cover image TAKING STOCK: A Spiritual Guide to Rising Above Life's Financial Ups and Downs

TAKING STOCK: A Spiritual Guide to Rising Above Life's Financial Ups and Downs

Benjamin Blech, , foreword by Msgr. James P. Lisante. . Amacom, $17.95 (206pp) ISBN 978-0-8144-0787-5

Rabbi Blech, a professor at Yeshiva University in New York and author of The Complete Idiot's Guide to Understanding Judaism, uses his own experience of mismanaging his money and his counseling of others to offer his insights on having a healthier attitude about money. To make his case, Blech uses not only biblical references but also thoughts from philosophers, moguls and others. His key message is the commonsense, though not original, notion that people should not equate happiness or self-worth with their bank statement: "Far too many of us have internalized this ridiculous notion by defining success in life as the ability to accumulate material possessions. That forces our self-image to constantly waver between success or failure as a human being." The book is well organized with chapters covering such topics as "Wealth or Health," "How Expensive Is a Guilt Trip," "Pessimism Is Deadly" and "Is There Life After Failure?" Each chapter includes a summary of key points, though some are quite obvious: "Money, like everything else, is good in moderation" or "Those who are wise have always known that the blessings of children, family, and love far outweigh all financial aspects of life." Readers may well find these aphorisms soothing and the book's message generally supportive. However, anyone needing practical help managing his or her money won't find specific financial advice here. (Oct.)