Book Description

How do we fatten our portfolios and stay financially healthy? Former hedge-fund manager and longtime Wall Street commentator Jim Cramer explains how to invest wisely in chaotic times, and he does so in plain English in a style that is as much fun as investing is -- or should be, when it's done right.

For starters, Cramer recommends devoting a portion of your assets to speculation. Everyone wants to find the big winners that can bring outsized gains, and Cramer explains how to allocate your portfolio so that you can afford to take this kind of risk wisely. He explains why "buy and hold" is a losing philosophy: For Cramer, it's "buy and homework." If you can't spend an hour a week researching each of your stocks, then you should hand off your portfolio to a mutual fund-- and Cramer identifies the very few mutual funds that he'd recommend.

Cramer reveals his Ten Commandments of Trading (Commandment #5: Tips are for waiters). He explains why he's not afraid to compare investing to gambling (and tells you which book on gambling you should read to become a better investor). He discloses his Twenty-Five Rules of Investing (Rule #4: Look for broken stocks, not broken companies).

Cramer shows how to compare stock prices in a way that you can understand, how to spot market tops and bottoms, how to know when to sell, how to rotate among cyclical stocks to catch the big moves, and much more. Jim Cramer's Real Money is filled with insider advice that really works, information that Cramer himself used to make millions during his fourteen-year career on Wall Street.

Written in Cramer's distinctive turbocharged style, this is every investor's guide to what you really must know to make big money in the stock market. ... Read more

Reviews (19)

Best investment book ever
Thanks Cramer for sharing your insights. I have also sign up the action alert, and profit from your realtime calls, thanks all the help.

Thank You Professor Cramer
In Law School, you learn the Law, but you also learn how to Think like a Lawyer. If you want your hand held and told which stock you would Never lose money in..then this book is not for you. But if you want to Learn how to think and analyze like a Pro...then this is the Best Book ever written on this Subject (sorry Benjamin Graham). Reading this book, I was amazed to find so many things Mr. Cramer and the Great Mr. Buffet share in common.. from their thought, anaylsis to their overall personality. Neither one believes in holding more then 15 different companies, both live for Homework and both LOVE a bargain...be it a Stock or shopping at Target or finding a really good price on a Case of Coke (men after my heart). Neither Man waste money or are flashy with their wealth...and I think that is the greatest lesson that these Men (and this Book) can teach our status seeking society. I also suggest that you read this book before you read his first book, Confessions of a Street Addict...because once you have taken Cramer 101, you can truly enjoy Confessions....including the Horror of the $50,000.00 Desk...do you Know HOW much Sears Holding you can buy with that!

Should you listen to Kramer?
Anybody who thinks they know everything about the stock market should be avoided at all costs. Kramer is one of the world's biggest idiots.I am, unfortunately, the world's greater idiot for listening to him time and again... not believing exactly that he knew what he was talking about, but for believing that other people would follow his advice, resulting in a stock going up or down. I have lost many thousands of dollars taking his advice.He has far too much power for his limited intellect;and his bulldog rants move stocks for all the wrong reasons.In my humble opinion,Eliott Spitzer should investigate him.

Very Good
Unlike Cramer's Mad Money TV show, Cramer's Real Money is a little slow to get started. However,like many other books, you have to slog through the "where-I've-been-and-how-I-got-to-where-I-am-today" portion to more appreciate what he has to say when he gets to the meat of the book.Cramer offers an interesting perspective from the "inside", possibly revealing more than some Wallstreeters would prefer, and demonstrates he is not just another financial "talking head".His book is definately a "must read" for anyone in the market today.

Excellent Book on Trading
This is one of the best trading books out there (and I have gone through most of the books on trading and investing). Just the chapters on picking the bottom and top are worth more than the price of the book.Whether or not you agree with everything he says, the book will surely make you think and trade better, and likely wealthier. ... Read more

Reviews (44)

This bible contains errors
First, my review refers to the 1997 3rd edition.

Since this book is regarded as the bible of derivatives (it was also my first introduction) I will leave it to others to praise it and concentrate instead on what's wrong with it. First and foremost, one cannot learn how correctly to formulate solutions to stochastic differential equations from this text: eqns. (10.7,8), e.g., are not correct for arbitrary returns but are valid only as approxmations for small returns (Hull leads the reader to believe the opposite). The problem is that Ito's lemma is only stated, not proven, and it's the proof that shows one how to formulate correctly the stochastic integral equations that Hull calls 'stochastic difference equations'. When volatility depends on returns and/or time, then the errors made from following Hull's oversimplified treatment become serious.

My first impression of Baxter & Rennie's 'Financial Calculus' was that it was unnecessary and a waste of money. My opinion reversed completely after realizing (under prodding by a physics colleague who's an expert on sde's) how badly Hull's approach to sde's really is. Also, the systematic derivation of Black-Scholes from the assumption of a replicating, self-financing strategy in B&R is very nice. As Feynman said, we don't really understand a result until we can derive it from many different viewpoints. The method is not really different in principle from the standard short derivation given in Hull, but it does provide a nice, clear example of what is meant by replication and self-financing in the terminology of Brownian motion/sde's.

Probably the best for practitioners; useful for theory
This book is a solid introduction to pricing derivatives and explains in lucid detail all the techniques you need to get up and running with numerical valuation. It is aimed, I would say, at advanced MBA students and practitioners on the job already. That is to say, Hull doesn't spend too much time on theory (for instance, his explanation of HJM summarizes several of their papers and a number of preludes into a few paragraphs).

I would also say that the more theory-oriented reader would benefit from reading Hull. It provides a fresh picture, distinct from the essential theoretical foundations of Merton, Duffie, Campbell, and Cochrane. Thus, to learn CAPM, state prices, or portfolio choice, look elsewhere; to learn how to price derivatives in practice, this is your best bet.

Very useful manual for practitioners
This is a great manual for market practitioners. It does not use detailed math, does not go into issues of corporate finance. But it is very easy to follow and it is "complete". More than that, the book is to the point and very clear. Market professionals will find the examples spread around the book very useful for their daily work. The surprising new book by Nefci which I just got, but did not have time to study in detail, seem to provide all the missing links.

I had used an earlier edition of Hull, and it appears that John Hull adds all the relevant material needed for market finance with each new edition. In fact I have purchased several books on Mathematical Finance and Derivatives but few of them remain on my desk for future consultation.

One of the great foundation texts in finance(******) 6 stars
I am a huge fan of this book. The fourth edition was the single most influential text in my study for my MBA. It opened new kinds of thinking for me and helped me understand the intuitions and they methods for valuing the various kinds of derivatives. While the language is not simple, it is not arcane. Some complain that the mathematics are not rigorous. So what? There are such books on the market and are suitable for those that want them. This is the standard book for thousands of MBAs who need a solid foundation, but do not need to be able to higher math to understand how a binomial tree works or to even create one my hand. Certainly, it is helpful to understand the math as deeply as you can. However, the reality is that most of the time practitioners use pre-made tools to run their Monte Carlo simulations rather than programming from scratch.

There are several new chapters on very helpful and interesting topics (using futures for hedging, numerical procedures, swaps, credit risk, real options, insurance, derivative crises, and more). Some of this is new and some adapted from previous editions. Other material has been rewritten and clarified.

DerivaGem 1.5 is included with the book, but a URL is provided to get the latest version from Prof. Hull's website.

This is a terrific book and I consider it one of the most valuable on my shelf of business texts. It is one I would never want to be without and one of the few I am willing to keep up with the new editions. While no book is perfect for every use in every situation, this is one of the great foundation texts.

Simply the Best!
This is the bible of options and futures markets. It is very well written, clear, and relatively easy to understand. However, you have to read it carefully as it minces its words. Every sentence is packed with information and is important. You may find 'easier' books, but they will not go the distance. So, save your money and get the best of them all. Risk Magazine lists this book as #4 among most widely cited papers/books between 1988 and 2003. No surprise there! ... Read more

Book Description

Winning by Not Competing: A Fresh Approach to Strategy

Since the dawn of the industrial age, companies have engaged in head-to-head competition in search of sustained, profitable growth. They have fought for competitive advantage, battled over market share, and struggled for differentiation. Yet these hallmarks of competitive strategy are not the way to create profitable growth in the future.

In a book that challenges everything you thought you knew about the requirements for strategic success, W. Chan Kim and Renée Mauborgne argue that cutthroat competition results in nothing but a bloody red ocean of rivals fighting over a shrinking profit pool. Based on a study of 150 strategic moves spanning more than a hundred years and thirty industries, the authors argue that lasting success comes not from battling competitors, but from creating "blue oceans": untapped new market spaces ripe for growth. Such strategic moves-which the authors call "value innovation"- create powerful leaps in value that often render rivals obsolete for more than a decade.

Blue Ocean Strategy presents a systematic approach to making the competition irrelevant and outlines principles and tools any company can use to create and capture blue oceans. A landmark work that upends traditional thinking about strategy, this book charts a bold new path to winning the future.

W. Chan Kim is the Boston Consulting Group Bruce D. Henderson Chair Professor of Strategy and International Management at INSEAD. Renée Mauborgne is the INSEAD Distinguished Fellow and Professor of Strategy and Management.

... Read more

Book Description

This latest edition of Investments continues the legacy of excellence established in previous versions. Chapters on behavioral finance, arbitrage pricing theory, multifactor models of risk and return, and international diversification have been dramatically rewritten to meet changes in today’s transformed markets. In addition, unnecessary mathematical and technical detail continues to be left out wherever possible.

Reviews (24)

Comprehensive, student-friendly, and extremely helpful
The book by Bodie et al is unquestionably, the best introduction to Investment Theory available today. Please note that there is an emphasis on the word introduction, because there is much that can be covered after the book ends. This book provides a springboard from which the student can take off in different directions viz. Derivatives, Risk Management, Portfolio Management etc.

The language is simple, and there are no mathematical demons in the book. The Concept Check questions are extremely valuable and should be attempted before the reader delves into the equally challenging exercises at the end of the chapters. The book starts with an introduction to the different types of markets and financial instruments present today, and then moves into investments, risk etc. The book touches upon a number of topics including bonds, financial statement analysis, security valuation, derivatives and hedging. Like other multipurpose book, it does not go in-depth into any of these, but provides the reader a brief introduction to each of them for help in further studies. It does dwell a lot on portfolio theories which are described in detail, with numerous examples. The chapter-ending exercises are graded with easier questions in the beginning, and extremely challenging ones in the end.

All in all, a great book!

Excellent text book on investments & basic portfolio theory
I am a lecturer in Finance for a university in the UK. I evaluated this book for use in an Executive MBA course in portfolio management after previously using "Investment Analysis and Portfolio Management" by Reilly and Brown. The Reilly book takes a more quantitative approach to the valuation of various assets and is more comprehensive than "Investments" in terms of its coverage of securities and markets but I ultimately opted for "Investments" due to its clarity, organization, and quality writing style. The authors do an excellent job of communicating fairly complex concepts to a student with little or no background in finance.

If you are studying for the CFA or need a more advanced text, I can recommmend the Reilly book. If you are a practitioner or looking for a very mathematically rigorous text in portfolio management, I can recommend "Active Portfolio Management" by Grinold. But for an undergraduate or graduate student looking for an excellent primer on stocks, bonds, options, futures and the workings of the markets they are traded on, look no further than "Investments".

One note: we were able to obtain a paperback copy of the text at much reduced cost.

Good
The book is good. But if you can solve all the problems (buy the solutions manual) then you will be able to extract all the value from it.

Investments + S&P Card + Powerweb + StockTrak discount coupo
Bodie/Kane/Marcus is the leading textbook in the graduate investments market. It is recognized as the best blend of practical and theoretical coverage, while maintaining an appropriate rigor and clear writing style. Its unifying theme is that security markets are nearly efficient, meaning that most securities are usually priced appropriately given their risk and return attributes. The text places greater emphasis on asset allocation, and offers a much broader and deeper treatment of futures, options, and other derivative security markets than most investment texts.
Table of Contents: Part 1: Introduction 1. The Investment Environment 2. Markets and Instruments 3. How Securities are Traded 4. Mutual Funds and Other Investment Companies 5. History of Interest Rates and Risk Premiums Part 2: Portfolio Theory 6. Risk and Risk Aversion 7. Capital Allocation Between the Risky Asset and the Risk-Free Asset 8. Optimal Risky Portfolios Part 3: Equilibrium in Capital Markets 9. The Capital Asset Pricing Model 10. Single-Index and Multifactor Models 11. Arbitrage Pricing Theory 12. Market Efficiency 13. Empirical Evidence on Security Returns Part 4: Fixed-Income Securities 14. Bond Prices and Yields 15. The Term Structure of Interest Rates 16. Fixed-Income Portfolio Management Part 5: Security Analysis 17. Macroeconomic and Industry Analysis 18. Equity Valuation Models 19. Financial Statement Analysis Part 6: Options, Futures, and Other Derivatives 20. Options Markets: Introduction 21. Option Valuation 22. Futures Markets 23. Futures and Swaps: A Closer Look Part 7: Applied Portfolio Management 24. Portfolio Performance Evaluation 25. International Diversification 26. The Process of Portfolio Management 27. The Theory of Active Portfolio Management Appendix A. Quantitative Review Appendix B. CFA Citations

Well begun is half done!!
Anyone embarking upon a study of investments should begin with this book. From an explanation of market structure to intuitive analyses of all core concepts in investments (like Markowitz Theory, CAPM, Black-Scholes, Fixed Income concepts), this book has everything. Newer editions of the book also have very good instructions on how to implement the tools in MS-Excel. Obviously, this book is not meant for those pursuing a PhD. Rather it is meant for MBAs and aspiring CFAs who want to learn and implement investment tools and analysis. ... Read more

Book Description

The world's most exciting, fastest-growing new market? It's where you least expect it: at the bottom of the pyramid. Collectively, the world's billions of poor people have immense entrepreneurial capabilities and buying power. You can learn how to serve them and help millions of the world's poorest people escape poverty.

It is being done-profitably. Whether you're a business leader or an anti-poverty activist, business guru Prahalad shows why you can't afford to ignore "Bottom of the Pyramid" (BOP) markets.

In the book and accompanying CD videos, Prahalad presents...

Why what you know about BOP markets is wrong A world of surprises-from spending patterns to distribution and marketing

Unlocking the "poverty penalty"

The most enduring contributions your company can make Delivering dignity, empowerment, and choice-not just products

Corporations and BOP entrepreneurs Profiting together from an inclusive new capitalism

"C. K. Prahalad argues that companies must revolutionize how they dobusiness in developing countries if both sides of that economic equation areto prosper. Drawing on a wealth of case studies, his compelling new bookoffers an intriguing blueprint for how to fight poverty with profitability." Bill Gates, Chairman and Chief Software Architect,Microsoft

"The Bottom of the Pyramid belongs at the top of the reading list forbusiness people, academics, and experts pursuing the elusive goal ofsustainable growth in the developing world. C. K. Prahalad writes withuncommon insight about consumer needs in poor societies andopportunities for the private sector to serve important public purposes whileenhancing its own bottom line. If you are looking for fresh thinking aboutemerging markets, your search is ended. This is the book for you." Madeleine K. Albright, Former U.S. Secretary of State

"Prahalad challenges readers to re-evaluate their pre-conceived notionsabout the commercial opportunities in serving the relatively poor nations ofthe world. The Bottom of the Pyramid highlights the way to commercialsuccess and societal improvement--but only if the developed worldreconceives the way it delivers products and services to the developingworld." Christopher Rodrigues, CEO, Visa International

"An important and insightful work showing persuasively how the privatesector can be put at the center of development, not just as a rhetoricalflourish but as a real engine of jobs and services for the poor." Mark Malloch Brown, Administrator, United Nations Development Programme ... Read more

Reviews (16)

Valuable Information for Tax-Deferred Investment Accounts
Anyone who enjoyed Stocks for the Long Run will find this book to be a very valuable addition to his or her knowledge about stock investing for tax-deferred investment accounts.

Professor Siegel has checked history again.This time he has looked for ways to do stock investing that have performed better than indexed mutual funds for tax-deferred accounts.

Much of what he finds is counter to the conventional wisdom, but makes sense when examined objectively.

Here are some key findings:

1.High dividend yields, when reinvested in the same stock, provide superior returns.That's only true in a tax-deferred account, of course.

2.Buying stocks with low multiples that grow faster than expected is much easier and more profitable to do than simply choosing companies in fast growing industries.

3.Exciting new companies make lots of money for founders, employees and venture capitalists . . . but not enough for investors.

4.Avoid capital intensive businesses.

5.The most productive companies are those who develop new business models (something I discuss in The Ultimate Competitive Advantage) regardless of how bad the industry is.

6.Beware of excessive valuations . . . no matter how good the future looks.

7.If a company has neither a high dividend nor any cash, assume something's wrong with the accounting.

8.Indexed stocks in slower-growing emerging markets have high potential to deliver huge gains in the future due to demographic influences.

From these findings, Professor Siegel suggests a model portfolio for equities that will intrigue you (see page 254) with high-dividend ideas, global firms, attractive sectors and interesting value plays.

In addition, Professor Siegel addresses the question of what to do about paying for the retirements of all those Baby Boomers around the world.His proposal is to encourage young emerging market workers to purchase the assets of older workers in the developed world.You'll find the argument to be intriguing and compelling.

I cannot remember reading a more stimulating and original book about investing.I was particularly impressed by his historical research that shows the superiority of sticking with companies that have been around a long time rather than searching out newer companies to buy.I think the exception to the latter comes in those cases where the management has proven to be adept at improving upon their business models to provide more value to customers.

Almost every investor would benefit from reading and thinking about this book.

New findings
There are several new revelations regarding the kind of stocks that are consistent winners, supported by data in this book:

Consumer Brand Names/consumer staples and healthcare industry have been strong performers.

The relationships of the top performers' P/E and growth rate.

Low P/E,high dividend stocks outperform.

These findings of characteristics make this book worth 5 stars.

The book also predicts a "global solution" to the demography issue. This solution is like saying a wealthy family that can no longer produce would sell their assets to the productive newcomers in order to maintain the life style are have become accustomed to. If this turns out to the solution, it's a pathetic one.

The importance of dividends and the dangers of growth
Jeremy Siegel has rediscovered the importance of dividends.When Charles Dow did his seminal research nearly a century ago he relied on dividends and ignored reported earnings because he knew that companies were lying on their balance sheets.Dividends, on the other hand, don't lie.Dividends let you compound.Very old fashioned.

The other important point this book makes is that investors almost always overpay for growth.He calls this the growth trap.It is critical for investors to distinguish between those companies whose innovations power the economy and those that provide superior returns to investors.They are usually two different things.

Many people seem to have learned nothing from the recent bursting of the NASDAQ bubble.Siegel has the research that shows what went so wrong several years ago and how to keep your head if it happens again.

The old is new again.

must read for all investors
Jeremy Siegel did it again with his new book. Filled with historical facts and observations, he shows how a company with 10% earnings growth is often a better investment that a company with 20% earnings growth. The reason for this phenomenon can be summed up in one word--valuation. Fast growing companies are expected to grow and that is taken into account in its price. Slower growing companies are expected to grow slow.

Professor Siegel shows how some of the best performing stocks in the past half century were companies with good dividends and earnings above expectations. He proves his point by comparing Standard Oil of New Jersey and IBM. IBM has grown faster than Standard Oil of New Jersey by any measure, except stock appreciation.

Professor Siegel also explains how fast growing sectors are not always good investments. Obviously, technology stocks in 1999 and 2000 were fast growing, but some of the worst investments you could have made. He also uses the Financial sector as an example. It has been one of the two fastest growing sectors in the past 50 years, but the stocks within the sector have not performed as well as the S & P 500. The reason this is possible is because new companies enter the business. These new companies bring competition and make the sector bigger, but not more profitable.

This book is great for any beginning investor or any professional.

The Role of Luck in Siegel's Success
An absolute disappointment. This is a classic example of misreading the formula that made you successful in the first place. Sequels are usually bad, in this case Siegel's are bad. The reviews and cover quote by Warren Buffett are misleading, and I seriously doubt whether the reviewers read the book. There is nothing new here. Undervalued stocks (value stocks) have been touted as being superior forms of investment for a long time. Eugene Fama, and others, have produced fantastic research in this area. I found the book to be self aggrandising, offering no original contribution and totally out of character relative to the first book. The data mining is significant, and to suggest that tried and true is the way forward simply because the past delivered such a pattern is foolhardy. Give this book a miss. ... Read more

Book Description

The world’s #1 fixed income book, now with 21 all-new chapters

The Handbook of Fixed Income Securities occupies the top spot as the most authoritative, widely read reference in the global fixed income marketplace. First published in 1983, this comprehensive survey of current knowledge features contributions from leading academics and practitioners and has carved out a niche that cannot and will not be equaled by any other single sourcebook.

Now, the thoroughly revised and updated seventh edition gives finance professionals the facts and formulas they need to compete in today’s transformed marketplace. It places increased emphasis on applications, electronic trading, and global portfolio management, and features new chapters on topics including:

• Eurobonds
• Emerging market debt
• Credit risk modeling
• Synthetics
• CDOs
• Transition management
• And many more

Reviews (16)

Follow up on Amit Gupta's review
I totally agree with Amit's review.For a practitioner's perspective Bruce Tuckman's "Fixed Income Securities: Tools for Today's Markets" is a much better choice than Fabozzi.

LOW PRICED STOCKS MAY EARN MORE A LOT MORE THAN FIXED INCOME
Many low-priced stocks have out performed fixed securities.Two books that have proven this out are:(1)Guaranteed Profits With Small Stocks: The Only Stock Investment System That Comes With A $5,000 Guarantee by R. Max Bowser, and (2) Making Dollars With Pennies: How The Small Investor Can Beat The Wizards On Wall Street by R. Max Bowser. Both books are available used and new on Amazon.com.

Comprehensive, but Dry
If you want to learn about fixed income securities, then this is your book. It is very comprehensive and contains a wealth of information.

The only downside to this book is that, unless you really, really interested in fixed income, it will put you too sleep. There were several times where I had to re-read paragraphs/pages, because I went into a daydream.

Despite this drawback, it is an excellent resource and I will not give it my copy of it.

Errors Abound
This is meant to be the fixed income manual, but if there are dozens of uncorrected math errors which is inexcusable in a sixth edition.This book is overrated, and if you are new to this subject, it is dangerous.

I recommend Bruce Tuckman's Fixed Income Securities on the same topic as a better alternative. I noticed it is currently the #3 seller with banks and credit unions (Fabozzi's isn't even on the radar screen), and there is a good reason they prefer Tuckman's book over this one.

HAND BOOK
(...)Itgives a lot of general info on a lot of different Fixed income topics.It's a good ref. for people just getting involved with fixed income.However if you are looking for focused material, you should look into one of Frank's books on that area. Good overall intuition on Fixed income markets and products. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Sequels often disappoint when compared to their predecessors, but author Robert Shiller has proved the exception to the rule with his second edition of Irrational Exuberance. When the original book released in 2000, Shiller's prescient analysis of bubble-like market behavior provided perspective on the painful meltdown of stock-price valuations that subsequently occurred. Five years later, the Yale professor's bearish predictions about real-estate valuations are enough to give any savvy investor or homebuyer pause.

Shiller is one of several well-known economists and pundits who've begun a running dialogue in the last few years around the drawbacks of unchecked free markets. Few writers, though, dissect the phenomenon of bubble behavior as clearly and thoroughly as Shiller does. As with the first edition of his book, Shiller begins this one with reams of quantitative data around the late 1990s stock-market runup. This new edition adds data on real-estate price trends in the early 2000s, and points out the striking parallels between the earlier stock-market boom and bust, and current trends with housing prices in the United States. Shiller actually believes the two phenomena are related; as investors lost confidence in the stock market and moved their money into real estate, one asset class fell while the other rose. According to Shiller's analysis, the pattern is destined to repeat itself.

Aside from the initial data, the real strength of Irrational Exuberance is the straightforward, almost clinical way in which it explains why things happen as they do. The book walks readers through structural reasons for market bubbles, then ventures into "softer" analyses which professional economists less confident than Shiller would be scared to touch. It examines cultural factors behind market bubbles, such as hype-mongering news media, and psychological factors, such as herd behavior.

Another improvement in this latest edition of Shiller's book is his inclusion of more personal commentary, and he mentions the influence that his wife, herself a clinical psychologist, has had on his intellectual development and his view of psychological impacts on economic behavior. Other personal insights from Shiller center on experiences he had while touring and lecturing around the first book, and some of the most interesting passages are those in which he describes common questions or feedback from his audience, and what he thought in reaction--but didn't voice while on his tour.

In the end, Shiller closes his book with an intriguing set of policy proposals. He argues for a revamping of the U.S. social security system, a new system of house-price insurance for homeowners, and risk reduction through portfolio diversification. Fans of the brainy academic will note with approval that Shiller practices what he preaches: he has begun trying to implement some of his ideas in the real world through two private consulting firms he has founded, Macro Securities Research and Macro Financial. The hope is if Shiller's as correct with this second book as he was with his first, readers will all learn something from these new companies. --Peter Han ... Read more

Reviews (62)

Antidote to Stocks for the Long Run
Shiller explains why the incredible 225% increase in the Dow Jones Industrial Average from the beginning of 1994 through the end of 1999 was unsustainable: "as a rule and on average, years with low price-earnings ratios have been followed by high returns, and years with high price-earnings ratios have been followed by low or negative returns." Writing in 2000 when the price-earnings ratio on the S&P500 was nearly 45, compared to a long-run average of about 20, Shiller was preparing us for a bursting of the stock-price bubble. His message was sobering and prescient then as well as good education now. Caution: the reader will have to whack through thickets of details in Chapter 1 such as "The average real return in the stock market (including dividends) was -2.6% a year for the five years following January 1966, -1.8% a year for the next ten years, -0.5% a year for the next fifteen years, and 1.9% a year for the next twenty years."
In Part 3: Psychological Factors, Shiller outlines principles of behavioral finance. For example, past prices and stories help form people's views of the stock market. He reviews classic experiments in psychology, which documented the significance of peer pressure and trust in experts. Shiller's interpretation is that people take uncritically what experts on the stock market offer, presumably that stock prices will continue to rise, which encourages them to be overconfident.
The author puts forth a good explanation of efficient markets theory but applies much criticism. He proclaims: "I see no reason to doubt the thesis that smarter people will, in the long run, tend to do better at investing." Reading and understanding Irrational Exuberance will help put the individual investor in the company of those "smarter people."

I'm puzzled by the y-axis choices in Figure 1.1 (page 6).
I work in statistical data analysis, and I opened this book with high expectations.But then on page 6 I encountered Figure 1.1, titled "Stock Prices and Earnings, 1871-2000", which has a visual design that troubles me.Both lines on the graph are plotted with the same x axis (the years from 1860 to 2020), and I have no problem with that.The Stock Price line is plotted against a y axis that is labeled along the left-hand edge of the graph, and the range chosen for this axis (0 to 1600) seems quite appropriate for the data plotted, which range from about 70 to about 1450.The Stock Earnings line is plotted against its own y axis that is labeled along the right-hand edge of the graph, and I have no problem with the existence of the second y axis.But what troubles me is that the range of this second y axis has been chosen so that the entire range of the data plotted in the earnings line (about 5 to about 40) has been squished into the very bottom of the graph, using a vertical distance that corresponds roughly to the range from 2 to 190 on the y axis for Stock Price.This apparently arbitrary visual juxtaposition of two unrelated y-axis scales leaves me unable to trust any visual trend comparisons I might be tempted to make between the two lines.Can someone explain to me why one of these three alternatives that make more sense to me wasn't chosen?(1) Plot both the Stock Price and the Stock Earnings on the same y-axis scale (from 0 to 1600), or (2) plot the Stock Price on its own y axis as shown but plot the Earnings Price on a y axis that runs from 0 at the bottom of the graph's right-hand edge to about 45 on the graph's right-hand edge, or (3) normalize both graphs to percentages of their values for some year (1871, perhaps).Thanks.Any comments from Edward Tufte ("The Visual Display of Quantitative Information") would be most welcome indeed.

decent, but somewhat disappointing
For those haven't read other behavioral econ articles / books, this is probably worthwhile.However, though the first two articles are well written and informative, the remainder of the book is mostly ponderous unsupported assertions and innuendo.It's nothing new to those who've read a bit about this stuff before.

Regarding the "updated for the real estate bubble" claims:The real estate information is not very well integrated - it looks like it was opportunistically inserted.Ironically, it looks like Shiller and his publishers are trying to "time the market" - rushing a book to market hoping to "catch the top" of another asset class cycle and thus get two data points showing him to be a guru of bubbles.(In addition, his mention of Prop 13 in California is superficial and not informative.)

It also appears at many places that writing has not been updated at all since the first edition.It can make for some confusing reading at times.

Maybe he doesn't want to give away lots of data he's accumulated, but it would be helpful to evaluate his assertions.Without it most of the book does not rise above well informed discussion over a few beers.

indepth analysis on market behavior
In a welcome second edition of the book, Shiller sets up his main theses using the real estate "bubble" (or if you prefer, "boom") example.The first part of the book focuses on a historical analysis of the "bubble" scenarios and uses the recent real estate phenomenon to explain the context of his arguments. He systematically argues against all the reasons cited for the real estate boom (population, construction costs, etc.) In the second part, he focuses on causes for these speculative behaviors of investors and their changing perceptions on risk. His classification of factors into precipitating and amplifying groups is an interesting approach.He then proceeds to explain cultural, political and psychological factors to reason why he thinks investors behave in a "speculative" mode. His attack on the cable TV news media and their "noisy" coverage of business news is an amusing and thought-provoking read.

Any serious investor for the long term (and short term) will find the insights on market behavior very useful in analysing his/her own behavior. The efficient market theory, "greater fool" theory, etc. will also need a more critical look after reading Shiller's comments.

This thought provoking book is an excellent read along with Jeremy Siegel's (one of the authors friends/advisors) book which takes a much more positive perspective on market trends and more importantly, market behavior.

While the strength of the arguments will keep the reader interested, the book is no easy week-end read. It needs to be read in a slow pace to absorb the gravity of the arguments. But that shouldnt deter a serious investor. A must have.

Market psychology with a political ending
This is a chronicle of inverstor perceptions and expectations of themarket both in the late '90s and in other periods, particularly the roaring '20s.Pretty boring stuff.More psychology than finance.

The reason I gave this book one star is that in the final part of the book Shiller makes an political statement that is unrelated to the book's thesis.He campaigns against investing even part of Social Security funds in the stock market.He urges us to reaffirm our group responsibility to the elderly instead.It sounds like something the AARP would have said.

In other parts of the book he talks about what demographic or generational trends may mean for the market or the public perception of the market.When he turns to social security he doesn't mention demographics, however.Of course, demographic trends portend bankruptcy for Social Security as it is currently structured.It's intellectually dishonest to talk about demographics and generational differences in other contexts but omit those factors when it comes to social security.

If he had left out this political lobbying he would have a boring but well researched book.He pulled a bait and switch at the end that detracts from the rest of the book. ... Read more

Download Description

"In this book, one of the world's most respected technical analysts presents a complete course in forecasting future market behavior through cyclical, trend, momentum, and volume signals. Unlike most technical analysis books, Gerald Appel's Technical Analysis offers step-by-step instructions virtually any investor can use to achieve breakthrough market success.

Appel illuminates a wide range of strategies and timing models, demystifying even advanced technical analysis for the first time. He presents technical analysis solutions for short-, intermediate-, and long-term investors, and even for mutual fund investors. Many of the strategies and models he presents have never before been published. Several are based on MACD, a tool that revolutionized technical analysis¿and one that he created.

This book distills over thirty years of trading experience into a practical guide you can start profiting from right now.

Learn technical analysis from one of the world's top experts.

Hands-on guidance from Gerald Appel, publisher of Systems and Forecasts

Coping with today's unprecedented market volatility

Indispensable techniques for profiting in uncertain markets

Winning techniques that take just 10 minutes a week

Better results than ""buy and hold""¿with far less risk

Riding the tides of market wave movement

How to recognize crucial political, seasonal, and time-based cycles

MACD: The ultimate market timing indicator invented by the author himself

Includes new, advanced breakthrough techniques that revolutionize technical analysis

How you can profit from technical analysis... step-by-step!

• By Gerald Appel, inventor of the MACD technique used by virtually every serious technical analyst
• How to uncover the hidden clues that reveal when markets are about to shift
• For short-term, medium-term, and long-term investors¿including those new to technical analysis

Reviews (2)

Best Technical Book Ever -
Since reading George A book, I was able to fine tune my system/charts.
I trade equities, and Futures.

I use stochastics and Mcds + OBV.
I was able to fine tune the settings from the information on this book.
I added Envelops (Moving averages 21 days) - a lot better than Bollinger Bands.
This is a must book to completely research if you are serious about trading.

Thanks - George

Anthony Ferrari

It's the author
If Gerald Appel wrote it, I will read it.It is just that simple.Greg Morris ... Read more

Book Description

For 30 years, one trading strategy has consistently delivered extraordinary profits in bull and bear markets alike: Trend Following. This is first book to reveal the little-known strategy used by the world's most consistently successful traders! In this book, you'll meet them...and you'll discover how to use Trend Following in your own portfolio. Trend Following is the only long-term trading strategy proven to profit consistently in bull and bear markets alike. Now, Michael Covel demystifies this little-known strategy, using hard performance data to prove its extraordinary value. Covel introduces you to great traders who've built enormous fortunes with Trend Following.

How did trader, John W. Henry, start out as a farmer and end up a billionaire and owner of, first the Florida Marlins and now, the Boston Red Sox? How do traders like Bill Dunn, Ed Seykota and Keith Campbell continually pull profits in the hundreds of millions from both bull and bear markets? The answer is that they are trend followers. Trend following is the only strategy to consistently make money in the markets. Leading expert Michael Covel reveals the underground network of these little-known traders and hedge fund managers who have practiced trend following for years. He pulls back the veil on their strategies by introducing the basic concepts/techniques of trend following such as why the market price contains all the information a trader needs. Covel rigorously reviews and analyzes years of detailed performance data to prove without question that trend following works.

He breaks down trend following strategies including how to make volatility work; how to control risk; and how to make successful trading decisions "from the gut." Covel shows why trend following is ideal for individual traders who self-manage their portfolios or for the individual investor searching for a new type of investment advisor. Along the way he debunks an immense amount of mis-information/failed advice from pros that ought to know better. This timely book capitalizes on today's massive move back into the markets and investors' renewed determination to find strategies that really work. The proof is in the results - hard performance data over decades from professional money managers. All the information you need is in one number - why a stock's price tells you all you need to know to trade.

Michael W. Covel is President of Trend Following. A researcher of the most successful Trend Following investment managers, he has been consulting on Trend Following to individual traders, hedge funds and banks for nearly ten years. Teaching and sharing unique insights about Trend Following trading and alternative investments has earned Covel respect as a rational and logical voice in uncertain times. He is a frequent guest on national radio talk shows advising listeners on financial decision-making, trading and Trend Following. ... Read more

Reviews (48)

Great read for all types of traders
As a student of the market for decades I was blown away by this book. It is one of the top five investment books of all time. The author describes what trend following is and who the players are. It simplifies the issue of how to profit in the market. How can anyone argue with the cold hard performance numbers.

It does not give you the save all formula for trading. It does not provide the secret forumulas on how to make money. They don't exist. It does provide valuable information from existing trend followers who have been using the method for years - decades.

Its easy to read and quick to comprehend. Should be on every traders bookcase.

Well worth the money.

Acceptance with Traders
I found the following endorsements helpful:

"Michael Covel's Trend Following is a breakthrough book that captures the essence of what really makes markets tick. Diligently researched and comprehensive in scope, it will replace Market Wizards as the must-read bible for a new generation of traders."
Jonathan Hoenig
Portfolio Manager, Capitalistpig Hedge Fund LLC
Fox News Contributor

"Michael Covel's Trend Following: Essential."
Ed Seykota
Trend Follower for 35 years and Original Market Wizard
The Trading Tribe

"Trend Following by Michael Covel? I'm long this book."
Bob Spear
Developer of Trading Recipes Software

"Michael Covel has written the definitive book on trend following. With careful research and clear insight he has captured the essence of the most successful of all trading strategies. Michael knows his subject matter and he writes about it with passion, conviction and enthusiasm. This enjoyable and well written book is destined to become a classic."
Charles LeBeau
Technical Traders Guide to Computer Analysis of the Futures Markets

"Trend Following is an engrossing and educational journey through the principles, pitfalls, players and psychology of aggressive technical trading of the investment markets. Rich in its wisdom and historical study."
Gerald Appel
President, Signalert Corporation

Nothing fancy. No crazy promises. Just the facts. If you are a gambler, you won't like it.

Trend Following Controversy
This book sure has had generated some controversy! Tried to read it with an open mind. However, I was influenced by the large number of market pros and traders that endorsed it at the author's web site for the book. My conclusion? If you want someone to promise you the world with loads of instant riches, Covel is not your guy. But if you want a down to earth, incredibly well researched work, that explains Trend Following from top to bottom -- buy this book. A great quote from Ayn Rand mentioned in the book sums up the mindset you need:

"What objectivity and the study of philosophy requires is not an 'open mind,' but an active mind-a mind able and eagerly willing to examine ideas, but to examine them critically."

Gotta Read it
I've always been intrigued by what makes top traders tick like the ones in Market Wizards. Because like most people what I do is just keep on investing in the same mutual funds I've invested in for years. This book made me think that there actually is an alternative to buy and hold.

Big Events causes disasters and profits
Good overview book. The information presented is substantial and meaty. Trading biographies, reviews of major events in the markets and trading psychology are all covered.

The author's use of baseball is particularly impressive. Linking a hobby to finance took some skill. But trading is a lot like baseball. Aim for the fences and swing hard. Similar to trend following. Look for the biggest and best opportunities to profit - trends. ... Read more

Book Description

"This is the best of the how-to-invest-in-real-estate books currently available."
–Robert Bruss, syndicated columnist and real estate author

THE BESTSELLING GUIDE TO REAL ESTATE INVESTING

Now in its fourth edition, Investing in Real Estate is the straightforward guide that helps you start growing your fortune by investing in houses and small apartment buildings. Successful real estate investors Andrew McLean and Gary Eldred show you how you can outperform the stock market by investing in residential real estate–the surest and safest way to build assets.

This new edition offers an expanded discussion of the best methods and techniques for fixing and flipping properties and creating value. You’ ll also find all the information you need to start investing now, as well as up-to-date tips on maintaining cash flow, negotiating deals, spotting market trends, and using the Internet as a research tool to find and buy properties. Let McLean and Eldred show you how to:

• Buy with little or no money down
• Minimize taxes while building your wealth
• Choose neighborhoods and properties that will beat the market with faster rates of appreciation
• Grow value in your properties by investing in improvements
• Pick the best way to finance your purchases

Whether you need money for your child’s college tuition, a more comfortable retirement, or just a higher standard of living, Investing in Real Estate, Fourth Edition is the only guide you need to start building wealth now. ... Read more

Reviews (76)

Helpful For Everyone
You're not just buying a book to read here. The amount of information in "Investing In Real Estate" makes it an investment. These are the facts. The way things are. There has been spiked interest in RE recently because of the recent low interest rates which has caused an upsurge home-buying in many parts of the country. With all of the real estate courses, seminars, tapes and books being marketed, how rare is it today to hear the facts and not just the hyperbole? This is the most comprehensive and detailed, to-the-point real estate book available.

If you're a normal home owner and want to increase your home's value with some shrewd fixing-up before you sell it, you can get tons of pointers here. Want to find the best bargain with your first purchase or your new home? Manage your property(ies)?
What criteria do you use to find the best property? How do you check to make sure? Creative financing is also covered.

This is not just for those investing in apartments or a duplex but everyone. Want to rent-out your house? You will learn the basic laws and procedures, and how to write up the most appropriate lease and how to cross your "T's" and dot your "I's." Almost all of us know people who've rented their homes out and had "bad tenants." You'll learn how to screen properly here to avoid them, and how you can use the (local) law.

There are many simple and proven math models on how to calculate the return you'll get from buying a detached house, condo, duplex, tri, fourplex, or multi-unit apartment complex. The Gross Rent Muliplyer (GRM), Income Capitalization "Caps," Net Operating Income (NOI), Return on Investment (ROI), and Before Tax Cash Flow (BTCF) etc. Add these simple equations and formulas to the fact that you likely live in the community (familiar with) you'll be buying/investing in, and you'll have the best chance to earn some positive Cash Flow, and choose the best option available. Ways to evaluate neighborhoods and areas that are up-and-coming, paying less taxes, and using depreciation and deductions properly are also covered. Very important for homebuyers and owners yes, but this is the most comprehensive book written for people who are looking to purchase property to plan ahead.

Good solid book
Among all of the books on real estate investing, this one gives you the best solid introduction. Once you decide the exact strategy you wish to pursue, you will want more specialized detail (like on renovations). I also liked the authors' approach in that they tell you how to really analyze your local market to develop ideas that will likely yield the best profits. I detest books that lay out step by step the author's suppossed "secrets to success"--when in fact that strategy might not work in a different place or time. ( One book I read told me to only buy 3-BR, 2-BTH, brick houses. We don't even have brick houses here!)

Outstanding coverage
Six rental houses, one quad, and one mobile home. I'm still accumulating and I'm still absorbing as much knowledge as I can. In that respect, I heartily recommend this book. Good details, excellent examples on creating value, sound explanation of calculating returns without burying me in a algebraic fog. The chapter on leases opened my mind to many points I hadn't even thought of. Overall thorough and practical approach.

Not Bad, a little too basic and too much cheerleading.
This book was one of the first "bestseller" types of books I have read on real estate investing, and I was fairly disappointed. This book would make a good first book for an aspiring real estate investor to hear about some of the more unconventional means of getting into real estate investing, but over all the book was short on details and potential pitfalls and very big on a "You can do it!" tone that made me wonder if the author was trying to sell me an ego boost as opposed to a fair, balanced, and sober look at investing in real estate. If you already understand the fundamentals of real estate investing and are familiar with foreclosures and other more aggressive sources of finding potential properties, you should pass on this book. If you know nothing, and are just looking for an idea of what this field is all about, I would cautiously recommend this book with the caveat that its not easy, there are some restless nights sometimes, and anything that sounds too good to be true, is.

Deals with important issues and provides insight
I have been investing in real estate for 10 years and read as much as I can on markets and strategies. This book is refreshing. I gained new insights and am eager to get out there and find some new properties. ... Read more

Book Description

Come Into My Trading Room
A Complete Guide to Trading

You can become a successful trader. It has been done before, and it is being done right now, today, by people around the world. If you enjoy learning, if you are not scared of risk, if the rewards appeal to you, and if you are prepared to put in the work, you have a great project ahead of you.

In Come Into My Trading Room: A Complete Guide to Trading, Dr. Alexander Elder takes you far beyond the three M’s (Mind, Method, Money) of his international bestseller Trading for a Living. He teaches you to manage your money and time, as well as strategy, so that you can enter the markets with confidence and exit with profits. This essential book educates the novice and gives more power to the professional through expert advice, proven trading methods, and something entirely unique–a visit to Dr. Elder’s own trading room. You get to follow him through several actual trades, whose entries and exits illustrate many of the key concepts of this book.

Come Into My Trading Room offers:

• A complete introduction to trading essentials
• An overview of trading psychology, both individual and mass psychology of the markets
• A practical overview of technical analysis, including new indicators and systems
• A step-by-step guide to risk control and money management
• Exact instructions for keeping records and organizing your time
• A visit to Dr. Elder’s private trading room, reviewing several of his recent trades

Be sure to work through the companion volume to this book–Study Guide for Come Into My Trading Room–before you risk a dollar in the markets. The Study Guide features 100 questions and answers and almost 50 charts to test your knowledge. Grade yourself to make sure you know enough about the nine key areas of trading. Work through eight case histories, select entry and exit points, and find out how well you understand what needs to be done in every trade. Use Dr. Elder’s Study Guide to make sure that you can measure up to your competitors and surpass them.

Come Into My Trading Room will help you master a new way of trading stocks, futures, options, and currencies. Unparalleled depth and a wide range of coverage give you the best chance to become the trader you’ve always wanted to be. ... Read more

Reviews (56)

A Complete Introduction to Trading Essentials
I really enjoyed the first book by Dr Elder, "Trading for a Living" very much. I have just finished Dr Elder's new book, "Come Into My Trading Room" and have enjoyed it very much too. There are several new ideas in the new book. A lot of the material in this book was presented in "Trading for a Living". It is the best book that combined the 3Ms -- Mind, Method and Money Management -- required for successful traders. It expands on the methods presented in "Trading for a Living" and makes the triple screen concept very clear.

I think the great difference between this book and other trading books is Dr Elder's background as a psychiatrist. He provides valuable insights into understanding the human element of market behavior, and the individual trader that makes his work unique. Dr Elder shares his own, successful trading strategy in a clear, concise, and easy to understand style. He does a great job showing some of his successful trades. I'm sure this is one of the finest books on developing trading skills. It is not only fun and easy to read but it is profitable. It pays back.

An Excellent Follow-Up to Elder's Trading For A Living
Alexander Elder gained well-deserved prominence for his first book, Trading For a Living. It's one of my favorite books on trading. Out of this classic came such new indicators as the Force Index, which is one of the indicators I use regularly in my chart software. I read Elder's follow-up, Come Into My Trading Room, in hopes of learning additional insights of the Force Index. While I found some new information here, I was even more impressed by the following lessons Elder shared:

1) "Some of the best trading opportunities occur after false breakouts" - I'm finding this more and more these days, which is why I actively use my Momentum Divergence indicators to separate the fakeouts from the real breakouts. Elder does a great job showing numerous charts throughout his book, laying the groundwork for the divergence examples he explains in great depth when you step into his trading room in the final chapter with many actual trading examples. You need to understand the concept of divergence to trade today's markets more profitably, and this book will be a great help in showing you how to trade divergence setups.

2) Triple Screen - Elder explains the important of using multiple timeframes, though he advocates two to no more than three time frames. The key concept is that whatever timeframe you use, you need to go up to the next longer timeframe to get confirmation. This provides the bigger picture trend to define the nature of your trades, and then you can return to the shorter timeframe and make more tactical decisions with this broader trend in mind as well.

3) Grade Your Performance - Elder actually quantifies trading effectiveness by defining the width of the channel for a stock, and what percentage of the move the trader actually captured to determine his grade. Regardless of how a trader measures his performance, it must be tracked in order to make improvements and experience constant improvement.

4) The SafeZone Stop - While I have not tested this indicator in my systems yet, Elder's SafeZone Stop looks like a more effective way to place a trailing stop than standard moving averages. The SafeZone Stop appears to adjust more rapidly to trending versus flat periods for a stock, compared to moving averages. This new technique should easily be worth many times the price of this book by itself.

5) Chapter 9: Trading for a Living - This chapter was my most highlighted chapter, as Elder covers the stages of growth from beginning to professional trader, covering a wide range of topics on trading discipline, time management, organization and developing a viable trading plan, to highlight just a few.

All in all, Come Into My Trading Room is an excellent follow-up to Elder's Trading For A Living, and I think you'll also find it a quick and thought-provoking read.

Great book. This should be the first one you buy.
The book is very well written and drives home the three Ms over and over. You can't hear it enough because when your finger is on the trigger, this training will help you execute with confidence. You will not be a loser if you follow the plan. The problem is, very few have the discipline.

I have long been and investor, but I wanted to improve my exit strategies. I knew successful traders had to have great exit strategies or they could not survive very long. Consequently, I actually bought a book on trading. The book helped me with exit strategies, but also completely opened up the world of trading. While I still invest for the long term, I have set up an account for short term trading. I read the book and worked through the workbook in about three days. I already had much of the preliminary work established from my investing experience.

Within about a month, I had a trading plan that I liked and a sound money management and trade evaluation system. While I still primary invest in longer term trends, I have had a blast making numerous small short-term trend trades.

This book will help any trader who reads it with an open mind and strictly adheres to the Three Ms - Mind, Method, and Money (Management). If you are and investor, then this book will expose you to what else is going on with your markets.

Sequal to trading for a living
Very good book. I agree that the charts could have been better and more relevant to wha Elder was discussing in the text. His mental toughness section is excellent. Trading is a mental game, and a trader has to stay mentally tough or take a break. Mark Douglas's books are the best on this. Laurence Connors places a big emphasis on this too.

Improvement In My Trading Room
Dr. Elder holds nothing back. The author shares with you a method, a system, and a technique for trading that can be applied to all markets.

This book and the study guide will take you step by step through the process of trading. If you don't have a trading plan this book will show you how to develope one. Also the author nudges you to awareness of the all important step of making the trading plan yours. If you are a novice this can be a huge hurdle to overcome without guidance. If you are a more experienced trader and can admit to yourself your result could be better, buy the book, its worth it.

Dr. Elder includes step-by-step guides for risk control, money management, record keeping and many more trading essentials that cannot be touched on in this review. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Stock investing is a relatively recent phenomenon and the inventory of true classics is somewhat slim. When asked, people in the know will always list books by Benjamin Graham, Burton G. Malkiel's A Random Walk Down Wall Street, and Common Stocks and Uncommon Profits and Other Writings by Philip A. Fisher. You'll know you're getting really good advice if they also mention Reminiscences of a Stock Operator by Edwin Lefèvre.

Reminiscences of a Stock Operator is the thinly disguised biography of Jesse Livermore, a remarkable character who first started speculating in New England bucket shops at the turn of the century. Livermore, who was banned from these shady operations because of his winning ways, soon moved to Wall Street where he made and lost his fortune several times over. What makes this book so valuable are the observations that Lefèvre records about investing, speculating, and the nature of the market itself. For example:

"It never was my thinking that made the big money for me. It always was my sitting. Got that? My sitting tight! It is no trick at all to be right on the market. You always find lots of early bulls in bull markets and early bears in bear markets. I've known many men who were right at exactly the right time, and began buying or selling stocks when prices were at the very level which should show the greatest profit. And their experience invariably matched mine--that is, they made no real money out of it. Men who can both be right and sit tight are uncommon."

If you've ever spent weekends and nights puzzling over whether to buy, sell, or hold a position in whatever investment--be it stock, bonds, or pork bellies, you'll be glad that you read this book. Reminiscences of a Stock Operator is full of lessons that are as relevant today as they were in 1923 when the book was first published. Highly recommended. --Harry C. Edwards ... Read more

Reviews (114)

Very Interesting but not particularly useful...
I have read this book several times and always find it entertaining. The psychology of the markets is, I guess, always fairly similar; however, this book will not make you a dime. Do not buy this book if you think that you will learn valuable money making insights by reading it.

The worth in this book is in the entertainment value. Experienced traders will relate to certain events and conditions mentioned in this book (at least I do). Really, this book is a just a novel for traders that transcends generations in terms of relevance.

Victor Niederhoffer heavily borrowed from this book when he wrote "Education of a Speculator." In that book, he basically said that he would not give up his trading secrets for the price of a book. What came about was a biography on the basics of how he developed his mind of a successful trader. That is the essence of "Reminiscences of a Stock Operator:" how Edwin LeFevre developed his trading mind.

Will a neophite leap frog elemental educational experience in the financial markets by instead reading this book? I think not. The neophite will also not learn of a succesful money making strategy by reading this book.

This is my "bible" of investing
I have a library of nearly 100 books about the markets. Reminiscences was the third book I ever read and it remains my "bible" more than a decade later. You might wonder how an 80-year old book about the stock market could still be relevant. Well, that is because financial markets are determined by human nature as much as anything else, and human nature acts today as it did a century ago. Greed, fear, herd thinking, impatience - those are the same influences that drive markets today and haunt traders and investors who are striving to make the right decisions. Many of the lessons that dictate my investment philosophy ("Cut your losses, let your winners run", "if you don't like the odds, don't bet") were taught to me by the protagonist, who is the fictional characterization of the legendary Jesse Livermore. That he tells his stories with such color and suspense makes the book completely entertaining beyond its invaluable trading lessons. BUY THIS BOOK FOR YOURSELF. BUY ANOTHER ONE FOR A FRIEND (I've given 4 copies). You'll not only improve your own investing results, but your gift will impress as well.

A Masterpiece
I bought this book after it was mentioned on the book Market Wizards. After I finished reading it, I found myself going back to it over and over again. This is a must read book for anyone that is really interesting in how the trading markets work in real life. It's brilliant, funny... Great!!!!!!!

Dated Yet Insightful
This book's contribution to the literature of the financial markets is incontrovertible. For an investing public starved of trading wisdom in a pre-Markowitz era when stock traders relied more or less on rules of thumb, "Reminiscences" stood out as a true gem. It should be read both as a source of profound insight into the workings of financial markets past and present, and as a critique of speculative activity in the years prior to the bursting of the stock market bubble in 1929.

One of the most important lessons mentioned in the book is that a trader does not have to be invested in the market all the time. It sounds hackneyed today, but this tenet is actually difficult to follow in practice, given the propensity of traders and investors to ride out losing positions.

It is important to remember that, having been written during a massive bull run and prior to the systemic failure of the stock market in 1929, during which the market's 'boundless hope and optimism', as described in Galbraith's "The Great Crash 1929", run roughshod over sentiments that the markets were overheating, "Reminiscences" should be read with an eye towards portfolio preservation, not injudicious speculation.

Hardcover Marketplace Book version worth the price ?
Wonderful book.
However I wanted a version printed on good paper so it would last a long time.
I bought a very costly hardcover Marketplace copy, just to discover that it was printed on weak paper.
It probably is just the paperback version with a hardcover, for which a 4.5 times the paperback price tag is quite rich. ... Read more

Book Description

The definitive work concerning Warren Buffett and intelligent investment philosophy, this is acollection of Buffett's letters to the shareholders of Berkshire Hathaway written over the past fewdecades that together furnish an enormously valuable informal education. The letters distill in plain words all the basic principles of sound business practices. They are arranged and introduced by a leading apostle of the "value" school and noted author, Lawrence Cunningham. Here in one place are the priceless pearls of business and investment wisdom, woven into a delightful narrative on the major topics concerning both managers and investors.These timeless lessons are ever-more important in the current environment. ... Read more

Reviews (46)