5 comments about High-Return, Low-Risk Investment: Using Stock Selection and Market Timing.

1. This is an excellent book that is still useful years after publication. I would love to see it back in print so I can buy several more copies.



2. With better editing this book could have been a classic. The authors perform a valuable service in disposing of some common illusions regarding the stock market, but the reading experience is marred by frequent defects in the English.



3. This book performs a valuable service to novice investors by explaining some of the realities of the stock market. Unfortunately, the poor editing makes the book awkward to read and unnecessarily hard to understand. If the publisher could do something about that before bringing out the next edition, the book could become a classic.



4. A true "cult classic" among investment books. The authors take the traditional academic and modern portfolio theories of investing and turn them upside down in this straightforward description of how to become a true professional stock trader.
   The method and logic used are down to earth so that the average aspiring stock investor can utilize the system.
   For any stock investor truly after high consistent return with low risk, it is the only system you will ever need.
   The method is as relevant today as when Mr. Drach started his investment research report 30 years ago.



5. When he appears as one of Paul Kangas's Friday market monitors, Robert F. Drach always has a cagey smile like he knows something you don't. He's one of the few analysts (Hilary Kramer is another) on the show who isn't full of bull.
   
   Drach manages the Nightly Business Report model portfolio, which beats the major averages, according to the NBR web page.
   
   Relative performance since portfolio initiation (5/5/95)
   This Model Portfolio + 214%
   Nasdaq Composite + 203%
   Dow Industrial + 194%
   S&P 500 + 172%
   
   Drach says he doesn't buy any of the stocks he recommends on NBR. Yet that sly smile seems to have money behind it. He compiles a "Master List" of about 100 of the best American stocks, or "A+" stocks as he calls them. Stocks are bought or sold depending on their overvalued/undervalued status. He even times the market by gauging the overvalued/undervalued status of the entire Master List.
   
   The method isn't about hitting home runs; it grinds out small steady profits from only a few positions. You don't have to buy all 100 stocks! Nearly every position winds up a winner. If you've done any stock trading, you know the trauma of taking losses, even small ones. Drach all but eliminates that. Woo-hoo!
   
   Drach is obviously some kind of financial egghead judging by the chapters in which he lays out the rationale behind his methods. Don't try this at home is the appropriate disclaimer. Save yourself the brain damage and subscribe to his newsletter. When I checked in '05 it was only $100 a year. What a steal for advice from a pioneer analyst.
   
   For those of you who like to look under the hood and understand how a thing works, the book is a worthwhile read. Drach writes with the tone of someone who has it all figured out. I can only imagine what that feels like. I haven't even figured out what to have for breakfast.
   
   In addition, you get the advice of another financial egghead, Thomas J. Herzfeld, who gives you the lowdown on closed-end funds. Closed-end funds are fertile ground for those who don't want to follow the crowd. Only a few financial nerds even know what they are. Herzfeld, also a Friday market monitor, has been following closed-end funds for 40 years. He might be the world's foremost authority. Unlike Drach, Herzfeld does buy the funds he recommends. With his $625-a-year advisory service, Herzfeld is livin' large.
   
   Update: On his December NBR appearance, Herzfeld said right now is "the best opportunity in at least a decade" for closed-end fund traders.
   
   On his January 18 appearance, Drach delivered a bullish assessment for stocks in '08. The "A+" stocks are beaten down and poised for a rally.
   
   KANGAS: So you're basically telling our viewers, don't panic and stay with high-quality stocks, correct?
   
   DRACH (with a sly smile): You want the person you're buying from to panic, but that's what they're doing.

1 comments about PayTrading: From $2000 to $1 Million in 10 Years or Less.

1. Tons of people today use PayTrading every day to make money in the stock market. Read it today, it's good stuff.

5 comments about Stock Market Investing (Made E-Z Guides).

1. Nancy King has done it. I have been looking for an investment book that I could understand and really get some information that I could use. This is the one!!! Now I can investment my money with confidence. Thanks Nancy!



2. A book which quickly became one of my all-time favorites is Stock Market Investing Made E-Z by Nancy B. King. I bought it last October just as I was, finally, determined to invest in the stock market. (I say "finally" because I graduated from high school 25 years ago.) The book presents all aspects of buying and selling stocks in easy-to-comprehend, bite-sized paragraphs. After reading it, I opened an account with an on-line brokerage and got started early this year..certainly a difficult time for the market, as we all know. But I applied what I had read and did my homework nightly by reading the business sections of a couple of newspapers and various financial websites, and the first-quarter's turbulence and my beginner's exhuberance notwithstanding, I am doing well in the market. And my 401-K is doing much better because I am managing it instead of merely contributing to it. Also, I have taught a couple of friends how to get into the stock market and manage their own retirement accounts. Certainly, this book has motivated me to invest more and consume less. Thanks, Nancy, your book has enriched my life.



3. I have read a good number of books on investing and Nancy King's book is one of the best. It is well laid out and easy to understand. It is for new individual investors as well as those of us who have been doing this for a little while. I found the information on how the New York Stock Exchange works very interesting. I never knew exactly what happens after I place a buy or sell order - the author explains the whole process. I am ordering a couple more of Nancy King's book to give as gifts to friends who are interested in investing.



4. This text is a Best Best for investment clubs and individuals who want a clear understanding of stock market investing. My investment group has read several other texts on investing but this one gets our vote as being the most user-friendly and informative of the bunch. We like it so much that it has become a regular part of our Club agenda.



5. I am in a women's investment group and we used Ms. King's book as a textbook--it was VERY HELPFUL. I would recommend it highly. After working through the book, we invited her to speak to our investment group (she lives about 150 miles from us). She came and we learned even more through her lecture.
   She will return and give us more information and even do a book signing.

2 comments about The Secret of Livermore: Analyzing the Market Key System.

1. 
   This is not one of the better books on Livermore.



2. This book is useless to me. Mr. Jesse Lauriston Livermore instructed us to use extreme prices (either day high or day low) to fill out The Market Key forms. The author used close prises. This will make results totally different sometimes and make The Market Key very unreliable. I could tell the author spent time and some money to do the research, but it was not done right at the very beginning.
   
   THe author instructs people to do it by computer. Jesse wanted people to do it by hand and brain diligently. That helps you make correct judgement. You don't really need a computer do it for you, if you really want to follow Mr.Jesse Livermore's way.

No comments about Investing in Biotechnology Stocks.

5 comments about Harvesting Profits on Wall Street: Essays in Investing.

1. Ron's book helps to understand the investing principles such as the real returns, inflation and interest rate. The essays in the books explain the triggering factors and the consequences behind these variables. Thus one could make a better judgement whether the current situation is good for borrower(Companies,home owners) or for the lender(Investor).



2. Many books have been written about investing, but this one is among the few books that have been helpful to me as a novice investor. Muhlenkamp has a way of writing about complex topics in a way that is easy to understand. His essays about evaluating the impact of taxes and inflation on investment returns and recognizing economic climates changes were especially helpful to me.



3. Awesome book. Short articles. Some seem to require a business degree to comprehend, but most are easily understood. I bought 2 more copies for family members. Very simple (but not simplistic) approach to complex subject matter. Muhlenkamp does a great job of explaining why capitalism works!



4. I bought this book based on the reviews I read here. I was extremely dissapointed with this book. He shouldn't have the word "investing" in the subtitle. A good portion of this book revolved around his political philosophy and point of view. Most of the chapters he started with a premise and then did a very poor job of backing them up. Read the whole book and didn't really feel like I learned much of anything about value investing or investing at all. Well I guess just trying to even out the glowing reviews here. Not a horrible book, but did very little to advance my investing knowledge.



5. There is very little in this book about investing, that is, stock or fund selection. It is basically a book about economics. Suffice to say that Mr Muhlkamp is a big fan of the flat tax, trickle down economics, Reaganomics, small government, etc. I'm not sure why he chose this title for the book, it's very misleading.

2 comments about Data Driven Investing (Professional Edition).

1. I have not yet carefully reviewed every chart in this thoroughly well researched book, but I have read the text, and I think it is the finest, most insightful investment book ever written --which is perhaps reflected in the author's astonishing performance.
   
   I would recommend this book to every person who invests in stocks---even if only in mutual funds.
   
   Mr. Matson is obviously exceedingly well educated and qualified, and perhaps just plain brilliant, so wading through some of the book it is a bit tough. Nevertheless, if anyone wants a truly superb, incisive education in actually making a great profit in the stock market, this book, more than any other I have read (including Lynch, Makiel, Buffet, Graham, etc.), is the one to buy and study.
   
   One caveat---I doubt that Mr. Matson would be able to achieve the same astonishing peformance were he managing a portfolio of more than, say $100M, as the methodology he uses seems to me to be more uniquely suited to small stocks otherwise unsuitable for very large portfolios.
   
   But, for the average investor, and anyone who has less than, say $5 million, invested in the market, this book should be your Bible.
   
   Truly a stupendous effort, and an outstanding book richly laden with insights helpful to the somewhat sophisticated average investor.
   
   This book is definitely a gem.



2. I agree with the other reviewer's praise of the authors writing style. Their prose is elegant and they make use of examples to paint a clear picture of the concept for their readers.
   
   I am an experienced investor and found it insightful and enjoyable. But I imagine a beginner would also benefit. The concepts are so well explained I thought it might make an excellent textbook for a college course.
   
   There is a very interesting section that describes the authors' research into long-term investment cycles and how to best match an investment type to a particular cycle. The authors have included all of their research in the form of tables, but you can skip the tables and read just their conclusions and advice.
   
   The author has also included his real brokerage statements as an appendix. I didn't read these. I suppose they are there to add credibility to his outstanding track record.
   
   My favorite section was a scholarly recap of all of the different types of psychological biases that afflict investors. These can be helpful in gaining a trading advantage on other investors or can be therapeutic in evaluating your own trading foibles.
   
   I also liked the section where they took you through a typical trading day and shared their routines for gathering and analyzing data. This section had lots of miscellaneous tips and practical trading techniques that the reader can employ.
   
   I received the book as a gift, but I would gladly have bought it and would recommend it to anyone who is interested in being a better stock trader.

4 comments about IPOs for Everyone: The 12 Secrets of Investing in IPOs.

1. This is a surprisingly fun read and contains intersting true storeis about IPO winners and losers. I think individual investors will find is especially helpful because it gives easy to understand tips on how to invest in IPOs. The tips are easy to follow and are important in figuring out whether a comapny is worth investing in. Overall, I give it a high rating because it is entertaining, simple and helpful. After reading this book I feel more prepared to trade IPOs.



2. When the dot-com IPO phenomenon first got started I took an interest in how these companies raised money. But, I could not find a solid source to get started. There were not a lot of books on that specifically keyed in on the subject, and those that were out there were far too technical for me to understand. IPOs For Everyone is the first book that comes at IPOs from a perspective that a layman can understand. The authors do a good job peppering the book with anecdotes that illustrate what potential IPO investors should be on the look-out for. It's a highly entertaining read for novice or more seasoned investors interested in getting an insider's angle of how the IPO process works and how individuals can participate



3. What a solid book on IPOs! I am an international investor trying to diversify my portfolio to include IPOs. Usually, I wait for analysts to come out with opinions on a new company. Now, after reading this book, I think I can do my own research using the prospectus and feel much more comfortable evaluating a company myself. I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in doing his own research. This book is easy and fun to read, and the stories about past IPOs are really interesting.



4. I have an interest in IPO's because I have invested in a company involved in oil and gas exploration which is planning to issue one this year. ThusI read with interest "IPO's for Everyone"and was gratified to find this book useful and informative. The subject is covered thoroughly in a manner easily understandable by a layman such as myself. The topic is treated with scientific honesty and objectivity.

5 comments about Stock Options: An Authoritative Guide to Incentive and Nonqualified Stock Options (2nd edition).

1. I have a friend of mine, who was granted some stock options from his company. He was totally lost as to the consequences of the granting of the options. I did some research on the subject and my research pointed me into the direction of this book.

   Both my friend and myself, were very impressed with the illustrations and ease of reading. Mr. Pastore gave several highly informative illustrations that were well thought out and easily explained.

   I would recommend this book without reservation.




2. I have a friend of mine, who was granted some stock options from his company. He was totally lost as to the consequences of the granting of the options. I did some research on the subject and my research pointed me into the direction of this book.

   Both my friend and myself, were very impressed with the illustrations and ease of reading. Mr. Pastore gave several highly informative illustrations that were well thought out and easily explained.

   I would recommend this book without reservation.




3. This book is the most efficient piece of writing on the taxation of stock options that I have read. I can extract more useful information with less effort than from any other source. The book explains the taxation of stock options in plain English. Anyone who has been granted stock options or who is an advisor to people with stock options should consider adding this book to his or her library.



4. Just the book I was looking for in 1999. I applaud Pastore's contribution of clear explanations regarding the types of stock options, tax implications, etc. I used the knowledge gained to weed out prospective financial advisors during interviews. You'd be surprised how many of them don't understand tax law when it comes to employee stock options.



5. This book helped me greatly with some stock options I got from my work. I had NSO stock and had not idea how the taxes worked out on it and when the best time was to exercise.
   Well this book, I made a good decision and made $80,000 on my stock options.

4 comments about The World Is Your Oyster: The Guide to Finding Great Investments Around the Globe.

1. If we look at America and our own clouded financial future as a nation with problems such as, the dollar falling in value, mounting national debt, a disappearing manufacturing base and the continued worsening of the mortgage industry then looking for direct investments in foreign stock markets maybe the best way to diversify your portfolio and protect your wealth.
   
   "The World Is Your Oyster" by Jeff Opdyke is a nice clear introductory guide to the world of international investing. If you are looking for a get rich quick guide then this is not your book. The author introduces nothing dramatically new in the field of investing but what Mr.Opdyke does well is to break down his on personal experiences in finding international investment opportunities that the average investor will understand and learn from.
   
   His book consisted of 7 chapters and they take you through the nuts and bolts of setting up foreign brokerage accounts to trade on foreign stock exchanges, considering currency fluctuations when investing overseas and how to do your homework when searching for great stocks overseas. One of the most interesting chapters in the book explores the growth of China. But to be honest one chapter does not do the subject matter justice to fully express the potential growth and the complexities of this awakening giant.
   
   All in all, Mr. Opdyke does a good job at introducing the investor who has very little exposures to foreign markets. To the experienced international investor you many not learn anything new but this book is not targeted at this audience "The World Is Your Oyster," has taken away some of the mystery of direct foreign investing and I will be definitely looking at investment opportunities overseas very soon.



2. This book was a disappointment. The subject is of great interest. Opdyke's approach, however, appears to have been to surround a list of foreign securities brokers with a weak volume about investing. Moreover, he demonstrates a lack of understanding of fundamental tax issues and, therefore, misinforms his readers to their potential detriment.



3. I really enjoyed reading this book but as another reviewer noted, you must take it with a grain of salt. For a nice mix of recent books, I'd also suggest reading Jim Rogers' recent book on investing in China along with Tarun Khanna's book on China and India, entitled Billions of Entrepreneurs.
   
   By all means, don't waste your time and money on Mohamed el-Erian's When Markets Collide. Don't believe the hype or the blurbs on the jacket: plain and simple, the booked sucked.
   
   Anyhow, some things I liked about "Oyster":
   
   1. It had some good sections on China and Turkey.
   
   2. It got me thinking about opening brokerage accounts overseas. I don't think I'll open any (E*trade already has a good international trading platform) but it broadened my investment horizon, which never hurts.
   
   3. There was a decent chapter on "diversifying at home", by which he means finding US companies that make a good chunk of their change overseas.
   
   If you can pick up the book at a discount, it is a good read. But as with anything, avoid paying full price.



4. So just recently two old and substaintial Brokerage Houses in New Zealand went broke and closed there doors. So much for security.