THE NUMBER

Plans are useless, but planning is indispensable. Lee Eisenberg's guide to retirement applies similar logic. Eisenberg, like Suze Orman, approaches the psychological underpinning of personal finance and then helps listeners confront personal demons while planning for a realistic future. Eisenberg surpasses Orman with his smooth writing style, his controlled audio delivery, and his background--a life journey that includes having edited Esquire and served as marketing guru for Land's End. But he lags behind Orman in one important quality, practical advice. As engaging as his storytelling is, Eisenberg's discussion of how to calculate and save the dreaded "number" (the amount needed for retirement) seems beyond the financial ability of middle-class Americans. R.W.S. © AudioFile 2006, Portland, Maine [Published: AUG/ SEP 06]