A rollicking collection of fascinating stories, folklore, and claims about money and personal finance throughout American history that shows both the vast changes in beliefs over time as well as the truths that remain timeless. From Benjamin Franklin to Dave Ramsey, a lot of what "everyone knows" about money has changed dramatically over the past 250 years. In fact, much of the advice we take for granted today has not always been true, and strategies that we think are new have been tried--and failed--more than once. In some eras, parents taught their children not to save, and for many years, it was common knowledge that stocks were for suckers. Still, other so-called antiquated notions are not as outdated as we think. In this lively and unique survey, historian Joseph S. Moore explores how Americans have viewed money and finances throughout the nation''s history, including the twists and turns, continuities and discontinuities. From looking at the changing landscape of retirement and the surprising origins of the FIRE movement to what the past can teach us about crypto, Moore shares the unexpected and often counter-intuitive lessons history has to teach us and reveals how the most lasting advice isn''t about investing or even spending. Throughout, Moore interweaves his personal economic history--a journey to prosperity that includes tales of wild investment ideas, get-rich-quick schemes, and financial gurus. Ultimately, Moore finds that despite public opinion, financial success has never been easier to achieve in American history than it is today. Concise and accessible, filled with eye-opening and surprising facts, How to Get Rich in American History is a thoughtful, factual, and encouraging read that sheds new light on the prospects of getting by and getting ahead in America.

Autorentext

Joseph S. Moore, Ph.D., is an author, historian, and investor whose previous works appeared in such outlets as the New York Times and Oxford University Press.

Klappentext

In richly told stories and wild self-experiments, historian Joseph Moore tests history’s best and worst financial advice to find what worked, what didn’t, and why everyday people can still get ahead—including you.

What if so-called timeless beliefs about money like “invest for the long run,” “compound interest builds wealth,” and “real estate always goes up” were shockingly new . . . and rarely true.

From Benjamin Franklin to TikTok gurus, what “everyone knows” about personal finance has rarely stayed the same. Parents once taught children not to save and that stocks were only for suckers. Meanwhile, supposedly new phenomenon like AirBnb, crypto, skipping lattes, and complaints that nobody can get ahead are far older than we think.

In How to Get Rich in American History, Joseph Moore presents the first ever history of financial advice in the US, sharing the unexpected and counter-intuitive lessons of the past—from the scams we keep falling for to the long allure of creating generational wealth—so we can avoid the same mistakes and make the most of our own finances today.

Along the way, Moore tries these old ideas on himself, with hair-raising and hilarious results. His personal journey includes wild investments, get-rich-quick schemes, founding a cryptocurrency, and how he went from his working-class roots and facing financial ruin to retiring in his forties. Ultimately, Moore finds that despite today’s loud pessimists, success has never been easier to achieve in American history than it is right now.

Fun, accessible, and filled with eye-opening insights you can apply for yourself alongside laugh out loud stories you never learned in school, How to Get Rich in American History pushes back against skeptics who claim the American Dream is out of reach. It is a thoughtful, practical, and surprisingly hopeful read that sheds new light on the prospects of getting by and getting ahead then . . . and now.