Rich Dad Poor Dad review

Rich Dad Poor Dad is Robert Kiyosaki's semi-autobiographical argument that the financial education most people receive — from schools, from parents, from conventional wisdom — prepares them for the wrong life. Kiyosaki contrasts two father figures: his biological father (the "poor dad"), a highly educated government employee who worked hard and died broke, and his friend's father (the "rich dad"), a businessman with little formal education who built wealth through ownership and investment. The book has sold over 40 million copies since its publication and launched a publishing empire, though Kiyosaki has attracted sustained criticism over factual accuracy and financial advice that cuts against mainstream financial guidance.

The core framework is the distinction between assets and liabilities, defined in Kiyosaki's non-standard way: assets put money in your pocket, and liabilities take money out. Under this definition, a primary residence is a liability (it requires ongoing expenses and doesn't generate income), not an asset as accountants would classify it. The wealthy buy assets — businesses, real estate, stocks — that generate income without requiring their time. The poor and middle class buy liabilities — cars, large homes, gadgets — and call them assets.