5 comments about 24 Essential Lessons for Investment Success: Learn the Most Important Investment Techniques from the Founder of Investor's Business Daily.

1. That is WHY he is "plugging" his paper. You must UNDERSTAND his paper to USE his paper so he "PLUGS" his paper - more correctly - DISSECTS - his paper so you can more easily USE the information. To all the ingnoramus reviewers who denounce this book as a "Sales Pitch" have clearly not bothered to pick up and read the Investors Business Daily but are paranoid of being sold and snookered. Perhaps they've been had too many times. Sometimes its ok to be sold. If you're sold on sound princibles and solid information as in the information in this book and it's "plugged" paper Investors Business Daily by Mr. O'Neil (ranked 12 in in the top investors of all time) which he offers FREE for a MONTH home delivered daily wrapped in plastic. C'MON GUYS!!!



2. I tried this and it works most of the time! You have to follow all the rules to make it work.



3. This book isn't about getting rich quick. It takes time, study diligence and patience coupled with controlling ones emotions to become an excellent investor.
   
   William O'Neil, who started a successful financial paper known as Investors Business Daily, wrote How to Make Money in Stocks. Decade of research, critical thinking and common sense has helped O'Neil to create some very powerful ways of investing successfully. He melds both the technical and fundamental aspects of investing.
   
   Each of the 24 lessons in this book is provided in a chapter form. Just a few of the powerful lessons are: Follow a system Rather Than your Emotions (Lesson 3), How to Buy a Stock at Just the Right Moment (Lesson 9) How to Gauge the Stock market's Health (Lesson 12) and many more.
   
   I have read many books, magazines and articles on investing in stocks, bonds, mutual funds and more over the years. O'Neil's ideas are some of the most solid and consistent I have found to apply to the stock market. They are easy to read and understand the basic...but like anything worth while...it takes years to be good. I have read three of O'Neil's books and have found rich ideas in all of them.
   
   The Re-Discovery of Common Sense: A Guide to: The Lost Art of Critical Thinking



4. Just finished "24 Essential Lessons for Investment Success" by Bill O'Neil, who happens to be the publisher of Investor's Business Daily. Consequently, the book is more or less an extended commercial for the paper -it is an investor's guide, but an investor's guide as applied to using Investor's Business Daily.
   
   However, there's a good balance of information here. If you can steer past the obvious bias, he has some good tips I'd like to try out some day. He presents a formulaic approach for success in the market - not too conservative nor too risky. It certainly makes good sense. And it's obviously worked well for him.



5. I read `The Successful Investor' and `How To Make Money in Stocks' by O'Neil. Both are good books for the beginning investor. However `24 Essential Lessons' is a big disappointment, it is nothing but a plug for O'Neil's newsletter the Investor's Business Daily. '24 Lessons should be given away for free to entice people to use Investor's Business Daily (IBD) instead of sold as a book. There is a plug for IBD on almost every page, often more then five times per page.
   
   Page 38 has IBD plugs 5 times:
   Only Investor's Business Daily gives you "Volume Percent Change"........
   
   For example, a stock showing a +356 volume percentage change in Investor's Business Daily stock tables indicates.........
   
   Additionally, Investor's Business Daily provides special screened lists daily which identify stocks with the greatest percentage rise in volume.........
   
   It's impossible for big institutions to buy a stock without it showing up in either Investor's Business Daily "Volume Percent Change" column in the stock tables .....
   
   Investor's Business Daily enables you to easily track the institutional elephants......
   
   Page 39 only has 2 plugs:
   Investor's Business Daily has another proprietary gauge that can be very helpful in indemnifying whether a stock being sold is being brought or sold......
   
   All you need to do is get in the habit of checking Investor's Business Daily Mutual fund section.......
   
   Page 40: 2 more plugs
   
   Page 41: 3 plugs.
   
   I can go on and on listing the pages IBD is mentioned on and how often.
   
   The ending of this book is dedicated to the advantages of using Investor's Business Daily. I'm writing this review because the author is taking advantage of people selling this book. He should be ashamed for himself.

5 comments about The 16% Solution: How To Get High Interest Rates in a Low Interest World with Tax Lien Certificates.

1. This book discribes how investors can make money in the tax lien market. Tax liens are those liens attached to your deed when you do not pay your property taxes. Since your municpality needs these taxes to pay for service (fire, police, etc.) and they do not need the real estate, they either sell the liens or the actual real estate (not really covered in this book) at an auction. The investor needs to wait a period of time (Each State is Differnt) and then the investor forcloses on the defaltee either requiring the tax payer to pay cash or take possesion of the real estate to do what he wishes with it.
   
   The four sectons of the book explain the basics of these liens, what they are, how to get them, who to contact, what to look for, where they are held and the basics of how to redeam them. There is also a reference on the individual state laws on how each state handles the leins and what the investor must do.
   
   Mr. Moskowitz gives plenty of exapmples of which states has tax liens (Certificates) and which ones have tax deeds (Real Estate). He explains the pros and cons of each and he explains how to take advantage of each situation.
   
   For the small investor though, this can cause some problems as your cash is tied up for a period time and you may have to foreclose on the tax payer when then do not pay. If you need the money and there are no current markets to to sell off your certificate if the need arrises. If you have enough money to part with, investing in these vehicles are safe and secure and you can get some hefty profits from them if you are willing to deal with som small problems.
   
   He reminds you that these profits are guarrenteed by the government and are perfectly legal.
   
   This book helps you understand the concept of these investments, but you need to do more research before you start. Are you willing to evict someone when there term is up. Many states allow tax payers to pay thier taxes after the have sold it you with out owing you interest (generally with in a certain time frame). These and other questions needs to be ask as you read the book.
   
   Mr. Moskowitz does a great job at explaining everything except how to get tax Deed (real estate). This is recommened as a starting point for anyone who want to get involved in this type of investment. Further reading and inquiry of others who actually use these investments are still needed.



2. This book is great if you want to get acclimated with Tax Liens. I would say the book is superior when it comes to actually giving you numbers for each state and explaining the dynamics in each.
   
   I will say that other books on the subject will educate you probably just as well, but this is considered the standard on the subject and I found it's appendix in the back for each state better than the rest. BOTTOM LINE: I took out every book at the library on the subject, read them all, and then bought this book to keep around.



3. This book rates well with me in terms of presentation and qualified information. I will admit at the front that I have never purchased a tax lien and I would weigh that heavily in terms of the merits of any review of this book. If there are among these reviews some who have purchased tax liens and have not lost their shirt in the process, I would weigh their review ahead of all others.
   
   With that said, I should note that I have a considerable amount of experience in the real estate arena which will validate at least some of my review. Despite this book being presented in a very qualified manner, experience will show that typically the returns presented in investment specific books (particularly those with the anticipated return on its cover) are almost always on the rosy end of reality.
   
   Obtaining liens at this high a rate will inevitably not be as easily achievable as this book presents. That is not to suggest is not possible, as I am quite aware it is. I say this more as a caution because this book spends only a minimal amount of time on risk and otherwise encompasses nearly all its time on the potential reward. For this reason I am in the middle of the road on how I view this book and thus give it 3 stars.
   
   To reiterate, I admit I have not purchased any tax liens, so understand that this opinion is based on what I know of the entire market place of real estate and anticipated returns. If tax liens are of interest to you, this book will in fact provide you with a solid foundation about the intricacies of such dealings.



4. This will get you started but it has only scratched the surface of what you really need to do regarding the tax lien certificate process. I think this book is best for gauging your interest level to see if you want to explore further.



5. I read this book a few years ago when I started buying tax lien certificates in Colorado. To my knowledge, this is the only book out there on this topic.
   
   Joel Moskowitz is an attorney and he has put together an excellent book. The first half of the book (about 100 pages) discusses the basics. Included are 1) What are tax lien certificates?, 2) What to look for in properties, 3) Bidding at local auctions, 4) How to redeem your certificates, and many other topics.
   
   The second half of the book (about 95 pages) is made up of four appendices: 1) Chart of state laws, 2) The 16% winner's circle, 3) Environmental forms for commercial and industrial properties, and 4) Further information.
   
   As for myself, I live in Colorado and have been to about 18 auctions since 2001. I did acquire one property in Elbert County in 2005 and made a pretty nice profit. I came within 12 days of getting a two acre lakefront lot in another county worth over $100,000 last year (2007), but the taxes were paid by the owner. I made several hundred dollars in interest income on that one, however.
   
   I continue to buy tax lien certificates every year. Hopefully I will acquire some good properties.
   
   As for the book, it is well worth the money. I highly recommend it.
   
   Mitch Paioff, Author, Getting Started as an Independent Computer Consultant

5 comments about The New Buffettology: The Proven Techniques for Investing Successfully in Changing Markets That Have Made Warren Buffett the World's Most Famous Investor.

1. Though I've successfully invested in the market for years, I'd never actually read much about Buffett or his methods. I finally decided to sit down after watching an interview with him and see what someone who actually knows the man (author is former daughter-in-law) had to say. I found out I shared some basic beliefs with Buffett on investing, which probably explains why I've done all right, though I'm not only not in Buffett's ballpark but couldn't afford to buy a ticket to his game.
   It was most interesting to read her analysis of his approach, development, and more. A very encouraging book--money can be made in the market, but surprise!, you have to do your homework, fight impulse buying, and be willing to delay gratification. You may also learn that Buffett was wealthy long before achieving his huge success--he appears to be a man who appreciates things, including others who are good at business as he doesn't try to micromanage. Very readable and educational.



2. Many books have been written about Warren Buffet's way of picking the right stocks at the right time, but this one is the most sound, concise and actionable. There is another book similar to this one: "The Warren Buffet Way" by Robert G. Hagstrom, but it misses the important topics laid out in the "Buffettology". These major topics are: what are the differences between a "consumer monopoly" and a "commodity"; how to calculate the rate of return over a long period of time before choosing the investment; and so on. There is another great book about Warren Buffet and his investment strategy - "Buffet: The Making of an American Capitalist" by Roger Lowenstein, but it better describes Mr. Buffet's biography and his relations with family, friends and the society, rather than how did he evaluate the companies. But please note that "Buffettology" is not a replacement of the book by Roger Lowenstein, I highly recommend reading both of them. What is you can omit is the book by Robert G. Hagstrom, above mentioned.
   
   I would recommend an abridged audio version of the "Buffettology" instead of the printed hardcover. The audio version discloses the most important factors of Mr. Buffet's investment principles pretty well. Some of the background information is available on free letters to shareholders and Mr. Buffet's lectures, but you might not want to crawl thought all these; you might want to save time and just listen the "Buffettology" audio or read the "Buffettology" book, where all this information is perfectly summarized and laid out in a consistent way.



3. This is probably the best Buffett book that I have read. Most of the books about Buffett talk about his life history and how he bought shares of Company X twenty years ago for $10 and it's now worth $200, but they don't give you specifics of how he evaluates companies that he purchases. This book gives you the specific and quantifiable criteria that he uses to evaluate a stock for purchase. For example, a company must have a ten year record of return on capital above 15%, a debt to equity ratio below 1.5, etc.
   
   There has been some debate about the credibility of this book in regards to how much Mary Buffett actually knew about her former father-in-law's business. I can say that the principles outlined in this book are consistent with many other texts that I have studied on value investing, and I have used the same criteria when evaluating stocks for my own portfolio.



4. "The New Buffettology" not only summarizes Buffett's approach to investing, it also provides a large number of illustrative examples. Examples of both follow.
   
   "Transforming" industries (eg. radio, autos, airlines, Internet, biotech) create visions of wealth in investors' minds. Buffett, however, sees them as seldom, if ever, establishing a sustainable competitive advantage due to the intense competition in the infancy of any industry. Further, they lack of track record of profits in their early years.
   
   The best buying opportunities occur in a bear market with firms that just encountered bad news specific to them. Examples: American Express in the mid-1960s after it lost $60 million in a salad oil swindle, but still had a strong credit card and traveler's check business. Bought into Mattel after its 1999 Learning Co. acquisition bled cash and lowered Mattel's stock from $46 in 1998 to $9 in 2000; Mattel still had Barbie, sold off Learning Co., and the stock rebounded. Bought Wells Fargo @ $58 in 1991 after it fell in a down real-estate market - saw it as a low-cost producer. Early 1980s invested in Philip Morris and R.J. Reynolds after tobacco-related lawsuits hammered their stock prices. GEICO in 1975 was on the edge of insolvency for insuring all driver (not just safe) - went back to its roots.
   
   Conversely, when analysts and media pundits proclaim earnings are no longer important in valuation (eg. look at total sales, instead), a bubble is in progress.
   
   Buffett likes businesses that fulfill a repetitive consumer need (food, fast food), or repetitive consumer services (tax preparation, security services, pest control), low-cost producers or vendors of common products (eg. furniture, jewelry, insurance).
   
   Companies with some kind of desirable competitive advantage typically have high consistent returns on stockholders' equity (eg. 12+%), such as H&R Block (25%), coca-Cola - 33%, Philip Morris - 20%. Also looks for rising EPS, and debt less than 5X current net earnings (except banks - leveraged much higher).
   
   Privately owned companies often can be bought at 4-6X earnings because of their inability to expand. Bought Nebraska Furniture Mart at a 24% return price.
   
   Arbitrage is a favorite Buffett source of income - looks for CASH acquisitions AFTER they've been announced.



5. The title of this book is a misnomer because the content is really not particularly new or fresh. Readers might buy this, or the previous Buffettology book by the authors, but one's investment knowledge base is not significantly enhanced by the two books in tandem.

5 comments about Where Does the Money Go?: Your Guided Tour to the Federal Budget Crisis.

1. it makes something vey complicated(or so the government wants us to believe)simple for the TAXPAYER to somewhat understand.



2. Writing this review during the 2008 Presidential campaign and amidst the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression, I find the book, "Where Does the Money Go?" informative, provocative and very, very timely. If either of the Presidential candidates had read the book before the final debate, I think either would have scored meaning points with the viewers. Instead, when asked to comment on the federal debt, neither seemed to want to address it. Or, maybe neither really had the knowledge conveyed in this comprehensive, easy-to-read, very worthwhile book.
   
   The first thing that I like about the book is that it clearly invites the reader in as if the reader has nothing to worry about, as if there are no "dumb" questions. At no time did I ever feel that the authors were talking down to me or expecting me to have a level of knowledge beyond the average reader. So, in this sense, the book appears to be meant to be a primer, but it goes well beyond that. It clearly goes on to give the reader a high level of insight into how the federal budget works and what the ramifications are to reducing the debt amassed.
   
   Suggestions are made and alternatives are presented. But, like the climate-change or energy-independence issues, the book does not tell us that there is any one easy answer. In fact, there may not be ANY easy answers. It will be HARD to reduce the federal debt. HARD!
   
   No one should come away from the solution without sacrifices. To make it work, we simply need to make dramatic changes in our expectations of what we have coming from our government. We have maxed out on our credit cards, and now the "rent" is due. Not only do we have to pay our future dues - including those connected with entitlements to our seniors - we have to pay off our credit cards AT THE SAME TIME!
   
   Some of the major points made by the book:
   * The federal government, with 2.7 million civilian employees, plus another 1.4 million military personnel is by far the largest employer in the country.
   * The United States is seemingly addicted to spending more than it takes in.
   * For the last 31 out of 35 years, the country has spent more than it has taken in.
   * The U.S. has been running a trade deficit every year since 1970.
   * Polls show that just one in four Americans favor raising taxes to reduce budget deficits.
   * Most Americans do not want Social Security and/or Medicare benefits to be reduced, nor do they want to reduce defense spending.
   * Any politician who ran a campaign on raising taxes and lowering spending would probably lose.
   * The Social Security Trust Fund holds IOUs, not real money. More than $2 trillion has been "borrowed" by a government that seemingly has no way to pay that money back.
   * Even if the War in Iraq were to end today and the Bush tax cuts were to expire today, we still would not be headed toward a balanced budget for the next fiscal year. Things are that bad!
   * The IRS estimates that the "gap" between what individuals pay in federal income taxes and what they should be paying is more than $300 billion each year, with 80% of this estimated to come from partnerships and small businesses. But this is an example of relative "chicken feed" in relation to our total national debt.
   * Even eliminating all waste, fraud and earmark spending in the federal government would do little to dent the increases in the federal debt.
   * Japan and China, alone, hold a total of more than $1 trillion of the U.S. debt that is now more than $10 trillion and growing.
   * 2010 will be the "high noon" of budget politics. This is when we have to take our first real "shot" at solving our problem.
   * We need to have broken our plan down into little pieces, so that each can implemented in isolation.
   * All Americans need to feel that they are doing their fair-share in making sacrifices.
   * Significant changes have to be made in the way the federal budget is proposed, approved, overseen and communicated.
   
   One chapter of the book actually invites the reader to make changes to the federal budget to put it in balance. 14 pages of federal budget categories and costs are given, and the reader is invited to reduce area as he/she feels appropriate to reduce. And there is a chapter about how to take statements by politicians with a "grain of salt." But, for my money, the best chapter of the book is the one that gives us the "Six Realities We Need to Accept to Solve This Problem." Two of these are 1) that we need to start now, and 2) that we need to move toward a "different state of mind" in our country about what we spend federal money on, how we can balance our budget on a regular basis, and how we can decrease our national debt, so that we are not the biggest debtor nation in the world.
   
   The book ends with references (not including the National Committee for the Preservation of Social Security and Medicare, unfortunately) to guide you toward more information.
   
   To me, the payback in reading the book is that it leaves you with is a feeling that 1) you better understand the components involved with the national debt, 2) you better understand the importance of the problem, and 3) that you are now part of the solution, not just the problem.
   
   As a nation, we clearly need to put the shovel down and stop digging the hole we are in. I highly recommend this book as a basis of building a more informed, more involved populous relative to the changes that must come in our country, involved with the way we collect and spend money at the federal level. This is NOT a problem that we can ignore any longer. There is no way that it will go away by itself.



3. 'Where Does the Money Go' is an objective, easy, and informative read for anyone interested in the spending habits of our Federal government. It contains many important and up-to-date statistics, helpful graphs/charts, and an overwhelming amount of reference for further reading. Furthermore, there is a very interesting chapter that lays out the budget and lets you play politician; you allocate money based on your personal opinions and you discover where your budget ends up. This exercise puts a little substance to all of the reading.
   
   While I do think this book is a good read, especially during a time with the big promises from our Presidential nominees and multi-billion dollar bailouts, I found this book to be a bit fluff. There first 150+ pages were good, but after that the book seems to drag on. Given the fact that this book is more of a broad introduction to the subject, it should have been wrapped up in 150-200 pages, not 300+. The last few chapters drift off subject.



4. A very easy and informative read which lays out the issues very clearly and recognizes the need for them to be addressed now. I've recomended the book to all my friends and have purchased copies for my family.



5. Even though the election is now over, don't think that you can stop caring about the Federal Budget Crisis. In this book, the authors give an incisive and balanced look at the budget, and why it's not working. More importantly, there is a great deal of discussion on what you should and should not believe when it comes to political jargon, or biased pundit commentary. I recommend this book to everyone, as it is a great starting point to understand not only the budget, but also issues like Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, and how they relate to budget policy.

5 comments about The Predators' Ball: The Inside Story of Drexel Burnham and the Rise of the Junk Bond Raiders.

1. Highly regarded as one of the finest pieces of business investigative journalism written, Connie Bruck's groundbreaking work on the subject of junk bonds and corporate financing was written during a time when the business press universally admired Drexel Burnham for their ability to turn junk into gold.
   
   You will find this book quite entertaining and comprehensible. A smooth read not filled with too much industry jargon, its nomenclature friendly enough even for the beginner. It highlights the bright sides as well as the dark sides of the critically acclaimed Junk-bond king Michael Milken and allows each of us to have his or her own view on Milken and Drexel Burnham's underlying philosophy.
   
   Although the book does lean heavily towards Milken having a me first attitude, it does manage to pin down a few important business lessons underscored by him that cannot be overlooked. You will not waste any time reading this piece. You will definitely be on the winning side by reading this book.
   
   This book will definitely generate scores of topics to discuss and debate about the philosophies of American business that dominated Wall Street in the 1980s. This future classic highlights many corporate raiders that are still vehemently visible today. Just to name a few: players like Carl Icahn, Nelson Peltz, Ron Perelman, T. Boone Pickens and a host of others.
   
   A definite must read for those interested in banking, financial history, and especially for business students.



2. I Love this Book and the Brass ones it took to actually write it!
   Magic Mike was brilliant! Not so legal, but a genius!
   And "The Predator's Ball", was a just a Very expensive weekend party in a bungalow at The Hotel California!
   Great story, too bad it will never be a movie!



3. Today the phrase "securities fraud" evokes Enron, WorldCom and Tyco. Two decades ago, it evoked Drexel Burnham Lambert, the investment bank that ruled the junk-bond realm and helped fund some of the most audacious corporate takeovers of the 1980s. Enthroned at the center of Drexel Burnham was the king of junk, Michael Milken. Was he a financial genius who found ever more clever ways to make markets more efficient? Or was he a swindler running the world's biggest Ponzi scheme? New Yorker writer Connie Bruck sets out to answer those questions in this cautionary tale of Drexel's rise and fall. getAbstract recommends this fascinating, highly detailed financial history. However, the flaw in Bruck's narrative is the absence of a third act: She inexplicably ends the book before Milken's trial and sentencing. While its ending is weak, this provocative story makes one thing clear: Uneasy lies the head that wears a leveraged crown.



4. This author presents a thorough and conclusive account of Mike Milken. The level of depth she was able to provide here is really impressive.



5. The Savings & Loan scheme was a creation of Michael Milken and his firm Drexel Burnham. They realized they could sell high risk securities to S&Ls while assuring the S&Ls (correctly) that being FDIC insured they could not lose.
   
   The ultimate cost to the taxpayers (which is to say the Middle Class) was some $150 billion.
   
   Charlie Keating as noted in the "Predator's Ball", when Keating tried, repeatedy, to contact Milken to be part of his group, Milken's secretary would just say: "You are not a Jew" and hang up on him.
   
   This is a very honest book about life and how ethnicity on WALL STREET matters!

5 comments about The Intelligent Investor: A Book of Practical Counsel.

1. I concur with Ben Graham's star pupil, Warren Buffett, that this is the best book on investing ever made. Although Mr. Buffett modified the approach, the basic ideas pioneered by Mr. Graham such as "margin of safety" and viewing common stocks as shares in a business rather than ticker symbols are still as important as ever.
   
   Robert Stephenson-Padron
   MSc student (economics & finance)
   University of Navarra, Spain



2. All time classics on value investing.
   
   Warrent Buffet learnt from Benjamin Graham. That's all one needs to say.
   
   Lucy Chen



3. Buffett consider this book the best ever written about investment. He wrote the preface for the book. In the preface, he said if we learn two things from the book, first take advantage of Mr. Market (As stock market prices go up and down, we should buy good company stocks with good discounts, and sell to take profits when prices gone too high) and second have Margin of Safety (One should only buy a stock with significant discount to have room for ones valuation error on the stock), he or she should do well in the stock market.



4. This book will deliver a theory on investing, which is no doubt well known, but rarely practiced, while giving you an insight into the psychology of the market.
   
   It begins via explaining the difference between speculations and investing, and outline what profits you can realistically expect to make in bonds, preferred and commons stocks.
   
   It then proceeds into inflation, and explains how an investments in the stock market will provides protection against it. Graham provides a short history lesson on the stock market over the last 100 years and how and why it has fluctuated.
   
   The book then introduce a very important subject Portfolio Policy and recommends the amount an individual should diversify between graham two investment mediums, Bonds and Stocks, and will outline the amount one should hold in each medium with consideration to his/her financial position, what he/she is trying to achieve, and when fund should be rotated between the 2 mediums.
   
   The book then provide a Introduction to investment funds, seeking advice, security analysis, Earnings, Stock Selection, Convertible Issues and warrants, and will compare companies with case studies.
   
   The final chapter of the book titled `Margin of Safety' is a must read and worth the books purchase price alone.
   
   The book will NOT provide an in depth discussion of security analysis, and provides little insight into practicing fundamental analysis and financial statement's. For an understanding of these concepts read Security Analysis also by Benjamin Graham.



5. With an Introduction and Appendix by Warren Buffett (one of the world's most successful and well-known investors), "The Intelligent Investor" is a true classic.
   
   This book outlines Benjamin Graham's core investment philosophy through a number of devices, including direct explanation and "case examples" which compare companies in light of the principles espoused in this excellent book.
   
   This is not the easiest book to read, but it is worth spending the time making it through the entire volume. The book covers the field of investing in general, considerations for defensive investors as well as for "enterprising" investors and the concept of "margin of safety", among other topical areas. Moreover, a number of instructive "case studies" comparing companies add to the value of this publication.
   
   Warren Buffett calls this book, "By far the best book on investing ever written." - a positive and weighty endorsement indeed. I highly recommend this book to anyone with even a passing interest in the field of financial investing.

5 comments about The Wealthy Barber, Updated 3rd Edition: Everyone's Commonsense Guide to Becoming Financially Independent.

1. The Wealthy Barber presents an exceptional explanation of the intricacies of financial planning told from the chronicles of an unlikely millionaire barber. For those seeking guidance preparing for retirement and ensuring your financial house is in order, this book is a superb foundation. This book will be especially rewarding to those that find difficultly traversing through bland financial books as Chilton's distracts you from the boredom via his story telling. The stories on their own merit might not rank high; however, just as using salt and butter to get your vegetables down (those of you with an affliction to certain vegetables will understand), the story serves a purpose and successfully will ease you through the material.
   
   My version of the book was purchased in Canada and I am not aware of whether there is an American version, so I should note that in my book it deals with Canadian Investments such as RRSPs (the US equivalent to a Roth IRAs). However, all the financial advice is fully relevant across the board thus any confusion in semantics will be easily clarified.
   
   The financial information explained in The Wealthy Barber is impeccable. The purpose of the book is not to educate one on the particulars of reading financial statements and deriving internal rates of return; the function is to provide a solid understanding of how to plan for retirement. Chilton does an outstanding job explaining the virtues of dollar cost averaging and compounding interest so that even the most non mathematical people will easily grasp the content. The information is flawless and the book is read effortlessly thus I highly recommend this book.



2. Get rich schemes are out of control today. Beyond the schemes, many people seem to use the lottery their own personal retirement plan.
   
   This is not a get rich quick book, but a common sense guide to becoming wealthy over time. Told though thoughts of a "wealthy barber," this book goes back to basics to teach wise saving and investing techniques. It also reinforces ideas that many have learned over time.
   
   There are several powerful concepts to investing in the book. One of the most important concepts is: Pay yourself first. Although simple, it has profound implications on becoming financially secure.
   
   Another powerful concept is how to invest wisely. The Wealthy Barber talks about the good and bad sides of stock market investing, real estate investing and more. The book also exposes some of the wasteful ways of spending money such as buying cash value life insurance as opposed buying term insurance and investing the difference.
   
   I found the book refreshing and insightful. Great for the beginner as well as advanced investor, these ideas should never go out of fashion. I try to apply many of these principles in my own life and encourage others interested in doing the same.
   
   Overall, this is an excellent book to re-discover common sense and learn the basics of saving, investing, patience, and the magic of time to become wealthy. Highly recommended!
   
   The Re-Discovery of Common Sense: A Guide to: The Lost Art of Critical Thinking



3. This is a great book, everyone should read it if they are interested in building wealth and having a comfortable retirement.



4. Easy to understand, interesting read. Recommend for anyone looking for the basics for learning to become financially independent.



5. I've read way too many personal finance books and thought this was going to be yet another re-hashing of the same old crap. It wasn't. This book is the BEST FINANCIAL PLANNING BOOK I'VE EVER READ!!! It has a different perspective than I've read before and does a great job of going through the basics.
   
   If you, or somebody you know, really needs financial advice but can't stomach another boring finance book then BUY THIS BOOK! It's extremely easy to read, always interesting, and uses a very common sense approach.

5 comments about Beating the Street.

1. If you are looking for books that will sharpen your skills as an investor put this one on the top of your list along with books about Warren Buffett and Phillip Fisher. Peter Lynch was one of the all time greatest mutual fund managers ever during his time at the Magellen Fund. We are fortunate that he wrote several books in his retirement. This book will give you a good understanding of Mr. Lynch's investment style which include: investing only in companies you understand, use the knowledge you have of your own industry to outperform Wall Street analysts, trips to the mall are great opportunities for research by looking at which stores are the busiest, and keeping your eyes wide open to hot trends around you. Lynch believes in buying stocks at reasonable P/E ratios, and loves to buy if the P/E matches the earnings growth rate of a company. He shys away from companies when the stock price out performs the earnings and the stock becomes over priced. Lynch believes that eventually the stock price will reflect the value of a company, so it is great to get an excellent company for a low stock price.You get many examples of how he picked stocks for his Barron's round table in 1993, this gives excellent insight into how his mind works, Peter Lynch is truly a genius at stock picking for long term investment. You will receive 25 golden rules from Peter Lynch in this book, follow them and you will do very well in the market.



2. After managing the Fidelity Magellan fund for thirteen years, mutual fund guru Peter Lynch retired on May 31, 1990 at the age of forty-six. Since then, Lynch continues to propound his message that the amateur investor has a distinct comparative advantage in stock picking relative to Wall Street professionals. For example, mutual fund managers are restricted to investing no more than 5% of their total assets in any one stock, and they cannot own more that 10% of any one company's stock. These constraints limit their profit, but not for the average investor. Lynch adamantly chants his mantra, "Buy stocks! If this is the only lesson you learn from this book, then writing it will have been worth the trouble" (18).
   
   One major reason for touting stocks is that they have grown by an average of 11% (i.e. 8% capital gain + 3% dividend) per/year over the last seventy-years, despite over forty market corrections. Aside from short-term stock-price fluctuations, Lynch believes that in the long-run there exists a strong correlation between the success of a business and its stock price. Therefore, anyone can successfully invest in stocks provided they use common sense observation, and proven valuation strategies that they recheck every three-months. Lynch recommends the NAIC (National Association of Investors Clubs) to neophyte investors who want to learn how to evaluate a business, and be part of an organization whose methods routinely beat the market averages. Amazingly, 75% of professional mutual fund managers fail to outperform the S&P after fees.
   
   When searching for possible companies to invest in, Lynch visits the Burlington Mall in Massachusetts to see where everyone shops. Lynch says, "The very homogeneity of taste in food and fashion that makes for a dull culture also makes fortunes for owners" (152). When analyzing stocks Lynch looks at several prospective indicators:
   
   Fundamental Analysis:
   1) Look at for stocks whose charts show earnings above price. These businesses have value that have yet to be priced-in
   2) The P/E ratio shouldn't be greater than the business' earnings growth rate
   3) Particularly in retail stocks, look for an increase in same-store sales
   4) Best conditions for businesses to grow earnings are in niche or regional markets where there is little competition and much room for expansion
   5) Insider buying is a good sign that the business is doing well
   6) Look for arbitrage opportunities where a business is selling at a discount relative to its peers despite similar composition and performance
   7) When taking a "top-down" approach look at the "affordability index," median home value, and % of mortgage defaults published by the National Association of Home Builders
   
   Technical Analysis:
   1) Buy stocks on Mondays, and from October through December when historical prices are lowest



3. After reading this book, I felt I got everything I set out to gain from this informative book. The content is relative today as it was when it was first written, the change in mindset gained from this book has been quite extraordinary.



4. This book is old school, but boy is it a classic. I've always been fascinated with stocks and the stock market but in the late 90s, past the apex of the day trading craze, I decided to set a small amount of money to partake in some of the action. I set up my account, started watching CNBC like a nut, and dove right in. Before doing so, I used Mr. Lynch's book as my guide and the biggest thing I learned is to stay grounded and avoid the mania and manic depression of the market. This book is not for slick, know-it-alls with pretensions of timing the market and making fast money, Vegas style. No, this book is for sober grown-ups who are willing to take a longer and more rational approach.
   
   I think the best lesson the book offers is to stick to investing in companies you know and trust (and buy from). By following that simple advice I've been able to earn very handsome gains. In addition, the primer on how to read a balance sheet is easily worth the price of admission. There's just lots of great information presented that will make you a relatively savvy investor. This book demystifies a lot of the perceived complexity of the market and shows ordinary people how to get in on the action. It's sober and timeless advice you can use even today.



5. Peter Lynch discusses his successful 13 years of running Fidelity's Magellan mutual fund. After a short professional autobiography, he explains his methodology for selecting stocks and explores a few dozen January 1992 stock picks in detail. Lynch wrote this book in the last days before the ubiquity of personal computers and the Internet's copious and accessible financial information. Still, Lynch offers pithy investment advice (each unfortunately titled with a boldface "Peter's Principle") that transcend the book's early-1990s setting. His enthusiasm should inspire most beginning to intermediate investors for whom this material is recommended. Due to its age, used copies of this book should be widely and cheaply available.

5 comments about The Only Grant-Writing Book You'll Ever Need: Top Grant Writers and Grant Givers Share Their Secrets.

1. Notice of multiple shipping charges for more than one purchase, at the discription of items... "Each item purchased will have an seperate shipping charge"



2. I'm studying grant writing and have been picking up all these grant writing books. By far, this was the easiest for me to delve into. I thought that odd as I expected the Idiot's and Dummy's guides to be easier and quicker, but the narrative in this book is a pleasant read and the grant writing process just makes so much sense the way the authors present the information. Good job!



3. The authors know their ins and outs of grant writing. Great data bases for finding RFPs. Has sound advice even for experienced grant writers.



4. This is the very best publication for grant writing I have ever read. It gives you common sense and practical advice and explains what the grantors are thinking. If you want your proposals to have merit, please read this to be far ahead of the rest of the crowd.



5. This is a fantastic book on how to write grants. I am still reading it, but it tells you every detail that you need for the chore of writing a grant. Very well done.

5 comments about Come Into My Trading Room: A Complete Guide to Trading.

1. Dr. Elder is probably a successful trader who makes a lot of money selling his books about trading. I have no real negative comments about any of Dr. Elder's book except for his comments when it comes to daytrading. He seems to think that no one makes a living daytrading and that simply is not true. Dr. Elder, did you read Market Wizards? Are were those profiles not real? Yes, most traders probably shouldn't be daytrading or haven't been trading long enough to just dive in, but traders like Marty Schwartz, Paul Tudor Jones, Mark Cook, etc., etc. daytrade and make lots of money. In fact, millions. I'm sure there are many daytraders out there that no one knows about that do quite well. I just wonder why you don't even acknowledge that it's even possible to succeed, especially when it's done everyday. I like Dr. Elder's way of trading and use it in some of my trading, but it's not the only way. All traders and all methods are not equal and they all can't be judged by Dr. Elder's methods alone. His way is just another way of trading. Having said all this, I strongly recommend Dr. Elder's books because they are very good for all traders no matter the experience.



2. Extremely well written even a beginning trader will understand. I highly recommend this book especially for traders who've been trading actively but seem to be getting nowhere. A book worth keeping.



3. Not only I enjoyed a lot reading the book, but also learned a lot. The most important thing I learned is that to make money in the markets it is much more important your mental approach to trading rather than your technical knoledge. Essencial reading.



4. I think that it is very difficult to give the right information for such a matter, but dr. Elder has succeeded in saying the right thinks in the right way, even to a person like me that is almost a beginner in the trading affair. Really great.



5. Simply the finest book on trading I have read to date. I credit this book with being a large part of why I went from consistently losing on trades, to consistently making profits. I think that traders in any market would benefit from this book, and if you don't learn valuable lessons from this book you simply aren't trying. The sections on triple screen trading are worth the price of admission alone. I've read a lot of lousy trading books, so I though it was worth posting my very first review for the best.