreciation, "in no other field is the making of wealth so greatly dependent upon the community, so little upon the owner, who may wholly neglect it without injury - no other clear form of wealth should contribution to the nation so greatly".
June 24, 2008
Fascinating examination of the distribution of wealth from the perspective of one of the major philanthropists of the 20th century. Carnegie's views on philanthropic giving are thought-provoking and surprising!
August 9, 2011
Andrew Carnegie's not your average millionaire, he's probably one of the only wealthy businessmen to evoke such philosophical significance and empiricism that it truly captures and epitomizes the true worth of a wealthy individual and that of being a philanthropist.
March 19, 2012
Because I do not have much background in business education, I found this book quite informative. Carnegie's essays also discuss his experience with being a tycoon, and generalizing these experiences, though I wonder if rich people are more diverse.
March 2, 2024
3.75
July 28, 2015
Only by studying the lives of others can you even begin to understand anything about them. This is merely a sampling of this man's process of thought.
June 1, 2019
Great business book and an love letter to capitalism.
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August 11, 2018Excepting Life 3.0,
this turns a joint ascetic means of bounty bliss breach beyond my Eyes Wide Shuts’ atavism - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews