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Author : Joel Greenblatt
Number of Pages : 176
Publisher : Wiley
List Price : $19.95
Amazon Price : $7.94
Used Price : $4.77 |
Product Description Two years in MBA school won't teach you how to double the market's return. Two hours with The Little Book That Beats the Market will. In The Little Book, Joel Greenblatt, Founder and Managing Partner at Gotham Capital (with average annualized returns of 40% for over 20 years), does more than simply set out the basic principles for successful stock market investing. He provides a "magic formula" that is easy to use and makes buying good companies at bargain prices automatic. Though the formula has been extensively tested and is a breakthrough in the academic and professional world, Greenblatt explains it using 6th grade math, plain language and humor. You'll learn how to use this low risk method to beat the market and professional managers by a wide margin. You'll also learn how to view the stock market, why success eludes almost all individual and professional investors, and why the formula will continue to work even after everyone "knows" it. Customer reviews Great book, well explained, a little repetitive by .. P. Mendes (Dayton, OH USA)
This book can be read by teenagers, as well as people with little education. It explains everything with a simple example, and it repeats the main message across the sections to help you memorize. Because of these same reasons, it reads very slowly and may make you tired of its pace.
However, it provides a summary section in the end of every chapter that allows you to quickly get a gist. Later chapters actually have more detailed contents.
I recommend it if you know nothing about investing, as well as to give to your kids.
Great Book to start learning about investing  by .. J. Pagnanella (New York)
First book I ever read about the market. Very simple and to the point. Great place to start your reading about investing.
Great Reading for People Contemplating Value Investing by .. T. Temple (Northern IL United States)
Great info with a humorous touch and a link to data to use in applying what you learn. I am not going to apply it until a more normal market comes along though.
Simplistic, Good Explanation of Basic Concepts for Novice Investors  by .. Patrick S. Pope (Chicago, IL)
This brief text is a good read for the novice investor who wants to learn more about equity valuation. Basically, it distills the drivers of stock values into two components: return on assets and earnings yield. Buy stocks with strong numbers in both of these categories and, over time, you will outperform the market. Only problem with this approach is that stock values are based on expectations of FUTURE performance. Stocks often have high earnings yields today because professional stock pickers expect their finances to degrade in the future. Forecasting future performance is what is most important. The author fails to stress this concept.
For the novice investor, the author is able to explain some of the more fundamental concepts of equity valuation in a straightforward manner. Yet, this text would be only one of a several books someone should read before trading individual stocks instead of purchasing mutual funds.
Reviewers need a lesson in reading comprehension  by .. Investing Truth ()
I read every chapter of this book while at Borders except the last one, so I cannot vouch for the effectiveness of the "Magic Formula" website that seems to generate so much controversy. I can, however, clarify a glaring misconception in what Goldblatt wrote in his book.
Contrary to what many of the reviewers wrote (especially the negative reviewers), Goldblatt was not insisting that people focus only on Return on Assets and P/E ratio. Goldblatt was also not insisting on a definition of "capital" (within his concept of "return on capital")that leads to an over-emphasis on services over manufacturing. He illustrated perfectly his two pieces of investment data in the following ways:
First, Return on Capital can be best interpreted as a return on invested capital. If it costs $1 million to build a retail store and that store, within a year, generates $2 million, then the ROC is 100%.
Second, his other measure is really a profit-yield per share. You get this measure by taking the amount of profit generated by a firm, dividing it by the number of shares outstanding, and then dividing that by the share price times 100. So, if a company has a $1 million profit and it's selling a million shares for $10 a share, then the profit-yield per share is 10%.
These two concepts seem to form the core of value investing in that they discipline a person to invest in the market as if they were buying a business or a partnership share in the business. The relevant question in any such investment is always "how much will my partnership share make?"
All other factors are just risk management.
The trick is finding data to generate these statistics. I don't know how well Goldblatt's website does that.
Related Search : little books , little book , beats market  |
Author : Peter D. Schiff
Number of Pages : 264
Publisher : Wiley
List Price : $19.95
Amazon Price : $11.00
Used Price : $11.26 |
Product Description Written by seasoned Wall Street prognosticator Peter Schiff–author of the bestselling book Crash Proof: How to Profit from the Coming Economic Collapse–The Little Book of Bull Moves in Bear Markets reveals how you should protect your assets and invest your money when the American economy is experiencing perilous economic downturns and wealth building is happening elsewhere. Filled with insightful commentary, inventive metaphors, and prescriptive advice, this book shows you how to make money under adverse market conditions by using a conservative, nontraditional investment strategy. Customer reviews The Little Book of Bull Moves in a Bear Market by .. Jeanette Randerson (az)
The book is very distressing. I hope the US is not in such dire economic condition. I am too old to leave the US, so that advice is not going to be possible for me. Book is well written with much information.
Flawed, but worthy by .. Balint Kacsoh (Macon, GA USA)
Schiff was among the few who predicted the economic crisis (way before this book was written). Therefore, what he had to say obviously came with some credibility.
In this book (completed in June of 2008), Schiff identified a number of problems with the US economy, most notably that it produces little exportable goods and services, imports and consumes more than it exports and produces, and from the average individual to the federal government the US is living beyond its means. The account deficit, the budget deficit, and the average savings rate are all proof for the notion.
Schiff compares the current economic crisis with the Great Depression, and identifies similarities and differences. His description of the current crisis is based on the premise that the demand destruction is mostly affecting the US, whereas the economic engines (the "BRIC" countries, most notably China) are decoupled from the US economy enough to drive demand for commodities even higher. Thus, whereas the demand destruction in the US would be a deflationary force, due to the uncoupling, the globalized economy will cause an inflation of prices, which will make goods even less affordable to US customers because of the continued fall of the dollar.
I think that the idea has some merit, at least in the long run. However, since the completion of the manuscript, the market's movements suggest that the decoupling idea is wrong. To be truthful, it might not be wrong, but the internal consumption of China and other countries might take time to compensate for the demand destruction in the US. Whether this is merely a delay, or the decoupling idea is totally wrong, only time will tell, but if one acted on Schiff's notion to invest in foreign markets, his losses have been worse than remaining in US stocks. The S&P500 held up better than the EAFE index, and even more so than the emerging markets.
If the idea of decoupling is wrong (as it looks like), the concern for inflation as the main problem is also wrong because what remains is the global demand destruction. The decreased demand is due to the shrinking amount of credit - Schiff also pointed out in this book that international investors will decrease their willingness to invest in US and to buy its Treasuries. All these factors, and the ongoing "deleveraging" (writing off losses, decreasing the debt levels by paying off more than the amount of new borrowing) point to deflation. Needless to say, investment strategies in deflation are different from those in inflation, and that's where the most important flaw in Schiff's book is.
In addition to investing in foreign stocks, betting against the dollar, Schiff also recommends investing in gold. In a deflationary phase, this is a bad idea. In contrast, the holding physical cash (something that Schiff implicitly frowns on) is a good one. However, I still believe that Schiff's idea of holding gold in the portfolio is worth considering. For one, fiat money is bound to lose value in the long run. In addition, gold would be a good hedge in case the deflation were to be be successfully fought by the Feds (i.e., the efforts of "reflation" succeeded). Gold's advantages also include liquidity. Schiff makes concrete recommendations how to own gold, and some appear to be very sound, offering protection against a potential resurfacing of Roosevelt-era gold confiscation laws.
There is a specific recommendation that I have found suspicious: Investing in gold mining stocks. Schiff stated in this book that gold mining stocks shined during the stock market decline of the Great Depression. This statement is at odds with Robert Prechter's book (Conquer The Crash; Wiley, 2002), according to which gold mining stocks were down. I have no reliable source to verify either claim, but one of them is wrong. (My bias is that Schiff is wrong.)
Schiff's solution to the crisis involves buying gold and buying high dividend foreign stocks on foreign exchanges. For both, one needs the service of a specialized brokerage firm. Conveniently, Schiff's firm is providing these "must have" services... Whether this apparent conflict of interest is undermining your confidence in Schiff's recommendations is up to you.
There were some surprising recommendations in this book to survive the coming calamity. Schiff recommended stockpiling food and other necessities, some of which can be used for bartering. I am sure that Schiff forgot his years in a two-bedroom rental apartment (if he ever lived in one). Where is the storage space? And if one lives in a 4-bedroom family home that has ample storage space, the person may not need to barter. If he needs bartering, the foreclosure of the home is imminent. It is also highly unlikely that the person who invested in gold through the Perth Mint (as per Schiff's recommendation; minimum initial investment of US$10,000) will need to barter a couple of cartons of cigarettes or canned soup... In deflation, these investments will lose value. In addition, they are illiquid. The idea of stockpiling food and water is good for only one thing: To prepare for disasters, either natural (such as a tornado) or man-made (e.g., a terrorist attack).
Some of Schiff's policy recommendations are politically loaded. He would like to avoid social unrest in the US, but the very policies that he recommends would probably bring about the unrest that he fears. Schiff might not like to spend on food stamps, but he seems to forget that a full stomach is the best antidote against revolution and rioting.
Altogether, the book is more flawed than correct. I would rather recommend Prechter's Conquer The Crash, and the strategies outlined there. To be sure, once we are at the bottom of the stock market (and it may need to correct from here downward significantly), buying commodities, and using Schiff's notions of foreign investment will make very good sense. The problem with this book is not what it recommends, but when he recommends to act on the ideas. Unfortunately, timing is crucial in investing.
The Little Book . . . by .. J. Frandsen (Salem, OR)
I was very impressed with the author's first book, Crash Proof: How to Profit From the Coming Economic Collapse (Lynn Sonberg Books), but less so with this one. Though there was enough new content that I marked a few pages.
Peter deepens his explanation of economic principles, which were more difficult for non-economy folk to understand. He did, however, put in new material that brought us forward in time from his previous book. He also discussed in more depth both recommendations for the future as well as the "light at the end of the tunnel."
As he recommends, his first book should be read before this one because Crash Proof better presents his rationale.
Worth the time to read--if for no other reason than to see if his new predictions are correct. They are--again.
Gives insight and direction by .. Wayne Barry (Lethbridge Alberta Canada)
Peter Schiff not only forecast, more than 2 1/2 years ago, what was coming that would shake up the corporate and personal economics of the US but has now come along with a little book of why's and what to do's
Well written, easy to read and with focused ideas on how to recession proof your investments..loved it and hope Peter writes a follow-up.
Great quick read for anyone worried about your asset by .. K. Suzuki (USA)
I came across with now famous youtube video, "Peter Schiff was right," about a month ago. I was stunned how correct he was, despite he was being ridiculed by the rest of the CNBC panelist, including Ben Stein and others, who insisted that "the times are good and the stock market and the economy in general will continue to prosper."
This is an updated and concise version of Mr. Schiff's 2007 book, "Crash Proof." I do recommend this "Little book" over Crash Proof.
I believe Mr. Schiff's augment is fairly simple and elegant, if you are willing to listen to something unpleasant but true, the adversity that we face in this US economy. At this time (the end of 2008), everyone is aware that we are in deep trouble and the economic picture in the US won't be pretty in the coming years. Mr. Schiff argues that this recession is not a problem, but a catalyst and a solution to the "borrow-and-spend" economy that the US went through after the dot com boom-and-bust in 2002. Rather than taking in the recession in the chin, Alan Greenspan and George Bush decided to provide low interest rate, therefore creating another bubble, a real estate bubble that replace the dot com bubble. Now we are paying for the mistake.
In this book, Mr. Schiff outlines how we got into this mess, and paints the grim but very likely scenario of Zimbabwe like hyper-inflation of the US dollar. The Feds are, in fact, printing money (over $5 trillion now) and dropping off the helicopter as the Feds chairman has famously insinuated in the past. This move will debase and devalue the US dollar, and the purchase power we have (what's left of it after the market crash in 2008) in the US denominated assets, increasing powerless. It is a supply & demand story. Mr. Schiff often says, "soon, a stick of gum will cost you a million dollars."
Mr. Schiff's strategy is simple. Get out of the US-based assets. Sell your US stocks, especially the stocks that depend on the US consumers. Move your assets to the foreign currencies; better yet, hard assets like gold and silver, which are in limited supply and has always worked as the asset preserver for thousands of years in history. He also recommends quality foreign stocks (not bonds, which won't catch up with the inflation) that pays high dividends.
Okay, Peter Schiff is the president of Europac capital, which is a brokerage that recommends and sells gold certificates and foreign investments. You will see some advertisement passages in the book. Some people even suggest that Peter Schiff is not a patriot, for suggesting the fall of the US Dollar...even though we did this to ourselves. I say, So what? He was right on the money about the fall of the US markets and banks, way back in 2006. I've lost plenty of my money in the market this year, and I am not willing to risk losing my purchasing power further. I've sold my US stocks and buying GLD, GDX and physical gold.
Do yourself a favor, pay $15 to Amazon & read this book. I think you will be glad that you did, in a few years and many years after.
Related Search : keep portfolio , profits , bear markets  |
Author : John Kremer
Edition : 6
Number of Pages : 704
Publisher : Open Horizons
List Price : $27.95
Amazon Price : $16.91
Used Price : $20.05 |
Product Description Today's most complete handbook on book marketing. Customer reviews Do three things every day to market your book by .. LOTONtech (www.lotontech.com)
First-time authors think that writing a book will make them rich. It won't!
First-time authors with a traditional publisher think that the publisher's marketing machine will make them rich. It won't!
First-time self-publishers think that uploading a book to a self-publishing web site like Lulu or CreateSpace, and getting listed on Amazon, will make them rich. It won't!
Writing a book, getting it listed on Amazon yourself or via a major publisher, are merely pre-conditions for what you really need to do; which is:
MARKET YOUR BOOK!
This is the only thing that will make you rich, or at least able to pay the bills. That's why this book and similar titles are ESSENTIAL reading.
This book is written well and is very comprehensive. My only criticism, if I have one, is that it might be too comprehensive for a first-timer who has limited time to devote to marketing. Some of the ideas will be much more effective than others, and the trick is to concentrate on those techniques that will give the biggest bang for your buck.
In my opinion, the single best piece of advice is to be found on Page 27:
"..do three things every day to market each and every book that you publish".
But which three things?
Tony Loton, author --
Book Publishing DIY: The Do It Yourself Guide to Self-Publishing using Lulu and CreateSpace
700 pages of marketing/promotion tips for authors by .. Joan Price (Sebastopol, CA)
Although this 700-page book has only 80 pages specifically about online marketing, it is so full of helpful information that you'll find plenty of tips that apply to your book.
Joan Price, author of Better Than I Ever Expected: Straight Talk About Sex After Sixty
Better Than I Ever Expected: Straight Talk About Sex After Sixty
1001 Thanks by .. Heartstrong (NJ)
This is a very comprehensive guide, especially if you are just starting out (like I am). Though I will not use all of the ideas - there are many I have already started using and will continue to use with future publications. Highly recommend.
The Go-To Mom Gives Kremer a Two Thumbs Up! by .. Kimberley Clayton Blaine (California)
The Kremer 100 list, his multiple websits and products, the media list, pr advice, the information never stops! I dog-ear the corners, highlight, mark and sticky tab the entire book. I have gotten more information from John's book than my whole first two years in college. I now feel more than prepared to market my book series. Wow. He's one resource that has captured a niche.
Kimberley Clayton Blaine, MA, MFT
Licensed Child Therapist
Author, Mommy Confidence
founder, www.TheGoToMom.TV
The best book marketing book--EVER!! by .. Dusty White (Currently visiting your planet on a tourist visa)
Where to begin...
Oh, there's a good place. That is what you will ask yourself after you read this masterpiece. With all of this information "WHERE DO I BEGIN?"
This book is a monster. It is jam-packed with more (high-quality) information than any other book on the subject. There is absolutely no fluff in this book, which is a drag when you consider how much of it there is to read. Every aspect of book marketing is covered, and I like the fact that JK keep updating it, as the world of book marketing is changing every year. Just on the internet alone: first there were web pages, then myspace, friendster, facebook, blogs, plogs, vlogs, book teaser trailers, reviews, previews, ebooks, audiobooks, iTunes, ebay, and podcastalley! (I sound like Hedy Lamar!)
I have read a LOT of books on book marketing, book promotion, publishing, and self-publishing. This is at the top of my list, along with Jump Start Your Book Sales. There are other VERY good books (I will have to remember to make a listmania of them), but this is the one--the Bible if you will--the one above all others that you must read and own and reread. in fact, this book is the think and Grow Rich of book marketing.
I will leave the detailed analysis for other authors. The purpose of this review is to get you to "buy this book NOW!" because at $18.45 (current sale price on Amazon) this is one of the most important investments you will ever make on your career as an author (or a publicist). You can keep reading reviews, or you can buy this book (or even get a copy at the library--but you WILL end up wanting your own copy) and start making serious money.
This book will NOT give you a plan. it will not show you step-by-step how to do all of the things it recommends. That is why other books exist. Here's:
"How to use this book"
Read it. Mark the ideas that really inspire you. Then go through it a second (or third) time and on a SEPARATE piece of paper write down the page number of the idea you like, write a short headline (3-7 words) followed by a 3-5 sentence description of what the idea is--not why you like it. Do this for all of the ideas you like. the purpose of doing this is to f-o-c-u-s you on what you CAN and WILL do, so that you don't get OVERWHELMED. This book will overwhelm you, unless you are a zombie, which is just cool in its own right.
NEXT: Look ate all of the ideas you have headlined and described on paper. you should have a few pages of scribbles, maybe even up to a dozen or so. Now, with the book put aside, type THOSE ideas into your computer. I recommend any word processing software (like MS Word, WordPerfect, Open Office...) rather than a spreadsheet program. The point of this part of the exercise is to see which listings you will pause over an which ones you will delete. Also you should find yourself re-prioritizing ideas, even if you had set out to type everything in exact order. Do not have someone else do this for you or you will defeat the purpose of weeding out the "maybes" from the "must do"'s. This is your future (and fame, and money) we are talking about here. Don't cheat yourself.
Once you have that list entered and you are happy with it, save it and print out a copy. Look at it a few times over the next week. Some ideas will start to grow on you while others ill sound less fun. DO THE FUN ONES FIRST! do what you can afford to do now first! Don't eat your vegetables first, eat the candy! The point is to get started and make headway, not punish yourself by dutifully finishing boring tasks. Once you get some momentum built up and you can see progress you can measure--then start in on the more intensive stuff.
Thanks for reading
Related Search : 1001 ways , 1001 ways , sixth edition
Author : John Kremer
Edition : 4th
Number of Pages : 543
Publisher : Open Horizons
List Price : $19.95
Amazon Price : $11.94
Used Price : $5.90 |
Customer reviews New (or used) Author, YOU NEED THIS BOOK!!! by .. Mick Hager (Green Bay, WI USA)
I just purchased John's most recent edition and it is absolutely jam packed with every idea you will probably ever need to get your books in the hands of readers. Notice I did not say booksellers because John's advice goes far beyond just getting your book on the shelves. He gets into practically every aspect of promotion and publicity, which is what is needed to sell books these days. John truly is the "King" of book marketing and promotion. He "gets it!"
Mick Hager
Author of MONKEY BUSINESS, 7 Laws of the Jungle for Becoming the Best of the Bunch! A Short Tale of a Company That Gets It!
Gibbs Smith Publisher, March 2007
Great for publishers, but... by .. ()
When I received my book contract, my publisher recommended this book, and I hurried out to the library to pick up a copy -- but I found that it wasn't exactly what I was looking for. If you're starting a publishing house of your own, this is an excellent resource, but it's not ideal for authors. I flipped through chapters full of information that didn't apply to me -- and I often felt that authors were an afterthought, spoken to only in the occasional box at the end of a section. I did get a few good ideas from this book, however, and if you're preparing to promote a book of your own, pick it up from the library and page through it. For authors, I recommend Publicize Your Book! by Jacqueline Deval -- it will give you more of what you need.
Buy this book! by .. ()
I am a one-book publisher. About two years ago, when I
first began to think about writing and publishing, I read this
book. I should tell you that I am extremely thrifty and I only
buy books that I will refer to again and again. I'll even admit
that I first read the library's copy of this book. However, after
I read 1001 Ways to Market Your Books, I immediately
placed an order so that I could have a copy of my own. It has
been worth its weight in gold to me. It's the best marketing
tool for books that I know of, with clear explanations and lots
of examples.
If you are an author or a publisher, or even thinking about
becoming one, I strongly suggest that you get this book. I
can't think of a better $20 investment in your book-selling
future.
Lisa Reid, author and publisher of Raising Kids With Just
a Little Cas
I'm the author by .. ()
Of course, I think it's the best book on book marketing out there. But the publisher is NOT Ad-Lib Publications (my old company), but Open Horizons, my new company. Get it straight.
John Kreme
Related Search : market books , active r , just authors  |
Author : Eamonn Butler
Number of Pages : 172
Publisher : Wiley
List Price : $24.95
Amazon Price : $12.48
Used Price : $12.45 |
Product Description The free market makes the world go around. Maybe it’s time we all tried to understand it a little better. Luckily Eamonn Butler is the ideal teacher to get us all up to speed. Markets are everywhere. But how many of us understand how they work, and why? What does a ‘free market’ really mean? Do free markets actually exist? Should we have more or less of them? Most of all – do we really need to know all this? Answer: Yes we do. MAKING ECONOMICS SIMPLE SO THAT EVEN POLITICIANS CAN UNDERSTAND IT If any mention of free markets sends your mind screaming back to your musty old school economics textbook, think again. The Best Book on the Market will keep you gripped, intrigued and well informed. Abandoning complicated mumbo-jumbo, Eamonn Butler, Director of the UK’s leading free market think-tank, demystifies the world of markets, competition, monopolies and cartels, prices and overspills. Using examples from our everyday lives Dr Butler explains how the markets we have, and the many more we need, can work to create a richer, freer and more peaceful world. STOP WORRYING AND LOVE THE FREE ECONOMY He delves into the morality of markets and interrogates important issues such as why feckless rock-stars are paid much more than worthy nurses; whether we should worry about people trading in arms, water, healthcare etc; whether black markets are immoral; and questions of equality; sweatshops, and fair trade. “This book is about the free market and how unfree it can be when there is a lack of belief in freedom itself. Eamonn Butler presents solid arguments against government attempts to ‘perfect’ the markets by regulation, controls, subsidies, or by adopting measures which obstruct competition and private ownership.” Václav Klaus, President of the Czech Republic “Vividly and simply explains competition, entrepreneurship and prices”. John Blundell, Director, Institute of Economic Affairs “A great little book that gets to the heart of how and why markets work, in a very engaging and easily understood way”. Dan Lewis, Research Director, Economic Research Council “I welcome this witty, lucid explanation of how entrepreneurs and business people make a positive contribution to our lives, and why economists often don't”. Andrew Neil , leading journalist and BBC presenter “Anything which educates the public - and politicians - on how the free economy actually works is always welcome. Dr Butler does this in style”. Lord Lawson, former UK Chancellor of the Exchequer “Everyone in business would do well to understand the basic principles of markets which Dr Butler clarifies so well in this short book”. Allister Heath, Editor of The Business and Associate Editor of The Spectator "This book does great justice to the vibrancy of markets and what makes them tick" Ruth Richardson, former Finance Minister of New Zealand "It's refreshing to see an economist who understands the importance of innovation and entrepreneurship in pushing progress forward, and who can explain it in straightforward language." Trevor Baylis OBE (inventor of the wind-up radio) "I'm glad to see that Dr Butler stresses the role of innovators – and the importance of market structures that encourage innovation." Sir Clive Sinclair (inventor) "Dr Butler's book is a welcome and very readable contribution on the mechanisms and morality of the free economy." Sir John Major KG CH (former UK Prime Minister) “'Market' is one of the first six-letter words that every English-speaking child learns: as in 'This - little - piggy - went - to - market'”. Geoffrey Howe, former UK Chancellor of the Exchequer Customer reviews The title is accurate by .. D. Seymour ()
I just read Dr Butler's book and the title is accurate. It is a 2 hour read that doesn't even seem like you're reading an economics text. It has well distilled insights into how markets work and why they are a good thing, and these are couched in colourful examples from Butler's real life experience. I highly recommend this book to anyone who would like to appreciate the market in a way that much more laborious treatments fail to do.
Quite amazingly, the title is correct by .. Geoff Puterbaugh (Chiang Mai, T. Suthep, A. Muang Thailand)
I haven't finished this book yet, but for me it actually IS "the best book on the market." I am no economist, but I have read Sowell's "Basic Economics, and Hazlitt, as well as large helpings of Ludwig von Mises and Hayek. All of these people wrote excellent books, but this particular minor classic rises to the status of a classic because of the author's very dry sense of humor, and also because of his excellent use of comparisons.
These things are not what comes "easily," or "naturally." My favorite comparison (so far) is with the old-fashioned cars which actually had a temperature gauge rising from the engine so you could tell when the engine was overheating. A dissatisfied customer complained that his gauge always read "hot." The author's father "fixed" the problem by soldering some gears in the gauge together, so that it would always read "normal."
Bad fix -- worse than a kluge. What happens when the engine actually boils over?
This "bad fix" is compared to ALL government attempts to regulate prices. They ALWAYS fail and they are ALWAYS a bad idea. It's just like soldering the gears together.
As one of a billion examples, during the recent tsunami in Thailand, the then Prime Minister came out with a bold speech promising to punish those who were "profiteering" from the catastrophe, and fixing all prices in the area of the tsunami. Could anybody think of a surer way to ensure starvation in that area? Of course, this being Thailand, it is highly probable that everyone overlooked the Big Speech.
I also particularly enjoyed the author's selection of Princess Diana's death as an illustration of the efficiency of the price system. The price of flowers in London went through the roof, and this information instantly reached flower wholesalers on the Continent, and shortly reached Kenya -- which instantly began to send more flowers to satisfy the overwhelming demand. As the author points out, in a centrally-planned economy, it would have taken at least a week for the current report on the "Flower Situation" to hit the desk of the appropriate minister, and at least a month for the Ministry of Flowers to do anything about it.
A classic book! (And I don't say that lightly.)
It's the best by .. Catherine Glass (Portland, Oregon)
Witty and gripping. Butler's penetrating gaze includes fair trade, black markets, and equity. He believes that when markets are allowed to work without government interference but within the framework of just laws they can create "a richer, freer and more peaceful world".
A very sharp and effective introduction to market economics by .. Thomas H. Burroughes (London)
I think Dr Butler has penned an excellent, succinct and effective introduction to the case for liberal, free markets. It is particularly effective for anyone who has not encountered these arguments before, because it is fair, jargon-free and resists the temptation to ram home the ideologial message too hard.
It covers all the main bases well. If I have a tiny quibble, I would argue that on complex issues such as patents, copyright and limited liability companies, it might have been useful to explain that even among ardent free marketeers, there is a lot of debate on whether, for example, patents are either justified or right.
But that is a minor point. This book ranks alongside such works as Basic Economics by Tom Sowell, Free To Choose by Milton Friedman and Economics In One Lesson by Henry Hazlitt as a superb introduction to the field. It can be read easily in an hour or so. It should be on the reading list of young students interested in business and might help to counter a lot of lazy, statist thinking.
The Best Book On The Market by .. Terence Arthur (UK)
Eamonn Butler, Director of the Adam Smith Institute, has a wonderful ability to express the fundamentals of economics and exchange in ways that lay readers can understand and enjoy - and empathise. This ability combines with an essential technique - to start at the beginning! The path from a single deal between two consenting people (possibly in different countries) to large-scale free enterprise, is a simple continuum. Requiring only the freedom to associate, at every point participants are free to exchange - or not - and the choice may or may not be made with regard to ancillary matters such as specialist advice and contracts. Thus Dr Butler starts with a visit to a street market in Lanzhou, China, and ends (or nearly ends) in discussing multi-national companies. On the way, he covers most of the important consequences of this freedom; for example specialisation and exchange, (to the point where exchange is the fundamental social relation) money, the informative role of prices, and capital accumulation.
Dr Butler is (among other things) a proper economist. By this I mean he has no time for the Keynesian macro-economics churned out by most universities; markets, and life itself, are never in equilibrium, so why build up a "science" on the assumption that they are? There is no Utopia; it's just that markets and freedom from governments are much nearer to it, adjusting constantly in their quests to do better. As he says, "the free-exchange system [markets] has an uncanny power to steer the right resources to the right place at the right time". "Unorganised order", he calls it. In contrast government is working in a vacuum; its operations are based on whims not price signals, and it torpedoes markets whenever it can (starting with money, where "governments manage to make paper completely worthless by printing pictures of dead presidents on it").
Dr Butler rightly castigates big government as the arch-enemy of markets, censoring them and their miraculous signals at every turn. Yet the failure of government projects is an endemic feature, while their perpetrators sing the "market failure" mantra at every opportunity - nowhere more loudly than on the environment, where as Dr Butler points out, markets don't exist.
He might have added "because they were nationalised". But elaborating on that takes time and space, whilst a major feature of this wonderful little book is that it is, well, little; you can read it in one sitting - although many readers will use it as a handy reference as well.
The book is similarly succinct in addressing government regulation of business. Often deliberately sought as a means of protection from competition, this practice is rife and provides government with a scapegoat when things go wrong. (A thorough nailing of this issue and its true causes is long overdue.)
Dr Butler has touched on scores of other matters which are best dealt with by markets not governments - the benefits of competition, prices as messengers, transaction costs, externalities, (where tax itself remains the supreme externality) patents, licences, entrepreneurs (as opposed to "experts") the crucial role of property, and the essential morality of free markets. (Enforced behaviour has no moral component, of course, and in any case charities are within the free market rather than outside it.)
Definitely the best book on the market that's on the market!
Related Search : free economy , market stop , worrying love  |
Author : Better Homes and Gardens Books
Number of Pages : 224
Publisher : Better Homes and Gardens
List Price : $34.95
Amazon Price : $8.75
Used Price : $2.55 |
Product Description Do-it-yourself decorators will discover creative inspiration in this book, along with smart shopping tips and easy-to-follow guidelines for giving a room unique character and personality with vintage finds. Practical flea-market shopping advice. Hundreds of illustrated ideas for decorating with vintage finds, room by room. 275 inspiring color photos of homes and rooms featuring creative decorating ideas. Easy how-to for evaluating, salvaging, and refurbishing finds. Favorite flea markets and antique fairs around the country. Internet antiques-shopping tips, including the best sites for auctions, on-line antique malls, and state-by-state flea market guides. Customer reviews A keeper! by .. Mountain-Wild (Idyllwild, CA United States)
A very inspiring book which I go back to frequently still, after owning it for more than 2 yrs. It shows you that you don't need a lot of money to create interesting, even funky but cool, rooms. I especially like the how-to restoration section toward the back of the book. This is a great book to keep on your shelf for inspiration and quick how-to information. It's simply fun!
Good ideas by .. Carol A. Johnson (ca)
I enjoyed reading the book, it has several good photos of ideas used. It validates my decorating scheme!
Check it out of the library before buying by .. R. Victoria ()
I agree the rusty chair/furniture and hospital guerny are not very appealing. This book is good for little tips and odds and ends but not as good as Better Homes "Cottage Style" book which I have to say is THE BEST. I am glad I checked it out of the library before I bought it. It went a little to over the top on the shabby chic/flea market look for me not very elegant. The pictures are good because of professional photos but I bet if you were in a home filled with some of this stuff it could end up looking a little too flea-ish. Check it out first at the library.
Chic yet fun by .. Sandy Van Note (USA)
As a graduate design student, I am impressed with the quality of the rooms shown in this book. Very chic yet simple. Unlike some books on this topic, this one is filled with smart, chic, sensible, stylish ideas for how to repurpose flea market finds. There's nothing junky or throwaway about the ideas in this book.
What a disappointment!  by .. ()
I should have checked this out at a bookstore before I ordered it - I saw the 5 stars and went by that.
This book has nothing new to offer. And I do not see the attraction of using a hospital gurney for a bathroom vanity or stacking your towels on a rusty old garden chair. Actually, that is disgusting.
Yes, the photography is wonderful. But I've seen much better information ...
Save your money, or at least check it out a bookstore first.
Related Search : vintage finds , flea market , style with  |
Author : Chris Mead
Edition : 1st
Number of Pages : 208
Release Date : 1998-10-13
Publisher : Clarkson Potter
List Price : $30.00
Amazon Price : $4.80
Used Price : $1.51 |
Product Description From London's legendary Portobello Road to the humble neighborhood tag sale, the flea market is the destination of choice for savvy shoppers. Part collector's guide, part decorating manual, Flea Market Style celebrates the marriage of two great passions--shopping and home design--and answers the important question that lies behind every purchase, big or small: What will I do with this once I get it home? Best-selling authors Emelie Tolley and Chris Mead offer exciting new ideas for choosing and decorating with flea market finds, illustrated with lush photographs of a variety of interiors from formal to funky. Beginning with the basics of "working a flea," the authors offer helpful strategies for indentifying the genuine article and getting the best prices, ideas for new ways to use collectible items, and hints on caring for them. Chapters are devoted to every major category of flea market merchandise, from old textiles and paper goods to sports memorabilia, garden ornaments, kitchen collectibles, and major pieces of furniture, among others. With a resource section listing major shows and relevant publications, and eight unique projects that will cleverly allow you to transform your purchases into singular home accents, Flea Market Style proves that anyone can use flea market finds to give their home a distinctive, personal style. Customer reviews FABULOUS! by .. G. Tegtmeier (Alabama)
How in the world can anyone say the items in this book dont relate to each other. Sounds like you have NO sense of decorating! This book is one of the best books I have ever seen. It is unbelieveable all the ideas that are in this book! Definately a book I will keep and read over and over! Great ideas, inspiration and pictures, but only if you have an open mind and a creative style will you understand this book! Absolutely AMAZING!!!
decorating.....not by .. l.w. (england)
i ordered this book to give me some ideas and decorating tips, what i got are pictures of old flea market items, that have nothing to do with each other. didn't help a bit, and truthfully if it didn't cost so much to return, i'd return it in a second.
decorating.....not by .. l.w. (england)
i ordered this book to give me some ideas and decorating tips, what i got are pictures of old flea market items, that have nothing to do with each other. didn't help a bit, and truthfully if it didn't cost so much to return, i'd return it in a second.
Fantastic Photography that shows a variety of styles! by .. (Columbia, S.C. United States)
I am a fan of Chris Mead, and he didn't let me down with thisbook. I love the way many of the homes are decorated in this book. Ilove white walls, and I am thrilled to see so many of them in this book. For all those decorator's that say "Give your home warmth with wall color, " here is my rebuttal. I LOVE the peacefulness of white walls and this book inadvertantly demonstrates just how wonderful all the flea market finds look against a white backdrop. The styles provided in this book are varied and clearly loved by the home owners. A wide range of economic approaches are demonstrated in this spectrum of flea market finds. A fun, informative book with wonderful pictures to garner ideas.
I also recommend another book, Flea Market Decorating by .. ()
This is a delightful book, but I also recommend a new book that's just out. It's Flea Market Decorating, which is full of fresh new ideas, especially about recasting old objects in new ways. For me, it captures the fun of going to flea markets and using those little treasures to personalize my home.
Related Search : with creative , edge , flea market  |
Author : Carmen Leal
Number of Pages : 256
Publisher : ACW Press
List Price : $15.00
Amazon Price : $8.49
Used Price : $1.33 |
Product Description This is a practical down-to-earth manual that gives the essentials for every writer in helping them sell their own book. Everything an author needs to know about the world of marketing. Customer reviews Very helpful. by .. RockyTopper (Brentwood, TN)
I've used a lot of ideas from the book. I really enjoyed the section on getting endorsements for your book. And I contacted my local library after reading this book as well.
Must-have for self-publishers! by .. Shelly Burke, RN (Genoa, Nebraska, USA)
I sat down to read Carmen's book with a highlighter and legal pad in hand; from glancing through the book I knew I'd be writing down lots of great ideas for publicizing and promoting my new book. I was absolutely thrilled when, on page 23, I read, "As Christians, the first step in our marketing plan must be prayer." I've been praying for God's guidance throughout the planning and writing of my book, and was so happy to find that Carmen shared my Christian viewpoint and beliefs. She urges us to seek His will at all stages of book writing and promoting and marketing, and with everything we do. Godly encouragement is sprinkled through the book, and provided me with some much-needed encouragment.
At the end of every chapter you'll find very helpful resources, including author websites and references for more information about the subject of that chapter. Carmen covers a comprehensive range of topics throughout the book, taking the reader step-by-step through marketing tools like reviews, promotion, etc. Many/most of the ideas are inexpensive and simple, but I know will be effective.
By the time I finished the book there were pages dog-eared, sticky notes sticking out of various pages, and almost a legal pad full of ideas I will be using to market my previous books, as well as the one coming out next.
This book is a must have for any author!
Every author or wanna-be author needs this book by .. Rebecca Anderson (Longview, TX USA)
My copy of Carmen's book is dog-eared, underlined, highlighted and battered. I go back to it time after time for fresh ideas, as my first novel has just been issued and I need all the promotional tools I can get. Though some reviewers felt this book is "only for the self-published," they're wrong. These days, traditional publishers leave a LOT of the promotion up to the author. Don't fool yourself -- you'll need this stuff! In addition, there are so many great marketing ideas in the book and they can be used to make your next book proposal to a publisher really shine. They want authors who are willing to promote and who have concrete ideas how to do so. It could mean the difference between a contract and just another piece of wallpaper for your Rejection wall. I highly recommend it.
For self-publishing only by .. Wayne O. Harvey (La Crosse, Fla., USA)
If I were self-publishing my book, I would give this book five stars. Only because I'm seeking a publisher I give it two. The book is well-written and full of ideas. I've met the author and she is sophisticated and experienced in self-publishing. I recommend it to anyone who publishes his own book.
Get the Marketing Tools To Sell Your Published Book by .. W. Terry Whalin (Scottsdale, Arizona)
You Can Market Your Book is designed to help you understand basic book marketing principles. No matter how your book was published, unless you are a superstar author, you are the main salesperson. Yes, you might be responsible for your own book distribution or with a traditional publisher, you might even have a publicist for a brief time, but ultimately it's up to the author. You need to be as aggressive as possible if you want to reclaim your garage or closets from the boxes of unsold books, or if you expect a royalty check from your publisher. Add this book to your marketing arsenal.
Related Search : market book , published book , tools sell  |
Author : John C. Bogle
Number of Pages : 208
Publisher : Wiley
List Price : $19.95
Amazon Price : $10.40
Used Price : $6.50 |
Product Description Investing is all about common sense. Owning a diversified portfolio of stocks and holding it for the long term is a winner’s game. Trying to beat the stock market is theoretically a zero-sum game (for every winner, there must be a loser), but after the substantial costs of investing are deducted, it becomes a loser’s game. Common sense tells us—and history confirms—that the simplest and most efficient investment strategy is to buy and hold all of the nation’s publicly held businesses at very low cost. The classic index fund that owns this market portfolio is the only investment that guarantees you with your fair share of stock market returns. To learn how to make index investing work for you, there’s no better mentor than legendary mutual fund industry veteran John C. Bogle. Over the course of his long career, Bogle—founder of the Vanguard Group and creator of the world’s first index mutual fund—has relied primarily on index investing to help Vanguard’s clients build substantial wealth. Now, with The Little Book of Common Sense Investing, he wants to help you do the same. Filled with in-depth insights and practical advice, The Little Book of Common Sense Investing will show you how to incorporate this proven investment strategy into your portfolio. It will also change the very way you think about investing. Successful investing is not easy. (It requires discipline and patience.) But it is simple. For it’s all about common sense. With The Little Book of Common Sense Investing as your guide, you’ll discover how to make investing a winner’s game: - Why business reality—dividend yields and earnings growth—is more important than market expectations
- How to overcome the powerful impact of investment costs, taxes, and inflation
- How the magic of compounding returns is overwhelmed by the tyranny of compounding costs
- What expert investors and brilliant academics—from Warren Buffett and Benjamin Graham to Paul Samuelson and Burton Malkiel—have to say about index investing
- And much more
You’ll also find warnings about investment fads and fashions, including the recent stampede into exchange traded funds and the rise of indexing gimmickry. The real formula for investment success is to own the entire market, while significantly minimizing the costs of financial intermediation. That’s what index investing is all about. And that’s what this book is all about. JOHN C. BOGLE is founder of the Vanguard Group, Inc., and President of its Bogle Financial Markets Research Center. He created Vanguard in 1974 and served as chairman and chief executive officer until 1996 and senior chairman until 2000. In 1999, Fortune magazine named Mr. Bogle as one of the four "Investment Giants" of the twentieth century; in 2004, Time named him one of the world’s 100 most powerful and influential people, and Institutional Investor presented him with its Lifetime Achievement Award. Customer reviews One of the best books written for the average 401k investor by .. T. Arceneaux (New Orleans, LA)
Over the past year, I have read 7 of the "Little Book of common sense Investing", and this is by far, the one that makes the most sense. All of the other books describe how to pick winning stocks, value stocks, diversification, and other "tricks" to winning in the market (and by my experiences, none of them work). This book, talks about "Index Funds" that track the broad markets like the S&P 500, and how safe and economical that strategy is in the long run.
I agree 100% with the author's work, especially for the average 401k investor who doesn't have time to "play the market". Especially when you factor in the fees associated with buying and selling individual stocks, and using other Funds that have high management fees associated with them.
Common sense in a market of deception by .. Honest Abe (Manchester UK)
Summary (To save you time):
If you want to retire early and financially wealthy you'll go a long way to beat this book. your first investment should be this book and then the markets. John Bogel provides a clear and concise text on how to make a good (If unexciting) return.
This book is accessible, factually based, informative and small enough to read quickly. There is no heavy analysis or huge amount of brain power required.
Review:
What makes a good investing book? It always seems to be the promise of riches and excitement. Well good luck most of the exciting stock picking methods lead to bankrupcy.
What should make a good investing book? Hows about something that can actually work?
Please bear in mind at this point that if a stock picking method cannot be rationaly explained as to why it works the chances are its garabge. One method that was well explained is Value Investing. Unfortuantely these days you are up against computers that can analyse all world wide stock markets in real time - chances are you won't win.
In a market of hype about the "Latest" and "Greatest" stock picking method John Bogel has written a book based on common sense. Inevitably all investors in a market must on average gain returns equal to the market, less costs (Forget these at your peril).
In recent years Wall Street has made $400 Billion per year in those costs (Thats right they won and you lost before your money even went into stocks). Hows about keeping that money and still investing and getting a fair (Average) share of returns? Sound boring? Well the best way isn't always the most exciting.
Through humble arithmatic John Bogel convinces you of the value and sense in a low cost index tracking fund.
Each chapter finishes whith people who endorse indexing. The likes of Warren E. Buffet, Charlie Munger, Charles Schwab, etc (Who all know more about investing than I ever will) endorse indexing. Thats good enough for me.
As a quick explanation of the aritmetic (I made these numbers up, they're not from the book, but they are mathematically accurate) and why it should convince you:
Assume the stock market returns 10% per year, you have 100% portfolio turnover per year, 2% costs (Very low) and 40% taxes (which is about right in GB where I live). If you have a system to beat the markets you need a return of 10% or more as well. So 10% return + 2% costs + 40% taxes =
(10 + 2) / 0.6 = 20%. Well good luck! Your system needs to double market returns. Hint: One reason Warren Buffet is able to beat the markets is he has very low portfolio turnover (Thus avoiding many taxes).
So are there down sides to this book?
Well Yes, there always are. Inevitable John Bogel uses the Vanguard S&P 500 index tracker (From his own company) as an example. He mentions others but not very often. So it sometimes feels a little like a sales exercise in places. However never so much that it detracts from the point. And I am a cynic who is always looking to disprove (Or even disapprove) of what I read.
Also indexing doesn't offer you very much excitment. However I can counter that with I want to retire early, not late (And broke) in life knowing I had fun in the markets.
Lastly I haven't read all the books out there and there may well be better for me yet to discover. As far as I personally have read this book tops the list though.
Resummary:
Not exciting but so well worth the money, unlike most of the garbage out there. As for most stock picking methods please remember you are taking on the best and brightest on Wall Street and their computers. They still lost huge regularly (In recent years lets all remember 2000-1, 2003, 2007-8, each time we witnessed in the region of a 40% crash in the markets). If they fail why can you or I do better? I'll stick to boredom and a fair return.
As a final endorsement of what John Bogel writes about, when companies make investments that they have to all but guarantee returns on (Pensions etc), they invest in the manner described in this book. They just don't advertise it, but if you want a good safe return guess what...
A Clear, Concise Argument for Index Funds by .. monkuboy (Temple City, CA United States)
So as not to leave anyone in suspense, according to the author the "only way to guarantee your fair share of stock market returns" as it says in the title of the book is to invest in index funds that mirror the broad market, such as an S&P 500 fund. Plain and simple.
Basically, Mr. Bogle lays out his argument for that viewpoint in several relatively short, easy-to-understand chapters that each focus on a separate aspect as to why index funds are the vehicle of choice for the long term investor. He provides the reader with supporting historical data, information about fees, income tax effects, quotes from other respected investors, etc., to build a strong case for index funds. The effect of what you may think are slight differences in fund fees and charges from one fund to another over time are quite shocking.
Overall, this is a well-written, organized, intelligent book that is also thankfully concise, and I thought it was well worth reading. I can see there is a lot of wisdom for sticking with index funds for the long run.
A good book on investing by .. William D. Tompkins (New York, New York USA)
An excellent book on investing. Straightforward form people whom know what they are talking about. And quoting from other good references as well.
Simple and effective by .. J. Renaut (Washington, DC)
As others have mentioned, this book could be distilled down to "The only way to succeed at long term investing is to buy low-fee mutual funds that track the whole stock market". The entire rest of the book is the justification, and it's pretty hard to argue with any of it. Sure, you can beat the market sometimes, but it can't last.
As a beginning investor, I found the book informative - it helps you think about stocks and the market in ways that aren't immediately obvious to the uninformed.
Related Search : stock market , books big , investing only  |
Author : David M. Darst
Number of Pages : 208
Publisher : Wiley
List Price : $19.95
Amazon Price : $10.00
Used Price : $10.00 |
Product Description If you’ve ever wondered how investors continue to see substantial market-beating investment returns with portfolios that just seem to grow and grow, The Little Book that Saves Your Assets: What the Rich Do to Stay Wealthy in Up and Down Markets will reveal some secrets. David Darst, also known as Mr. Asset Allocations, shows you how to use savvy asset allocation strategies that you can use to invest like the rich do. This dynamic and easy-to-understand book allows you to rethink your asset allocation strategies and make the leap from mediocre to stellar returns. Customer reviews Good exposure to asset allocation. by .. L. E. Miller (Stockbridge, GA)
This was very easy reading and was not only informative, it stated the case for asset allocation. For me, the real value was in it's reference to other books to read which gave detailed explanations and information concerning asset classes and allocation theory and practice.
Accordingly, I do recommend this book for someone who wants to know why they are losing their butt in the markets. It then points the way to grow your assets in a planned and reasoned approach.
For mother and daughter alike by .. Ilana Seidel (Pittsburgh, PA)
David Darst's book was a joy to read with its abundance of witty analogies that explain the philosophy behind saving one's assets. This book is not only for those well versed in the art of buying and selling shares. This book is simple enough for those who do not normally invest large sums of money. In fact, my mother picked the book up the other night and finished it in a few hours. She left me a note "Enjoyed the reading. It has great personal insight!"
I recommend this quick read for individuals at any level. This book empowers the reader to responsibly determine what is truly important to them, provides an explanation of market trends, and then illustrates how to allocate assets. The Asset Allocation Clock in chapter 3 provides a suggestion of how to attain this goal during various economic cycles.
A great Xmas gift in these trying times!! by .. D. Gomez (Bogota, Colombia)
I bought David Darst's new book after hearing him speak recently in NY. After what has happened in the last year to the portfolios of most investors, I decided that many of my friends and family members ABSOLUTELY NEEDED to read this book so they can take more control over their investment decisions, specifically those related to asset allocation. I gave several away and continue to recommend it. It is a perfect book for those who already understand the basics of investing but want to delve deeper into how to combine different types of assets in a way that is right for them - not an easy process but David Darst can make simple sense out of it all.
Brutal by .. Adolfo Gillespie ()
Save your money. This book touts asset allocation but does not provide any practical advice on how to develop or implement a plan. The book asks many questions but provides absolutely no answers!
Another winner for the "Little Book, Big Profits" series by .. Damien Stratton (Potomac, MD)
This is the latest book in the "Little Books, Big Profits" series and was timed just right. All the books before it teach you how to invest, and this book teaches you how to keep what you've invested.
David Darst is a good writer. He kept my attention and I wasn't bored. I read the entire book one Saturday night.
The true value of this book is in reading the entire series. They all make up a sound investing education. All of the books in the series are good; some better than others, but are all written by financial masters. Take a piece from one and apply it to another and you have a winning formula.
Overall, this book is definitely worth three or four hours on a Saturday night. But, get the other books in the series too. Each present a view that the other doesn't.
Related Search : wealthy up , rich stay , big profits |
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