5 comments about Go Green, Live Rich: 50 Simple Ways to Save the Earth and Get Rich Trying.

1. This book lists 50 ways you can make your life greener. Readers who are already convinced of the need to act ecologically will be its best audience. The ideas are useful, if not deeply innovative. Most of them will indeed help the environment and save you money. And that's a good thing. However, author David Bach (writing with Hillary Rosner) uses many semi-statistical claims without giving enough data or context to lend meaning to his numbers, though they may still encourage true environmental action believers. Some of the book's statistical conclusions are based on fairly unrealistic extrapolations of averages. For example, saying that the average family works two to four months out of the year to drive, insure, fuel and maintain its cars does not seem to capture the fiscal realities and practical options truly available to such families. Bach's real message, of course, is to drive thoughtfully, save money and go easy on the planet, so getAbstract suggests focusing on the good to be done, and being a little forgiving about the math.



2. The book is very good and gives a lot of ideas to improve our lives and our planet in the process.



3. The book is a great addition to your library of David Bach books or as a stand alone book for anyone that is unfamiliar with David Bach's advice. I do not know of any other book on the market that combines environmentalism with creating personal wealth. Mr. Bach pulls it off nicely showing how living "green" causes one to quit over consuming and save money that can be invested for growth over the years. The book shows fifty quick and easy ways that living more simply will save you money while saving the earth. Whether it is saving $884 a year by getting a car with better gas mileage or $2,250 a year by bringing your lunch to work, you will be reducing Co2 emissions and trash into landfills. He also believes that green companies will be great investments in 21st century the way tech stocks were for the late 80's and 90's. I am an avid investor and stock trader but he introduced me to green mutual funds and ETFs that I had never heard of. His final piece of advice is to start your green business if you have a million dollar idea of how to do something better to save the earth. I am by no means an environmentalist or "Green", but I love to live frugally and simply, this book really made me think in ways that I have not in the past. I highly recommend reading this book to people interested in wealth building and to environmentalists (this is a new spin, a convenient truth:going green saves money). I am looking forward to David Bach's next book.



4. from the 3 books that I purchased is the one that I let a friend borrow so I have not see it jet, sorry



5. First I have to admit I did NOT purchase this title from Amazon. I bought it at a local used bookstore - where I buy most of the books I read. (If I can get it used I don't buy "new." - That's "green" ...right?)
   
   Now about the book. "Late to the party, much?" I can't believe the publication date on this is 2008. Where has the author been until now? Is he just cashing in on the most recent "green" movement? All the info in the book should be common knowledge by now...? Or have some people really not gotten the memo yet? Or perhaps this is aimed at the crowd who swallowed the line (promulgated by Limbaugh, et al) that climate change was a liberal myth? Now they're finally waking up to the new reality. Better late than never I suppose. The info is good - it's all (been) available elsewhere.
   
   One thing the author "could have" included on his list of green behaviors: Guys, get a vasectomy... all the environmental problems we face today (all of them) stem from one simple fact: over population, and American kids consume a vastly disproportionate share of global resources.

5 comments about The Demise of the Dollar...: And Why It's Even Better for Your Investments (Agora Series).

1. OUTSTANDING! If more people would read this book they would see the demise of not only of the dollar and the US Empire, but of Western Civilization no longer in control of the world economy. With a little bit of thought and understanding of the book one can see the future shift from the West to the East. India and China have been sleeping giants for a long time. Now that they have shed their cloaks of Socialism and Communism and taken up the Free Market System and the Western Civilization has switch their ideology, we now find ourselves passing each other, but going in different directions. WOW, what a book. I wish I could give it more than five stars.



2. I found this book to be a page-turner and a quick read -- just one weekend.
   
   This book is exactly what I wanted. Some reviews complain the book is too deep or not deep enough. That it has too much or too little investment advice. I'd say it's just right. The points are well-substantiated, but not boring, and the investment advice is both broad enough to offer options and targeted enough to be immediately useful.
   
   I found out about it through his free email newsletter, Daily Reckoning. It's a great place to get familiar with his ideas and to help decide whether or not to buy the book.
   
   Wiggin synthesizes historical trends, current news, and forward-looking concepts, all in one neat little package. It tackles a difficult and expansive topic in a way that's accessible and kind of fun. Beyond five stars, I'd rate Demise of the Dollar as a 9.7 out of ten. If you're interested in America's future, I recommend buying this book.



3. I regretted purchasing the book because I was looking for the author's concrete, systemic suggestions of what to do in a time of the dollar's demise. I was hoping for something like model portfolios or suggested portfolios and felt that in lieu of that the author's emphasis was on why we are in trouble and what the situation is. I was in the market for what to do about it. The other information I can easily find on Austrian School websites.



4. A quick yet informative read. The book is really a collection of semi-organized essays. It gets fairly repetative, with the author driving home his point in a multidude of ways, but with good intentions. He does a good job explaining concepts, and this could have been an entry in the "...For Dummies" series. Disappointingly there is little positive advice, only a few pages at the very end. If anything it opened my mind to how mismanaged our economic policies are, and the most important thing I learned is that I need to be more proactive about educating myself and investing for my future. A bit like waking up out of the Matrix.



5. I purchased this book to hear various points of view on the US and global economy. Having chapters 1 through 4, I skipped to the final chapter 8 where the author finally presents his recommended course of action.
   
   Overall, however, I felt the book was poorly written. It is filled with repetitive and alarmist language, somewhat like you may expect to see on a newscast. I also felt it was insufficiently backed up with references and hard numbers. Much of the text would not be accepted on Wikipedia without those annoying "citation needed" tags.
   
   Long story short, I plan to return my copy to Borders tomorrow and have posted here to register my dissatisfaction.

5 comments about Retire Rich With Your Self-Directed IRA: What Your Broker & Banker Don't Want You to Know About Managing Your Own Retirement Investments.

1. From the moment you start reading Nora Peterson's book, Retire Rich With Your Self-Directed IRA: What Your Broker & Banker Don't Want You to Know About Managing Your Own Retirement Investments, you cannot help but feel at ease. It is clearly arranged in a very orderly fashion and very easy to follow. The use of her fictional character Jo, made it easy for you to follow along as if you too were walking along with Jo in her journey to financial stability after retirement. This book offers great insight into a world that many are afraid to even venture near, myself included. The step-by-step approach with the aid of the IRA Primer would help even the most common person with no prior knowledge or understanding of finance. It forces one to think about their goals in a long-term sense. The discussion around estate planning is one that is seldom addressed when planning for the future. It is necessary for a person to understand the tax codes and laws governing IRA's and other forms of retirement investment, especially when trying to avoid penalties and other losses to future income. The non-traditional forms of investing using the self-directed IRA were also very clearly explained and encourage the reader to think for him or herself. We are the arbiters of our own destiny! I would highly recommend this book for anyone who has questions or have not previously thought about preparing for their financial future.



2. I purchased this book because I felt nervous having all of my retirement money tied up in the stock market. I knew that other options were available. This book explores those options and alerts you to the pitfalls that await you if you are not careful planning and implementing your strategy.



3. Written simply, easy to understand, after 3 other books, this is the one! Just do it! You can buy and sell real estate, etc and put the profit back in and not pay taxes - follow the rules!
   You can do it!



4. One of the main goals of author Nora Peterson, in the publishing of this book, was to share information in an easily understood format to increase the awareness of the multiple options available to retirees and future retirees when considering how to invest and protect hard-earned money accumulated over a lifetime.
   
   The book addresses a wide range of critical aspects to be considered when planning for a long-term retirement. It touches upon subjects we have heard about, some that we haven't, and yet others that should be considered when planning for our future and those of our heirs.
   
   Taking control of our financial future
   * Movement of retirement funds into a self-directed IRA
   * Understanding the roles and responsibilities of an IRA custodian, trustee, and administrator
   * Creating a team of professionals to maximize income-producing opportunities while effectively managing risks - especially as it pertains to unnecessary tax penalties which can and should be avoided
   
   Non-Traditional IRA investment options
   * Real Estate
   * Purchase and sale of mortgage notes
   * Owning a business within an IRA or participating in a business partnership
   * Buying precious metals
   
   Managing distributions from our IRA
   * Circumstances permitting withdrawals prior to age 59½ without paying a 10% tax penalty for early withdrawal
   * Withdrawals to pay for health insurance when unemployed, without incurring a tax penalty
   * Withdraw $10,00 to purchase a first home for a child, grandchild, or parent without penalty
   
   Asset Protection and Stretching Your IRA
   * Designation of a single beneficiary; and
   * Designation of multiple beneficiaries to minimize tax risks
   
   Getting to the "point" according to Nora Peterson:
   
   "The point is getting through this life with the maximum comfort and security you can arrange and ending up with at least a little left over when you're finished."
   
   That is our intended goal, isn't it?



5. A great resource on an important topic. Most investors don't realize that Self Directed IRA is the real key to generating the highest return for your retirement. Kudos to the author, I haven't seen much written on this topic. If anyone is looking to open a self directed IRA, I suggest visiting www.celerityplan.com. The author should include this as a resource in the next book. Wonderful results and very "snazzy" model!

5 comments about The Smartest Investment Book You'll Ever Read: The Simple, Stress-Free Way to Reach Your Investment Goals.

1. Sometimes the simple approach turns out to be the tactic offering the most beneficial results, and as Solin describes in this book, that is certainly the case with long term investing. Unfortunately, Solin's book, also simple in its approach, does not have the luxury of this principle.
   
   This book does not present any profound strategies or anything that will offer you advice regarding short terms gains. Solin spends the full length of this book explaining in detail why hyperactive brokering does not work and why indexing is the proper advice for long-term growth and returns. Although the advice in this book could be easily condensed, this is not to say Solin is long winded; he merely spends a lot of time on the details of why managed funds are generally inferior.
   
   The advice is sound and well described; however, the material in the book merely regurgitates a common and well known theme in investing; the vast majority of managed funds statistically do far worse than indexed funds over the long term. I would imagine the book would be worthwhile to anyone brand new to investing, but considering the title, this book is far too thin to come remotely close to being the smartest investment book available.



2. This book can be summed up rather easily: beware of anyone trying to sell you investment advice (including this book) and whatever you do, never buy anything other than an index fund. There, I just saved you the hassle of buying the book. I wish I could find my receipt and had the conscience to return a book that I read and wasted my money on. I exaggerate a tad, but not much. If you are looking for any real insight into uncovering the emotional process (a key to success), how to recognize real danger and opportunity etc. - pursue another book or you are doomed to make the same mistake I did.
   
   I won't even challenge any of his premises (though index funds have had a rough go recently), or ideas per se, but if you don't know the information conveyed in this book, in my opinion you have no business putting money in the market just yet. Instead you need to make an effort to educate yourself - particularly you should study and recognize the emotional traits most of us have to battle that can hinder performance.
   
   Maybe, only maybe, will a novice investor find this book revealing or useful (which should include warning bells alerting yourself that you aren't ready to invest). If you truly are lazy and need reassurance that index funds aren't a bad choice, spend your money, but be advised that much of this info is available for free if you spend the time looking for it. The mere size of the book indicates that more valuable information could have been easily added. As you can tell, I feel ripped off and wish I had spent a few minutes at the store pre-reading this thing. I admit I fell for the accolades on the back of the book. D'oh!!



3. I love this book. It is informative, not too technical, tells you when you can skip a section of reading, and gives advice that makes sense. It's also an easy read - I read it in a few hours.



4. OK. I have no idea why this author uses such an overhyped title for this book. Solin basically talks about two kinds of investors:
   
   Hyperactive Traders who trade too much and hurt their earning by incurring too many costs and who unavoidably end up selling too low and buying too high.
   
   And
   
   Smart Traders who buy and hold indexes that give them exposure to the global markets in equities and bonds. Using funds like Vanguard, Fidelity, T. Rowe Price or similar low cost institutions, you can achieve this goal with three or four index funds.
   
   I think the best part of the book is Solin's debunking of the products that brokers will try to sell you and the arguments they will make about "hot" funds or stocks. He also goes after the financial shows on TV and in print and why they have to hype bad deals for you in order to keep their businesses going. You simply can't go on the air everyday telling people about buying and holding low cost index funds anymore than news shows can go on and say that 99.999% of the population is just fine.
   
   This is a good and concise book with good advice. I just think the title is too much.
   
   Reviewed by Craig Matteson, Ann Arbor, MI



5. I enjoyed this little book.
   
   Most Americans never had the opportunity to learn the basics of investing in the U.S. educational system. Money magazine used to annually give a basic investing test to Americans and they consistently received grades of "F".
   
   Americans also seem to have a short attention span (witness 8 second sound bites on TV).....so the design of this book might help educate people about the basics of investing. Most people also find the subject of investing very boring...and most Americans spend more time planning their vacations than reviewing their finances.
   
   This book design is relatively short, and each chapter is relatively short at about 4 pages. The author uses the majority of the chapters to drive home the point that low cost index fund investing is the proven way to invest for almost most Americans.
   
   Solin hit the basics of investing, but left out a few key steps in the entire process:
   
   1. Living below your means so you have money to save and invest.
   2. Use automatic savings method where you pay yourself first like 401K's.
   3. Determine your asset allocation plan.
   4. Adjust your asset allocation slightly to a less risky portfolio as you go through life.
   5. Use low cost index funds to minimize expenses and maximize returns.
   6. Determine your actual living expenses right before you retire so you can more accurately your retirement expenses.......and therefore the income you need to retire......versus using the 70% to 80% income replacement ratio rule-of-thumb when you get close to retirement
   7. Don't withdraw more than a 4% inflation adjusted amount during retirement from your portfolio.
   8. Rebalance your portfolio annually
   
   All-in-all, a very easy to read book which does an excellent job of educating and justifying the advantages of index fund investing. Actually a pretty good job considering the author is an attorney!
   
   If you are interesting in learning more about index funds and asset allocation, I would suggest reading some of the books noted below.
   
   Index Mutual Funds: How to Simplify Your Financial Life and Beat the Pro's
   The Richest Man in Babylon
   Bogle on Mutual Funds: New Perspectives for the Intelligent Investor
   The Millionaire Next Door
   The Four Pillars of Investing: Lessons for Building a Winning Portfolio
   A Random Walk Down Wall Street: The Time-Tested Strategy for Successful Investing, Ninth Edition
   The Coffeehouse Investor: How to Build Wealth, Ignore Wall Street, and Get On With Your Life
   The Bogleheads' Guide to Investing
   Wealth: Grow It, Protect It, Spend It, and Share It
   Retirement Income Redesigned: Master Plans for Distribution: An Adviser's Guide for Funding Boomers' Best Years

5 comments about Strategy and the Fat Smoker; Doing What's Obvious But Not Easy.

1. Maister gets a lot right: appeal to an employee's own needs, not the greater corporate good(more work, less support makes for a bad rallying cry); embrace a relationship mentality in business deverlopment not a transaction on(as he bluntly puts it, go for romance and not a one night stand although many talk the first but do the second); understand that all can be rainmakers if you speak to their needs and intererests first with the money a nice side benefit, a consequence and not a motivator. His chapter on law firms is disheartening.He says that they are so different from other PSFs that they need their own chapter. His analysis:"(law firms are made up of)bands of warlords,each with his or her followers,ruling over a group of cowed citizens and acting in temporary alliance---until a better opportunity comes along." Beacuse of billing pressures, he says many partners hoard the work that needs to be pressed down. A final point, and one I disagree with---he seems to suggest that PSFs must only cater to the elite clients and there is no room for commodity work. Yet it is the commodity work which trains newer employees and, at times, fills in the dry periods between the more margin filled engagements.



2. David Maister's newest book, Strategy and the Fat Smoker; Doing What's Obvious But Not Easy, is a good one if not a cohesive one. Written in a very engaging style, packed with stories that illustrate the point, it is both an easy read and a thought-provoking collection. While it is not a seamless, chapter-building-on-chapter "how-to-do-it," it is full of individual sections that independently are brilliant. The first section alone (on strategy in general) has several great takeaways. Particularly if you are building a personal services company, this is a very handy resource.



3. Although Maister is writing for and about professional services companies, I think his ideas about strategy apply to almost any type of business. The "Fat Smoker" analogy is memorable, and it means that we don't always do what we know is good for us, even when it comes to running a business. In order to achieve great results, we have to break the old habits that have kept us in the same old ruts. Most of the book concentrates on ways we can develop the right attitude toward our own work, interact more effectively with co-workers, and build inspired, cohesive organizations. For some people, this book will be like preaching to the converted. But for business leaders and professionals who think the individual is more important that the organization, or who lead by intimidation, it will be a challenging read. Although Maister has an easy to read style, there is nothing easy about his ideas. He shares great wisdom obviously the result of long years grappling with organizational problems at a high level.



4. David Maister did it again. For any CEO of a small business make sure you read Chapter 18.



5. I have been an avid follower of David Maister's for over 20 years and he keeps on chugging out gems. This latest work is no exception. Get it, read it, learn from it!

5 comments about Total Leadership: Be a Better Leader, Have a Richer Life.

1. Stew's 'Total leadership' has had an incredible on my life. About a year ago, I sat for the first time and tried to figure out what I wanted in all aspects of my life. The journey has been eye-opening and very satisfying.
   
   I now often go back to my writings and experiments and update them as I go through life in a much more determined and deliberate way; trying to achieve what I want in each of the "4 domains".
   
   Thank you Stew for being such a mentor, be it in person or through your book.



2. 
   I wish this book had been available 20 years ago when I was a senior-level corporate executive, struggling without much success to balance everything in my life. At that time, I had a large corporate staff to supervise and was married and the father of four teenagers, three sons and a daughter. Moreover, I was actively involved in several non-profit organizations. Finally, whenever possible, I tried to "squeeze" into my already busy life a occasional round of golf, a visit to one of the local art museums, "going out" to see a film. What I should have done -- but failed to do -- is what Stewart Friedman recommends in this book: to reflect on and then explore (through a four-step process of discovery) the relative importance of four domains in my life (i.e. work, home, community, and self) and determine (a) whether or not the goals I was pursuing in each were in synch, (b) in synch with the other goals, and (c) and how satisfied I was with what was happening in each and all domains. That was then...
   
   Now, here's my take on a few of Friedman's key points.
   
   1. Most people (including business leaders) function in the aforementioned domains. Once each has been measured, he challenge is to make whatever modifications are necessary to establish and then sustain harmony between and among them. "The whole fits together elegantly."
   
   2. According to Friedman, "total" leaders possess great strength because they do what they love, drawing upon the resources of their entire (four-domain) life. By acting with authenticity, they are creating value for themselves, their families, their businesses, and their world. By acting with integrity, they satisfy their craving for a sense of connection, for coherence in disparate parts of their lives, and for the peace of mind that comes from strictly and consistently adhering to a code of values. Meanwhile, they "keep a results-driven focus while providing maximum flexibility (choice in how, when, and where things get done.) They have the courage to experiment with new arrangements and communications tools to better meet the expectations of people who depend on them."
   
   3. At the same time, a "total" leader does everything she or he can to help others (at work, at home, in the community and for themselves) to become aware of whatever changes may be necessary within her or his own domains; to have a sense of urgency about making those modifications; to decide to commit to appropriate action that will create for each a different, better future; to solve whatever problems encountered when pursuing the giving goals, meanwhile sustaining commitment despite any barriers, delays, distractions, etc. Total leaders also ensure that "people who depend on them" have the support and encouragement they may need by celebrating incremental successes while resisting "slippage."
   
   4. In Chapter 6, Friedman urges that those who aspire to become total leaders learn how to adapt to new circumstances with confidence to conduct several "design experiments" whose purpose is to increase the ability to be innovative with creative action. He identifies ten types such as "Appreciating and Caring" experiments that involve having fun with people, caring for others, and appreciating relationships. Daniel Goleman characterizes this as developing "emotional intelligence" and Friedman believes that it is very important in each of the four domains. Because each domain has different kinds of relationships, separate goals and strategies must be devised for nourishing ("humanizing") relationships in each.
   
   5. In the next chapter, Friedman offers sound advice on "how to get going and make something new stick" during what is necessarily a never-ending process of human development. Once again, he stresses the importance of achieving "four-way wins" in each domain by "jumping" into the hearts and minds of others. "The best experiments are those that don't just get the approval from all your stakeholders, but will genuinely benefit them by changing their worlds for the better...When you're trying to make something new happen, you've got to know what others care about, so that you can adjust your actions. And you've got to know whom they trust, so that you know who will listen to whom as you seek to exert influence."
   
   I can personally attest to the importance of each of these and Friedman's other key points. However, what he advocates is obviously much easier said than done. Consider the concept of "balance," of "integrating" what is most important in each of the four domains. Let's assume that someone achieves that. For most of us (including corporate CEOs), a proper balance on weekdays usually differs (sometimes) substantially from a proper balance during weekends. Moreover, obligations, objectives, and opportunities in the work domain, for example, change during the progression of a career. That is, our proper balances on weekdays and weekends frequently change, and that is also true of each of the other three domains. The key to effectively responding to these changes is to think and feel one's way through a four-step process.
   
   Of course, Friedman is fully aware of this. In fact, in the final chapter, he observes that total leadership "doesn't end with the implementation of your experiments. This is really just the beginning. Being a better leader and having a richer life is an ongoing search, which I hope you will be on for the rest of your life. As long as you continue practicing authenticity, integrity, and creativity, you will increase your chances of scoring four-way wins - performing better and finding satisfaction in your various domains."
   
   I presume to conclude this review with a personal note: After reading Friedman's book and before composing this review, I read The Last Lecture in which Randy Pausch (age 46) shares his thoughts and feelings as he awaits imminent death from pancreatic cancer. Actually, "awaits" is not the correct word because Pausch does everything he can to leave no "IOUs" behind for his beloved wife ("the woman of his dreams"), their three young children, other family members, friends, and associates. In his last lecture to his students at Carnegie-Mellon, he provides a "distillation" of how he felt about the end of his life. "It's not about how you achieve your dreams. It's about how you lead your life. If you lead your life the right way, the karma will take care of itself. The dreams will come to you." In my opinion, this is precisely the same message that Stewart Friedman communicates to his own students as they prepare for a career in business. The "total leader" is first and foremost a total person.



3. I took two intercontinental flights recently and took the time to go through the "Total Leadership" program. And, before I begin my review, I want to say that over the past ten years or so I've seen an absolute avalanche of "leadership" books come out - most of them gimmicky and useless. This is not one of them and in fact I believe the title may deter people from purchasing this; do not be one of them.
   
   "Total Leadership" is about finding your way when you have multiple responsibilities tugging you in different directions. Until now, I've often felt family pulling me one way, only to find the more time I spend with them the more I resent the time it takes away from work. Similarly, on business trips for example, I fight with feelings of guilt for being away from my family. And that's not to mention the the toll all of this takes on my health, when I'm too busy to exercise or just watch the game with friends. I'm here to say this book can help, like finding the long lost manual and finally figuring our how to do new things with a product, this book acts as a guide to finding a semblance of control in your life. It's not about sacrifice, and it's definitely not found in the idea of "balance", this book advocates a powerful third way: overlapping your domains and drawing boundaries.
   
   What makes this book especially effective are the exercises the author puts the reader through. The reader is asked to define the issue, starting with the multiple responsibilities and challenges s/he faces, then it moves on to defining your domains, where is it that you spend your time? Most of the readers (including myself) would find four areas: self, family, work and community. Then, with domains defined, you can identify stakeholders in each domain and begin the process of finding ways "to live your life in accord with what really matters to you." The reader is asked to discuss his/her vision for a future life (post-change) with trusted individuals s/he has previously identified. A particularly effective step is then speaking with others about living your life differently, such as: your boss, significant other and friends, and getting their opinion and feedback on your plan, and as difficult and challenging as this may be it ends up providing the most powerful incentive to change through accountability and stakeholder buy-in. In many cases, I found that as much as I was building bridges between domains in my life, I was also creating boundaries (for example, no longer do I check my blackberry or the Internet between the hours of 6pm - 9pm.) But some of the biggest changes are personal ones that are for me and my family, other readers will likely find similar decisions they make without necessarily sharing them.
   
   This book is not about easy decisions, or difficult ones, its about drilling down to what's most important in your life and building from there.
   
   Ultimately, this book is required reading once, in my opinion, you are put in a position of responsibility. It is effective in maintaining a mindset conducive to responsible living, it provides a non-cookie cutter approach and it creates change in your life through practical exercises.
   
   For these reasons, this reviewer highly recommends "Total Leadership."



4. Thank you Stew Friedman! This work is engaging, enlightening, and inspirational--giving us all insight into what it means to be a 'Total Leader.' It answers the fundamental question most people ask about how to integrate all of the various pieces of our lives. I especially enjoy hearing the stories of the Total Leadership participants, and how they've grown and are able to see the world in a different light after going through the program!
   
   I'm definitely sold on this Total Leadership Program! However, it is, not without constant work and reevaluation, as Friedman notes, that we can achieve both a meaningful and professionally successful life. I recommend this book to anyone, especially women and those in transition, as a useful guide about how to structure your life in a meaningful and productive way. It certainly helps me rethink the things that are important to me in my day to day life. :)



5. I have read this book as one of my elective courses at Wharton West. Prof. Friedman discussed in his book about how acting with authenticity (being real), integrity (being whole), and creativity (being innovative) affects performance. By acting with authenticity, I feel much more purposeful at work and home. I am more committed and drive persistently in myself and people around me, which help to improve the performance for myself as well as people around me. The leadership skills I have learned from this book:
   
   Align actions with core values by choosing what matters most: I become more result oriented and focus on those important tasks that matter most to my core values.
   
   Cultivate awareness of true leadership priorities in all domains: I have shared the new concept of leadership in this class with my boss, my colleagues, my husband, my son and friends and I do see the action from all domains.
   
   Ethically influence others to generate support in all domains: The efforts I have put in the experiments have generated positive results both at work and home.
   
   I hope this review help you to choose this book and act with urgency to lead a richer life with four ways win at work, family, community and personal level.

1 comments about BPMN Modeling and Reference Guide.

1. This text reads like a novel. One example is used in Part I of the learning approach. It starts with a high-level diagram and proceeds with follow-up detail diagrams - to use a cliche - it's like peeling an onion. At each level, new concepts and associated symbols are introduced with page references to indepth discussions later in the text.
   
   I really like this learning approach and found the text easy to read and understand. Highly recommended.

No comments about A Primer on Money, Banking, and Gold (Peter L. Bernstein's Finance Classics) (Peter L. Bernstein's Finance Classics).

5 comments about High Probability trading.

1. This is an excellent book about trading, especially for the beginner. However, the beginner is not likely to recognize why this book is excellent versus the many books written about trading by non-traders. I highly recommend this book to anyone trying to teach themselves about the markets. If you already are a successful trader, the book may not be that helpful. If I were to teach a course in trading, I would consider using this book as one of the textbooks for the class, in part because there are very few comprehensive good books about trading. I have read the negative reviews posted on Amazon, and I don't think they are, for the most part, informed or fair. I hope the author comes out with a second edition, in part because while I think the content is excellent, the writing could be improved upon. But I'd rather have a substantively excellent book, than one of the many trading books well-written by a non-trader that is unhelpful or even misleading on the substance. "High Probability Trading" is worth the read.



2. At the beginning I thougt I'd read all this before and that it was all the same.
   But soon after reading some more I learned some new things, f.exmpl. to use the fibonacci retracement properly, this is mandatory because every serious trader watches these levels and trade thereafter.
   
   Marcel also goes through exit strategies , something very few other authors do.
   He uses his own hard earned wisdom to give great advices.
   
   One of the most important things was the money management chapter, if a trader misses out on this one the it doesn't matter how good a technician he or she may be.
   
   One of the best trading books I've read, just wish I'd read this one earlier.
   
   Good Luck !



3. I have a small collection of books on stock trading. For the most part they tell me what other people did to be on the payday side of the market. Some are specific to a set of methods (How To Make Money In Stocks: A Winning System in Good Times or Bad, 3rd Edition), others are good read on what a trader should know, practice, do or not do (Invest Like a Shark: How a Deaf Guy with No Job and Limited Capital Made a Fortune Investing in the Stock Market).
   
   Marcel Link takes a practical approach to high probability trades. The basic idea:
   You are a good ping pong player who beats all the neighbors in your basement. Do you think you would do well at the US Open?
   Last weekend you managed not to drown while crossing the 25 yards of your local pool. Do you think you can beat Michael Phelps?
   
   What is the probability of a positive outcome of one of the above? Yet that's exactly what we do when we jump into the stock market and lay our hard earned cash on the line in a bid against professionals with Harvard degrees, years of experience and deep pockets. With such a lineup, what is the probability of us winning?
   
   This book explains in a good level of detail that actually yes, there is a probability of winning. However, one needs to do a bit of learning, training and planning beforehand. It remains unlikely that you'll beat the seasoned table tennis pro (my opinion), but with knowledge, training, patience and discipline, you'll be able to pocket a few points instead of getting blown off the table.
   
   The book goes to great lengths to explain that trading the market is a serious business decision that requires knowledge, preparation, planning and above all, discipline.
   
   Marcel Link explains how several technical indicators work, how traders use them, when to use them and when to stay away from them. He tells you "look, here is a pattern that seems to have worked in the past" but he also points out that a single pattern alone doesn't make for a good trade and it is up to you to find, interpret and evaluate such pattern and get it confirmed (or not) by other indicators.
   
   This book is an eye opener. One of the very first things I did after cracking it open was to look back and evaluate my past trades. It is horrifying to realize how easily I could have lost a lot of money due to my "buying strategies". I would have never made those trades if I knew then what I know today.
   
   Summary:
   - very well written book, concise style with a touch of humor, very well organized
   - very readable, written in simple and effectively used plain English, no typos
   - sticks to the point of making trades that have higher probability of payoff
   - describes the toolbox needed to find, evaluate and execute great trades
   - leans a bit towards short term trading and has commodity trading examples sprinkled through quite frequently. However, both the short term and commodity trading strategies are applicable to long term trades as well
   - spends quite a few pages on trader psychology, establishing a trading plan, writing a money management plan and coming up with a game strategy
   - emphasizes that a well designed and thought through entry point is just the beginning of a good trade and it needs an equally well designed and thought through exit point. Otherwise a good entry point may turn into a very expensive lesson
   - discipline, discipline, discipline
   
   Conclusion:
   This is not one evening read. You need to study it, consult the market, study your past trades, play with charts, learn various analysis techniques.
   Above all, you need to come up with your plan, test it and come up with your trading identity before you lay a single red cent on the line.
   
   
   Other (my opinion) useful, complementary books:
   How To Make Money In Stocks: A Winning System in Good Times or Bad, 3rd Edition
   Invest Like a Shark: How a Deaf Guy with No Job and Limited Capital Made a Fortune Investing in the Stock Market
   
   Classics:
   Reminiscences of a Stock Operator (Wiley Investment Classics)
   How I Made $2,000,000 In The Stock Market
   How to Trade In Stocks
   
   Technical analysis formulas:
   Technical Analysis from A to Z, 2nd Edition



4. I would say that this book deals with the basics of what it takes to be a successful trader. It gives the reader a realistic point of view regarding how hard it is to be successful and the most important aspects of surviving and eventually thriving as a trader. In summary:
   
   1.Money management-Have a plan that allows you to have a string of losses and still be ok. MOST new traders destroy their account because they never thought this part through. If you are new to the game and can't afford to lose thousands of dollars within a few weeks, this should be your top priority before doing any real trades.
   
   2. Greed and Fear-The mental part of the game must be mastered once you have a plan for not losing all your money. Losing and making money both make you crazy. Self control
   
   3. Strategies-this book goes over mechanical system building and the importance of backtesting strategies, but does not go into any detail about specific strategies.
   
   This book teaches you how to think about trading and gives you advice aimed at preventing you from failing, as 90% of new traders do, so says the author. Read this book to learn what concepts need to be prioritized and then get another book to learn specific strategies and charting skills, etc.



5. Very good book. Alot of info to digest. I wish the featured charts were larger and in color. The writer is a bit self aggrandizing and writes in a condescending manner. If you can get pass that, you can learn from him.

5 comments about Technical Analysis: The Complete Resource for Financial Market Technicians.

1. This book is very smooth to read, and the insights are thoughtful. It is definitely a classic in Technical Analysis. However, the charts could use a little more simplicity. When you compare the charts in this book and the ones in the J. Murphy's "Technical Analysis Of The Financial Markets", considered the bible of Technical Analysis you spot the difference. The latter is a heavy volume but it can be read faster, because of the self-explanatory charts.
   
   Overall, a must-have!



2. Great book,from the first page to the last,if you are serious about learning technical analysis there is no better way to start than this exceptional book,
   it takes you from the history of technical analysis,to the basics,principles,different techniques,charting,,,...it is a complete source of information



3. This is the most robust reference book about the technical analysis (TA) I have ever read. If you read it, you'll acquire the big picture of what TA is all about. Nothing is left over, except for the voo doo methods, like Gann analysis. The authors are reasoning in a logical way, and refer to external research results as much as possible, rather than just their own experience. The authors are not high about any method, like most of the other authors on the topic. They describe the bright and dark sides of every TA tool. A balanced and objective judgement makes you trust the authors. If you start in TA, it's the best book to get started - you'll get a realistic view of what TA is all about, without any bias towards any of the methods (well, maybe except for the long term chart patterns and Bollinger Bands?). If you're advanced, you'll get all your knowledge properly sorted and tested.



4. Great book for those looking for a place to start on Technical Analysis. I highly recommend this book, great addition to my collection.



5. Previous reviewers have summarized the bios of the authors and the form of this book, so there is no need for me to reinvent the horse or belabor the wheel. Simply put this is the finest textbook on the subject. I am overcome by envy and admiration at the achievement represented here. Students and readers tend to look at a book and assess its worth. Authors of long books tend to look at a book, assess its quality and sigh over the amount of work which went into it. A colossal amount of work. A colossal contribution to the field.
   W.H.C. Bassetti
   Malcom S.M. Watts III Adjunct Professor
   Finance and Economics
   Golden Gate University San Francisco
   Editor & Coauthor of Edwards & Magee's
   Technical Analysis of Stock Trends, 9th Ed.