5 comments about Fail-Safe Investing: Lifelong Financial Security in 30 Minutes.

1. Harry Browne's Permanent Portfolio concept is worth knowing about, and an interesting counterpoint to Ibbotson-style long term asset allocation.



2. Every book written by Harry Browne is worthwhile, and this is no exception.
   
   'Fail-Safe Investing: Lifelong Financial Security in 30 Minutes' should be required reading for anyone considering investing their funds with 'hot' fund managers, 'winning' advisory services or 'can't miss' trading systems. It also lays out a solid, common sense foundation for lifelong fiscal responsibility and profitability, and should be required reading for all high school students.
   Harry passed away last year at the age of 73, and he will be dearly missed by those of us who treasure his legacy of liberty, independent thinking and personal responsibility. His life was a one of a kind gift that God blessed our world with.



3. Browne describes a sensible and simple plan for making money with your investments. I waited over a year to review this book so I could actually try his method and build my portfolio around his idea. So far so good. You won't get rich overnight with this, but it's clear that you can maintain your asset value as well as earn money on at least one portion of your "permanent portfolio" at all times.



4. I found this book very interesting and insightful. It's not really an "ABC" book to financing or anything, and I do think it's probably good to have some idea of economics and financial terms before reading. That said, the book's really pretty easy to follow and understand, and Browne does a good job of explaining concepts in various ways so you'll understand.
   
   Mainly this book talks about ways to invest and protect your money without having to spend sleepless nights worrying about if you've invested in the right something. It outlines how to create a Permanent Portfolio, which should keep steadily growing through all economic swings.
   
   While I can't say I can totally agree with absolutely everything Browne suggests, the majority of it I can. It's best to judge his advice for yourself, but at least he writes and discusses his ideas clearly enough so that you can evaluate it.
   In short, if you're not too keen on speculating and risking (or even if you are!), this is a great book!



5. I'm not your average reviewer. I think it's largely a waste of time so I just pass on it.
   
   But this time it's different. Before I met Harry Browne (through his books and radio shows), I was addicted to all sorts of financial pornography. Experts, books, forums, investing clubs, technical analysis, fundamental analysis, trendlines, P/E, book value, blah, blah, etc.
   
   Always tweaking, never happy. I was always up at night wondering how I was going to make a mistake that would wipe me out. Then I met Harry and his wisdom.
   
   He makes the case that no one knows what's going to happen. No one. Even the cockiest hot-shot fund managers suck over the long run. Turns out, he's right (with the notable exceptions of guys like Buffet and Templeton--but are you as good as they are?)
   
   So I asked myself: what am I doing trying to beat the market? Over the long run, I just can't. So you should probably come to that realization too. You can't beat the market. Just let it go........
   
   So if you can't beat the market, how do you get solid returns year after year with very little volatility? The Permanent Portfolio(PP).
   
   Inflation, deflation, prosperity, recession. Dollar up, dollar down. No matter what's brewing, you're covered. Let everyone else debate (because they don't know anyway).
   
   Harry's PP has returned an average of 9.9% (roughly 5-6% over inflation) with extraordinarily low volatility for nearly the last 40 years. It will do equally well in all investing climates--which puts your mind at ease.
   
   I'll let novice investors chase the "hot" funds while I sit back and relax knowing that I'm always covered no matter what happens. That level of "peace of mind" has no value--it's priceless. Thanks Harry--you've changed my life--may you rest in peace.

5 comments about The Essays of Warren Buffett : Lessons for Corporate America.

1. What can I say except for the book is by god himself. It is an easy and interesting read. highly recommended to all those who want to get an idea on how to invest in stocks successfully!



2. The best book on investment ever. Had a lot of humour as well as a great education on investments. Very simple, easy to read and understand. It is also a combination of Fisher and Benjamin Graham.



3. This book provides such simple, common sense advice you read it and think to yourself: "I know that, so why don't I do it?" Distractions, impatience and emotions represent the three challenges most investors and managers will face on a regular basis, Warren Buffett seems to have a way of drilling down to what's most important in the decision making process, and he provides blazingly clear and simple insight on how to create superior value, both for your company and through your investments.



4. Crazyman's Economics
   
   Warren Buffet is a true success story when it comes to American entrepreneurs. If you follow his advice, your chances of making money in the market will increase, but you're still gambling on a game of chance. Buffett himself admits that the greater the motion, the smaller the return to the investor.
   
   In the end, we should celebrate Buffett's success and his willingness to share his advice. But please remember, that Buffett's advice will not make you any richer than a book on basketball by Michael Jordan will make you a hall-of fame basketball player.



5. There are many books about Warren Buffett. But this is the best one to read as the words are from Warren Buffett himself with excellent editing by the author. It has lot of insights and fun to read.

5 comments about Real Estate Tax Deed Investing: How We Made Over One Million Dollars in Two Years.

1. I'm not much of a technical person so I was happy when I actually made it all the way thru this book. The stories of their success were pretty impressive and with the information they gave I could actually look it up in the property appraiser website and verify they owned it! It was pretty cool! The examples in the book really helped out the tougher sections. Most the other books I've read concentrate too much on tax liens, this only focused on tax deeds, where you can buy the properties cheap. I've been to a couple auctions in the past and this book helped clear up some issues like getting a clear title in 90 days instead of 4 years. I'm gathering together my cash to go buy my next discount property at an auction in Lake County Florida. I recommend this book.



2. 
   I liked this book. Very informative and takes a different approach than most of the other books I've read on this topic. It's easy to see why the authors are making money using this method.
   
   I highly recommend it.... ESPECIALLY in today's troubled housing market. This is how to still make money...



3. The information in this book flows easily and its to the point!! It was an easy read.



4. I was please with the book overall, because it is very down to earth real world stuff from someone who really has done it, IN FLORIDA. I learned a lot of things to look for and questions to ask that I might not have found out about until it was too late, but I need to ask someone in MY STATE to be sure to get the right answers. I have learned that tax deed laws are very state specific and I would urge anyone interested to find a resource specific to their state.



5. This is just the kind of investing book we all hope for, with detailed instructions as well as both the pro's and the con's--not just the hype that sells books, not just "how to get rich without effort," but the authors honestly explain the negatives right along with what's so great--all the things that can go wrong, what to watch out for--also how to avoid wasting time, which is extremely important. They also stress that it is a lot of work, yep; but then they show how effort pays off, AND that taking care counts much more than having bundles of cash to invest--and that's what I want to learn more about, don't you? Needless to say, the book is inspiring simply because it makes it seem realistic for anyone to get into this type of investing since the authors explain what they actually DO. I felt they actually WANT to share their professional secrets--and you know, not everyone does! Which is almost like having a personal mentor! This book is that good!

No comments about Investing in People: Financial Impact of Human Resource Initiatives.

5 comments about Modern Portfolio Theory and Investment Analysis.

1. For a textbook, this is written in a reader-friendly style. You can almost see the author at the blackboard explaining the concepts AND math in plain English. And yet, very little handwaving at all. On the other hand, this may also present special readability challenges: you may find yourself constantly flipping between text and tables to follow the discussion.

   From a pedagogical point-of-view, some of the developments might have been more intuitively presented. For example, the chapter on option-pricing theory should mention the expected-value interpretation. Over all, however, this text does very well on this score.

   I particularly liked the survey of empirical studies at the end of each major concept, that discusses the imperfections that other researchers have looked into, and their findings.

   This is one of the core reference texts I keep on my desk.




2. This was one of the texts I had to read for one of my MBA classes. It provides an excellent theoretical background in finance and the theories that link finance to macro and micro economics. It is not very practical however. Not much in the book can be applied. It is a must, however, for any serious student of finance. The coverage of option models is a little light, however. I highly recommend that people have a background in calculus, differential equations, probability theory, and linear algebra before reading this book.



3. I got what I expected at the time I was supposed to get it.



4. If you are looking for one textbook on financial investment, this book should be on the top of your list. It has very solid and comprehensive coverage of all the major topics in financial investment, from portfolio construction to CAPM to options to global investing. What I like the most is the detailed discussions on the various pros and cons of each model or technique people use in the real world. This book is a little light on math, but there's enough to satisfy casual readers who want some math but don't want to deal with things like linear algebra or stochastic processes. Another excellent feature is the large number of references the authors provide.
   
   I cannot give this book 5 stars because, due to the multi-coauthorship, the chapters can be a little uneven in both readability and level of treatment. One chapter will give you two pages of algebra from the first grade, and the next chapter is packed with discussions that require a deep understanding of economic theory. The audience of this book is a college senior or a first-year master's or Ph.D. student, which may explain some of this unevenness. The book also tends to be wordy at times.
   
   But overall, this is a good textbook that you can learn from as well as reference in the future.



5. I was looking for a hands on book. It is a pity I had to buy also the software "The Investment Portfolio" which should be included, and also I missed the answers to chapter problems. After a couple of weeks I feel I could advise in making and managing a portfolio.

5 comments about Russell Simmons' Do You!: 12 Laws to Access the Power in You to Achieve Happiness and Success.

1. c the world as a place of love, happiness, and peace. use positive energy to break down negative energy surround yourself only w/ people who r going to lift you higher. THere is something good in all seeming failures. You are not to see now. time will reveal it. be patient. when we do good in the world, we come to happiness. we r here to awaken from the illusion of separateness. Nobody can give you equality or justice or anything. You have to take it. Support what supports you back. "after feeling and seeing what is good accept it and live it.



2. This would have been absolutely great, something I would have shared with many many young people EXCEPT for the use of the F word and even the N word. Totally unnecessary, takes away from the positivity of the message. Young people should be the target of this message but the language makes it not suitable. It is a shame because other than that it is inspiring.



3. i enjoyed listening to his book. it did help me to realize some things, to become spiritually and emotionally stronger. and to believe that there is hope, as long as you put your mind body and sould and your believes into what you are doing. just hoping and playing is not enough, but fighting and trying and hoping and believing is what it takes. i mean people may say he is cheesy, but i just think he is real, spiritual. for those that ever think that its cheesy, learn to listen between the lines. at leas i didnt fall asleep listening to him, unlike other books lol. ok



4. ...and then got preachy, irrelevant and boring. Going on about how bad African immigrants are treated in France. Yes, we know how much better they were treated in the old country. Going on about "reparations." So write a check.



5. There are hundreds of books trying to sell a success formula out there, what makes this one stand out?
   
   Intrigued by the background of the author, I picked up the book expecting, if anything, a different perspective on what it takes to climb the ladder of success. But going through the chapters, I was pleasantly surprised to find all the familiar concepts we've heard of in the past, albeit with different and very hands on examples from Russell Simmons' life and upbringing.
   
   The book is written in a conversational and easy to read tone, there are a few repeating and prolonged passages on religion, yoga, and vegetarianism that may not agree with everyone, but an enjoyable read nonetheless. A small warning: watch out for the language in a few places.

1 comments about Talent on Demand: Managing Talent in an Age of Uncertainty.

1. This is one of those books that I believe can be either read independently or used as a textbook for a college course in talent management. As an independent read, if you are in a position that hires or develops employees, or if you must talk with your CEO or other C-suite team member about your organization's hiring and talent management philosophies, then this book is a must read for you. This book will give you a good grounding in the area of hiring and talent management.
   
   As our economy continues to evolve towards becoming a creative/knowledge based economy, talent management continues to rise in importance. Today's environment requires more than just the physical presence of the employee. Today's employees not only need to be physically present, they need to be totally engaged. Managing employee talent has become a critical organizational strategy and individual managerial skill. And then there are the costs:
   * The costs associated with acquiring employees
   * The costs associated with developing employees
   * The costs associated with managing talent management risks
   
   This book is about the basic challenge of talent management - Identifying the demand of talent and then establishing a system or process that just meets that demand. Hitting the demand target must be accomplished while taking into consideration today's complexity and uncertainty during the planning and development processes.
   
   This book is comprehensive in that it presents an historical overview and puts the talent management issue into context. The talent management process is one of buying vs. developing talent. The making vs. buying cycle is driven by the larger product, economic and available labor cycles. Using the theories and practices from operations research, the author looks at how the talent management process could be made more efficient and cost effective. According to the author, by using innovation and execution talent management can become a source of competitive advantage.
   
   If you read just one talent management book this year, I would recommend that it be this book.

5 comments about Fibonacci Trading: How to Master the Time and Price Advantage.

1. To start off I would like nothing more than to take this golden nugget of a book and lock it up never to be seen by anyone except for me, but alas I feel it a duty to give an honest review on what I believe to be a great NEW take on fibonacci trading. I use the term NEW loosely, it's new to most traders because I've never found anyone who teaches what Carolyn covers in depth here, and I feel it offers more value than all the other fib systems that have been around for years.
   I've had the pleasure of meeting the author at a seminar in Los Angeles back in Feb 08, and if I have ever seen anyone working their butt off putting their system to the test on a daily basis it was Carolyn(and no I dont work for her). It was simply amazing to see this method which I had not tried or heard about(I've been trading over 9years) of applying fibonacci levels overlapping each other to confirm setups for potential trades, symmetry setups and time and price confluence and cycles creating a robust set of tools for improving ones trading results. And her results were phenomenal, the prices would react like magnets on the charts she had clusters layed up on, I don't know how else to put it other than impressive! One of the great things about this book is that it's full of charts on almost every page, with a topic like this its nice to see plenty of visual elements to keep you focused on the material being taught, the writing is clear and concise and even though most people will doze off when reading trading books the information is to the point, enough to keep you awake and plugging away at it. Believe me financial books are the number one cure for insomniacs!!!!
   I have to say in my opinion this book is not for a total newbie to trading, it would help if you've at least read one or two other books on trading(not investing) or chart reading, because this books is clearly focused on applying Fibonacci techniques to your trading, its not an intro book on how to trade. One thing to note, she is using a specialty program to draw her charts, thats not available on any trading platforms(I use TradeStation,Omnitrader) or charting websites. So if you want to draw it the way she has you many consider purchasing the program, it may be a good investment in your trading career, or you could always sign up to her Trading Room where she does all the work for you.
   I truly believe using whats taught here is a great set of tools to add to any strategy or system to improve your probability of having winning trades, and I am glad she chose to share her knowledge and expertise to help more traders find success.!



2. This book has everything you need to get started in applying the Fibonacci method to futures and commodities trading analysis. I'm still entry-level in trading and feared this would be over my head, but the charts and graphs are helpful and the tone is accessible. I've already read it twice and constantly refer back to it as I work. It takes a commitment (all of trading does), but I have already begun to experience true results where it counts with this guide. It has really refreshed my game.



3. I agree with one person's opinion, this is not a beginners book. Though, if you have a little more than novice level of experience with technical analysis, then you can comprehend the analysis. I thought the examples were good and each topic had plenty of examples, even if you do not understand a topic after the first graph or two. I think she has a somewhat clear writing style....but some of the topics can be a little wordy. Moreover, I give this book three stars because of its price for one(69.95) and the sales pitch for two Dynamic Trading Software($1300.00). Also, along with the software, you need a subscription to eSignal $400 annual fee, Quote.com $400 annual fee...but wait....I think you get my point here. There are other books out on the market that address this Fibonacci Trading Analysis, but I will not give any of them free advertising. If you want to learn Fibonacci, yea it's ok, but I would not rely on just one trading method, would you?



4. This book is NOT for the beginner. You have to have the basics of Fibonacci under your belt before you can even have a prayer that this book would be useful. No basics are explained whatsoever. I am returning it.



5. Traders reading this book should have a basic understanding of technical analysis and charting.
   
   I am familiar with Carolyn's work and this book really does explain 95% of the trading methodology she uses in her trading room.
   
   You do not need the software (Dynamic Trader) mentioned in the book to use her setups. It makes it more convenient (especially the time cycle setups) but any halfway decent trading platform makes it pretty easy to apply the techniques.
   
   As with any trading technique, risk management and mental mastery are as important as the actual entry/exit strategies.

5 comments about How to Break Into Pharmaceutical Sales: A Headhunter's Strategy.

1. 
   
   Pharmaceutical sales can be an intimidating industry. Tom Ruff's knowledge will point you in the right direction towards success.



2. If you are even remotely thinking of breaking into the pharmaceutical or medical sales industry - BUY THIS BOOK!! Because of this book I just got hired with Johnson & Johnson as a pharmaceutical sales rep. I had no prior experience in this industry and I beat out 3 other qualified candidates because I followed Tom's advice to a T. I highly recommend this book if you are seeking a job in the pharma or medical sales industry. It is an extremely difficult task to get hired in this industry but once you do you will be so proud of yourself and on your way to a fulfilling life-long career.



3. I bought this book for a friend who wanted to get into pharmaceutical sales, but she had no outside sales experience. She read the book cover to cover, referenced it daily, and in 3 months, she had her dream job. Thank you Tom!



4. I greatly enjoyed the book and have suggested it to many on my friends that are looking into entering the field of pharmaceutical sales. I thought it was extremely beneficial to read to get a flavor of what a pharmaceutical representative do on a day to day basis and how to get into the field. Read this before revising your resume and interviewing for positions it can also save you time in the end if you decide Pharm sales isn't for you.



5. very good book that gives me all the tips to break into sales.
   I follow all the advices and i made it.
   So i highly recommend that book

5 comments about Foundation and Endowment Investing: Philosophies and Strategies of Top Investors and Institutions (Wiley Finance).

1. Starting with the thorough introduction, this book taught me volumes about foundation investing. I sit on a foundation board, and I feel much more comfortable with investment policy discussions now! I recommend this book and have loaned my copy out to our executive director.



2. Authors Larry Kochard and Cathleen Rittereiser have published an instructive and rare look behind the scenes of a collection of elite endowments and foundations. Their important text enhances and expands the good work of David Swensen in "Pioneering Portfolio Management" by revealing the thoughts and investment processes of a dozen accomplished Chief Investment Officers. "Foundation & Investment Investing" will be valuable for a broad universe of readers including CIOs, board members, investment staff professionals, portfolio managers and analysts, fund marketing professionals, business professors and their students, and individual investors. As foundation and endowment investment offices can be challenging to understand, I have bought additional copies for my colleagues in our equity hedge fund. I have also bought copies for a few individual investors who have asked for my guidance on managing their retirement portfolios in this increasingly volatile and complex investment environment. The final chapter observes that the CIOs interviewed are "all likable people". I agree, and enjoyed the sharp and candid insights of each of the CIOs. The interviews with Mark Yusko and Alice Handy were particularly enjoyable and instructive.
   
   As CIO of Georgetown University and investment management executive of Alternative Asset Managers, respectively, the authors' historical perspectives and informed commentary are interesting, and their organizations are lucky to have them.
   
   I hope Kochard and Rittereiser are interviewing another dozen CIOs for a sequel to this excellent and important investment management book!



3. Clearly Kochard and Rittereiser know how to ask CIOs important questions as they themselves are insiders in the foundation/endowment field. Their years of industry experience and network with these accomplished CIOs has made reading their book an eye-opening experience. The interviews are conducted with highest quality that are conducive to bringing out sharpest, practical and candid observations by these industry-recognized CIOs. I also think that the writing is sharp and clear-cut that help to drive home key takeaways for readers . Many investment professionals, whether or not working in the endowment/foundation field will benefit from reading the book to have a grasp of today's fast-changing and more complexed global investing. I do hope to see sequels from the two authors as they have proven to work together so well.



4. "Foundation and Endowment Investing" by Larry Kochard (himself a top Chief Investment Officer) and Cathleen Rittereiser is a very well written and valuable book. While providing an excellent general overview of how the investment landscape has changed for some of the most innovative investors today, I found the most interesting and valuable section to be the profiles of 12 of the top endowment and foundation CIOs. The authors obviously spent hours interviewing and gaining insights from these titans of the investing world, resulting in a very readable and valuable book.



5. This book is a must read for all institutional marketers. I learned something new on every page. It was of particular interest to me to learn about the early work experiences of the featured CIO's and how they made it to the top of their field. I found the book well written and easy to read. Well done.