5 comments about Investments with S&P bind-in card.

1. dear sir
   
   i did not receive the book yet.
   
   plz. inform me with the name of the shipping agency you have used to ship the book.
   
   URGENT
   Hani Hanbali



2. I have yet to receive this book and I need it quite urgently.I was just wondering if there is anything wrong with the delivery/order?



3. This review has 3 purposes:
   
   1. This is a great book for learning about investments. I read somewhere that this book teaches you about investments "without the math". There is math in this book. If you want a "math lite" reference, try one of the Dummies, Idiots or Totally Confused series.
   
   2. This book is on the syllabus for a professional exam (CAS); however, the CAS syllabus specifies a 2008 printing. This book shows a 2006 printing, but when it arrived, it was the 2008 version of the 7th edition. I don't know if there was a 2006 printing or if Amazon just has it wrong.
   
   3. Finally, this review is to offset the two bozos who left reviews before me. THIS IS NOT HOW YOU CONTACT CUSTOMER SERVICE! This is a forum to let other interested parties know what you thought of the text. If you can't figure that out, you probably won't be able to understand what the text is talking about anyway. (See note 1.)



4. As a recent college graduate from a university where I used this text and as a current finance professional, I can attest that this is one of the most solid finance text books out there. Its reach is expansive, but it's incredibly easy to follow. This book is particularly great for the undergraduate level. As I prepare for the CFA exams, I am reminded of how many concepts I learned (and still remember!) from this very text. It will definitely be a permanent fixture in my professional library for years to come.



5. This book is for advanced finance class. The material is hard, especially if professors talk about the materials in details.

5 comments about Tools and Tactics for the Master DayTrader: Battle-Tested Techniques for Day, Swing, and Position Traders.

1. I think this book provides some very relevant ideas for the mental preparation required to be a trader. Sure, it may be a bit repetitive but the author's believe in repitition for learning anyway. I'll re-read it again and again.



2. This book is really the one. Now I fell more confident when I strike the market. No more words than JUST PERFECT. I do recommend this book.



3. They have written the perfect book for the beginning trader or the trader who is struggling and needs to get back to the basics. They cover trading psychology thoroughly and offer an excellent introduction to basic trading systems.
   
   David Colletti
   Founder
   StockTradersHQ.com



4. This book is by far the most informative that I have read in a very long time. Most other books on the subject of trading offer only so much. However, O.V. goes much further in that he gives actual methods by which one can enhance his trading techniques many fold. I recommend this book to any and all - beginners and experienced traders. I only wish I had come upon this book years ago!



5. Wow. This book sure has received a wide range of reviews. I do respect that those who claim many years of successful trading didn't like it, but then I notice that some of them seem to despise it because it didn't tell THEM anything new or meet THEIR expectations for style.
   
   Then some of the one star reviews leave me wondering if we read the same book. I didn't see as much advertising as they did at all.
   
   I'm rather new to short term trading and have read a number of other books before this one. I thought that there was a lot of specific insights in the book clearly presented and some clear tactics and chart formations presented in the context of making trading decisions (as opposed to simply educating people on general chart analysis). However I come to the book understanding that it is only information, not a recipe and that I need to investigate and test out their ideas to see if they work for me.
   
   I appreciated the explanation of using Level II information. This is the first practical information I've been able to find on this subject (not saying it isn't out there, I just haven't found this kind of tactical explanation).
   
   It's true that you will regularly run across misspellings which shouldn't be in such a professional publication and their repetition of the phrase "the master trader" makes the authors seem a bit pretentious but then I've noticed that many authors on trading aren't English majors. That's OK with me if they can teach me to trade successfully.
   
   My biggest concern is that a number of the practical nuggets in the book are out of date. It was written before the crash of 2000. The market and the electronic trading landscape that they describe is 8 years older by now. Not all of the "big 5" companies they tell us to follow as indicators aren't the leaders they were back then.
   
   All in all, as a beginner mining for information of all kinds, I found some helpful information and advice in the book if taken in the context of other books, but would rather see something that is much more current.
   
   I highly recommend Van K. Tharp's "Trade Your Way To Financial Freedom" before, as a basic primer on investing/trading to put all the other books and courses in context.

5 comments about The Bond Book: Everything Investors Need to Know About Treasuries, Municipals, GNMAs, Corporates, Zeros, Bond Funds, Money Market Funds, and More.

1. This is an accessible introduction to bonds by a financial professional whose first book - as unlikely as it may seem - was a study of Max Jacob, the French poet. The literary background of the author, Annette Thau, may account for her book's clear, easy-to-read style. Most authors who write about bonds tend to get lost in the complex mathematics and specialized jargon of the bond markets. Not Annette Thau. Whether you are an individual investor trying to balance your portfolio with bonds, or a student of finance looking for a more lucid explanation of the subject than you can find in your textbooks, we highly recommend this book to you.



2. Thau over complicates her points. The book is too difficult to understand. I am an attorney who has been investing in stocks and bonds for over 10 years. This book is not appropriate for any level investor.



3. Am nearly finished reading the 2nd printing of this excellent tutorial. Although I have been an avid buyer & seller of fixed income products for many years, the author did a superb job of furthering my mid-level expertise especially in the area of municipal bonds. Her plain language explanations were most welcome as opposed to the plethora of financial techno-babble tomes that share the bookshelf. 5 Stars without reservation.



4. I ordered this book for my business library. I enjoyed the book, but if you want more specifics on the methods of detailed bond calculations, I would recommend a good financial investments text book.



5. A great introduction to bonds and there place in a portfolio. The perfect place for the individual to start if they are considering purchasing individual bonds for their portfolio.
   
   However, anyone looking for more in-depth information and strategies will likely be disappointed. Relatively little information about Zeros, TIPS and other products that are likely to be of interest. Start here, and then increase your knowledge with a title specific to your interests (i.e. municipal bonds, etc.).

5 comments about Security Analysis: The Classic 1940 Edition.

1. This book inspired generations of investment masters. Warren Buffett, John Templeton, Jim Rogers, just to name a few. In the book, Graham teaches how to find stocks with good discounts.



2. This is still the best book ever written about investing in the stock market. Long but very good.



3. If you are interested in investing in securities then you should have this book. Although the material is more than 60 years old it remains the baseline for security analysis. This is a reference book, but investors should get into the habit of picking this title up and giving it a read when they have a bit of spare time. It is well indexed and clearly written. There is a lot of historical information also.



4. If you believe in value investing, and you have already read Intelligent INvestor, then this is a fantastic supplement to your library on the subject.



5. This is one of the bibles of value investing. I wouldn't suggest it for a novice investor, though. It's geared more to the experienced investor. Buy it after reading Graham's other book, Intelligent Investor, which is much more reader friendly.

5 comments about How to Sell Used Books on Amazon: The Stay-at-home Mom's Secret Step-by-step Guide to Making Thousands of Dollars a Month.

1. No more spiral binding. Reading the book is, as others have mentioned, like getting advice from your best friend. Ms. Miller shows herself to be a conscientious and warm person throughout the book and in her email communications when the book is ordered. She aims to help the reader avoid the mistakes she made while establishing her online book selling business. The book is detailed and thorough, although I thought it to be a bit repetitive. There is a vast amount of information contained in the book, and the author is frank in discussing her limitations as a mentor in the world of book selling. Ms. Miller's honesty and generosity are refreshing. If you are considering starting an online business selling used books, be sure to read this. If you are looking for a really nice, sincere, giving, friendly, person, you can get to know one by reading this book.



2. I have been selling books on Amazon for several months now and was looking for a book that could give me a little more expertise and tips on how to be more effective at buying and selling books. I found this book to be mostly information I have read many times before in other places, with very little new useful info for anyone who has been selling for more than a few months. This book has some good information for new book sellers, but you can get 99% of this info by reading the Amazon.com guidelines on selling and reading Michael E. Moulds' blog, both of which are free. If you don't want to spend 30 minutes on Google to get this information for yourself, then this is the book for you. If not, don't waste your money.



3. Concise and to-the-point. Easy read. Great real-life examples of seller success stories. Chock full of helpful tips and advice to increase your sales and maintain motivation. If you want to be successful selling books, then read this book first. In fact, read it a few times just to be sure the information hits home. You can easily read it in just over an hour or so. Five-star effort all the way! Thanks Christine!



4. I love books and wanted to investigate selling them on Amazon, so I bought this book. It basically gave me everything I needed to know to get started, and the incentive to try. Although I am still very small, just selling a few books a week, I am in the process of building my inventory and have found that Ms. Miller is right - this is a do-able and profitable business and this book was absolutely invaluable in helping me to get started, and I am going to re-read it again as a continuing reference.



5. Yes, it's true that Amazon itself does a good job of being user-friendly for sellers, but for new-to-the-business folks like me, this is a terrific guide. It's like hiring a personal trainer who's at your side when you want her. It's like exercise--yes, you can do it all by yourself, but it does help to have that one-on-one expertise.
   
   Miller is organized, clear and concise and, she's got a cheeky sense of humor to relieve tension and remind you that, yes, you can do this and it's going to be fine and it's going to be fun! The format is actually easier to use than a paperback book because I can prop it open on the desk to refresh my memory as I work and for whatever step I'm at: creating an accurate listing, contacting customers, finding tools and services to take it to the next level, and so on. In addition, her insider tips from her years in the business are quite helpful and easy to follow.
   
   This is a particularly helpful first guide and then you can graduate and move onto the more sophisticated and involved stuff. Great investment.

5 comments about Hedge Funds For Dummies (For Dummies (Business & Personal Finance)).

1. Wow! This book sets a new standard for the "...For Dummies" series. It goes well beyond what you would expect from a book with such a whimsical title. Ann Logue is smart, her research is solid, and her writing is perfectly colloquial. No BS, no jargon. If you don't have an MBA, or if you earned it before hedge funds entered the scene, take Logue's corporate finance tutorial, meaning start from the beginning. If you don't need the background, then jump to Part III, beginning on page 165, dealing with hedge fund strategies. This book covers the history of hedge funds, their regulatory aspects, asset allocation, risk management, the Greeks, transparency, due diligence, and perhaps the most important aspect, where does the alpha come from? Read it for fun; read it for self-defense, or prep yourself for an interview, but do read it.



2. This book covers all the bases that an investor should consider before deciding to invest. They are too numerous to mention here, but in this 342-page primer, the author clearly explains the critical information necessary to make an informed decision as to whether a hedge fund is for you.
   
   Hedge funds have been in the news lately, but not necessarily for their supposed out performance characteristics. Nine hedge funds (for example, Amaranth Advisors) have closed their doors in the past year, some because of outsized bets by traders on the wrong side of the markets they were trading. This is not the way to increase performance. In 1998, Long-Term Capital Management blew up, even with two Noble-prize winning economists on the staff. All hedge funds are not alike and there risks that need to be taken into account.
   
   Hedge fund assets are estimated to be $1.2 trillion with over 9000 funds in existence. For most investors, due to the stringent entry requirements, hedge funds are not an option. Wealthy individuals who may be interested in hedge funds are urged to read this book (as well as others interested in learning about the subject) before placing their hard-earned money at risk. This suggestion may save them millions of dollars in potential losses, if they decide not to invest in certain hedge funds because of their due diligence learned from this book.
   
   Additionally, the author provides insight on setting up your own hedge fund portfolio by selecting different categories of investments. Surprisingly though, she spends a miniscule amount of time discussing exchange traded funds (ETFs) to build the hedge fund portfolio. Now that there over 425 ETFs offering all types of investment alternatives, this is one area that deserves more attention.
   
   Overall, the author provides a credible and detailed look at the hedge fund industry. An investor needs to know the basics before committing any money to these funds. This book provides useful information to help in making the decision to invest in hedge funds.



3. Hedge Funds for Dummies seeks to create a "reference for the rest of us" on how to use hedge funds to improve portfolio performance. However, as a founder of a Private Investment Fund, this book really makes one think about all of the elements that you need to consider when potential investors are kicking your fund's tires. My copy is dog-eared and has writing throughout the margins. Regardless of whether you are thinking of starting a fund or thinking about investing in a fund, this book will be an excellent resource.



4. I just finished the book. For the beginner, I think it's a good investment. For me personally, I would have liked more depth in certain areas'. There's alot of "filler", and when you're finished you still won't actually know enough to make serious money on your own.



5. As its tagline suggests, the FOR DUMMIES series is "a reference for the rest of us". Each introductory book has been designed to teach dilettantes as much as possible, in the shortest amount of time. A word of caution though, the FOR DUMMIES series is only `for dummies' in a relative sense. While the author, Ann Logue, laments the simplicity of the series, she also explains that Hedge Funds FOR DUMMIES is intended for an inquisitive, yet intelligent audience. The significance of this became increasingly apparent as I progressed further through this book.
   
   Logue appears aptly qualified to author this text with more than 12 years experience as an investment analyst. Her qualifications include the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) certification and an MBA from the University of Chicago. In terms of her approach, she refreshingly engages the audience with a combination of colloquial wit and academic rigour. The only significant fault I could find is that she excessively repeats the basics, though this may be fitting for readers without a diverse investment background. Overall however, I believe Logue's unique style and objective opinions would make this book a worthwhile addition to any investor's collection.
   
   The book begins with an ever-present question: what is a hedge fund? While the answer may be obvious to some, a lot of detail regarding the genesis and advancement of hedge funds is presented. One of the more interesting stories is that of a hedge fund operated by two of the US's most acclaimed and eminent finance professors; Robert Merton and Myron Scholes. Their fund profited from arbitrage trades in the bond market and ultimately collapsed due to a default on Russian treasury bonds. Was this collapse testament to the `random walk' of equity markets, or just the impropriety of the Russian Government? This is a question raised by only one of the many chronicles that Logue uses in her definition of hedge funds.
   
   Prima facie, Logue's definition is more than adequate, but the early and repeated use of the term `investment partnership' piqued my curiosity. Worldly readers may know that while a partnership is a legitimate Australian business structure, it is more common as an American managed fund structure. The somewhat unfortunate implication of this is that the book is actually intended for an American readership. For Australian readers, this becomes increasingly obvious with US-specific discussions regarding taxation, superannuation, regulation and legal structure. Although this is confined to very few chapters, I did find myself skimming entire pages. However, all is not lost; this book still repeatedly surprises.
   
   The major source of surprise is the depth of detail; this aspiring tome relinquishes its `introductory text' classification and rigorously investigates a range of investment topics (albeit in the context of hedge funds). The latter sections may begin with trivialities, such as the definition of alpha, but they promptly turn to challenge the reader by uniting academic theory, popular belief and the author's personal views. It was in these latter parts that I began to put the `for dummies' moniker into true context. Logue strives to `keep it simple', but at times she had me reaching for my university texts to revise Modern Portfolio Theory (MPT) and the Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM). I suggest that readers without a finance background at least engage a primer on managed funds (or mutual funds, as per the American lexicon).
   
   As I became more comfortable with Logue's unique style and progressed further through the book, I found myself forgetting its American context and really enjoying the flow of information. After the formalities of defining a hedge fund, Logue presents a range of topics that get `under the hood' of these mysterious investment vehicles. One of Logue's more practical arguments discusses hedge funds as a unique asset class. She asks if we should place hedge funds in the same context as equities, fixed-income and property. In her true style, she presents the options, explains her opinion and then qualifies these with a discussion of Markowitz's portfolio theory. After this, the topics get quite technical for the layperson; ranging from the 11 possible ways to arbitrage equity markets, through to considering how hedge funds profit from the corporate lifecycle. Logue's constant quest to investigate all options while referring to academic theory kept me interested, even amongst unwanted references to US-specific details.
   
   To answer whether this book achieves its purpose really depends on the locale of the reader. For the typical Australian investor, this book does not adequately educate on investment into local hedge funds. The funds in Australia are based on a different legal structure and must comply with dissimilar tax legislation and financial regulation. Despite this obvious downfall, the use of US-specific information is not nearly as ubiquitous as Logue's insightful annotations. While it does take some effort to decide what to dismiss and accept, my memories of this book are still described more by superlatives than shortcomings.
   
   In summary, I sincerely enjoyed Hedge Funds FOR DUMMIES, especially its depth of content, the author's style, and her meticulous approach to forming arguments. Essentially, it is based on this experience that I recommend this book to budding investors worldwide.

5 comments about Short-Sale Pre-Foreclosure Investing: How to Buy "No-Equity" Properties Directly from the Bank -- at Huge Discounts.

1. All the information was very straight forward. It didn't exactly reveal any new tips but if you don't have any experience with short sales it is excellent information for the money.



2. This is a must have for all Realtors, Investors, Homeowners, etc. This book reveals everything you will need to know about bank shorts. It has helped me help clients with distressed properties as well as the first time homebuyer looking for a great deal. The only thing this book is missing is the true time frame it takes for a short sale to go through and probably because every bank is different. Overall this an excellent read.



3. this is one of the easiest book i have seen related to how to deal with banks and submit forms, the insider information helps a lot specially to deal with the frustation when submitting forms to the banks, and there is no answers from them. it shows you how to submit and deal with an issue one and only once. great book.



4. I was impressed by the direct, straight talk in Dwan's recent book. This is a timely instruction manual for anyone interested in investing in real estate in today's market. She is specific as she walks you through your education and gives many easy to understand examples for doing a short sale. An excellent reference book.
   
   I also loved the integrity that comes through in this book! L Simons



5. This book covered the subject short sales in rather general terms. In my view, it is at an introductory level. If you have accomplished several short sales (10+) then the material covered here will offer limited value.

5 comments about Essentials of Investments with Standard & Poor's Bind-in Card.

1. This is a poorly written finance text. It is not organized and unclear in some sections. I have a degree in Finance, and I would never recommend this book to anyone.



2. I made the mistake of choosing this book as this text for an undergraduate finance course because it is used by the New York Society of Financial Analysts in their portfolio management class. Don't make the same mistake!! Part One is very informative and gives the reader practical information and advice. The rest of the book is terrible. The equity section concentrates on Modern Portfolio Theory--the Efficient Fronter, co-variation, efficient markets, blah, blah, blah. While Value Investing is mentioned (barely), it is almost an afterthought and it's certainly frowned upon. I wonder how poor investors like Warren Buffet and Seth Klarman have made any money at all using the Value Investing approach. I found the section on bonds and fixed income portfolio management interesting but difficult to follow. I traded corporate and municipal bonds for 20 years. If I had not had such a background, I would have been totally confused. If you are a quantitative GENIUS, this book MAY help you. If you are not, you can choose another book and learn much more.



3. For someone who is new to world of finance, this is best book I have come across which is easy to read and covers details of investment. I like the layout of chapters and most of basic chapters are followed by more advance concepts in next chapter.



4. Part ONE provides a good base for the material to be covered later and chapters 9 and 10 on bonds and bond portfolios are decent (although the explanation of duration and horizon analysis could use some work). The latter half of chapter 6 and all of chapter 7 are horribly written. My professor's lectures on this material weren't really driving the point home, so I decided to read chapters 6 and 7 hoping to gain some insight and clarification. I'm not having much luck. It's going to take a lot of re-reading and memorization of these concepts before they start to click.



5. I would have to agree with what others had to say about this book. It is dense and written in such an "academic" way, that Cramer could not understand what they are saying. To be sure, I am not a student but bought this as reference. The best part of the text is that it features lots of CFA type questions.

5 comments about America's Bubble Economy: Profit When It Pops.

1. This book gives a broad view of the fiscal problems facing the United States, using understandable language. It leaves little hope for a growing robust economy.



2. The authors bring clarity through scholarly historical analysis, to unfolding economic events. Their established excellent track record using their proprietary techniques to predict the March 2000 stock market collapse and their timely advice then to buy gold, can only be dismissed by those who wish to cling to ideology while denying reality.



3. This is a simplistic synopsis of the current state of the economy and offers some simple suggestions on how to deal with it. It's a pretty good read for the non-economist who's looking for a quick and easy grasp of the big picture. It does get a bit tedious and repetitious at times and has enough typos to keep a proofer busy for a week. There's also a less than subtle self-serving purpose as the authors attempt to drive the reader to their web site. The only problem is it appears they haven't updated the web site with any current information since the book was published.
   
   Nonetheless, an interesting and quick read for those looking for the summary view of the world's economy today.



4. I agree with a previous reviewer regarding the same information being replayed over and over again. I'm new to this subject, and initially found the book interesting, but found that the authors seemed to be re-hashing the same points more times than were necessary.
   I did enjoy the book, but now think I would probably check it out of the library instead of purchasing it.



5. This is a great book. A must read for anyone with money invested in the Market in any form. A great way to be prepared.

5 comments about 2 Years to a Million in Real Estate.

1. I have been a realtor since 1999 and this is the first book I've read about RE investing that gets to the point. Many other investors like to talk about themselves, which I could care less about. Matthew Martinez gets to the point on how to invest in real estate. By the way he does respond to email, how is that for service. Great book Matthew.
   
   Rick



2. As a bookauthor and investor I highly recommend anyone getting involved in the real estate arena to read Matt's books.
   
   I have personally known the author for many years and I can tell you that there are few top notch investors like him out there that have his knowledge and financial saviness at the time of purchasing and managing multifamily units. We all have a lot to learn from him.
   
   In "2 Years to a Million in Real Estate", I enjoyed reading his stories and the way he positively handled difficult situations with tenants.
   -- A Must read! --



3. I really enjoyed this book. I've read several like it and most are filled with essentially the same point worded differently again and again. This book was not like that at all. Instead, it is a comprehensive, detailed read on all aspects of finding, purchasing and (most importantly) RUNNING a rental business. The author does not pull any punches and delivers clear suggestions, pertinent examples, and ultimately, a well structured missive that should be required reading for anyone looking to learn more about getting into the rental real estate market. Highly recommended.



4. The book gave his account of how he continually acquired real estate properties and became a very successful real estate investor. Unfortunately, his method is a little outdated. Many of the loan programs he discusses are no longer available due to the current mortgage crisis. It's now nearly impossible to acquire a investment property with only 10% down and most people no longer have the equity in their homes to do what he did in 2002.
   He does make some very good points about skipping the properties that don't produce monthly income and I like his strategies to avoid equity-only investing. It's proven to be very good advice since the book was published.
   Overall, I'd recommend it as a read to beginner investors but in today's market, the title just won't hold up.



5. I just finished reading your book. Excellent. The best one I've read yet. It explains the real, traditional way to buy properties.
   
   Robert G.
   Staten Island, NY