Stupid, Ugly, Unlucky and Rich

by Richard St. John

Have you ever wondered what leads to success. Do you just need to be smart, great looking, or lucky? Richard St. John says those things dont lead to success. And he should know. He spent 10 years interviewing over 500 successful people, from Martha Stewart, to actor Russell Crowe, to DNA discoverer James Watson, to the top people in many fields. After analyzing and sorting all the information, Richard discovered the top 8 factors that are the foundation for success in any field. He also discovered that many successful people aren't especially smart, good-looking, or lucky. They're ordinary people, without special gifts, who achieve success by following the8 factors. Richard himself is a good example. He says, "I could never figure o ut how an ordinary guy like me succeeded in business, won top awards and became a millionaire. So I started a project to ask other people what led to their success, and it grew into a 10-year journey of discovery." The story is in Richards new book, Stupid, Ugly, Unlucky and RICH Spikes Guide to Success, an easy-to-read analysis that gets beyond the clichés to distill what the worlds most successful people really do have in common.

Genres: Nonfiction, Business

351 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 2006

About the author

Richard St. John is a nationally published poet whose books include The Pure Inconstancy of Grace (Truman State University Press, 2005), runner up in the 2004 T. S. Eliot Prize for Poetry, and Shrine (2011), a chapbook. His work has also appeared in The Sewanee Review, Poet Lore, and Chautauqua, as well as many other periodicals and anthologies. He has given readings across the country, connecting not only with literary audiences but also with listeners new to poetry. He has degrees in English from Princeton University and the University of Virginia. In 2002, he completed a mid-career Loeb Fellowship at Harvard University. He lives in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with his wife, Kate.

Reviews

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

First, ignore the dumb title of the book. Honestly, I nearly skipped buying it because the title is so dumb, but I'm so glad I didn't. This book isn't really about getting rich. It's about success (however /you/ define success) and the 8 factors that lead to success. [There's actually an alternate/shorter, more aptly-named version of the book called '8 to be Great'.:]

The author has spent years personally interviewing some 500+ successful people and pulling together information from other sources to research and write this book. Reading the book, I couldn't help but feel that the information he's providing is _authentic_.

This book was a huge eye opener for me. I learned a lot about myself while reading through this book. I have a lot of ways in which I need to grow, but at least now I have an idea of what I need to do to reach 'success' myself.

I would recommend this book to anyone, but especially to those struggling with their life or career.

[Mauro · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it. A great research about success.