1 comments about Money Wise: How to Create, Grow, and Preserve Your Wealth.

1. Unfortunately for me, I do not have to ask myself the "What now?" question about my wealth because I haven't amassed it yet. Many of you have created great wealth for yourselves and Michael Lipper and Douglas Sease have written a book specifically for you, to help you preserve the wealth that you have worked so hard to create and how to make it even bigger! Do you even know how much wealth you have? This book will help you to measure your wealth, learn about investing and what works for you, learn how to spend your wealth and when not to spend it. Mike Lipper is an analyst who has helped develop the Lipper Indices for mutual funds, so you are hearing this from an expert that can really help you. If you have been successful and have accumulated wealth that you just don't know how to handle, take the advice of a credible, and proven expert to make your money work for you and not against you. Many people are scared of investing, advisors and money, this book will help you shelve your fears.
   If you are like me and don't have any wealth as of yet, I would recommend you read this book so that when your wealth hits you, you know what to do with it in a smart and knowledgeable way.

No comments about Understanding Accounting Ethics - 2nd Edition.

5 comments about The Handbook of Mortgage-Backed Securities.

1. I have seven years of experience selling these products, and I use Fabozzi's book often. This is a good reference, and a good treatment of mortgage and asset backed securities. I only gave it four stars because the fact that this is a compiled work of research material interrupts the flow of ideas. On the other hand, there is some merit to getting different angles on the subject from different viewpoints.

   One caveat. Mortgage derivatives used to mean calls and puts on mortgage backed securities. Today, however, entire portfolios of mortgage risk are laid off in the form of credit derivatives.

   Tavakoli has the best treatment of that topic in the book: "Credit Derivatives".




2. If youre in the MBS business, you gotta have this as a reference book if nothing else. Its the industry standard. Item showed up brand new and good delivery.



3. I have to say that Fabozzi has the formula down pat--he gets "guest writers" to contribute various chapters to this book and does very little writing himself. The result is a disjointed, sometimes repetitious, other times incomplete volume. This book focuses extensively on agency mortgages--Ginnies, Fannies, Freddies--and speaks only a bit to the Alt-A, subprime and more exotic privately-originated mortgage markets. To call this book comprehensive would be a lie. Although this book was highly recommended to me by a PM at a traditional long-only manager, I can only guess that previous versions were better, because this one was certainly a high-priced primer that still left many areas of the market uncovered. Areas that are glaringly missing (beyond non-agency topics) include the role of hedge funds, loss mitigation/foreclosure processes, more info on EPDs, and the erosion of lending standards/rise of the subprime market. I think that a chapter on common mortgage origination fraud issues is also merited.
   
   This book is good for the basics, on agencies. Beyond that, it may leave you scratching your head and wondering, "And...." because there is a palpable sense of incompletion. Borrow this book from someone else that already has it--don't buy it!



4. This product is very beneficial for me. Because I would like to learn sth can't see easily about mortgage. This book covers both permanent examples and academic details.
   
   On the other hand it contains too much article from different writer. So that We can learn different idea about mortgage and deduction for our study.



5. The most comprehensive book on the subject period. If you are in the industry you must have it. Best used as a reference manual to go through whenever needed. Kinda bland book which you would not want to read to finish from page 1 to the end.

5 comments about The Motley Fool You Have More Than You Think : The Foolish Guide To Personal Finance.

1. The title of this book reflects the optimism that it breathes from beginning to end. It makes you want to go for it, without encouraging hasty decisions, and encourages to read more. For true fools (I mean morons) like myself, the book adequately warns you to first get out of debt before trying to invest. The part that tells you how to get out of debt is brief but the advice is sane, and optimistic. Once ready to invest, we are adviced to use a buy-and-hold strategy, and the arguments for it seem to make sense. Most importantly, after reading this, the reader has a clear general framework that help him/her to make confident investment decisions.
   
   Picky points:
   -A bit wordy on occasion.
   -Not enough advice on what to do when your stocks just keep declining



2. I have to say that this is the perfect book for any independent adult and/or college student. The main reason I say that is because schools do not offer education on financial freedom. If you are a teen or think you can't read this, go read Motley Fool Teens before reading this one.
   This book is separated into two halves. One half will tell you how to have good spending habits, pay debts, find good bank, etc. This half is good enough alone. They give you advice and tell you the reasons behind instead of "Trust us". This is a plus since most of the info is shocking. For instance, it is better to go to a casino than play the lottery since a casino has a payoff of 95% while the lottery is -50%! I personally can say that my life will be easier because of the forewarnings of mistakes and following the path least famous, but most secure.
   The other half is about how to invest the stock market. It is amazingly easy and it makes sense by adding charts of growth over time using average return. One of the points the book tries to keep in your head is the stock market only looks scary since not too many know much about it. Remember when you thought you would never learn addition in second grade? In this half the book goes in detail of how to open an account, deciding your stocks, why you shouldn't panic during slumps, etc.
   Unlike the teen version, this book is amusing with jokes on every page without overkill. The jokes do well to keep you entertain instead of dreading the fact you need to learn how to compound growth. The jokes even do well to get points across. A book of choice if you don't like books that sound like Ben Stein at pep rally.
   We all have gotten advice on money from other people and it is nice of the authors to actually mention advice people give and why or why not it is good. I mean, some people say they lived on ramen noodles and finger toothbrushes in college while the book offers strategies that allow you to live within your means. Remember that ramen is fattening!
   I can't say how priceless this info is for being practical and wonderfully hopeful of what is achievable with a small amount of thought. Nowadays people do not know what to do with their money and I see most knowing how to get rid of it. Anyway, this book is a must own for any adult and students alike struggling with the sheer thought of money.
   I give this book my strongest recommendation to possible to own, not rent.
   
   (...)



3. This book was a great read - I think tha's probably one of the benefits of reading a book on finances written by two English majors.
   
   Pros:
   - Helps you understand where to start in your personal world of finance. I especially enjoy the fact that there is an especially abhorrent attitude towards debt (i.e. - pay what you owe before you every try to put that money anywhere else).
   - These guys don't promise any fast cash, but employ a methodology that tends to scream, "slow and steady wins the race!"
   - The advice is sound, and there isn't any threatening terminology to find yourself lost in.
   - Like I said before, it's a great read. You aren't necessarily reading a manual written by guys who want to lay out the bare facts. You will be reading an entertaining and thoughtful tome on how to have fun with the way you think for your financial future.
   - The authors don't seem to assume any drastic steps here - just being smarter with what you have.
   
   Cons:
   - While the book helps you start in your personal world of finance, it still leaves a lot for you to figure out on your own. In the end, I was still wandering around the Internet trying to find more information. The book shows you a good direction in which to move, but it doesn't necessarily show you the door in.
   - The book isn't written for everyone. The authors admit this throughout their writing also.
   - Shameless self-advertisement - but it's funny at the least.
   
   My general perspective:
   (Third time, at least) This is a GREAT book. Even if you don't think that you can trust yourself to make a deposit in a savings account, give this book a chance. It opened my eyes to see that there are a lot of people out there making a lot of money and doing very little to merit their worth. These guys aren't business or marketing majors, but their experience speaks through the written word. They won't lose you in a milieu of doublespeak, but sort of hold your hand in understand how you can be your own money manager - and I like that.
   This is a work that is for the ordinary man - the sort of fellow that doesn't feel like working his way through a financial dictionary just to understand a book on personal finance. I found this book in my local library - and that's $11.20 you can take straight to the bank!



4. Wow. This book was really, really, really useful. I'm one of those people who, until recently, never gave a second thought to savings or investment because I was always living paycheck to paycheck. Now that we have a little gbreathing room, my husband and I have been reading up on financial things of interest.
   
   I HIGHLY recommend this book for your first one if you're absolutely clueless about personal finance. It takes a bunch of terms that many people find terrifying (stocks, bonds, mutual funds, etc.) and not only explains them and many others in amusing detail, but also makes the process of investing a lot more accessible to the average person. It's realistic, though--for one thing, the authors explain why everything from lottery tickets to penny stocks are a bad idea. It also bursts other bad habits, such as not buying Stock A because Stock B is cheaper per share--but not returning as much interest to the owner.
   
   Additionally, there's a lot of really good advice for newbies to investment.



5. I bought this book a good five years ago and ate it up. I have read it several times only to be reinforced in my investment approach - a well-diversified assortment of passive index funds, along with a few well chosen blue chips that pay regular dividends. Monthly automatic investments are now a way of life and though humble in its beginnings, my portfolio today is more than respectable in comparison with most of my "buy it new and yesterday" peers. The Gardner brothers style is informative, quirky, quite clever and humourous. If you don't have time to be a slave to mammon, you'll find as I have that INDEXING is the way to go- slow and steady, living within your means, depending on what you can invest per month-in 20-30 years you will be very wealthy.

5 comments about The Frugal Millionaires (Retail: $21.95 - Ships October 15th 2008, Pre-sale: $19.75).

1. This book was really enjoyable. I actually could not wait to turn the page, curious about the next best tip! And as an added bonus, the author was quite humorous.
   
   The timing could not be better, now that our country is in an enormous economic crisis! We are all feeling stressed and under pressure to save! The advice reveals numerous clear strategies that will result in greater financial security no matter what one's current economic status.
   
   Also it occurred to me this would be a great book for young adults who are just venturing out on their own and do not know the first thing about "the value of a dollar".



2. Packed with practical information on how to become and stay financially secure, this book quickly grabs your attention and is hard to put down. It takes the mystery out of wealth attainment and replaces it with sound strategies that are easy to understand and apply. From Investments to Mortgages to Credit Cards to Marriage, this book has something for everyone. It will be one of the most useful and enjoyable books you will ever read, particularly considering today's economic climate. Its candor and use of humor is a refreshing plus as well....enjoy!



3. Frugal Millionaires is an excellent read for anyone seeking simple ways to save and accumulate wealth! It is a compilation of advice from various millionaires who have built prosperity and know the ins and outs of growing money. As a recent graduate, the book is like a roadmap to financial success in the way it reveals the paths that others have taken toward great wealth. Lehman does a great job of explaining specific terms and ideas that I was unfamiliar with, and was able to compile a vast array of expert opinions that are extremely useful. I highly recommend (especially for recent college grads)!



4. Lehman's book is exactly what we need right now and is a fast read...I could not put it down. Frugality is certainly going to be the mantra in the US for many years to come. You might as well learn how ordinary folks become millionaires. This book guides you through the millionaire minds of 70 folks and their secret to making this happen. This is a MUST READ today.



5. I found the book to be very useful in two areas. 1. Rekindling memories of the basics that my parents taught me and secondly finding some new ideas on investing. The style of the book is very easy to read and follow. I have recommended this book to several friends. Well done!

5 comments about The Big Money: Seven Steps to Picking Great Stocks and Finding Financial Security.

1. I think this is a great book because it offers practical advice that the average investor can understand and use. There is no magic formula, no complex set of strategies, and no attempt at predicting the future.
   
   Mr. Kobrick dispenses quality advice in what is normally a sea of crystal ball gazing.



2. A fascinating book that is equally useful to the individual investor and the professinoal. The book's system of focus on fundamentals [BASM and Seven Steps] is refreshing in these days of concensus investing and short term trading. The war stories about important companies are both entertaining and informative. The investment returns available from these well known companies challanges the investor to be both selective and patient. The book does a good job laying-out a way [BASM and Seven Steps] that is instructive to the individual and a great reminder for the professional. I read it twice and recommend that anyone interested in investing does the same. It will help you avoid many of the fads and mistakes being made today.



3. Without realizing it, I've been practicing Mr. Kobrick's BASM principles successfully for years. It's exciting to see how he so clearly articulates his approach without being intimidating to a layperson. I've even begun using his BASM paradigm to explain to my children what "buy low and sell high" really means. This book is a standout!



4. THe book works just as readers and reviewers have said, e.g., USA Today, Equities magazine, and recently, Kiplinger's has said: "Particularly beneficial for an investor who is challenged to find and implement a specific stock-picking strategy that actually works".



5. I like this book even better than the classics on growth investing: Peter Lynch's One Up on Wall Street, and Philip Fisher's Common Stocks and Uncommon Profits. The information is timeless but it's nice that it was written in 2006 and the examples are still nice and fresh.

1 comments about Medicare Handbook, 2008 Edition.

1. This book breaks down on overly complex Medicare program, and allows even the most basic consumer understand Title XVIII. People on Medicare would benefit from this book to help them navigate and understand the regulations around Medicare and benefits.

4 comments about David Scott's Guide to Investing In Mutual Funds (David Scott's Guide).

1. The author has written another superb book on investment. This book on mutual funds is fun to read, easy to understand and cuts through the fog of misunderstanding associated with mutual fund investing. It includes a detailed explanation of all the various mutual funds which includes equity, bond and money market funds. It also covers alternatives to mutual funds such as closed-end investment companies. The book provides a wealth of knowledge and is a welcome addition to my library on investing.



2. This is a concise guide for beginning investors. It is easy to understand and reasonably complete. The material is too elementary for someone experienced in mutual fund investing but just about right for someone who is about to get their feet wet.



3. This is another good investment primer in Scott's series. An easy read that is especially worthwhile for someone wondering what mutual funds are all about. After reading this book you may also wonder why you may be paying so much to buy and own shares of a mutual fund.



4. I have found Scott's book to be a real help in understanding how to select mutual funds. Now I know what fees to check and the type fund that best fits my needs. I have recommended this to my friends who were in the same sorry shape I was.

5 comments about Economic Literacy: What Everyone Needs to Know About Money & Markets.

1. I am a techy and joined workforce in 2000. I started sensing the bubble and the bust and was really insecure about what the world and job market would look like once all this is over. Realized I need to learn something about economics which until then I thought was a boring dry bunch of theories of no use.
   
   Well this book changed my life, I joined MBA and got a whole new perspective towards life.
   
   A must read for any novice.



2. De Rooy easy to read commentary is simplistic yet thorough. I own the Idiot's Guide to Economics and Economics for Dummies, but these books do not compare with with Economic Literacy. I strongly urge this as a buy for anyone who wants to learn about the fascinating world of $$$.



3. The economics course as taught in the classroom sometimes revolves around a lot of theory and leaves a poor connection to the real world. This book is the perfect bridge between theory as taught in college and the pragmatic side of the economy in the after-college world. If you are a business student (BBA or MBA),an entrepreneur or a simple citizen that wants to grasp the real deal of economics you should buy this book. After reading this book you will become a knowldegeable person in the practical side of economics with a broad view to make safe and sound arguments about economics with your professor,colleagues and friends. You might even impress them!



4. I always thought that economics and fun dont go together very well, but the author of this book proved me wrong. By using real life examples as often as possible (and being as funny as possible), the author manages to produce one of the best written introductions (if not the best) about the subject.



5. What an awesome book! I recently began reading this book and have already fallen in love with DeRooy's style. He is an expert in clarifying complex ideas. I am only a general reader with a thirst for knowledge and this book is certainly recommended to those like myself. If only Jacob DeRooy were proficient in other subjects that interest me; he would do some great writing that will help educate the ignorant.

1 comments about Hoshin Handbook, Third Edition.

1. Participate in Pete Babich's huge experience. From a hands on perspective, stressing feasibility, he presents a well structured approach to steering a business unit by Hoshin Planning. The Vision as well as goals, objectives, measurables and strategies are translated into the speech of the internal customer, strategies become clear and well understood incrasing the buy in of all stakeholders in the company.
   It's logical, it's based on standards, it stresses results as well as processes, so it's a powerful tool, especially when you're engage in any Change or Lean Management initiative. You won't have to invent the wheel again. I found many useful examples inside the cd. Implementation managers and / or consultants can save a lot of time using the charts in the book, time they might need to convince top management or the entire leadership crew to become familiar with the new Hoshin process. Because what is Hoshin about in the end? It's about leadership!
   There is social-cultural side of implementing Hoshin and it is about change. Hoshin and Change Management must go together and Pete Babich gives a lot of implementation tips that help quality process managers and line managers save nerves and even money. In this way, Hoshin can be a success story.
   Recently I read an article on Ford's new CEO's Leaderhip Style, which is driven by facts and data (and commitment). The first thought that came into my mind was, he must have read Pete Babich's book.
   It's value add!