Strictly A Loner: My Life and Times with Plattsburgh's Poorest Millionaire
by K.L. Baumgarten
Studley Printing and Publishing, Inc.


The author and her husband bought a home in 1990 and took on an elderly man named Earl as a tenant. Earl's entire life revolved around how he could become a millionaire by the age of 80. He got his wish, but to me, at a high, senseless price. Earl spent all his mind energy thinking of ways to save money, and make money, while completely missing even the smallest of joys that life had to offer. I found the character completely unsympathetic, and perhaps that's what the author had in mind. Earl had nothing to offer but the thought of money as a substitution for life. When he left this world, he left empty-handed and left behind.....money. Nothing more, nothing less.

The book is well written, short at 100 pages, and has a couple dozen appropriate photos, several of the smileless Earl. I finished the book hoping I would never be like Earl. That alone makes it a good read. I would recommend it just for this lesson. You leave this world with what you came in with, nothing, but perhaps a legacy that you helped to make the world just a little bit better. Too bad Earl couldn't have enjoyed anything other than his bank account. He really left nothing behind. A very good insight into the power of money over some people.