Hill Harper's face on the cover of this book might be familiar from his long-running role playing Dr. Sheldon Hawkes on CSI: NY. But he's not just a pretty face: in addition to acting in many movies and TV shows, Harper graduated cum laude from Brown, has a law degree from Harvard and master's in public administration from Harvard's Kennedy School of Government. He also has devoted much of his spare time and energy to helping others manage their lives and achieve their dreams. This is his fourth book that aims to help in that challenge.
"I hope to dispel some of the confusion and anxiety around money and show how it can be an effective tool," Harper writes. "But most important, I want to help reinvent the fundamental understanding of wealth in order to help us achieve a balanced happy and healthy life."
Although Harper does include excellent resources for making and managing money responsibly, The Wealth Cure is not only about financial wealth. To Harper, "wealth" involves the pursuit of "unreasonable happiness"--finding and following one's passion, connecting to loved ones, maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
This last element of wealth became a particular focus for the author when he was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. Before his surgery, Harper decided to take a cross-country train ride from Los Angeles to Chicago to visit a friend struggling with his marriage. This transformational journey allowed Harper to contemplate his own path to success, as well as ways to help others find their own fulfillment. The result is The Wealth Cure--a wonderful gift for anyone starting out in life and a helpful resource and reminder for all Americans during challenging economic times. -–Kristen Galles, blogger at Book Club Classics