1 comments about Understanding Pharma: The First, Practical Guide on How Pharmaceutical and Biotech Companies Really Work.

1. Understanding Pharma provides an excellent introduction to (and overview of) the pharmaceutical and biotech industry. It "dissects" a typical pharmaceutical company into its constituent parts and explains, in plain english, how each part works, what it does, how it is organized, etc. It covers pharmaceutical research and discovery, clinical development, marketing, sales, the managed markets (managed care and other third party payers), business development, and so on.
   
   Anyone who works in the industry should read this book, as it provides a matter-of-fact overview of the industry in which they work. Journalists who write about the industry should also read it and maintain a copy as a reference tool.
   
   On the positive side, the book is easy to read, contains numerous diagrams to help explain complex concepts, and is well written.
   
   On the negative side, it contains a number of minor errors throughout, but nothing that affects the usefullness or accuracy of the information. In some areas, the book could use a little extra detail (such as in the chapter on Trade and Distribution).
   
   Overall, however, this is a book well worth reading for anyone working in or associated with the pharmaceutical and biotech industries. It should be on every pharma person's bookshelf.

5 comments about Start Small, Profit Big in Real Estate: Fixer Jay's 2-Year Plan for Building Wealth - Starting from Scratch.

1. The author gave "how" examples and easy to understand explainations to help you build wealth.



2. I loved Fixer Jay's original book, Investing In Fixer Uppers, so I was thrilled to buy his second book as soon as I heard about it. It is an ok book, but it is his original book in a new cover. Even some of the sentences are the same. It was kind of like listening to a friend who tells you the same stories without remembering that he has told you already, using the same words, gestures and inflection. I was dissapointed that there is actually no explanation for creating a 2-year plan anywhere in the book. The closest thing that I could find to a 2-year plan, was a sentence on page 8 that said, "Two years after you acquire your first property, you should have a dependable income, assuming that you're following my strategies." Then comes an analogy that investing in real estate is like kissing frogs to find a prince. I suppose that it is, but it didn't help me with a 2-year plan. If you are interested in fixing up houses to rent for income, don't hesitate to buy Jay's first book-I have read it 5 times, and am using his strategies from that book right now, having just fixed up an older house in my neighborhood. With 3 month's part time work, I now have 28k in equity, and 209.00 per month positive cashflow, on my first fix-up ever, thanks to his first book. The house was even owner financed, 2% down, and deferred payments too! (Jay's strategies) Don't bother with the 2-year plan book though, because it isn't anything new.



3. This book has the strong qualities of Jay's first book - written in a easy-going, lay-back style that makes it enjoyable to read, and it presents an eminently useful model that really works.
   
   Jay says to avoid slick and flashy techniques because "slick is another word for slippery." He points out the gurus who formerly expounded on a wide assortment of get-rich techniques are "either bankrupt or working in gas stations." Jay advises to stick with run-down, fixer-upper types of properties. Buy low, and improve their value, and rent them out. I's a winning formula that I, and many others, have used to make money in real estate.
   
   I particularly liked Jay's technique of taking a low key negotiation approach, like the former TV-detective Columbo when he interrogated suspects. Instead of putting the seller on the defensive, don't directly tell them what's wrong with their house. No one wants a complete stranger to come up and criticize their house. Always show respect to the seller, and have the seller tell you what's wrong with the house by asking him a series of polite questions. Listen carefully to what the seller has to say. You can learn a lot by listening. Don't be critical, never talk down to anyone. Even sellers who must sell, won't sell to you if you try to intimidate them. Jay points out that you still must diligently verify any information you get from the seller. One way to do that is to ask for their "Schedule E" tax form.
   
   Another key to Jay's formula is turning motivated sellers into bankers. This is something that a lot of us, myself included, need to work on. If we follow Jay's advice and get the seller to finance at least part of the loan, the purchase process suddenly becomes much easier.
   
   I also liked Jay's memo system of dealing with renter problems. In using this system, I find it simplifies my dealings with renters. If you call and tell them to do something, they forget. If they see it in writing, in an official-looking memo, they will usually, but not always, do what you ask them to do. It reduces direct contact with them and it gives you written documentation in case you later need it later to remove them from the house. I like Jay's comment "tenants don't intimidate me because they are simply no match for my landlording skills." A bold attitude that we should all aspire for.
   
   Overall, there is a lot to like about this book. If offers sound advice for the new, and the seasoned, investor. The Columbo negotiating technique alone was worth the price of the book for me.
   
   
   Terry Sprouse is author of the book: "Fix 'em Up, Rent 'em Out: How to Start Your Own House Fix-up and Rental Business in Your Spare Time."



4. Author's basic premise makes sense-- there is money to be made buying fixer upper single-family houses that are rehabbed and rented for investment income. Author suggests focusing on houses that require cosmetic repairs and/or sweat-equity repairs that offer cost savings via investor completed repairs versus hiring and paying a professional.
   
   Book's shortcomings include ad nausea repetition, a lack of practical how-to advice and too many references to investment returns based on gross income versus net income or before tax cash flow (i.e., A $100,000 house that rents for $1,000 per month does not produce a 12% return unless the tenant covers all operating expenses, capital improvements and there is no debt service. John Schaub's single-family house investment books offer a more detailed road map.



5. There is some good, useful information in this book. But personally I found it hard to get past the country boy, hick lingo that he uses so much. For example, "Never Try to Milk a Steer". There are so many metaphors like this, I couldn't get through the whole book because I was laughing instead of absorbing the information. Most of the information is good, but if the book was more well written it would be alot better. I stopped reading this book and moved on to another one that I purchased at the same time, Millionaire Real Estate Mentor, I think its written by Russ Whitney or Ross Whitney, something like that. That one is awesome so far and I would recommend it above this book any day.

5 comments about Unlocking The Value Of Your Business : How to measure it, increase it, and negotiate an actual sale price - in easy, step-by-step terms..

1. I think this book is very effective! Once you by pass all the gramatical errors, then you will be in driver's seat on this subject. A good book worth reading by anyone who is or plans to be a small business owner. I take my hat off to the author for making such a complicated subject easy to follow within the covers of such a small book.



2. This book is very good and to the point. I knew quite a bit about valuing commercial real estate and publicly traded stocks but not much about valuing closely held companies or small businesses. This book really filled in those gaps. The book is neither too technical nor too non-technical, it explains both math from the ground up and rules of thumb. I also bought a much larger book on the same subject at the same time and have not read it yet because this book was so good. Really well laid out and easy to use. This is definitely the first book to read if you are either buying or selling a business.



3. This is a good book but if you are a tech company do not buy it as it is designed for small traditional business's.



4. Excellent guide for those who want to gain more knowledge about business valuation. All formulas and concepts are clearly explained. This guide is indeed an excellent tool.



5. This book is a lifesaver. The formulas apply very well to all types of businesses, including technology service businesses. They aren't specific to certain types of businesses, although we found some very valuable tips in it that were very helpful for our type of company. It really simplifies an otherwise complicated topic without compromises the results. Our accountants use the same formulas and charge a fortune for the same thing, so we are very glad we found this book. The book gave us a strategy for buildiing up value over the next 2-3 years prior to selling the business. Highly recommended.

2 comments about Truth of the Stock Tape: A Study of the Stock and Commodity Markets With Charts and Rules for Successful Trading and Investing.

1. This is very easy to read yet highly informative! The amount of useful trading concepts is unbelievable for a book which was written so long ago. Despite its age it remains the single best stock market related book I have read. This book is the best book written by W.D. Gann. Jesse Livermore's book and Market Wizards are also highly recommended!



2. If you are a researcher of Gann you will probably be intersted in this book. It has 1 rule that isn't discussed in his other books. This rule tested over S&P 500 from 1950 to 1971 gives a 2% increase in annual return. The rule he describes involves finding tops but I went through and applied the rules to finding bottoms. The only thing I don't like about it is that it goes way overboard talking about the same thing over and over and over and over to the point I'm skipping over some of the examples. This made it a very boring book to read and he could have left much out and still got his point across.

5 comments about The Aspiring Firefighter's 2 Year Plan.

1. This book was recommended to me when I first became interested in the fire service. After reading it, I feel that I have a better understanding of what I can do to better my chances of getting hired. The book covers many important topics like: the importance of education, the process of testing (including written examinations, interviews, backgrounds and how to prepare your resume), what to expect in the academy, what to expect during probation and on your first day on the job.
   I highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in learning more about the fire service. Thank you Chief Lepore!



2. Paul's passion for the subject and willingness to pass his knowledge along to others shows through with this book. Paul's advice and guidance is coming from someone doing the job everyday that he's mentoring in this book. This isn't theoretical armchair advice. Paul lives the life of a fire fighter day in and day out and knows what fire departments look for in candidates. This book is worth every penny of its cover price.



3. As a professional Firefighter and Motivational Speaker, I am finally able to reference a "how-to" entrance book that gives the Fire Candidate the edge they need. Author Battalion Chief Paul Lepore has broken through the barrier of what it takes to become a Firefighter. I've successfully used this book for a one year now, and this book only to prescribe a pathway for a life in the Fire Service to young candidates.
   
   In my twenty-five years in the Fire Service, this is the best book available that can be used universally across the nation among all Fire municipalities.



4. This book is a very good overview of the fire service and the steps necessary to make you a more desirable candidate. I highly recommend.



5. Deannas' Husband Jay says....Best book to get started in the Fire Service. It's a must have on you bookshelf. Look for the newest book to come out...It's going to be the best!!

5 comments about Option Volatility Trading Strategies, New and Updated Edition.

1. No one has ever questioned that Natenberg literally wrote the book on option volatility and pricing, but I don't think anyone will argue it is not a light read. This new work is immensely more accessible and actually reads light a chat with the author. The professional or highly experienced trader might find it a good refresher at best, but for the newbie or average trader this book is a trove of answers and solid explanations. I haven't tried the tests at the end of the chapters (you can go to Traders' Library to take the online) but it looks like a good idea. The way I see it is this book is like the friend you had who read the instructions for the game Risk so you didn't have to. A great book to have on your shelf.



2. first off let me say that "option volatility & pricing" is a masterwork - an essential option trader's read.
   
   but natenberg's latest is a very lightweight volume with little insight for most traders. there is some basic discussion of volatility definitions. however there is not really anything resembling a "trading strategy" discussed in the book unless you consider "buy low, sell high" as a strategy.
   
   to be fair, n. offers no pretense of uncovering any secret strategy for market success. his goal seems to be imparting an understanding of how volatility is the key concept to grasp for determining option prices. he does a nice job of distinguishing between various perspectives on volatility (historical vs. future vs. forecast vs. implied) but ultimately fails to discuss how any of these variables can be incorporated into a trading framework.
   
   at best, the book points readers to look at option prices and values in terms of volatility (again "buy underpriced vol, sell overpriced vol") but leaves it to the reader to make the decision on what is a decent price to pay. this is not much different from saying "your guess is as good as mine." if that's the case (and in many ways i actually believe this to be true), it really makes no difference if you incorporate sophisticated volatility modeling into your trading or just throw darts.
   
   no in depth discussion of commonly experienced trading puzzles like skew, surface, anomalies between expiration periods, and so on. just simple, not-at-all-mathmatical, layman's overview of probability and statistics. many on-line discussion groups offer far more in-depth treatment of volatility trading and it's quirks for free. if you understand "option volatility & pricing" no need to supplement your library with this (even though i've just listed my copy for sale).



3. What little is there is good but the book appears to end as soon as it begins to appear useful. It's difficult to figure out for whom the book is intended: Too lightweight for those actually trading options, and too complicated for beginners. A real disappointment considering the reputation of the author!



4. Compared to his first book, this one is a joke and makes you wonder whether Natenberg did write it himself. It was way to basic and brief for a serious vol trader and too involved for a beginner. I went through the book in 30 minutes and was extremely disappointed. The book has less than 100 pages of real content, not to mention large font size and double space. A good chunk was spent on talking about very basic concept of expected value and normal distribution. I hope anyone who is interested in trading option would know such things by heart. And the book ends very abruptly. In short, the technical content of the book is thin, not worth $20.



5. Congratulations for the delivery service! It was realy very fast, good! Book in very good conditions , like new. The only problem was the book content, I didn't like. Too simple. It's like an introduction for a begginer level student.

No comments about Money Wise: How to Create, Grow, and Preserve Your Wealth.

4 comments about Cash-Rich Retirement: Use the Investing Techniques of the Mega-Wealthy to Secure Your Retirement Future.

1. No matter what age you are, preparing for retirement or being retired (i.e. living off of your resources) we all wonder if we are making the right decisions. Jim has done extensive research on the subject and reports his results in a very easy to understand book. It will serve as a great resource to help you achieve your objectives.



2. I recently took early retirement and have checked out several books looking for help to make my income last. This is the best of the lot. It helped me understand ways of shielding my investments from "performance whiplash". It also gives straightforward advice about new funds, indexes, health insurance, annuities and even reverse mortgages. Whether you are already retired, thinking of retirement, decades away from retirement or somewhere in between, this book will help you. I give it high marks for good advice, good tools, and a clear action plan for stronger finances. Best of all, it is easy to read and understand.



3. Finally a book on retirement that stands out based both on content and on style. It is a little like Dad is taking you out to the woodshed to teach you a lesson about retirement planning. He is spot on in putting responsibility back squarely in the lap of each of us for our retirement health. His investment strategies make sense and are obviously founded on a great deal of experience and research.
   This is a book that compasionate companies everywhere should buy for their employees offering at least some atonement for the pensions that they have shrunk or eliminated.



4. "Cash Rich Retirement" provides a clear roadmap to investing for a successful retirement. The book is easy to read and makes the case that we need to save more and invest wisely and diffently to assure our retirement. The author provides specific guidelines and recommendations for a wide range of investment options. He also covers a host of complex areas like annuities, long term care insurance, and reverse mortgages in a clear and concise way. It is truly a reference work that you can turn to again and again. Finally, the book takes a hard headed and conservative approach to the future and to investment myths like stocks always go up that will lead readers to wiser more clear headed decisions and better results.

5 comments about Successful Meetings: How to Plan, Prepare, and Execute Top-Notch Business Meetings.

1. Change is difficult. Much as we love new ideas and new technology, changing to respond to innovations, competitive threats and opportunities is often seen as an arduous process. People who can manage change are leaders who command respect and admiration within their organizations.
   
   Meetings are a key part of managing change. Whether you are brainstorming, planning or presenting results, more often than not you will be doing it in a meeting as part of a group process. Understanding what makes a meeting a success will help you create vibrant, productive forums where you can achieve common objectives.
   
   "Successful Meetings" teaches you the art of creating a successful meeting. Whether it's arranging the room, inviting the right people or using the right technology, Shri Henkel takes you step-by-step through the process of running any type of meeting and provides valuable insights along the way. If your meetings aren't motivating, or worse yet, if they are "good enough", you need this book. Read it and your commitment to excellence will be well rewarded.



2. Shri Henkel's SUCCESSFUL MEETINGS: HOW TO PLAN, PREPARE, AND EXECUTE TOP-NOTCH BUSINESS MEETINGS provides an easy to read book on the entire planning process, from budgeting and using time and money more effectively to setting an agenda, meeting goals, and evaluating both participants and objectives. Chapters will keep business leaders on track as they outline proven, effective methods for starting and conducting a meeting and survey common pitfalls to success.



3. Meetings have to rank as one of the most loathed activities in modern corporate life. While the idea of coming together as a group to collectively solve problems or brainstorm new ideas sounds good, poor planning and management too often leads to fuzzy, disorganized sessions in stuffy conference rooms. In surveys, 90% of respondents admit to daydreaming during meetings, almost 75% say they have sometimes brought other work, and 9% say they have fallen asleep.
   
   Shri Henkel believes she knows how to change all that. Her book, Successful Meetings: How to Plan, Prepare and Execute Top-Notch Business Meetings, is a great step-by-step guide running meetings that produce results. Rather than begin from the premise that all meetings are necessary, Henkel starts out by suggesting that the reader ask themselves a very basic question: is this meeting really necessary? Could these issues be tackled in a different way? She even suggests costing the meeting out, so the reader can see how much money a meeting will consume in staff salary, equipment costs, and of course, snacks.
   
   Once you've determined that a meeting is necessary, Henkel has a wide variety of ideas on how to set agendas and keep to it, how to encourage active participation among staff, how to capture ideas for later use, and how to receive feedback so the next meeting is even better. An entire chapter is devoted to feel-good "team building" exercises designed to open up communications and get the thoughts flowing. All in all, this would be a great book for any middle or upper-level manager looking to run their meetings more effectively.



4. Shri Henkel has done an outstanding job on this book. It is interesting and fun to read and will be interesting and fun to execute her wonderful ideas. Invaluable to the successful business person!



5. I'll say right up front I HATE meetings more than Dilbert. But I have to organize lots of them for my job. Sometimes involving people in different offices or across the state. Some of this book is just common sense - I've already tried some of the strategies on my boss with suggesting teleconferences or just dealing with it by email. But sometimes it's still not enough and he makes me go ahead with the meeting. And that's where this book really came in handy - learning how to set the ground rules, learning how to end them to reach consensus - and how to evaluate the meeting. All of the small details that don't really get thought about much.

5 comments about Technical Traders Guide to Computer Analysis of the Futures Markets.

1. This book is nothing special. I really disagree with the author's interpretation of the ADX indicator. Absolute level is far more important than slope. The day trading systems shown will lead you to the poor house in no time. Presents some novel ideas though.



2. I know Charles Lebeau. He does occasional system seminars with my father Dr. Van K. Tharp one of the "Market Wizards" and author of Trade Your Way to Financial Freedom. Charles Lebeau is a great trader. When anyone ask me about a technical indicators book this is the one. Charles is very through. He noticed the best traders in the industry are usually right 30% to 40% of the time. They just cut their losses short and have these huge winners. Charles tested most of the major indicators against random entry i.e. (Flipping a coin) most of them don't do any better. Your exits, psychology, and money management determine if you are making money or not. Don't pay too much attention to your entry. This book explains his results and how to use each indicator. Almost any indicator will work with proper money management. I done well even with flipping a coin and the right stop. The indicator best for you is one you feel comfortable with and will stick with. BUY THIS BOOK and hopefully what I wrote may make some sence to you.



3. I only discoverd this pretty old book recently. I am suprised to find there are quite a lot of trading tips. What make this book stands out of the crowd is the tips were very concrete and practical. The discussions about exit and stop loss are parcticular good. Many other books just said cut the loses quick. How quick? When? This book gives you some hints. The authors also give some tricks in using indicators which I hope I could know earlier.



4. This book gets a 4 stars rating because of its expensive price (the book is only 220 pages and full of empty spaces). But, price is always subjective. You may treat it as the cost of your education.

   Anyway, what makes this book so very valuable is the fact that it is easy to read, clear, definitive, and yes it has so many valuable information on what parameters to use for each indicator. How many of you left confused on what parameters should be used? This book will definitely clear away the clouds in your mind.

   LeBeau has done extensive research on indicators such as ADX and his insights on other popular indicators are extremely valuable.

   The title may be slightly misleading because bulk of the contents is explaining each technical indicator (120 pages), while only 45 pages on explaining how to build a trading system. Yet, it is clear and concise.

   The final Chapter is also valuable. It deals with 12 Day Trading systems that the author has selectively chosen out of all day trading ideas he has or has received from other great traders.




5. This book is a must read for Trading System Developers. The concepts can be applied to many markets. The section on testing alone is worth the price of the book.
   
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