No comments about Winning with Options: The Smart Way to Manage Portfolio Risk and Maximize Profit.

No comments about All About Futures: The Easy Way to Get Started (All About Series).

5 comments about The Short Book on Options: A Conservative Strategy for the Buy and Hold Investor.

1. Enjoyed this book! It delivers as promised. I picked it up hoping to get a clear understanding of options and how they work. I was more than pleased, as this book provided all I was looking for, and more. The author presents material in pleasant, easy to grasp language. I now have a very clear understanding of options. The covered call writing strategy sounds good to me. I never knew it was so easy to obtain some safety for my stocks. I have already opened my options account and my broker is offering encouragement.



2. I found this book to be just what I was looking for. After a complete introduction to the topic, Mr. Wolfinger helps the novice options investor clearly understand one conservative strategy. The author is very dedicated and thorough in explaining the concepts. He makes no assumptions that the reader has previous knowledge of what he teaches, yet he is never condescending. I also appreciate the easy to read font size. The text is large enough that I can read it without my glasses! Many thanks to the author for having the patience and know-how to start a beginner from "square one". I look forward to other books on the subject by this author.



3. This book delivers, I did not know about options prior reading, the simple and yet comprehensive presentation allows to develop a good grasp of how to use options on a conservative and solid fashion.
   What he advocates (protection and enhancement) of a portfolio is well presented and plan to use his advice.
   More likely will now seek more information and knowledge with more elaborated books (not sure is really needed) but the basics are here.
   thank you Wolfinger



4. The book is unquestionably the best book on writing covered calls available. The writer is efficient without bias and without the use of puffery to make a point.



5. I wasn't sure what to expect from this book but it was recommended to me by a friend so I ordered it. When I got it, my first thought was
   "Wow. Short book is right." But don't let its length fool you. It is for people new to options and it's a very condensed volume of information that focuses on covered calls and touches on a few variations of them. It starts out with an overview of options and gives good easy to understand examples. It then moves into buying and selling options and finally focuses on covered call writing. It gives very good examples of various trades and the affects of yields and volatility.
   
   You can use this book to get started on covered call writing with good confidence. I really liked this book a lot because it was very focused on teaching one very effective and conservative options strategy instead of trying to teach several confusing strategies all at once.

5 comments about Timing the Market: How To Profit in the Stock Market Using the Yield Curve, Technical Analysis, and Cultural Indicators.

1. THIS BOOK IS GREAT ! NOT ONLY TELLS YOU WHY BUT ALSO GIVE THE FACTS AND SHOW TO YOU HOW YOU CAN READ THE MARKET AS THE PROFESSIONAL MONEY MANAGERS DO IT ALL THE TIME. YOU ALWAYS WANT TO BE IN THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE MARKET, THIS BOOK TEACHED ME HOW TO DO IT. THANK YOU DEBORAH !!!



2. I approached this book with an inclination to like it. I'm a firm believer in market timing, and I jumped at the chance to learn some new ideas about using the fixed-income markets to time the stock market. I have to say, though, that I came away from Timing the Market frustrated and disappointed. Here's why.
   
   Throughout the book, there is a chart detailing various buys and sells that one supposedly could have made using the author's timing system. However, rather than deriving these buy and sell points systematically, the author seems to arbitrarily choose buy and sell points that would have worked best in retrospect--regardless of whether they fit into a coherent, replicable system or not.
   
   For example, in chapter 7 the author adds buy points to her chart right after the waterfall declines in October 1987, September 1998 and September 2001. What is the rule that guides these choices? Apparently, it is that the Fed lowered the fed funds rate at least one-half of one percent after a crash of some kind. This rule is apparently a sufficient but not a necessary condition of buying because numerous other buy points on her chart don't involve this rule at all. So IF you hadn't already committed funds because of other rules, you MIGHT have been able to buy then.
   
   Later in the book, on the basis of a breadth-based rule about the Dow 30, the author erases the September 2001 buy signal and records a buy signal for her system on July 19, 2002, near the ultimate bottom of the bear market. This is based on the fact that all 30 Dow Jones Industrial Average stocks declined on the same day. I see IN RETROSPECT why she did this, but how would you have known in September 2001 to wait for the later buy signal? The author does not address these kinds of questions at all, as far as I can tell. As I said, frustrating and disappointing.
   
   There may be value in Ms. Weir's concepts, but she has far to go if her aim is to develop a rigorous market timing system, in my opinion.



3. I'm on my second reading and taking notes. This is the book you want if your interested in which market to be invested in and when. Inside information about the way fund managers think and act. Knowing when to be in stocks, bonds or gold is the most important information one can have when putting your money on the line....Deborah Weir's book,Timing the Market: How To Profit in the Stock Market Using the Yield Curve, Technical Analysis, and Cultural Indicators, does just that. My advice after being in the financial markets for over 45 years is...don't invest without this knowledge.



4. I bought this book awhile ago. Studied it. It all sounded so good. And then I tried to recreate the buy/sell signal data.... If you already own the book and are using it to make investment decisions, be sure to try this exercise and answer the question at the end.
   
   Go to Appendix 2.1 on page 333. Let's dig into the sell signal on "2000-08-01" as an example. First of all, as Weir explains in her book on page 15-16, the Treasury data is a monthly average. The Three-Month Bill entry is 6.09. That is an average of the 3-month yields from 8/1/2000 to 8/31/2000 (using the daily rates from H.15 3-month Treasury Bill secondary market rate data). Since that is an average, it is known on 8/31/2000 at the earliest. The same is true for the Ten-Year note and therefore the yield spread. Other than the misleading date name in the table (2000-08-01), so far so good.
   
   Now we have a signal to Sell on 8/31/2000, right? The S&P 500 Index for 8/31/2000 is 1517.68. (Yahoo's daily historical Prices for S&P 500 INDEX,RTH (^GSPC)). The "2000-08-01" entry in the book shows 1430 which is what the S&P 500 Index was for 7/31/2000, a month earlier. The same is true for all the entries in appendix 2.1.
   
   So the question is: how is it that you can buy and sell an index based on signals you won't know until a month later?
   
   What a scam!!



5. I strongly recommend this book for every investor. It covers all the major market timing techniques and does a great job in explaining them. The book is comprehensive, well organized, and well explained. There is only one chapter that I really hated --chapter 16 which talks about the relation between trends in woman beauty and the market. This chapter should just be removed from the book; luckily it is only 10 pages long!

2 comments about Starting Out in Futures Trading.

1. For the price this is a great book to learn and help understand the specifics that make up all the basics in trading commodity-futures. After reading this book, I felt as if I had taken a formal college course on the subject of Futures and understood it much better from various angles now. There's no "hype" in the book, no agendas, no further products or services to buy being pitched to you, just plain vanilla (ok, french vanilla) basics being laid out for you in textbook fashion for you to digest in your own terms. I like that - it's refreshing in a way. It is probably like this because it was really written 20+ years ago (don't worry, it's been revised many times to be modernized - 5th edition, 1993). The book was originally written and printed in "Commodities" magazine as a popular mini-course series (before the magazine changed it's name to the modern "Futures" magazine we know it as today). Even though I knew much of the content from personal experience (the most costly way) or from other readings, my CTA, etc, I did not always understand the "why" behind the rules I was following & how the markets work the way they do from both a technical and fundmental perspective (dynamics). Of the some 28 chapters, I really took interest in almost every one. I can't say that about most of the other trading books I've read. Put it this way... if I could keep only 5 trading books, this would be one of them. You'll likely dump more than that on the commissions for 1 trade - or, worse yet, even more than that on 1 bad trade. ** Beginners, I recommend the following: If your goal is to have deeper pockets from trading - then you must first go deeper in your understanding of futures markets & trading them (i.e. Read the book).



2. Please note: This review refers to the 1991 edition.
   
   It is a good book, but this edition is plagued with typos, and mistakes in at least one chart. Don't make the same mistake I did; buy the last edition (I bought mine on the store with very little time ...) I haven't had the chance to check out the latest version (Starting Out in Futures Trading), my guess is that it's corrected and updated.
   
   About his writing, I like the fact that he mixes personal experience with academic and corporate studies about the market. I think the book becomes very useful that way.

2 comments about The Rookie's Guide to Options: The Beginner's Handbook of Trading Equity Options.

1. Options are a complicated investment instrument, but if properly understood and implemented, they are far less risky than owning stock or mutual funds. And as a bonus, they are most often more profitable. Trading options, one can choose to be a risky gambler (not recommended) or a conservative income generator.
   
   The trick is understanding options and understanding risk management. If you trade options WITHOUT understanding them, and WITHOUT any risk management implementation, then by default you are a risky gambler. You will be out of money before you know what hit you.
   
   The option world has its own lingo. And there are myriad strategies to sift through before determining which one(s) suit your risk/reward desires. Placing the actual trade orders with your broker requires a thorough understanding and fluency of the lingo, as well as a confident understanding of the strategy you've chosen.
   
   The good news is that this book will actually TEACH you what you need to know to be a conservative income generator with options. I can assure you it is the ONLY book that TEACHES this. I own all the major books on options that have been released in the last five years and this one is by far the best and most practical. And long overdue.
   
   To me, in order for an author to teach options trading, he or she must provide the real world philosophy behind a strategy, real world examples, real world gotchas, real world "how", and most importantly, real world "why". Of all the books I own, this one provides the total package. The others do a good job of perhaps the philosophy and the how, but totally lack the rest. In short, no book until this one teaches the complete knowledge one requires to be successful at option trading for income.
   
   I am a rookie in that I had not actually traded options until studying this book. I am NOT a rookie when it comes to attempting to learn how to trade options. The other books did not leave me confident in my abilities to consistently earn income with options. Thus I didn't make any trades. This book gave me the confidence to start trading AND EARNING INCOME. That point alone truly sums up the value of this book compared to all other books on the shelves. The other books are simply lacking in regard to earning income with options. They are good resources for information but not for implementation.
   
   The author's approach is conservative. You will learn how to manage risk and see that options ARE a good, safe investment instrument if used with conservative strategies and prudent risk management techniques. You'll also learn, perhaps by constructing a spreadsheet on your own (strongly encouraged by me), just how much potential income you can earn. You'll be pleasantly surprised.
   
   However, a strong warning here: You MUST understand and comprehend what you are reading. You can't skim this book and expect to do well. In fact, you'll fail if you skim ANY book on options. Most likely, you'll fail big time after a lucky string because you THOUGHT you understood. If you can't commit to learning, and I mean intensely learning and understanding this book, then please steer clear of options. There are no free rides. You must invest brain power to do well. Recognize that most people do not WANT to invest the brain power required. It's hard. It's intense. It's confounding. It's WORTH THE EFFORT. Eventually it clicks. Decide if you do want to commit, and if so, buy this book. It's the only one you will need to conservatively earn a steady income trading options. If you do invest the brain power, you will be proud of yourself and you'll do well financially with your new knowledge.
   
   I want to add that the author is an experienced floor trader, and a gracious man who has replied to all questions I've asked of him via email. If you are inclined to purchase $2000+ in software and another $2000-5000+ in so called "training" or "education", please save your money and seed your options trading account with it instead. But before making ANY trades, nail down what this book teaches. It is all you need.
   
   FYI, my own trading focuses solely on Credit Spreads (which have their own chapter in the book) and utilizing the author's philosophy on risk management. But I had to understand the ENTIRE book prior to making that decision. You would be wise to do the same before deciding your own direction.



2. Before reading Create Your Own Hedge Fund (one of Marks other titles)I considered options to be far too risky and exotic and solely for the professional trader. However after reading the book options were no-longer anything to fear and I was completely sold on the idea of using options to both reduce risk and increase profits.
   
   The Rookies Guide to Options takes the ideas that were previously introduced and takes them to the next level. Concepts are introduced and explained in a way that makes them easy to understand and completely transparent. You're never left wondering - but what would happen if?
   
   It's a master class in options from a truly brilliant teacher.
   
   I can't recommend this book enough

5 comments about The Trading Game: Playing by the Numbers to Make Millions.

1. Explains the principles of money management; covers in detail the various aproaches (pyramiding, martingale, fixed fractional, optimal f et al) and shows why they are not optimal for traders. Finally offers his own money management approach called Fixed ratio. Loosely derives from fixed fractional, but reduces drawdowns and risk, while still allowing for improved growth.
   
   The book is complex and somewhat dry, there are LOTS of tables of figures and you will need to re-read many sections. The method of money management seems sound enough although I haven't incorporated it into my approach yet.
   
   Defintely worth reading as money management has been shown repetedly to be key to success in trading (alongside psychology, emotions and good exit strategies - which are not covered in this book).



2. If you really want to optimize your Forex trading returns, you need to understand the principles of money management. This book by Ryan Jones is probably one of the best books available on the topic of Money Management. If there is such a thing as a Holy Grail then Money Management is it. With proper money management you will be able to stay in the game for the long term. One of the biggest mistakes novice traders make is that they don't know how to manage their trading risks, that is why the failure rate for beginning trades is greater that 95%. Most novice traders blow out their account within the first year.
   
   This book will be a real eye opener; it will provide some great insight into why proper money management is critical to your success. The following is a sample paragraph from the book:
   
   "you don't need $1 million to achieve $1 million. You only need to build profits that total $100,000 based on trading a single contract. What this means is that a person who trades a single contract and makes $100,000 at the end of 5 years, instead could make $1 million by implementing proper money management"
   
   Ryan does an excellent job at detailing the various Money Management methods along with their short comings. Parts of the book are complex; you may have to read them a couple of time to fully understand the concepts. Ryan does include a lot of tables and calculation in this book but they are easy to follow and comprehend. You don't need more that a high school math background to understand the calculations. This is another one of those "Must Have" books that you need in your trading library. We here at EffectiveFX highly recommend this book. It can make the difference between financial success and failure. Any trader serious about trading for a living must utilize proper risk management principles to be in the game for the long term.
   
   
   Go to our site to see a list of highly recommended books for successful forex trading.



3. I liked the ideas in the book about position sizing, very helpful material. But the author will throw all kinds of numbers at you without really explaining how or where he got those numbers. The material is probably obvious to the author, so he assumes that it will obvious to the reader, as well. If you buy this book be ready to read and reread sections.
   
   Here is an example: "After having acquired $100,000 in profits using the $5,000 as the delta for the fixed ratio method, we would be trading 20 contracts. The minimum level of profits to trade 20 contracts is $1,000,000. Therefore, what took 4 years to generate $225,000 estimated profits, generated $750,000 more in profits during the next four years"
   
   Did he not say in the first sentence that 20 contracts would be traded for $100,000 in profits? In the second sentence it is $1,000,000? He does not explain how he got $225,000 or $750,000. I am sure Mr. Jones knows how he got these numbers but readers are left to figure it out for thmeselves.
   
   The parts of the book that I did understand, I have begun to apply, such as position sizing. But it is a long and frustrating read.



4. This is one of the two books about money management that I would recommend to anyone who is trading, the other one is Trade Your Way To Financial Freedom by Van Tharp.
   
   
   This book actually covers all issues related to position sizing and teaches a method especially beneficial to traders starting with a smaller account. I understand the numbers in the book is not properly illustrated, and the examples are somewhat intentionally designed, by the logic behind the method is very robust. Meanwhiles the author does not exclude the possibility of other position sizing strategies, he does suggest to switch from fixed ratio to fixed fractional method once you have build up your account to some point(on page 220).IMO, it is actually the best money management plan that will cover the whole life of a trading account.
   
   I strongly recommend this book, as the best book on position sizing, and one of the best( together with Tharp's book) on money management.



5. It's always been surprising to me that this book sells so well and the classics are not as popular. The sensational sub-title "Playing by the Numbers to Make MILLIONS" must convince readers that Jones can give them the secret to becoming a millionaire.
   
   Thing is he doesn't give you any secrets to success, instead he sends you in the wrong direction by stating that "risk of ruin" isn't important and that the "Jones Fixed Fractional" approach is better than the standard "optimal F". Neither claims are true, and you'd be better off learning about "risk of ruin" from Balsara and about "optimal F" from Vince, the true grand daddy's of money management. If Vince and Balsara are too complicated, a newer author, McDowell, simplifies both of these concepts so that you can get on the right track.
   
   Check out the review of Ryan Jones book "Apples and Oranges" dated July 7, 2001, that reviewer has a real understanding of money management and what works and explains the flaws of Jones' book with great clarity. At the end of the day, you'd be better off getting a Vince, Balsara or McDowell book if you want to improve your trading results.

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.
   
   www.iExpertAdvisor.com

5 comments about The Complete Guide to Real Estate Options: What Smart Investors Need to Know - Explained Simply.

1. "The Complete Guide to Real Estate Options: What Smart Investors need to Know - Explained Simply" by Steven D. Fisher is an astoundingly easy to read book. It provides step by step guidance to becoming a savvy real estate investor and especially in view of the Lease Option Strategy. This book has everything a consumer needs to know. Fisher covers both the advantages and the disadvantages of the Lease Option Strategy. The book also covers every aspect of what it takes to become a successful Real Estate Proprietor ranging from the importance of developing and maintaining the right attitude to becoming a wise and successful landlord.
   
   Fisher teaches you how to effectively get started as a new investor and how to avoid legal drawbacks by following steps to comprehensively set goals as you manage your business and property. You will learn the importance of organization in every area of your life in relation to success; from managing your credit properly to organizing your office. You will even learn how to organize and apply a successful "action plan."
   
   "The Complete Guide to Real Estate Options" teaches the real estate student how to build a rapport by using exercises that will help you to become a success in the real estate arena.
   
   This book, chapter by chapter will inspire any up and coming investor and even a seasoned investor to acquire his or her goals more quickly and easily. If you're looking for a good book that will teach you the ins and outs about real estate investing, this is the book for you. I give this book two thumbs up and without doubt a 5-Star rating.



2. One could well imagine Mr. Stephen Fisher, author of The Complete Guide to Real Estate Options What Smart Investors Need to Know - Explained Simply sitting down to write this book and applying many of the principles he's about to articulate to the production of the book itself.
   Aided by quotes from a variety of well-known personalities (Mark Twain, Warren Buffett, Tiger Woods, et al), Mr. Fisher sets out an exhaustive, step-by-step plan for anyone who is now, or ever has considered real estate investment as the best way to make a living. He does so very meticulously and with a great deal of attention to detail. Chapter headings and indeed, much of the text could be applied to starting any kind of business, or, as noted, to writing a book about starting any kind of business: Attitude is Everything (Chapter 2), Getting Started (Chapter 4), Some Basic Principles (Chapter 5).
   It is clear from reading carefully that Mr. Fisher has done his homework in the field of real estate options and in particular, believes that the `lease option' is the best way for investors to go. With over 25 years of experience in the fields of business writing and training and development, it should come as no surprise that he has crafted an excellent instruction book on the ins and outs of buying and selling real estate. He has included interactive options for the practical entrepreneur, like check lists, and blank forms that the reader can use to track his/her own progress, whether it be in evaluating a property, the neighborhood that it's in or the buyers who want to own it.
   He uses clever acronyms to crystallize reader thinking about specific subject matter. In an early section about "setting goals," he suggests that the reader/entrepreneur utilize the "SMART" method of creating those goals - Specific, Measurable, Action-Oriented, Realistic and Time-Bound. Near the conclusion of his book, he recommends that those seriously interested in pursuing real estate investment "SWOT" themselves; in other words conduct an objective analysis of individual Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats.
   His style is very casual, very confident and well within the grasp of an average reader. Fisher isn't speaking to experienced professionals here, although even the most seasoned of those could likely find a great deal of food for thought here as they continue their pursuit of real estate deals. He's talking to the person who's considering this particular career path and if it's one that interests you, you could do no better than to start with him and this book.
   Take notes. There isn't a quiz later, but if you head out on the route he's plotted for you, you're going to want to look back and remember some of the specifics



3. Having always wanted to make a fortune in property I've just bought my first house. But I wish I'd read this book before hand! It would have given me a tonne of knowledge about my options in property and I may have made a different decision.
   
   What I liked most about the book was that it really did assume no prior knowledge - it even started with a whole bunch of guides on how to get motivated and set goals and prepare yourself, before you even make your first step. Plus including things like real estate market psychology takes it beyond boring old numbers and statistics!



4. If you've been tempted to invest in real estate but the jargon, the paperwork and the cost seem a little scary, pick up a copy of Steven D. Fisher's handy book. This well-written volume offers a clear and concise picture of some of the basic tools you'll need to gain a foothold in the field. Whether your goal is to purchase just one investment property or create a massive portfolio, Fisher offers an understandable, common-sense approach to buying real estate.
   
   He begins by explaining both the advantages and disadvantages of real estate lease options, a method that allows potential buyers to invest only a fraction of their funds in a property. The examples provided by the author allow beginners to visualize how the process works. One of his most valuable chapters offers readers the opportunity to create their own "action plan," which outlines all the goals they seek to accomplish. Planning is key, Fisher advises, along with a positive attitude and the willingness to learn more about changes in the real estate market. Don't overlook basics like knowing your financial limitations and credit rating before you attempt to invest.
   
   But, Fisher does more than walk the reader to the front door of that new property. Once your purchase is complete, he takes you inside by explaining how to work with repairmen, how to find good tenants, and also provides an inside look at relevant matters such as taxes and maintaining your property. So, whether you're a newcomer to the field or someone who wants to brush up on investment techniques, let this clearly-written practical handbook be your guide.



5. The contemporary real estate market has left a wake of uncertainty in the minds of many investors. Though risk is inherent in any investment decision, the real estate market reflects real-world conditions as well as individual perception of market conditions.
   
   The Complete Guide to Real Estate Options: What Smart Investors Need to Know - Explained Simply is a non-nonsense guide to a specific type of real estate transaction: the real estate lease option. As explained by Steven Fisher, the book's author, the lease option is a lower-risk approach. As contrasted against the real estate purchase option, the lease option requires less money and limits exposure to the risks associated with property ownership.
   
   The Complete Guide offers strategies for researching, marketing and developing the necessary attributes to become a successful entrepreneurial investor. It also gives templates for sample letters and exercises that help build the skills required to build your own real estate business. The Complete Guide is a must for anyone interested in being successful in today's real estate market. It is a practical read as well as a handy reference for lease option investing. An added benefit: the publisher is donating a portion of their profits to the Humane Society, on behalf of the passing of their beloved office canine, Bear.

5 comments about The Electronic Day Trader: Successful Strategies for On-line Trading.

1. This book is essentially obsolete just three years after its publication. Stocks are now traded in decimals, and the spreads on heavily traded stocks are now almost nonexistent, sometimes being less than one cent a share. Consequently, you can forget about any of the strategies or information regarding "pocketing the spread", "getting between the spread", etc. With the proliferation of ECN trading, the influence of the market makers in a stock has been markedly reduced. In a stock that trades 80 million shares per day, a market maker with a 100,000 share block is not going to be able to move the stock significantly, and ECN trading can overwhelm his influence. Likewise, information gleaned from the Level II screen, while still useful if one knows what to look for, is no longer the Holy Grail. Also, day trading firms, like the authors' "Broadway Trading" are on the way to extinction, now that some big online brokers offer direct-access trades for less than a quarter of what day trading firms charge, as well as offering free Level II quotes and other information not available to the day trading firms.

   While the book contains a few nuggets of trading info, it was not written in a logical, easy to follow manner. As has always been the case, aspiring traders need to study the markets intensely and develop their own trading techniques; they cannot expect that any book will teach them how to be successful in a field where very few people ever succeed.




2. good book , nice condition



3. This book completely fails to realistically convey the relative risks and profit potential for the average wannabe day trader. Im talking about someone with less than a few thousand to play the market. Unless you have big bucks and Level II quotes forget day trading unless you are very lucky. In the trading parlance, I wish I had a short position on this book at its current price, and could cover my short at the current used price! Save your money.



4. They went bankrupt, which is where you would be if you followed West and Friedfertig's methods. The book was a copy of Jack Schwager's Market Wizards series, due to the interviews conducted with "traders". You would be amazed if you saw some of these people and didnt read their words in print. Somehow they would not come off so sharp. Trust me!

   Also do you think our authors would be able to spot "managerial talent" over a few aspiring proprietory traders? No they hire guys who have previously filed bankruptcy in their past and pipe up their accomplishments, which are a joke when you realized they bailed on creditors!!

   Save yourself a dime and avoid it-if someone gives it to you, and you can't return it, use to start the BBQ grill. I could go on and on about SEC/NASD violation, getting short on a downtick, etc but I wont!




5. There are some good ideas that you can rescue from this book. Therefore I think you should buy it since you can make much more money and certainly recoup your small investment if you employ 2 o 3 good tips.
   
   Any way, from my point of view a trader must always read as much as he can. There is simply no other way to prepare one self for this difficult yet incredibly rewarding activity, but to learn and put into practice as much ideas as you can, at least by paper trading first.
   
   The are a lot of books on the subject, however many of them where written 2 o 4 years ago and that kind of makes them obsolete in this constantly changing field.
   
   The internet offers great places where you can learn more specialized trading techniques. One of those places that I have found to be worthy is ProfitableStockmarket dotcom.
   
   They focus mainly on momentum trading and employ a rather simple yet effective strategy. I think that for a trader to survive and be profitable, its neccessary to keep their trading as simple as possible. To much confussion and technical indicators will most of the time make you slow in your decisions and froze you up when a good opportunity is right in front of you.
   
   In the end it's all about buying or selling with out hesitation, and doing it over an over again according to your set ups.