Dear Money Adventurer,
I’ve shared this story before, but I think it’s worth sharing again because I get asked this question so often:
“What are you reading, Bari? And more specifically, what money books are you reading?”
Just yesterday, I was asked this question during an Art of Money book club meeting. It was then that I answered honestly that even though I read a lot, I RARELY read books about money.
Everyone was shocked.
Sure, at the beginning of my Financial Therapy career, I read all the money books out there. Some of my favorites were: The Soul of Money by Lynne Twist, Money and the Meaning of Life by Jacob Needleman, and Your Money or Your Life by Joe Dominguez and Vicki Robin. But this was at least 20 years ago!
I do currently enjoy reading about the practical side of money via Nerdwallet, NYTimes – Your Money and EasyMoney by Policygenius.
And, recently, I had to do some research for my Art of Money program (which is now On Demand), and read two current money books that I’ll share in a moment.
I was updating one of the modules on Couples, Parenting, and Kids Money Dynamics. While I had plenty of content for couples and money, I needed some updated information for the kids and money section. I was interested in finding new ways to engage in money conversations with our family members in a healthy and creative way.
I found two books that really satisfied this craving. The titles are: The Opposite of Spoiled by Ron Lieber and How to Make Your Kid a Money Genius by Beth Kobliner.
In regards to the psychological side of money or life, I personally learn way more by reading fiction and memoirs. I’ve always learned best through storytelling. It’s probably why my Art of Money book has so many stories in it, both from my own personal life and from other people in the AOM community.
It’s also why I teach about the macro side of money through my intimate storytelling series, Money Memoirs. In this series, folks from all different backgrounds, lineages, and socio-economic status share their experiences with money. You can enjoy these interviews on my blog and on my podcast.
I love reading novels and memoirs because I love learning about other people’s lineage, culture, experiences, history, trauma, joys, trials, tribulations, and triumphs. If I had to name one book from 2020 as a must-read, I would highly recommend Know My Name, a memoir by Chanel Miller.
If you want to see the current books I’m reading, I love to share them on my Instagram stories. You can follow me here and watch my stories for my late night book reading, where at least one of my kitties comes to join me. Also, a few of my favorite memoir/fiction bookstacks from 2020 can be found here and here.
Happy Reading!
