The Latino Journey to Financial Greatness: 10 Steps to Creating Wealth, Security, and a Prosperous Future for You and Your Family

The subject of cultural attitudes toward money is a touchy one, but Barajas, a financial planner who moved back to the barrios of East Los Angeles to help his community after making good at a Newport Beach accounting and consulting firm, tackles it head on. Among the barriers to prosperity that he identifies in Latin cultures are the ""Manana"" syndrome (putting things off until tomorrow); the ""Compadre"" problem (trusting people who may not be entirely qualified); and the ""Machismo"" ethic (never admitting you've made a mistake). Barajas counters this gloomy roundup by exhorting Latinos to get financially educated and take full advantage of the community's $477 billion (and growing) buying power. Part financial primer, part self-help tome and part Latino parable, this is a lively and readable approach to money management (complete with spending worksheets). Nobel treatise it's not, but its combination of practical tips with trenchant social insights is unique and effective.