24/09/2026
“The Art of Spending Money”
by Morgan Housel
Book Review by Aladi Ezhilvanan
As someone who loves to read books on anthropology, history, leadership, Dravidam, and the glory of the Tamil language, I picked up the renowned author Morgan Housel’s “The Art of Spending Money” for a change.
Morgan Housel is a perfect example of how English writers excel at weaving the right information into the title and chapters. I easily finished this book of 21 interesting chapters and about 245 pages in 6 days. The writing style and information are engaging for the reader. The cover of the book might suggest it is about money, economy, savings, and spending. But as you read, “The Art of Spending Money” teaches us through others’ experiences that there is much more to human growth than just money.
The information that 90% of lottery winners do not live as rich people surprises us. The mindset of lottery winners and how people around them approach them is a lesson for us.
The part of “The Art of Spending Money” that amazed me was the heart-wrenching story of those who acquired immense wealth before the age of 25 and lost it because they could not handle it properly. In particular, he explains how young sportspersons get dazzled by sudden wealth and influence and lose their way. It is comforting to know that today such athletes are getting proper guidance.
The author sprinkles acronyms like FIRE (Financial Independence & Retire Early), YOLO (You Only Live Once), FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) throughout the book like a fragrance.
In the 1970s, American drug lord Frank Lucas remained uncaught as long as he lived simply. Seeing an ordinary drug dealer live luxuriously, he planned to show that he too was affluent. He sat in the front row in luxurious attire to watch the Mohammed Ali - Joe Frazier boxing match. This attracted many people’s attention, and that became his downfall. Attending the “Fight of the Century” became the reason for Frank Lucas to go to jail for 17 years.
This book made me realize that just like human evolution, economic growth will sustain only if it grows slowly.
Proud Reader
Aladi Ezhilvanan
