# The Art of Money Getting by P.T. Barnum 8 Hacker News commenters recommended The Art of Money Getting by P.T. Barnum and 6 criticized it, November 2025 to November 2026. It was recommended in 1 of 13 months. **Verdict:** Recommended as a short, practical guide to persistence and self-improvement from a 19th-century showman, read more as inspiration than current financial advice. ## Why people recommend it - Teaches useful life rules and persistence (2 comments): "the rules stated by Phineas Taylor Barnum help one navigate in life while nonetheless contributing positively to society" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48262057)) "For me "Persevere" is probably the main one" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48255652)) ## What people warn about - Dated 19th-century advice (2 comments): "Some of it is very 19th-century and easy to over-romanticize" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48256516)) "Nobody is going to seriously discuss moneymaking tips from 1880" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48249322)) ## Alternatives hackers recommend - [How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie](https://hackerapproved.com/p/how-to-win-friends-and-influence-people.md): 67 recommend - [Atomic Habits by James Clear](https://hackerapproved.com/p/atomic-habits.md): 20 recommend - [The Easy Way to Stop Smoking by Allen Carr](https://hackerapproved.com/p/easy-way-to-stop-smoking.md): 9 recommend - [Feeling Good by David Burns](https://hackerapproved.com/p/feeling-good.md): 8 recommend - [The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle](https://hackerapproved.com/p/power-of-now.md): 7 recommend ## Where to get it - [See price on Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/dp/1805474669?tag=hackerapprove-20) (affiliate link) - [Bookshop.org](https://bookshop.org/a/130825/9781805474661) (affiliate link) ## Cite as Hacker Approved, "The Art of Money Getting by P.T. Barnum", https://hackerapproved.com/p/art-of-money-getting/ (counts from 1,795,640 Hacker News comments, November 2025 to November 2026).