The Art of Money Getting
The Art of Money Getting by P.T. Barnumby P.T. Barnum
Shares rank 4 of 22 self-help books by recommenders
Recommended as a short, practical guide to persistence and self-improvement from a 19th-century showman, read more as inspiration than current financial advice.
Recommended as a short, practical guide to persistence and self-improvement from a 19th-century showman, read more as inspiration than current financial advice.
14 people gave an opinion
- recommend it
- 8
- criticize it
- 6
- approval share
- 57%
Recommended in 1 of 13 months
- November 2025: not recommended
- December 2025: not recommended
- January 2026: not recommended
- February 2026: not recommended
- March 2026: not recommended
- April 2026: not recommended
- May 2026: recommended
- June 2026: not recommended
- July 2026: not recommended
- August 2026: not recommended
- September 2026: not recommended
- October 2026: not recommended
- November 2026: not recommended (month in progress)
Why it doesn’t carry the badge
- 8 people recommend itNeeds 10 or more, not met.
- 1.3 recommenders for every criticNeeds 2 to 1 or better, not met.
- Recommended in 1 of 13 monthsNeeds 4 or more, not met.
The same three rules apply to every product, and the badge can’t be bought. How the badge works
What people say about it
The reasons people give, with the number of comments that give each one. Open a reason to read what they said.
Why people recommend it
Each mark is one comment
Teaches useful life rules and persistence
“the rules stated by Phineas Taylor Barnum help one navigate in life while nonetheless contributing positively to society”
Comment from 24 May 2026 in “The Art of Money Getting” “For me "Persevere" is probably the main one”
Comment from 24 May 2026 in “The Art of Money Getting”
What people warn about
Each mark is one comment
Dated 19th-century advice
“Some of it is very 19th-century and easy to over-romanticize”
Comment from 24 May 2026 in “The Art of Money Getting” “Nobody is going to seriously discuss moneymaking tips from 1880”
Comment from 23 May 2026 in “The Art of Money Getting”
Other self-help books people recommend
The four most recommended other self-help books, with the same counts for each, so you can compare like for like. The tick on each bar marks the 2 to 1 line the badge needs.
| Product | Recommend | Criticize | Approval | Months | Owned | Badge |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| How to Win Friends and Influence Peopleby Dale Carnegie | 67 | 25 | 73% | 11 | — | Approved |
| Atomic Habitsby James Clear | 20 | 2 | 91% | 11 | — | Approved |
| The Easy Way to Stop Smokingby Allen Carr | 9 | 0 | 100% | 4 | — | — |
| The Art of Money Gettingby P.T. BarnumThis page | 8 | 6 | 57% | 1 | — | — |
| Feeling Goodby David Burns | 8 | 0 | 100% | 5 | — | — |
What people said
13 of the 14 comments that mention it, newest first. Each links to the original comment.
“the rules stated by Phineas Taylor Barnum help one navigate in life while nonetheless contributing positively to society”
“So don't buy a house, I suppose.”
“Some of it is very 19th-century and easy to over-romanticize”
“For me "Persevere" is probably the main one”
“This is inspiration and not advice for today's world.”
“Not really given I already read most of the classics on personal finances and self-help.”
“this more or less equates to saying to young people "do not ever think about owning the place you live in"”
“This is a great little book that everyone should read.”
“They manufacture the idea that their specific worldview is the 'correct' one just to collect book royalties and speaking fees.”
“It is all just his opinion, without any evidence.”
“Nobody is going to seriously discuss moneymaking tips from 1880”
“I love this book, but its authority is somewhat undermined”
“that speaks strongly in its favor”
Counts come from 1,795,640 Hacker News comments, November 2025 to November 2026. How we count. Report a mistake.