📖 Overview
Carl Richards is a certified financial planner and author known for his simple sketches that explain complex financial concepts. He gained prominence through his "Sketch Guy" column in The New York Times, where he combines basic line drawings with clear explanations to help readers understand money and behavioral finance.
His books include "The Behavior Gap: Simple Ways to Stop Doing Dumb Things with Money" and "The One-Page Financial Plan: A Simple Way to Be Smart About Your Money." Richards' work focuses on addressing the emotional and psychological aspects of financial decision-making rather than purely technical investment advice.
Richards frequently speaks at conferences and contributes to various media outlets, including Morningstar Advisor and Forbes. His sketches and financial concepts have been widely shared across social media platforms, particularly his illustrations about investor psychology and common financial mistakes.
Beyond his writing and illustrations, Richards has worked as a financial advisor and serves as a commentator on financial behavior and decision-making. His approach emphasizes simplifying complex financial topics and helping people understand their relationship with money.
👀 Reviews
Readers appreciate Richards' ability to distill complex financial concepts into clear, actionable insights through simple sketches. Many reviews highlight his straightforward communication style and focus on the psychological aspects of money management.
What readers liked:
- Clear illustrations that explain difficult concepts
- Practical, relatable examples from real life
- Focus on emotional/behavioral aspects of finance
- Conversational writing style without financial jargon
What readers disliked:
- Some content repeats across his books and columns
- Basic concepts may be too simple for experienced investors
- Limited technical investment advice
- Some readers wanted more specific action steps
Ratings across platforms:
Amazon:
"The Behavior Gap" - 4.5/5 (500+ reviews)
"The One-Page Financial Plan" - 4.4/5 (300+ reviews)
Goodreads:
"The Behavior Gap" - 4.1/5 (2,800+ ratings)
"The One-Page Financial Plan" - 3.9/5 (1,400+ ratings)
One reader noted: "His sketches communicate more clearly than pages of text could." Another commented: "Great for beginners, but experienced investors may find it too basic."
📚 Books by Carl Richards
The Behavior Gap: Simple Ways to Stop Doing Dumb Things with Money (2012)
An examination of how emotional decision-making affects financial choices, illustrated with the author's signature napkin sketches.
The One-Page Financial Plan: A Simple Way to Be Smart About Your Money (2015) A step-by-step guide to creating a basic financial plan that focuses on aligning money decisions with personal values.
The Art of Money (2020) An exploration of the relationship between creativity and financial decisions, featuring sketches and diagrams that explain complex financial concepts.
The Less and More Book: Notes on Financial Behavior (2014) A collection of illustrated essays about behavioral finance and the psychological aspects of money management.
The One Thing You Need to Know About Money (2016) A focused analysis of core financial principles, accompanied by simple sketches explaining key monetary concepts.
The One-Page Financial Plan: A Simple Way to Be Smart About Your Money (2015) A step-by-step guide to creating a basic financial plan that focuses on aligning money decisions with personal values.
The Art of Money (2020) An exploration of the relationship between creativity and financial decisions, featuring sketches and diagrams that explain complex financial concepts.
The Less and More Book: Notes on Financial Behavior (2014) A collection of illustrated essays about behavioral finance and the psychological aspects of money management.
The One Thing You Need to Know About Money (2016) A focused analysis of core financial principles, accompanied by simple sketches explaining key monetary concepts.
👥 Similar authors
Daniel Kahneman writes about behavioral economics and psychological biases in financial decision-making. His work reveals how mental shortcuts and emotions impact money choices, similar to Richards' focus on behavioral gaps.
Morgan Housel explores the psychology of money and investing through storytelling and historical examples. His writing style breaks down complex financial concepts into clear insights about human behavior with money.
Jonathan Clements focuses on personal finance fundamentals and the connection between money and life satisfaction. He emphasizes simple principles and behavioral change over complex financial strategies.
Jason Zweig analyzes investing behavior and cognitive biases in financial markets through his Wall Street Journal columns and books. He translates research into practical insights about why people make poor investment choices.
William Bernstein combines historical analysis with investment theory to explain market behavior and investor psychology. His work centers on helping individual investors understand their behavioral limitations and build rational investment approaches.
Morgan Housel explores the psychology of money and investing through storytelling and historical examples. His writing style breaks down complex financial concepts into clear insights about human behavior with money.
Jonathan Clements focuses on personal finance fundamentals and the connection between money and life satisfaction. He emphasizes simple principles and behavioral change over complex financial strategies.
Jason Zweig analyzes investing behavior and cognitive biases in financial markets through his Wall Street Journal columns and books. He translates research into practical insights about why people make poor investment choices.
William Bernstein combines historical analysis with investment theory to explain market behavior and investor psychology. His work centers on helping individual investors understand their behavioral limitations and build rational investment approaches.