The Thin Green Line: The Money Secrets of the Super Wealthy

This book’s message can be summed up in the title of its epilogue: “It’s Better to Be Wealthy than Rich, Even If You’re Poor.” The titular green line is the author’s useful conceit for describing this desirable state of being. A financial journalist, Sullivan consults with experts from the “one percent” to prescribe a set of strategies for achieving financial stability, such as investing in education for one’s children rather than spending time and energy on avoiding taxes. Most important, in his opinion, is understanding how your feelings about earning, saving, and spending motivate financial decisions. Sullivan lays bare a number of his own financial concerns, foibles, and successes. His personal journey, which includes being grilled by the TIGER 21 club (a kind of therapy group for the financial elite) and a visit to Kansas State University’s behavioral finance research lab, proves both entertaining and instructive. Drawing on research in behavioral economics, the book is timely—taking up the topic of income inequality without picking a side—as well as smart. Agent: Erika Storella, Gernert Company. (Mar.)