3 comments about High School Money Book.

1. Everything in the High School Money Book by Don Silver is useful and well organized. It is also incredibly clear and presented in the most useful way that I can imagine. If someone has a question, they can just look in the index or table of contents and -presto- there's the answer without having to wade through all sorts of other info. There are references for several sections if you'd like more in-depth information.
   
   Want to teach someone how to balance a checkbook? See page 90. What credit card should one get? See pages 50-52. Why is it critical to start saving for retirement at an early age? See page 108 for a very convincing set of scenarios and you may be surprised! What is money, anyway? See page 1.
   
   The book arrived at the beginning of a complicated and busy week and I sighed when I saw it, wondering how I would ever find the time to read it, much less to write a review. I decided to just glance inside, to get a taste of what was waiting for me. To my amazement, I was so captivated that I sat and read the entire book right then!
   
   Don is right, there should be a class for high school-aged kids called "Money Smarts 101." Maybe even adults should be required to take it!! But since most people don't have access to such a class, this book is the next-best thing. Everyone should have a copy of the High School Money Book on their bookshelf!



2. Written by educational consultant Don Silver, High School Money Book is a practical, no-nonsense guide to basic money management skills - a "Money Smarts 101" for high school students, if you will. Chapters discuss simple, smart ways to think, such as the monetary value of resisting peer pressure or engaging in "voluntary simplicity" to reduce the tendency to fritter one's dollars away; shopping smarts; selecting the right credit card and using it appropriately ("If you take one piece of advice from this book, it's this: avoid credit card debt"); ways to bank, handle paperwork, and grow one's money; money smarts to remember when working at a job; and much more. A first-rate primer not only for teens, but for anyone unfamiliar with simple money matters. Enthusiastically recommended.



3. Written by educational consultant Don Silver, High School Money Book is a practical, no-nonsense guide to basic money management skills - a "Money Smarts 101" for high school students, if you will. Chapters discuss simple, smart ways to think, such as the monetary value of resisting peer pressure or engaging in "voluntary simplicity" to reduce the tendency to fritter one's dollars away; shopping smarts; selecting the right credit card and using it appropriately ("If you take one piece of advice from this book, it's this: avoid credit card debt"); ways to bank, handle paperwork, and grow one's money; money smarts to remember when working at a job; and much more. A first-rate primer not only for teens, but for anyone unfamiliar with simple money matters. Enthusiastically recommended.

5 comments about Offshore Money Book, The : How to Move Assets Offshore for Privacy, Protection, and Tax Advantage.

1. This is a good book for teaching newbies the basics of how to go offshore, open bank accounts, and (perhaps most importantly) avoid offshore scams.
   
   The book needs to be read in light of recent revisions to the Patriot Act and new currency transfer reporting requirements. Don't even think of going offshore if your goal is to try to hide money from Uncle Sam, since if your particular plan fails it will probably end up being felony tax evasion.



2. If you are looking for a "feel good" book that only gives you the sugar frosting about offshore without warning you about the many pitfalls, then this book isn't for you.
   
   On the one hand, if your interest is learning about the realities of offshore banking and tax reporting for U.S. citizens, etc., the you will find this a good starter guide. It's also chock full of interesting stories based on Mr. Cornez's personal experiences in the offshore havens.



3. Famous authors of several other books like this one, for example Jerome Schneider, have already been * convicted * of tax fraud and have handed over their entire client lists to the US Government.
   
   There is no legal way of avoiding US Taxes through offshore banks, offshore trusts, or numbered accounts. These things are only good for:
   
   1.) Asset protection
   2.) Diversifying investments/access to greater variety of investments
   
   and that's it. Be wary of advice in books like this one if you are using them to avoid taxes.
   
   If you don't like paying high taxes, give up your residency, hand in your passport and get citizenship in a country with lower taxes.



4. This book lets you understand the fundamentals of offshore investing to protect yourself from lawsuits and avoid unnecessary tax liability. It focuses on the legal way to avoid exposure. This book is worth the money, but nothing outstanding.



5. This book covers most of your questions and describes the basics for banking and corporations established outside the US. It tries to give you the pros and cons of each type of company and a list of places to look into. While it may not be the only book you'll ever need, it does a nice job of detailing what you'll need and how to go about the process of offshore management of finances and protecting your assets. It would have gotten 5 stars if it had been more recent. Still, its' quite worthwhile compared to what else is out there.

5 comments about Macroeconomic Policy: Demystifying Monetary and Fiscal Policy.

1. I am an employee at Merrill Lynch (I have my series 7,63,65,24,4) and currently studying for the CFA Level 1 Exam, however, my background is in Biochemistry and Biology so it is pretty obvious that I was behind relative to my peers with regards to our formal academic background. So I felt that I needed a book that that could clearly communicate the macroeconomic policies that govern this country. However, because the CFA level 1 is a difficult exam, I could not afford to have the author dilute the information or overly simplify the information. Fortunately, the literature provided in this book not only conveyed the information better, and clearer than the actual CFA preparatory classes that I had been taken, but it was such a fun book to read. The beauty of this book is that it provides actual contemporay and historic global examples to supplement the literature. Prior to reading this book I had read other books on macroeconomic policy that were so dry that I could not even finish the chapters (and I had read some pretty dry books during my days as an undergrade pursuing my double major in Biotechnology and Biology)but this book was the type of book that I did not want to put down from the moment I started reading it. Furthermore, this book also assisted me in getting a better understanding of the markets (equities and real estate) for future investments as well. After reading this book, I am such a sharper investor, I can now dissect the nonsense from the valid information that is being promoted on TV and in magazines. I highly recommend this book for everyone who is interested in getting a deeper understanding of how our government works, and how our economy works relative to the rest of the world.



2. I am an employee at Merrill Lynch (I have my series 7,63,65,24,4), and currently studying for the CFA Level 1 Exam, however, my background is in Biochemistry and Biology so it is pretty obvious that I was behind my peers relative to our formal academic background. So, I felt that I needed a book that that could clearly communicate the macroeconomic policies that govern this country. However, because the CFA level 1 is a difficult exam, I could not afford to have the author dilute the information, or overly simplify the information. Fortunately, the literature provided in this book not only conveyed the information better, and clearer than, the actual CFA preparatory classes that I had been taken, but it was such a fun book to read. The beauty of this book is that it provides actual contemporay, and historic global examples to supplement the literature. Prior to reading this book, I had read other books on macroeconomic policy that were so dry that I could not even finish the chapters (and I had read some pretty dry books during my days as an undergrade pursuing my double major in Biotechnology and Biology), but this book was the type of book that I did not want to put down from the moment I started reading it. Furthermore, this book also assisted me in getting a better understanding of the markets (equities and real estate) for future investments as well. After reading this book, I am such a sharper investor, I can now dissect the nonsense from the valid information that is being promoted on TV and in magazines. I highly recommend this book for everyone who is interested in getting a deeper understanding of how our government works, and how our economy works relative to the rest of the world.



3. A great book for the understading of Macro, and corelate the discussion with the real world. However, the book is not aimed towards the one who is looking for in depth mathematical derivations behind the macro policies. Very interesting to read.



4. As Econ texts go, this one is pretty straight forward and compact. It gets the point across in a small amount of space. The real world articles and analysis is very helpful. My professor was pretty bad for this course, so the book was a lifesaver.



5. I must confess that I have no prior knowledge of economics before taking a masters course in macroeconomics. I found it very difficult to learn the subject from the book. The book served me a good reference book. Its not a ideal text book.

5 comments about Who Shot Goldilocks?: How Alan Greenspan Did in Our Jobs, Savings, and Retirement Plans.

1. This book is a great way to look at Alan Greenspan's effect on the federal reserve, stock markets, interest rates and inflation. It is well-written and easily accessible for someone wanting to learn about how these entities interact. The perspective on Alan Greenspan is interesting and left me wanting to learn more. It would also be helpful for anyone interested in learning about the stock market or bond market as Greenspan has had such a dramatic effect in both these areas.



2. This book has answers for anyone who got crushed in the dot.com bust. An impassioned and efficient analysis of 20 years of American financial history. Of significant interest to anyone with money in the market or with concerns about the concentration of economic power in the Federal Reserve Bank.



3. Shocking! Mr. Rutherford has done his homework. Who shot Goldilocks? will give you new insight into the internal workings of the Federal Reserve, Mr. Greenspan's seriously flawed decision making techniques and the unbelievable amount of power wielded by so few. In fact, this book will leave you with grave concern for the current economy and longing for answers to a much needed money-system overhaul. A great read!
   S. Miller



4. This book is very well written and easily understood. For someone like me who is not a well versed on the matters of the various factors affecting the financial markets, it provided a number of new insights. I do not profess to offer an opinion on the matter of Greenspan's success or failure, but this book does offer a different perspective from what is generally portrayed in the media. Worth reading.



5. William D. Rutherford's "Who Shot Goldilocks?: How Alan Greenspan Did in Our Jobs, Savings, and Retirement Plans" is an intelligent and well-researched analysis of the economy of the United States.
   
   The United States economy in the nineteen nineties was efficient and productive, and economists said it was ideal. The public and governments from all over the world looked up to the U.S. economy with admiration mingled with envy. The U.S. economy did not encourage inflation, as the growth was steady. At the same time because of the stable state of affairs, it created a congenial atmosphere for production. In other words, the economy was "just right!" and hence was called the Goldilocks economy.
   
   However, by the end of the decade, the economy faltered and stopped growing. The stock market crashed. Some businesses were closed down. Many people lost their jobs and savings. There was no hint or warning that this type of crash could happen to the economy, and the economists and government were caught unawares. They did not even realize what had happened, and hence were not in a position to try and set it right.
   
   Rutherford explores the downturn of the economy, searching for who is responsible for the current state of the economy. He then scathingly criticizes the responsible parties for their role in the economic downswing. He also demonstrates that the implosion of the economy could have been prevented.
   
   Despite the focus of the book being what went wrong in the economy, he ends on a note of hope, saying that the American economy will still prosper due to the efforts of industrialists who are innovative risk takers. Rutherford concludes that the world economy could be better. However, he also feels that the economy of Europe will falter because of European industries' lack of insight into the intricacies of the economy. Rutherford presents the difficult topic, the U.S. economy, in a simple manner, explaining how economies function. His simple language allows him to present his ideas lucidly to laymen. An engrossing read, "Who Shot Goldilocks?: How Alan Greenspan Did in Our Jobs, Savings, and Retirement Plans" will surely be appreciated by economists and anyone who wants to know the reason why the U.S. economy faltered.
   
   - BookWire Review, May 19, 2005

1 comments about Tug of War: Why You Should Care About the Global Currency Crisis.

1. A simple yet far reaching book about the "Asian Contagion" and currency crisis of the late '90's. You should first read "The Vandals Crown", then this book, followed by "The Chastening". You'll then have a complete and chronological history of numerous currency crises involving the IMF, World Bank, and the major geopolitical figures. Fascinating foundation of fundamentals in action for anyone interested in trading the FOREX markets.

1 comments about Advantage Books: Money, Banking and Financial Markets (Thomson Advantage Books).

1. Excellent and brilliant book. I used it to successfully pass the Dantes Money and Banking exam. Amazingly, it's as thick as phone book, yet very easy to read. After completing a chapter, you just long for more. I recommend it.

5 comments about Money, the Financial System, and the Economy (6th Edition) (Adison-Wesley Series in Economics).

1. Having taken only a few basic econ courses in college I was looking for a book that would explain the workings of the fed in detail. My main interest is in trading. I found this book to be perfect. It was neither too simple nor too complex. Everything was cogently written and accessible to a layman. I found answers to all my questions and it's organized in a manner that chapters can be read independently of one another. It will serve as an excellent reference manual.



2. Please do yourself another favour this year by not buying this textbook. The writter had a difficult time explain the meaning of money and frequency confuse what he was wrtiing in chappeters.



3. In future editions it'd be helpful to have a stronger discussion of imperfect markets. Hubbard's neo-classicism is what made G W Bush pick him to lead the Council of Economic Advisors. But to get a more full picture of finance (especially on the international scale) one should read this side by side with Stiglitz's "Globalization and its Discontents".
   
   This is a great book for undergrads who are not economics majors - the market features are covered effectively, thoroughly, and without the jargon that characterizes most exchanges between seasoned economists.
   
   This is a decent book for undergrad econ majors, although by the time most of us get around to Money & Banking or Financial Economics, we've had intermediate macro and micro and are juniors looking forward to internships. Still, the presentation is not overly complex, and the assumption that the student is a beginner does indeed help for those who missed a full grasp of some of the finer points of theory.
   
   This is not a great book for grad students, although there really aren't any great books for grad students in financial econ. MBA students will focus more in detail on the derivative and futures markets, particularly in terms of pricing assets. MSF students have their modeling books. Econ students really have to turn to the journals to broaden their scope in terms of theory, and especially to find answers to the "What if's" of imperfect markets.
   
   Written by a grad student in Economics at the University of Missouri - St. Louis



4. This book is easy to read and explains the finacial markets and intermediaries well. I go to Ohio University and this is the primary text book for the class I am in, the chapters are relatively short and the questions are well laid out. We don't use the book enough for me to give it 5 stars.



5. I never got this book and the seller never responded to my emails. An awful experience. I'm trying to get a refund from Amazon.

1 comments about Real World Banking and Finance: A Dollars & Sense Reader, 5th Edition.

1. I am a college student and got assigned this book for one of my economics classes. The book took complicated material and made it very easy to understand.

No comments about Billions for the bankers: Debts for the people.

No comments about Free: The Past and Future of a Radical Price.