Accounting Game
by Darrell Mullis · first published 2008
78% recommend22% neutral
Why HN recommends it
Uses a lemonade-stand business as a hands-on way to learn accounting basics, covering the balance sheet, P&L, and cash flow. It suits beginners and anyone who needs the fundamentals of bookkeeping.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
“Fantastic Learning Tool...Don’t let this book title fool you. It is not an oversimplification of accounting and financial principles. It is, however, a serious and very effective examination of a very small but progressively complex business. There are not many books available on the market that make a complex and dry subject understandable and even fun. This book successfully does just that.” —Amazon ReviewerThe Clearest Explanation Ever of the Key Accounting BasicsThe world of accounting can be intimidating. Whether you’re a manager, business owner or aspiring entrepreneur, you’ve likely fo
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…at 13 is basic accounting (accrual method). Since your daughter is running a vending business, she has a great opportunity to practice accounting! Perhaps this book would be a good one for her: The Accounting Game: Basic Accounting Fresh from the Lemonade Stand http://www.amazon.com/dp/1402211864/
on “Ask HN: Best Business Book For a 13-year-old Girl?” ↗The Accounting Game: Basic Accounting Fresh from the Lemonade Stand by Darrell Mullis With this book you a build a business from nothing, and in the process you learn: The mechanics of Balance Sheet, P/L Statement and Cash…
on “Ask HN: What are some books where the reader learns by building projects?” ↗"The Accounting Game: Basic Accounting Fresh from the Lemonade Stand" It may look silly on the outset, but this is the book. Accounting is very idiomatic. If you are not "in", things just look backwards or outright idiotic,…
on “Ask HN: Simple, accessible straightforward book on accounting?” ↗…Finance/Investing] Not my current job, but understanding the basics of accounting was related to technical jobs I previously held (in ERP) and finance/investing is useful in general. I'd highly recommend "The Accounting Game" for anyone that quickly wants to understand accounting basics (U.S. accounting) and how everything fits together. It basically walks you through being a child with a lemonade stand and doing the accounting…
on “Ask HN: Which book can attract anyone towards your field of study?” ↗One of the best "personal finance for kids" books I've come across is The Accounting Game: Basic Accounting Fresh from the Lemonade Stand. It teaches basic concepts like a balance sheet, income statements, profit, and more. I really recommend it, even for adults that want a more fun approach…
on “Georgia to mandate personal finance education” ↗Don’t know if he’ll think it’s too childish, but I continually recommend The Accounting Game: Accounting Fresh from the Lemonade Stand for a simple but thorough introduction to basic accounting concepts. Good video overview: https://youtu.be/oNw4guzrzG4 Also, not sure if there is a book on…
on “Financial/Business/Economy book for teenager” ↗Read this book: https://www.amazon.com/Accounting-Game-Basic-Fresh-Lemonade-... I have introduced countless people who never though they would need to understand bookkeeping and accounting with this awesome tool.
on “Ask HN: How to manage Bookkeeping for a bootstrapped startup?” ↗…co's product blog in an attempt to demystify some core concepts [1], [2], [3]. Still on ledgering and expanding into less mathematical and more applied concepts, I can also recommend a book called "The Accounting Game: basic accounting fresh from the lemonade stand" [4]. [1]: https://www.formance.com/blog/engineering/how-not-to-build-a... [2]: https://www.formance.com/blog/engineering/debits-and-credits... [3]: https://www.formance.com/blog/engineering/ledgering-all-the-...…
on “Ask HN: Good resources to learn financial systems engineering?” ↗The Accounting Game: Basic Accounting Fresh from the Lemonade Stand, by Darrell Mullis and Judith Orloff
on “How to Detect Business Fraud” ↗…on the financial / accounting / capital allocation side of things. Graham and Rockefeller's biographies do expose readers to these topics, but adding books like How to Read a Financial Report and the Accounting Game would be helpful to any entrepreneur.
on “The 100 Best Business Books of All Time” ↗