5 comments about Buy Gold Now: How a Real Estate Bust, our Bulging National Debt, and the Languishing Dollar Will Push Gold to Record Highs.

1. Bought this book because of all-5-star reviews. It turns out this book is not worth the money.
   
   The book is VERY dangerous, because it reaches right conclusion (buy gold) for all the wrong reasoning. Author either has no clear understanding of the processes that are going on around money, credit and debt, or believe what he's read in multiple economics schoolbooks on subject. He bases his analysis on Government-supplied economic numbers and NEVER QUESTIONS THEM (we all know there's lies, damn lies and Government statistics, especially since 1980th). He doesn't understand that the Federal Reserve is a privately owned enterprise, and that The Federal Reserve and Government together are responsible for inflation and other economic turmoil United States has found herself today.
   
   If you want to stay in the bubble media, economists and politicians have created for you, this is "your" book - lots of graphs and statistics based on false or fake economics. Ironically, author still reaches right conclusion - BUY GOLD. For the rest of us who want to REALLY UNDERSTAND what is going on behind the scenes - don't buy it, there are much better books out there.
   
   I would recommend starting with "The Revolution Manufesto" by Ron Paul and many other Gold books, for example "The Collapse of the Dollar and How to Profif from It"



2. I liked this book. The author is not too opinionated and not dogmatic. He acknowledges that historically gold has NOT been a good investment over the long run, but makes a compelling case why he thinks it is a good investment now. He is also not emotionally attached to gold, and in fact hopes to sell it someday; he proffers that it could peak at ten thousand an ounce, which would be ten times its current price or about a 90 percent devaluation of the dollar. I think he offers a balanced analysis from a backround as a professional money manager. There are a number of books like this currently for sale, however I think this one is particularly thoughtful and worth reading, even though I have read several others on the subject. However, one complaint I do have is that book would have been much better if it had been published 2 to 5 years ago. At this point, gold is already up to four fold in that period of time. Several of the other books on this subject were more prescient and timely in their release. If one already has had gold investments, this books reinforces your strategy, however recommending investing in sectors that have already risen substantially lends less credibility and profit not to mention risk. Had he written the book when gold was $300, that would be a 33 fold profit if it goes to ten thousand. Gold at $1,000 is a ten fold profit, considerably less.



3. I'm a mainstream investor who has a solid diversification of investments, including a little gold purchased in 2006. However, my understanding of economics and the global economy is sketchy and never quite fit together in my mind. At a minimum, this book will create an outstanding base of knowledge in this arena in an easy-to-read format, and give solid guidance towards investing in gold. I appreciate his balanced approach to the possible economic outcomes ahead, presented as possibilities for the reader to weigh and make a judgement on. This isn't "the world is falling", but you will take serious stock of the current trends in our economy as it fits into the global picture. Highly recommended for anyone wanting to see these aspects and grasp the value of gold investments in your portfolio.



4. It was a good, balanced book. Most of what I have read on gold is generally over-the-top doomsday type....more about dire predictions then about actual facts. This one was a refreshing change.
   
   The only slight negative about the book was the author's writing style...which was a little bit of drag at times. Long sentences, with more than one point stressed in them.
   
   But overall, I would recommend this book to everyone. Pls insure your future against the excesses of US paper currency. The situation is far worse than what we think it is, not only for US citizens, but for the entire world. This book will help you plan for your and your family's safety in such extreme times.



5. Whether you are interested in buying gold or not, this book is of value for its general explanation of the world economy. If you are interested in such things as the housing market crash, dollar devaluation, trade deficits and the role of the American consumer in the world economy, you will enjoy this book. It explains and ties all these things together in clear and easy to understand reading.

5 comments about Behavioural Investing: A Practitioners Guide to Applying Behavioural Finance (The Wiley Finance Series).

1. This book is a collection of short notes about psychology, investment strategy and finance. Some chapters are original, but most of them were written as Equity Strategy weeklies for clients of James Montier's then employer (Dresdner Kleinwort Benson). I had already read a few of them, including the famous one about happiness and money, which everyone in the market has read, and which I preciously retain for consultation on the gloomy days when my portfolio loses more than 1%. The notes are unedited and presented thematically, not chronologically, which is sometimes confusing. There is some repetition between chapters, and several chapters assume prior knowledge not exposed in the book, which makes the discourse not very user friendly at times. You need to have some experience of investment to benefit fully from it.
   
   Overall the book is well written: clear, clever, entertaining and unpretentious, as is appropriate from a broker writing to clients - unlike, for instance, the unsufferably arrogant tone of Nassim Taleb, who writes on similar subjects and who, incidentally, is favorably mentioned in this book. Both Montier and Taleb define themselves as skeptical empiricists (or was that empirical skeptics ?) It reads rather quickly despite the number of pages: each chapter is preceded by a caption and a summary, which means that everything is repeated three times, and charts and graphs take up a lot of space. The book covers a lot of ground in psychology, investment process, investment strategy and ethics, including commentary on the latest research in those fields and extensive quotations from the 30s, notably from "the Masters" Keynes and Ben Graham. However, it is not really "a practitioner's guide to applying behavioural finance" since Montier's (sound) investment advice is not really based on psychology. The last parts, on ethics and happiness, are particularly original in an investment context. A higly recommended alternative to Taleb's forgettable Black Swan.



2. This is THE Investment book of the century, after Graham & Dodd's Security Analysis.
   Clear, complete and rigorous, this is the definitve guide for wise and profitable investments.



3. Sent this book back as soon as i got it! It is to long, not very informative and there are so many better books of behavioral finance an economics.



4. James Montier's book is in fact a collection of articles and therefore has some redundancies by repeating the same things again and again. But...he really takes away many illusions about analysts, company meetings, portfolio management and every one's capabilities in beating the market. In short, he says that predicting the future is not possible and that we are very bad in forecasting, even more when we are "professionals", because of how our brain works. He shows how to at least try to avoid common biases and focusing on the facts (on the past).
   It is easy to read and very entertaining, nevertheless with a factual approach. But be warned: as a PM you will feel the urge to stop taking calls from sales people ;-)



5. Mostly a compilation of the writer's research papers, written for an investment bank. Well, that's ok, but most of them are not edited for the book, just inserted into the book as they are. This brings a lot of repetitions and some references to papers, that you don't have access to. At least those papers could have been inserted as well. But we have to give the full credit to the writer even as this book as it is, it is a book of comprehensive research and full of insight regarding the psychology of the investing public. It also gives the reader a glimpse of all previous investment research. One of the good solid investment books.

5 comments about The Insider's Guide to Independent Film Distribution.

1. I had previously read "I Wake Up Screening" (which was written in a rambling fashion and wasn't much help) and "Filmmaking for Dummies" (which only touches briefly on distribution) and I still felt quite lost as to how to sell a film, whether a sales agent was really necessary, how much $$ to expect to earn, etc. Where else does one learn about this stuff? Previously I had to rely on the urban myths that are told in places like film chat rooms. This kind of knowledge is power to filmmakers. I'll bet that "sales agents" and distributors HATE this book! Getting a "dummy contract" past an independent filmmaker just got tougher. Maybe the 1 star review on this book came from a disgruntled "sales agent"!
   
   This book even has a listing by country of ballpark prices that are currently paid by foreign distributors for indie films. After seeing these numbers it convinced me that a "sales agent" was a waste of 25% of my profits.
   
   In conclusion one really should read this book long before they even think about shooting a movie because the forces of supply & demand are working against the filmmaker. As this book explains, indie films have become "commodities". Note: This book is also fast reading. I read it in a day.



2. I learned about this book from distribution executive, Allen Chou's film distribution workshop. It's a must read because it covers everything you need to know before you secure distribution for your film. Stacey used to work in the distribution biz, so she details all the "secrets" you need to know. Before you get ripped off signing a deal with a sales agent or home video distributor, READ THIS BOOK! Most indie films lose money- don't let your film become another fatality. If you're interested in learning more about film marketing & distribution, I also recommend www.MarketMyMovie.com



3. Stacey Parks has written a very insightful book. It has great information throughout and includes practical explanations about presales and acquiring distribution based on the script (this is often overlooked by other books and seminars that assume the reader already has a finished film). Helpful too was the information about attaching actors and interfacing with agents and managers. I plan to buy this book as Christmas gifts for aspiring filmmakers I know and some of the seasoned ones too! Armed with the knowledge she dispenses in her book, I feel validated in pursuing other options for financing without feeling like I'm skipping some "obvious" step.



4. For those of you who are independent filmmakers, regardless of whether or not you are just about to begin production, or are in the process of trying to secure distribution for a finished product, the contents in this book will prove to be invaluable.
   
   I wish that I had access to this book prior to beginning principle photography, as it would have made a world of difference. I encourage every independent filmmaker, who has to wade through vast amounts of garbage information on a daily basis, to read this book to get the real facts, rather than forum and heresay.



5. I am a major fan of Stacey Parks book and web site: [...]. I find that Stacey is cutting edge when it comes to the subject of worldwide distribution. She is a never-ending fountain of information and wise advice addressing all distribution-related matters. What also distinguishes Stacey/Film Specific and her fabulous book is how professional she is and how well-organized the material is. This is definitely a primer for anyone looking to navigate the murky waters of domestic and foreign pre-sales and distribution.

No comments about 100 Things Project Managers Should Do Before They Die.

5 comments about Even Buffett Isn't Perfect: What You Can--and Can't--Learn from the World's Greatest Investor.

1. Incredibly bad book. I invest at one of the largest hedge funds so have some credibility in this commentary. You will not become a better investor by reading this book, you will only waste your time and there are many other better books out there to read. Problems that I have with this book:
   
   -The main recommendation comes from Steve Forbes (which is ok I guess) with the problem being that the author writes for Forbes and that Steve Forbes' intro is more a promotional piece / argument for the Steve Forbes tax policies than any kind of a value add.
   
   -The book isn't written by a professional investor. The guy is a market commentator but really doesn't have much talent in deducing overall generalizations about how to invest money and I really wouldn't give his advice much credit. Sorry
   
   Overall I was just really frustrated with the buying experience of this book and that I was stuck on a 4 hour plane ride with nothing but Sky Mall, a dead laptop battery, and this book to keep me company. Sky Mall and staring at the back of my dead laptop was the better read.
   
   I wouldn't get online and make such a negative commentary unless I really thought it was that bad. Believe me. Don't waste your time with this.



2. In a few short pages, the author summarizes the wisdom, and occasional errors of the greatest investor of all time. The executive summary for each chapter, makes the author's analysis available to even the most impatient reader. Defintely a top choice for summer time investment reading, particularly in these troubled times.



3. This book is short, easy to read and to the point. While the author does an excellent job of explaining Buffett's favored investment strategies, he also looks at other strategies, such as momentum, that work well. The book's real strength comes in the second half. Buffett has few faults when it comes to investing, but he has been pushing policies that make no sense. This is the only book I've seen that examines these issues and isn't afraid to ciriticize the man. The chapters on corporate governance, taxes, options and earnings guidance are particularly enlightening.



4. Mr. Buffett may not be perfect, but given his "extreme" level of net worth, he must have done something right with his investment portfolio. And let's be clear - Berkshire Hathaway has always been managed like an investment portfolio. Vahan Janjigian provides a clear and concise explanation of Buffett's strategy and investment process, and gives the reader some insights on successful wealth generation. And this is the only book that criticizes his views on taxation. Not too long; not too complicated; but very informative and well written. A perfect "end of summer" read.



5. Congratulations to Mr. Janjigian for writing a book that not only does a great job in discussing Buffett's investment styles, but also and more importantly communicating the key investment concepts that individual investors should be aware of, in a very easy to understand manner. While there have been many, more detailed books written on Buffett's investment approach, I think Vahan effectively uses the different investment approaches employed by Buffett to highlight and to some extent caution individual investors who attempt to emulate Buffett by stating that what might be good for large long term investors like Buffett (who have access to top level managements), may not necessarily be true for individual stock investors. An investor like Buffett can make big concentrated bets based on his understanding of management and management's strategies, something that an individual stock investor may lack as a function of limited/no access to top level managements.
   
   I recommend this book to anyone who wants to gain a good understanding of the basic and key investment concepts, and I would recommend that colleges handout this book to incoming students in order to educate them with the basics of sound investing principles. I sincerely hope that this book is the first in many more to come!

No comments about Climate Change: What's Your Business Strategy? (Memo to the CEO).

4 comments about The Lean Product Development Guidebook: Everything Your Design Team Needs to Improve Efficiency and Slash Time to Market.

1. I just finished reading "The Lean Product Development Guidebook" and I am totally impressed with the practical tools and common sense tone of this book. The author makes the learning experience pleasant and even entertaining! Most of the two dozen "lean methods" described in the book can be used right away and will provide immediate benfits. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is serious about driving waste out of the product design process.



2. Project management professional Ronald Mascitelli presents The Lean Product Development Guidebook: Everything Your Design Team Needs to Improve Efficiency and Slash Time-to-Market, a handbook written especially for design team managers in all business fields. The focus lies upon making the product development process "lean", thereby improving both its efficiency and its effectiveness. Chapters describe how to establish product design requirements, heighten the pace of project execution, and apply self-assessment tools to keep design paradigms operating at optimal levels. The Lean Product Development Guidebook is spiral-bound, able to lay flat or be folded over on itself for easy reference, and is written in plain terms, with numerous black-and-white charts and diagrams illustrating its principles. Enthusiastically recommended as an overview resource and guideline for design team managers everywhere.



3. This is the author's second book on product development. The first one was focused primarily on cost reduction with some material about time-to-market. In this book his focus is primarily on reducing development time through focusing on the new development team processes. Ron offers some very practical advice, and a host of easy to use tools and aids that new product development teams can adapt very easily and quickly. Ron's writing style is that of a practitioner and therefore makes reading the material easy, and is made relevant to a real world environment.
   
   His approach of adapting some traditional lean tools to the product development situation is novel. I found his version of Value Stream Mapping for example, for a basically creative process, very useful.
   
   While this book stands on its own, if you have not read Ron's first book "The Lean Design Guidebook," doing so would give you holistic perspective on both the time and cost factors involved in the new product design process.



4. Ron has a very laid back writing style. You can tell that he has spent a considerable amount of time in the trenches and appreciates the amount of hard work and focus it takes for a successfull product development project. I would definately recomend this book for anyone serious about wanting to add tools to their product development toolbox.

No comments about Ethics for the Real World: Creating a Personal Code to Guide Decisions in Work and Life.

1 comments about Elliott Wave Principle: Key To Market Behavior.

1. This book is awesome, it teaches you a way of technical analysis that nobody else can even imagine. It implies that the markets are patterned, and that those patterns repeat themselves in all time frames, from 1 day to even 5 years or more.
   
   Elliott Wave consists of 13 basic patterns. These patterns are formed by waves and/or market movements. If you can learned to recognize this patterns you can make a lot of money by been able to identify the next move.
   
   Elliott wave analysis has rules and guidelines that will help you to know where to place your stop, how to recognize these patterns, how to make the correct wave count within these patterns, will give you the tools to predict price objectives and time frames for those price objectives, and a stop or a limit that will negate the whole thing if been wrong. The result is method that offers high probability trades that works the majority of the time if you are a discipline investor.
   
   This book alone won't be enough to make you a great trader, but it would improve your trading dramatically. One tip, you need to learn to validate those wave counts and/or patterns by using several technical indicators that should show certain divergences in certain faces of those patterns and/or waves. The combination of Elliott Wave analysis with traditional Technical Analysis beats any other form of analysis you can possibly imagine.
   
   In longer time frames, you need to combine those two with economic cycle theory. I like the Princeton Model. And see the charts and technical indicators in weekly or even monthly basis, and probably in logarithmic scale.
   
   Some said that Robert Pretcher was wrong by calling the market top in 2000. Well he wasn't, neither the S&P 500, nor the Nasdaq has regained their 2000 highs, in more than 7 years. And in real terms, as well as in gold terms, the DJIA is still below its 2000 highs.
   
   But indeed that doesn't matter to me, I am a position trader, an options position trader, I buy calls and puts, and create spreads, with time frames of two to four months. And believe me, the only way to win with options these way consistently, or at least, most of the time, and grow your money fast and quickly is by using Elliott Wave analisys. If you don't dominate this technique, stay away form options. If you do, be discipline, and trade only deep in the money options.
   
   Appling it in for real is a little more difficult than understanding it, and it could probably take several months to learn to do it correctly and to obtain good results consistently, that is assuming you are already a fairly good market technician and have several years of experience investing in the market.
   
   Well, it works for me, so I hope it would work for you too.
   
   Good luck.

No comments about Fund. Accounting Principles -Working Papers , Volume 1 (Revised).