My Review OfDavid McAlvany's New Book,"The Intentional Legacy"

Dateline: 5 February 2017

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I am a longtime listener of the McAlvany Weekly Commentary, a discussion of "monetary, economic, geopolitical news and events." The show presents, in my opinion, the most balanced and level-headed economic analysis out there. So, when the show's host, David McAlvany, mentioned that he was working on a new book titled, The Intentional Legacy, I preordered a copy. That was four months ago, and I finally got the book last week. 

I don't know David McAlvany. I do not live in his cultured, upperclass world. And I don't have enough wealth to justify needing the services of his conservative, long-term, wealth-management company. But that is all beside the point, because what he has written is a book of down-to-earth wisdom that transcends wealth and status. 

I liked this book enough to write a review of it. I was going to post my review to Amazon today. But, for some reason, Amazon won't allow me to post it right now. No matter. I'll just post it here...

My Book Review Of

"The Intentional Legacy"

By David McAlvany

David McAlvany, author of The Intentional Legacy, is an erudite, analytical, reflective, and idealistic intellectual. He is also a serious Christian. That said, David's book is clearly written for intelligent people—which is to say, for people who are naturally inclined to read any book that might help them in their pursuit of wisdom and a life well-lived.

If you are such a person, and you are a father or grandfather in particular, and you have a Biblical (or perhaps even just a faith-based) worldview, you will like The Intentional Legacy. 

Though David McAlvany is a well-known economic analyst who heads up a second-generation wealth management company, his book is less about finances and more about how to deliberately strengthen the bonds of family. And, in so doing, chart a course for future generations.

More specifically, The Intentional Legacy casts a vision for a wholesome, life-changing family legacy, and then provides specific details for making the vision a reality. The focus is on deliberately cultivating lifelong redemptive family relationships, with grace, humility, selflessness, and integrity. When this is accomplished within a family, a truly successful legacy is pretty much assured. 

Once a legacy of strong family relationships and personal character has been established, you may then confidently pass on your material wealth (if you have any to pass on), knowing that it will not be foolishly squandered by your heirs. And, hopefully, your children will take the helm, charting a similar course of intentional legacy for your grandchildren.

That is, essentially, the concept of this book as I understood it.

Personally, I regret that this book was not around when I was a younger man, during those most formative years of my children’s lives. That said, if you are a father with a young family, you must  read The Intentional Legacy and take what it says to heart. You simply must do it. It has good stories, great lessons, and practical advice that you will not find anywhere else that I know of. You and your family stand to reap great blessings from the advice in this book.

But, even if you are older, like me, there is applicable wise counsel for you in the book.

My only criticism might be that the memoir aspects of the book are occasionally too reflective, bordering on sentimental catharsis. But that is just my opinion. It is no reason not to get The Intentional Legacy, and mine its treasures.

Excerpt from the back cover of The Intentional Legacy.