No comments about The Handbook of Commodity Investing (Frank J. Fabozzi Series).

5 comments about Invest Like a Dealmaker: Secrets from a Former Banking Insider (Agora Series).

1. As a long time investor and enthusiast I've read hundreds of books on investing. I put this right up there with the best of the best. With time and success for Chris, this could become another "Margin of Safety" in 20 years, selling for many multiples of it's current price. After reading it I'm actually buying a couple of additional copies. I've made money with Chris and love his methods and research, he is the best young talent I know of - and this will eventually be realized by the rest of the investment world. Keep up the good work Chris, you are right on with your methods and are destined for even greater success.
   Brian B.



2. I've been a happy subscriber to Chris' newsletter for years, and I think he's one of the best in the business. Reading this book will teach you his methods. Highly recommended!



3. I'm about a third of the way through....and am taking a break. I don't know very much about the details of stocks, but bought the book to become better educated and a better investor. I'm in what the author calls "the hardest chapter to get through"...and it is. A lot of technical info that a sample balance sheet or income statement would make a lot easier to understand. Something to refer to so you could see what the heck he's talking about would be nice. Like I said I am a novice when it comes to evaluating the value of investors...I'm sure someone with more experience would understand it better.
   I'll pick it up again...maybe it will come around and be easier to understand.



4. Started off really well and I though I was in for a treat! The author makes a lot of sense in the first hundred pages by challenging the reader to look past the usual 'value' rations such as P/E and to focus on real tangible value and assets.
   
   The next half of the book read more like a book review where his favourates were glorified.
   
   Wished it was stronger - you are better of just reading the first half.



5. Having been reading Chris Mayer's articles (in which he recognised the housing bubble already in 2003) and his investment newsletters, I was really happy when he finally published a book about investing.
   
   If you will read only one book about investing I wouldn't recommend this one because this one is simultaneously something more and something less than an ordinary investing guide.
   
   ILDM is a book about investors own attitude towards stock investing and the whole wealth creation process and how you should think the whole philosophy of investing (and what great names have thought about it). It is also about how to avoid making the usual mistakes in investing. I had a little Deja Vu feeling having already read Mark Tier's book "Winning Investment Habits of Warren Buffett and George Soros", which I recommend warmly.
   
   This book is not a "How to become a millionaire"- style book about the physical process of picking stocks. It is not a book about cyclical analysis either (as an co-advocate of the Austrian School I was a little disappointed). And there is actually hardly any mention about competing asset classes such as bonds, commodities or gold.
   
   Fun to read although occasionally too anecdotical, and maybe should have needed more graphical illustrations and some examples on how to use for example EBITDA/EV - model.
   
   Perhaps not a classic like "Intelligent Investor" (Graham) or "Margin of Safety" (Klarman), but absolutely worth of reading if you already know something about the subject.

2 comments about The Automatic Millionaire Homeowner: A Lifetime Plan to Finish Rich in Real Estate.

1. david bach should be part of every high school curriculum....from his automatic millionaire on to all his other books.... he is easy to understand...and includes wonderful real life examples...everyone should read his stuff and make the good life for themselves...and others by giving back...this is so basic...you will wonder why you have not realized your dream sooner...but as he will tell you, it is not too late. read it .



2. this is the book for you. It offers basic knowledge for a young person who is looking to buy their first home. This book, however, is not for someone who is looking to start over, reestablish themselves, has or had credit issues. It offers no suggestions to help people who are trying to get out of debt or who have made mistakes in real estate.
   
   I do agree that this should be required reading for graduating high school seniors. Because if you're not diligent from the very beginning, David can't help you!

5 comments about Security Analysis: The Classic 1934 Edition.

1. Security Analysis is the most important book ever written about the subject. (...)
   
   Sven Klein, Santa Barbara, CA



2. Yes, this is the best investing book I've ever read, but I never read the 2nd or 3rd editions so maybe they are better? I do know that the 5th edition is absolutely horrible, it wasn't written by Graham and has nothing to do with this book, and you won't learn anything about investing from reading it.
   
   You do need a strong background in accounting to understand this book. There are some archaic accounting terms used in the book that no longer apply today. A law school course in Corporations Law is helful here too.
   
   Nevertheless, every more modern book on "value investing" never really explained it as well as this book written in 1934.
   
   Yes, the book is long, but who said investing should be easy? If you want easy money, go to Vegas. I made hundreds of thousands of dollars in the stock market after I read this book. This book is more valuable than a college education and a lot cheaper.



3. The best book for stock analysis. The thing that impresses me the most is that it takes investors emotions into account--the main reason people don't make money in stocks.



4. My star rating is for the 1934 edition, but this review may appear for other editions of the book.
   
   The 1934 edition came out before the creation of the SEC and deals with a lot of accounting irregularities that are not such a problem today. I suggest you buy a newer edition.
   
   Some people seem to have a preference for the 1940 edition. The 1951 edition was the first one written after the Great Depression, so it dealt with businesses in a more normal economic environment. The 1962 edition was the last written directly by Graham and Dodd, but it is currently unavailable. The 1988 edition is the most recent edition of Security Analysis, but it was updated by other authors years after Graham had died. The 1988 edition is the one currently used as a textbook for Columbia University's Security Analysis course.



5. After reading "Intelligent Investor", I wanted to get into the more technical stuff so I got this book. There is excellent stuff in this book but for an individual investor managing her own money some of the recommended research is not practical. The book is more appropraite for someone who works in the industry such as a mutual fund manager. For example as an individual investor it is just not possible for you to obtain all the necessary information on competitors, industry, suppliers, etc... on every company whose stock you own. The book is very thorough and certainly an excellent reference. In order to follow the authors' recommendation you will have to quit your day job however. Great text book for a business school class.

3 comments about Flow in the Office: Implementing and Sustaining Lean Improvements.

1. There aren't many good books that show you how to practially implement lean in the office. Most are based on theories, or just tell you the principles are the same. They are of course, but this book is very useful especially if you are trying to convince reluctant people. Both lean leaders, facilitators, and those trying to learn about lean can learn from this excellent resource. Looking forward to more work by this author.



2. FINALLY...a book that explains the LEAN philosophy in the work-place in terms that everyone can understand. LEAN facilitator, Carlos Venegas, has produced a veritable guide for setting up LEAN-based programs in the workspace and keeping them vibrant and viable. This is not a glory piece, mind you. The obstacles to sustaining the LEAN method in the work-place are clearly outlined, but Venegas offers solutions to overcome the inherent obstacles facing a company or institution that attempts to change their ways for the better. As Venegas so eloquently points out, "Resistance to change, to some extent, is woven into the human psyche. People may resist change because of fear, uncertainty, skepticism, and insecurity...However, when people realize that they have a significant role to play in making the change happen, and that ultimately, they stand to gain, they begin to accept change." BUY THIS BOOK!



3. Nothing is more soul crushing than being crammed into a small tiny area to work for eight hours. "Flow in the Office: Implementing and Sustaining Lean Improvements" is a complete and comprehensive guide to improving working conditions and in turn, the mental conditions of employees leading them to be happier, more alert, and most importantly, more productive each day. Focusing on the concepts of 'Lean' and 'Kaizen', "Flow in the Office: Implementing and Sustaining Lean Improvements" is top pick for anyone looking to make their office a better place in more ways than one - highly recommended for community library business collections.

5 comments about Investment Psychology Explained: Classic Strategies to Beat the Markets.

1. This book was required reading for a course I am taking, so maybe I remembered how I felt when I had to read "Silas Marner" in high school english. I found the book contained valid points about the psychology of trading which would be helpful to someone who was just entering the world of trading, but it seemed very dry reading to me, and repetitive. Much of it was rules for trading taken from other peoples books, and after awhile you got the feeling that you had just finished reading these rules, several times. I am currently reading "The Mind of a Trader" by Alpesh Patel, which is a similar type book (and also required reading), but somehow more readable.



2. I had read over a hundred trading books by far and written many reviews here on Amazon. This is the first time I used the term "book of books" to tell how far an author had tried to incorporate the trading ideas/concepts/rules of other gurus into his book. I dont mean that this book is simply a product of copy and paste. I believe the author had the good intention of covering as many "classic" strategies as possible to deliver the promise of the book title to his readers. In my opinion, most of the essential trading psychology concepts had been there.
   
   This book is divided into three main parts. The first one tries to break popular trading misconceptions/errors with topics like no holy grail, myth of expert, marketitis (overtrading), tickeritis (too close to a quote screen), price-news drug effect (too easy access to prices, news and analyses), damage from tips or rumors, cult of guru, greener pastures effect (survival bias of industry funds), pride of opinion, specific difficulties facing successful businessmen and so on. The second part is about contrary opinion. Historical big crashes are discussed, as well as means to avoid or even profit from them. The third part is primarily rules and regulations of legends like Warren Buffet, John Templeton, Paul Tudor Jones, Bernard Baruch, W.D. Gann etc, and those developed by the author himself.
   
   I agree with some reviewers that the author's writing is quite dry. To me, that's acceptable because it's not easy to elaborate with vivid words and stories, or the book will be far more than 265 pages. It would be eye opening for those who had read less than three trading psychology books. For serious trader readers, this book is still satisfying with the opportunities provided for the traders' own health check. Not a must, but certainly a valuable asset in one's own trading library.
   
   Warning: Though my comment above is quite positive, please take this as a reference book only before you completely understand yourself and your best trading style. Otherwise, the third part of the book may lead you to become a Jack of all trades and thus meat for your fellow traders/investors.



3. This book utilizes the historical events of various markets (mostly the US stock market) to explain various behaviours of market participants. The information is concise and each chapter deliver its points clearly. Part 3 of the book even list the trading rules of various well known authors/traders so that the readers can feel the importance of discipline as these well known individuals have to list a set of rules to remind themselves what not to do.
   One thing I do not like are quoted results from research on trader psychology. The conclusions mentioned do not really sound very scientific nor making any sense. e.g. only "successful" traders are studied and conclusion is made without mentioning any similar study to prove such quality do not exist on "unsucessful" traders.
   Overall, this is a good read for someone who already have experience in trading the market and would like to start learning something about the psychology aspect of trading. It will not be useful at all for a beginner who has not experience the emotional ups and downs related to trading, as the beginner is not likely to be able to connect with the content at all.



4. A serious trader or investor can never dismiss this book. It's a must read considering there are not very many investment psychology books written with a comprehensive coverage. And if you know Pring's background and have read more of his books, you will understand this work better. He has done a good work in nailing the points of Investment psychology specially by dedicating a section on "Knowing yourself". Easily one of the best books written on the subjet. One reading is not enough if you want to really get "IT".



5. This is a more advanced strategy based bible for the busy trader and the mindset involved. I bought this one along with Trading in the Zone and found the two of them compliment each other quite nicely. He covers a wide range of philosophies from the greats, and helps you see through the problems of over trading today with an overload of access to information, and a media full of pump and dump charlatans.

5 comments about Project Quality Management: Why, What and How.

1. Books on project quality are often narrowly focused - on Six Sigma, software testing, or statistical process control, for example. For anyone trying to apply the Project Management Institute's quality approach (admittedly rather limited) to a project, without getting bogged down in test scripts, the lack of a good, general-purpose project quality book has been a problem.
   
   This book addresses the gap between domain-specific quality processes and general project quality. After providing an overview of the quality movement and key definitions of quality, the book outlines a step-by-step process for quality planning, quality assurance and quality control. The steps are specific enough to provide a quality framework, while remaining general enough that any tools an organization currently has can be slotted into that framework.
   
   Two tools from the book that I particularly like:
   1. The Wheel of Quality, which illustrates the different elements of a quality system and their interrelationships.
   2. The L-shaped matrix, which can be used to prioritize customers and requirements.



2. This book is the best one I could find in Project Quality Management, but it is an overview, still. It also put together Quality on Project Processes with Quality on Project Objects. I would like to see these two concepts separately with focus on the Quality on Project Objects.
   There is an interesting introduction to the Compliance Matrix method for tracking project requirements and this is something to be studied on project quality management.
   The book helps a lot, but whoever reads it will need further studies and practice to understand Project Quality Management. The big problem is that there isn't many books that really explain Project Quality Management and this one is the Best I could find.



3. Kenneth H. Rose, PMP, has provided the project management world with a great book, Project Quality Management: Why, What and How. When I review books I read the material with a few principles in mind, including Technical Accuracy, Usefulness, Clarity, Concise, and Importance of the material. This book meets or exceeds these principles.
   
   The book is set up in four sections: Quality Foundations, Quality Management, Tools for Managing Project Quality, and Quality in Practice. Starting with Quality Foundations, Kenneth takes the reader through definitions, the history of the quality movement, and introduces the pioneers of Quality. This section is presented in a technically accurate, clear and concise manner. The material gives the reader an understanding without being too deep to be boring or over done.
   
   In the second section, Quality Management, Kenneth starts introducing the elements of the PMBOK, PMI's Project Management Book of Knowledge, the book most project managers use to plan & execute projects. To assist in using the tools, beginning in this section, Kenneth provides a case study in the Appendix that the reader uses to apply the information. The liberal use of illustrations, charts and graphs adds to the understanding of the material, and continues the accurate, clear and concise way the entire book is written. This section will be interesting to project managers not familiar with the PMBOK and the tools they may not be aware exist.
   
   Starting in the final chapter of the Quality Management section and through the third section, Tools for Managing Project Quality, Kenneth introduces a detailed description and use of the tools of quality supplied by the pioneers of Quality as it relates to project work. In this section the information from the previous two sections is brought together very clearly to assist in actual use.
   
   In the final section, Quality in Practice, W. Edward Deming's (one of those pioneers) Red Bead experiment is presented. The experiment is presented as a practical experiment for your team to use to confirm their new or increased knowledge before applying it to a real project. Side note: sounds like a great team building exercise.
   
   As for the importance of the text, absolutely! It is the only book I know of written for the project management community about Project Quality Management with the PMBOK interwoven. This book could be used as a training tool or reference tool for students, novice or veteran project managers.



4. I have read a lot of project management books. Some good. Some bad. This one falls a few notches above "good"--somewhere in the "excellent" to "great" range. I have not, to date, seen such a comprehensive, practical guide to project quality management. There are lots of quality management books out there. The problem is that not many of them have a focus on PROJECTS. This book fills the gap. Great discussion, great examples, great practical guidance for how to actually implement quality on projects. I keep this book on my bookshelf as a good, practical reference.



5. This book does a very good job explaining the tools needed for statistical process control and how it applies to project management.
   
   If you are looking for quality techniques based on W. Edwards Deming's teachings, then this book is a very good read.
   
   This book lives up to its title. You will not be disappointed.

5 comments about E-Mail: A Write It Well Guide--How to Write and Manage E-Mail in the Workplace.

1. As the author of an English reference guide/workbook, I think this book is exceptionally helpful to everyone needing to send out professional e-mails. E-mail has just about replaced informal memos and even reports. Therefore, we all need to learn how to convey the right tone, present a professional image, get our messages across clearly, learn the etiquette of e-mail, and avoid the pitfalls and hazards that e-mail technology poses. The author provides excellent, relevant examples and lays the material out in a logical, easy-to-understand fashion. I highly recommend it to individuals, HR departments, and training professionals.
   Jane Straus
   Author of The Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation
   and
   Enough Is Enough! Stop Enduring and Start Living Your Extraordinary Life



2. Like it or not, all of us are up to our eyeballs in emails everyday. We feel pressed for time yet need to write coherent emails that effectively communicate important information. This guide is an excellent resource on how to write readable emails that come to the point quickly without leaving any of the important stuff out. After going through the material, I recognized a lot of mistakes that our company frequently commits in our frequent volleys of emails with clients. I wish I would have had this book sooner! Thanks for cutting through the jungle for us, Write it Well!
   Thanks,
   Mike O'Quin
   PowerPointPartners.Com



3. This book is exactly what every e-mail should be (and so few are): clear, sensible and pointed. Compare the advice here to the emails you receive daily and you will agree that it is filled with uncommon good sense. You'll find yourself trying to figure out how to secretly get copies to your colleagues! Jim Knutsen, President, Boatz Knutsen Communications



4. Like it or not, we live in a world of electronic communication. E-Mail: A Write It Well Guide is a practical and helpful guide for those who aren't totally familiar or comfortable with the medium as well as for those who use it routinely, but perhaps not always effectively or appropriately. Most important, it urges people to take their e-mail communication as seriously as their other written communication - and tells them how.



5. If you're looking for a guide on writing e-mails in a business setting, look no further. This book covers every aspect of writing e-mails and even some tips on how to organize your e-mail as well. The chapters take you through different topics regarding e-mail and at the end of each chapter are some activities that you can do to help build your awareness of your e-mail writing skills and how examining the messages you receive from others can help improve your awareness of writing skills. This book is perfectly designed for training courses, since each chapter could be completed in one training session. I recommend this if you are looking to write e-mails as professionally as you can.

5 comments about Inspired: How To Create Products Customers Love.

1. I pre-ordered this book after reading Marty's blog for a while. Just got a copy and I think this book is fantastic!
   
   I've done product management for a variety of software and online companies. There are a number of realizations I've come to over the years. And as I read Inspired, I found that it so well articulated many of those hard learned concepts around product management.
   
   This book is an absolute must for anyone new to Product Management. And it is a great read for anyone involved -- even if they have been in the role for years.
   
   I'm going to highly recomment that my entire team here read this.



2. I haven't read the book yet. Our company did a workshop with Marty this week though which was absolutely phenomenal. He took us through all the different steps of product development, from conceptualization to execution, operation, and marketing. Marty has an amazing breadth of experience in the space and delivers his ideas with clarity and simplicity. Can't wait to start the book!



3. So a disclaimer first of all. I've also done a Product Management course with Marty on the first principles of Product Managment, and I'm a subscriber to his blog at svpg dot com.
   
   I can't rate this book highly enough, and have already recommended it to colleagues in the industry over here, as not only are there some brilliantly described anecdotes about the Valley, but it is full of best practice guidelines to help PMs in both large organisations and smaller start ups.
   
   Marty has provided solid, clear insights into the position and relevancy of Product Management within the organisation, and would be a recommended read to those of you looking to recruit PMs and develop the discipline within your organisations.
   
   Tellingly however, I've also recommended it to far more people outside the industry, who would benefit from considering Product Management as a mindset, or career next-step, as this book really speaks to those just starting, as well as those looking to improve their skills. Are you and aspiring PM? Well then you have to read this!



4. This is one of those books that will quickly attain, 'How did we get by without it?' status. One for the preventative medicine file, Marty outlines AND addresses so many common pitfalls in the product development process it's now on my 'review once yearly' list, right next to Steve Krug's, 'Don't Make Me Think.'
   
   Big plus: there is not just for eBay-sized companies. The techniques and tools Marty outlines can be adapted to a wide range of product team budgets and staffing scenarios.
   
   Bottom line, if you do anything that remotely touches the world of 'web products' (however you define it) this book is worth it. And, unlike so much of what gets written in our industry, this one is delivered in accessible, clear, well-written prose.
   
   It makes a great gift for CEOs, too...
   
   
   



5. I attended one of Marty's product management seminars a couple of months ago, and found it excellent. This book collects the material from his seminar into a complete, easy-to-read format.
   
   Personally, I found the sections on organizational structure, roles and responsibilities most useful, but the sections on the product discovery and development process are excellent as well.
   
   I think the material and his process is flexible enough that most types of companies can derive useful, actionable insights here. Worth a read from any product manager or executive at a product-driven company.

3 comments about Go Roth! Your Guide to the Roth IRA, Roth 401k and Roth 403b.

1. Before I read GO ROTH!, I was tired of finding a single paragraph on the Roth IRA in other wealth-building books. In GO ROTH! I found all the many reasons why a Roth is a superior IRA for me and would be superior for many investors. I learned why I might wish to convert and how to do it. Equally important to me, I believe the information is reliable, coming from a tax expert. My investment advisers were unable to answer my questions on the Roth IRA, but this book answered them all.



2. I have read both this latest revision as well as the 2004 edition of this book and both times have found it to be an easy to read and understand explanation of the ins-and-outs of the Roth IRA. The latest edition is updated with all of the latest changes to the Roth. Being a financial layman and not very financially savvy even in comparison with my peers, I found this books layout to be well-organized and presented in a manner that one with the least knowledge of finances can understand. It covers the basics of the Roth as well as many details all in one convenient location compared to most of the information that can be found in bits and pieces here and there. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone and has convinced me to start a Roth account ASAP.



3. I knew I would enjoy this book as I am a big fan of the Roth IRA, especially encouraging kid's to begin their own. It's not just the tax-free wealth the Roth provides, but also the flexibility of withdrawing contributions in a true emergency, plus the treasure you can pass on to your heirs that make the Roth very exciting!
   
   This book is a winner! It definitely has some technical sections but they are certainly easier to read than the IRS publication. (There are also mathematical sections to demonstrate and back up statements -- for those of you might have a "show me the numbers" attitude.)
   
   Perhaps you have already started your Roth because you believe in a tax-free investment. Will this book teach you something new? It seems there is always more to learn when it comes to the Roth IRA. For example: this was the first book I've read that has a section devoted to Social Security benefits. Depending on your income, the taxable amount of Social Security benefits can be impacted by your choice of a Traditional or a Roth IRA. There is a lot of discussion on conversions as well, which will help maximize your Roth balance. I honestly can't imagine anyone reading this book and claiming they learned nothing new.
   
   Go Roth is a book to own, a book to highlight. You cannot just borrow it from the library because you will be using it again and again as your Roth IRA passes through the different possible phases (contributions, conversions, early withdrawals, distributions, or inheritance).
   
   My assumption is that we are all smart enough to start a Roth (once we know what one is), but we still need to be educated on how to handle it, how to maximize it, and how to pass on what we don't use to our heirs. In addition to the IRS publications, this book will be our little reference guide.