The Money Mustache Community

General Discussion => Welcome and General Discussion => Topic started by: ThatGuy on January 22, 2019, 08:49:20 PM

Title: This might be the first book published describing how to FIRE
Post by: ThatGuy on January 22, 2019, 08:49:20 PM
I came across this article about a book published in 1960.  The ideas are very similar to what is preached in FIRE blogs.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/nextavenue/2017/09/03/5-ways-to-retire-without-money/amp/

BTW it is available on Amazon but it's kind of pricey.
Title: Re: This might be the first book published describing how to FIRE
Post by: Dee on January 22, 2019, 08:56:48 PM
What a neat find! I'd never heard of that book or author before.
Title: Re: This might be the first book published describing how to FIRE
Post by: Linea_Norway on January 23, 2019, 01:39:46 AM
Great article/book. Funny to see that the book already use the term "rat race". So that is not new to our time.

His principles are the same as we see on the MMM site.
Title: Re: This might be the first book published describing how to FIRE
Post by: Classical_Liberal on January 23, 2019, 01:57:28 AM
Nice find!
Title: Re: This might be the first book published describing how to FIRE
Post by: wageslave23 on January 23, 2019, 09:11:12 AM
Good thing he retired early since he ended up dying at 65! 
Title: Re: This might be the first book published describing how to FIRE
Post by: cerat0n1a on January 23, 2019, 10:13:31 AM
I found a scan of the book through the search bar at the online books page

https://onlinebooks.library.upenn.edu/

It's quite amusingly written and I'd say very much in line with MMM principles.
Title: Re: This might be the first book published describing how to FIRE
Post by: ThatGuy on January 23, 2019, 02:15:21 PM
I found a scan of the book through the search bar at the online books page

https://onlinebooks.library.upenn.edu/

It's quite amusingly written and I'd say very much in line with MMM principles.

Thanks!  I didn't know that search site existed.
Title: Re: This might be the first book published describing how to FIRE
Post by: cerat0n1a on January 23, 2019, 03:44:06 PM
I found a scan of the book through the search bar at the online books page

https://onlinebooks.library.upenn.edu/

It's quite amusingly written and I'd say very much in line with MMM principles.

Thanks!  I didn't know that search site existed.

Neither did I until I searched for the above book!
Title: Re: This might be the first book published describing how to FIRE
Post by: Rosy on January 23, 2019, 05:33:34 PM
I do remember reading this one a long time ago. Flipping the adobe houses was an interesting idea.
I'll have to look it up again.
Thanks.
Title: Re: This might be the first book published describing how to FIRE
Post by: Mtngrl on January 24, 2019, 07:40:12 AM
I am enjoying reading this. Of course, the $$ figures he mentions are mind-boggling to me. COL was much, much lower then (though I'm sure, so were wages.)
Title: Re: This might be the first book published describing how to FIRE
Post by: LaineyAZ on January 24, 2019, 07:46:49 AM
Another early writer:  Ernest Callenbach, author of Living Poor with Style, published in 1972.  (title later changed to Living Cheaply with Style). 
https://www.amazon.com/Living-Poor-Style-Ernest-Callenbach/dp/B0012X5QDK/ref=sr_1_7?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1548341123&sr=1-7&keywords=ernest+callenbach

A personal favorite, and one I stumbled on in college.
Title: Re: This might be the first book published describing how to FIRE
Post by: aceyou on January 25, 2019, 07:01:38 AM
Good thing he retired early since he ended up dying at 65! 

Eh, that was pretty normal at that time, right?  Everyone smoked, and pretty much any heart condition or cancer meant game over.  But yes, point well taken, he got to enjoy many years he wouldn't of otherwise had.

Great find OP!  Seemed like a pretty forward thinker!
Title: Re: This might be the first book published describing how to FIRE
Post by: cerat0n1a on January 25, 2019, 08:31:20 AM
I am enjoying reading this. Of course, the $$ figures he mentions are mind-boggling to me. COL was much, much lower then (though I'm sure, so were wages.)

I like the bit where he suggests Monte Carlo and St. Tropez as cheap places to live on the French Riviera. Also where he talks about importing Dutch girls to the US to work as servants. Times have definitely changed.
Title: Re: This might be the first book published describing how to FIRE
Post by: RetiredAt63 on January 27, 2019, 11:40:03 AM
Bob Belmont was Mack Reynolds (or I suppose vice versa) - his SF was interesting and a lot of it is now on Gutenberg, if anyone wants to see how his mind worked.
Title: Re: This might be the first book published describing how to FIRE
Post by: RetiredAt63 on January 27, 2019, 11:42:14 AM
These are recurring themes, MMM is nothing new.

https://www.amazon.com/How-Survive-Without-Salary-Conserver/dp/1895629683/ref=sr_1_7?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1548614438&sr=1-7&keywords=Charles+Long
Title: Re: This might be the first book published describing how to FIRE
Post by: Dicey on January 27, 2019, 11:45:54 AM
Good thing he retired early since he ended up dying at 65!
I felt the same way about Joe Dominguez when he died at 58.
Title: Re: This might be the first book published describing how to FIRE
Post by: soccerluvof4 on January 28, 2019, 05:14:20 AM
When you really think about it its really just common sense. Unfortunately to many people dont have any. He spelled it out though for anyone to understand and so long ago. Cool!