The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich

"The 4-Hour Workweek" offers interesting ideas and new perspectives, however they will not be practical for most readers. The book is worth reading anyway for the thought provoking perspective on your job and lifestyle; and ways you can change them.

Timothy Ferriss urges we abandoned the "deferred-life", 9 to 5 employee lifestyle we now live and join the "New Rich". He defines "New Rich" as those who are free to travel as they please, work from were they want when they want and live a luxury lifestyle.

"The 4-Hour Workweek" has a system called "DEAL" to help us achieve that lifestyle. That is an acronym for Definition, Elimination, Automation and Liberation. These topics go on to form the four main sections of the book.

Ferriss is very enthusiastic about the ideas he presents. However his plan is mostly relevant to aggressive business savvy young singles like him. There are a few mentions of one family, but there was no real information about how to address the challenges that families would face. This gives the books a very self-centered and self-indulgent feel.

Never the less the discussion of the role of work in a persons life is important. Many people work for works sake, without ever considering what they would rather be doing and how to achieve it. He does address many of the fears that would hold you back from making that kind of change.

"The 4-Hour Workweek" includes extensive discussion of starting the kind of business that would be suited to the this "New Rich" lifestyle. This is also limited by a very narrow range. The only kinds of businesses discussed involve web advertising, outsource manufacturing and contract fulfillment. Clearly this can work for many people, but is the really the only way, or is it just the only thing the author has done?

There is a lot to be gained by thinking about the subjects raised in "The 4-Hour Workweek", and the Ferriss's recommendations will be useful to some readers. However the plan is only suitable to a small subset of people. The book is strongly based on the authors experience. It be honorable that he is only recommending things that he has done himself, but it limits the value of the book to people in his demographic. The occasionally preachy tone is a only a mild annoyance.

I started reading this book last October and was inspired by the mini-retirement aspect. Ironically, I was let go from my job during the time I was reading this. I discussed taking a mini retirement with my husband and convinced him we could go away for the summer and he could work while we were on the go.
We actually did it! My husband and I took our three kids (ages 8, 5, and turning one) to France for a month. We stayed in Nice, Normandy, Bordeaux, Orleans, and Paris. My husband was able to continue working, although somewhat reduced hours with Skype and the internet. We met others on our travels doing similar things. Although the euro/$ was 1.65/1 we managed okay.
Next summer we are going to South America, maybe Mexico. We learned from our first trip what works and what does not, especially with the kids.

I enjoyed this book very much. The first portion of the book has many helpful hints regarding managing one's life and work. Tim Ferris has a unique outlook on how one should arrange their life and, I suspect, that most of us can benefit, in some way, from his example.

The last portion of this book will be of particular interest to those who wish to make their money from selling a great product online. If your personal "get rich quick" plan focuses on real estate, stocks, or "brick and mortar" businesses, then this portion of his book may be of little use to you.

Overall, this book is a great buy and well worth your time!

Here's the story in a nutshell....find/develope/market a product that sells. Now have other people do all your work for you so you can travel the world. What a piece of crap.

I LOVE YOU TIM FERRIS. Thank you for being so ON HIT! You can have a date with me any time...

Who ever thought a book on organizing your lifestyle could be so damn sexy?

Hilarious, inspirational, easy to read, non-stop revelations and hard-core usable data and resources. This is the ultimate entrepreneurial textbook.