• The Number

  • A Completely Different Way to Think About the Rest of Your Life
  • By: Lee Eisenberg
  • Narrated by: Lee Eisenberg
  • Length: 6 hrs and 10 mins
  • 3.2 out of 5 stars (111 ratings)

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The Number  By  cover art

The Number

By: Lee Eisenberg
Narrated by: Lee Eisenberg
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Publisher's summary

The often-avoided, anxiety-riddled discussion about financial planning for a secure and fulfilling future has been given a new starting point in The Number by Lee Eisenberg. The buzz of professionals and financial industry insiders everywhere, the Number represents the amount of money and resources people will need to enjoy the active life they desire, especially post-career. Backed by imaginative reporting and insights, Eisenberg urges people to assume control and responsibility for their standard of living, and take greater aim on their long-term aspirations.

From Wall Street to Main Street USA, the Number means different things to different people. It is constantly fluctuating in people's minds and bank accounts. To some, the Number symbolizes freedom, validation of career success, the ticket to luxurious indulgences and spiritual exploration; to others, it represents the bewildering and nonsensical nightmare of an impoverished existence creeping up on them in their old age, a seemingly hopeless inevitability that they would rather simply ignore than confront. People are highly private and closed-mouthed when it comes to discussing their Numbers, or lack thereof, for fear they might either reveal too much or display ineptitude.

In The Number, Eisenberg describes this secret anxiety as the "Last Taboo", a conundrum snared in confusing financial lingo. He sorts through the fancy jargon and translates the Number into commonsense advice that resonates just as easily with the aging gods and goddesses of corporate boardrooms as it does with ordinary people who are beginning to realize that retirement is now just a couple of decades away. Believing that the Number is as much about self-worth as it is net worth, Eisenberg strives to help readers better understand and more efficiently manage all aspects of their life, money, and pursuit of happiness.

©2006 Lee Eisenberg (P)2006 Simon & Schuster, Inc. SOUND IDEAS is an imprint of Simon & Schuster Audio Division, Simon & Schuster Inc.

Critic reviews

"His perceptive analyses of real and fictional people's financial hopes and strategies will inspire readers to reconsider their Numbers and their methods for investing." (Publishers Weekly)

What listeners say about The Number

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  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars

Lots of stories, not much useful info

I think the publisher's description is misleading--this book is really more of a reporter's documentary about the history of retirement in the United States than ANY kind of a financial planning book. The author talks endlessly about case studies, stories and fictitious examples, but there is VERY little actual usable information in here. I would not buy it or read it again.

For a much better book about conscious financial & retirement planning, I very highly recommend "Your Money Or Your Life". It was far superior to this book.

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16 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars

Best read by a professional

Like some of the other comments here, this won't be a source of detailed financial planning advice, however, I don't believe the author intended it as such. The best frame of mind for this book is someone looking for a 35000 ft. overview of how to think about retirement goals. It would be a good read for a transaction oriented broker looking for pointers on how to converse with client about retirement goals in language other than raw numbers and returns. As an individual there is no such thing as a DIY retirment planning manual and anyone searching for one is bound to be greatly dissapointed by anything held out as such.

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6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars

Misleading Description

This book is a complete waste of time and does not match the description of the publisher at all. I was 20 mts into the book and realized that the published intentionally misled me. The quality of narration too is very poor i n comparison to other books I have downloaded from Audible.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars

aerotunes

Average read. No profound insights into the issue. I would take a pass on this one.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

I personally didn't like it.

sounds like the author was trying too hard. But the information didn't seem relevant. It was kind of a boring read as well.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

Not what it said it was

Would you try another book from Lee Eisenberg and/or Lee Eisenberg?

Probably not

What was most disappointing about Lee Eisenberg’s story?

It did not provide info promised.

You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

Didn't want to spend time getting past the disappointment.

Any additional comments?

This book is a bit of a waste of time as it does not live up to the promise in the description of the publisher, not even a little bit. I listened for 30 minutes, and looked back at the publishers description to see if I had loaded the wrong track. Nope. It was the right track, and the publishers description was nice but not accurate. Maybe the publisher was referencing a different book?

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars

Not Much Here of Value

There is not much in this book that hasn't already been said before. I got the impression that the author simply gathered together information from other sources and pulled together a book with little original thought.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Thoughtful & well done

Clever, flowing story with interesting research beyond the typical retirement book. Helps rethinking and to focus on what's really important to you.

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