Set for Life: Dominate Life, Money, and the American Dream


Scott Trench - 2017
    By layering philosophy with practical knowledge, Set for Life gives young professionals the fiscal confidence they need to conquer financial goals early in life. Accumulating a lifetime of wealth in a short period of time involves working harder and smarter than the average person, and Set for Life demonstrates how to do just that―from zero savings to five figures, then to six figures, and finally to the ultimate goal of financial freedom. Wealth isn’t just about a nest egg, setting aside money for a “rainy day,” or accumulating an emergency fund. True wealth is about building out a Financial Runway―creating enough readily accessible wealth that you can survive without work for a year. Then five years. Then for life. Readers will learn how to: • Save more income―50+ percent of it, while still having fun • Double or triple your income in three to five years • Secure “real” assets and avoid “false” ones that destroy wealth

The Aggressive Conservative Investor


Martin J. Whitman - 1979
    Regulation, disclosure, and other things may change, but the general approach and mindset to successful investing are timeless. Read this book and you will learn the rudiments of 'safe and cheap' investing. An essential read for every amateur and professional investor. --Stan Garstka, Deputy Dean & Professor in the Practice of Faculty & Management, Yale School of Management Security analysis toward both better odds and higher long-term payoff: A readable, authoritative guide. --Professor Bill Baumol, New York UniversityIn reading this book, one is struck by the simplicity of the ideas and the dependence of the investor on his own understandings of reality as opposed to the myths on the street. The updated version of this 1979 classic incorporates all the modern financial engineering that has occurred as a product of the late 20th century, and the new methodologies refine your abilities to measure risk but don't change the fundamentals of value. The updated version of The Aggressive Conservative Investor is very much a value-added proposition. --Sam Zell, Chairman, Equity Group Investment LLCI concur with those people who regard Marty Whitman as the 'Dean of Value Investing.' This book is a must-read for everyone interested in understanding the art of investing. --Melvin T. Stith, Dean, Whitman School of Management, Syracuse UniversityThis no-holds-barred presentation of one of the most successful investment strategies of all time -- value investing in distressed securities/companie -- shows you how to analyze and evaluate stocks just like controlling owners. Based on the assumption that stock price rarely reflects real value, authors Whitman and Shubik use numerous case studies to present risk-minimizing methods that also provide high rewards. Still relevant today, this classic work includes a new introduction discussing the dramatic changes that have taken place in the value investing world since its first publication in 1979.

The Physics of Wall Street: A Brief History of Predicting the Unpredictable


James Owen Weatherall - 2013
    While many of the mathematicians and software engineers on Wall Street failed when their abstractions turned ugly in practice, a special breed of physicists has a much deeper history of revolutionizing finance. Taking us from fin-de-siècle Paris to Rat Pack-era Las Vegas, from wartime government labs to Yippie communes on the Pacific coast, Weatherall shows how physicists successfully brought their science to bear on some of the thorniest problems in economics, from options pricing to bubbles.The crisis was partly a failure of mathematical modeling. But even more, it was a failure of some very sophisticated financial institutions to think like physicists. Models—whether in science or finance—have limitations; they break down under certain conditions. And in 2008, sophisticated models fell into the hands of people who didn’t understand their purpose, and didn’t care. It was a catastrophic misuse of science.The solution, however, is not to give up on models; it's to make them better. Weatherall reveals the people and ideas on the cusp of a new era in finance. We see a geophysicist use a model designed for earthquakes to predict a massive stock market crash. We discover a physicist-run hedge fund that earned 2,478.6% over the course of the 1990s. And we see how an obscure idea from quantum theory might soon be used to create a far more accurate Consumer Price Index.Both persuasive and accessible, The Physics of Wall Street is riveting history that will change how we think about our economic future.

A Demon of Our Own Design: Markets, Hedge Funds, and the Perils of Financial Innovation


Richard Bookstaber - 2007
    The very things done to make markets safer, have, in fact, created a world that is far more dangerous. From the 1987 crash to Citigroup closing the Salomon Arb unit, from staggering losses at UBS to the demise of Long-Term Capital Management, Bookstaber gives readers a front row seat to the management decisions made by some of the most powerful financial figures in the world that led to catastrophe, and describes the impact of his own activities on markets and market crashes. Much of the innovation of the last 30 years has wreaked havoc on the markets and cost trillions of dollars. A Demon of Our Own Design tells the story of man's attempt to manage market risk and what it has wrought. In the process of showing what we have done, Bookstaber shines a light on what the future holds for a world where capital and power have moved from Wall Street institutions to elite and highly leveraged hedge funds.

Technical Analysis for Dummies


Barbara Rockefeller - 2004
    Explaining the basic principles of analysis and showing how to implement them, Technical Analysis For Dummies dumps the confusing jargon and unreadable charts for basic explanations and practical guidance. In no time at all, readers will see how to make better trading decisions. Barbara Rockefeller (Stamford, CT) is one of the foremost authorities on technical analysis and founder of Rockefeller Treasury Services.

Work Optional: Retire Early the Non-Penny-Pinching Way


Tanja Hester - 2019
    But what if you could escape the traditional path and get on one that doesn't require working full-time until age 65? What if you could wake up every day without an alarm clock and do the things you love most? Tanja Hester and her husband Mark left their crazed careerist lifestyle to live their dream life in Lake Tahoe, retiring early from high-stress careers. Now Tanja will help you map out a customized plan for freedom and make it easy to succeed, whether you're good at math and budgeting -- or not! Work Optional is more than just a financial plan: it's a plan for your whole life -- designed by you, not by an employer or clients. Tanja walks you through envisioning your dream life, accounting for variables such as health care and children, protecting yourself from recessions and future unknowns, and achieving a purpose-filled early retirement, semi-retirement, or career intermission with completely doable, non-penny-pinching steps. You can live a happier, more meaningful life, free from the daily grind. Regardless of where you are in your career, Work Optional will get you there.

The Investment Answer


Daniel C. Goldie - 2010
    Whether you are new to finance or an experienced investor, this book is essential reading. Former United States Senator Bill Bradley says that "every American should read this book," and Bob Waterman, co-author of In Search of Excellence, remarks, "if I could give only one book on investing to my friends and family, this one would be it."This book cuts through the Wall Street hype to give you just what you need to know. Joe Grundfest, Stanford Law School Professor and former SEC Commissioner, says that "Gordon Murray and Dan Goldie share secrets that Wall Street would rather you not know. Read this book and prosper." The Investment Answer will teach you to take advantage of how markets really work and how to benefit from the wisdom that Nobel Prize winners have acquired over the last 60 years. Nobel Laureate and Father of Modern Portfolio Theory, Harry Markowitz, remarks that "the book offers sound advice, which you will rarely if ever get from a daily financial newscast." Gene Fama, widely recognized as the father of modern finance, says that the book is "an excellent primer for the investor who is not a finance specialist." You probably know the important measures of your physical health: your weight, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels. But do you know the important measures about your investment health? Is your advisor is a fiduciary who really works for you or for his firm? What is your percentage mix of stocks, bonds, and cash? How much you are paying in fees and investment-related taxes? Most of us can't answer these important financial questions...but we must. This book will help you become a smarter investor and a better steward of your money.

The DAO of Capital: Austrian Investing in a Distorted World


Mark Spitznagel - 2013
    We arrive at his central investment methodology of Austrian Investing, where victory comes not from waging the immediate decisive battle, but rather from the roundabout approach of seeking the intermediate positional advantage (what he calls shi), of aiming at the indirect means rather than directly at the ends. The monumental challenge is in seeing time differently, in a whole new intertemporal dimension, one that is so contrary to our wiring.Spitznagel is the first to condense the theories of Ludwig von Mises and his Austrian School of economics into a cohesive and--as Spitznagel has shown--highly effective investment methodology. From identifying the monetary distortions and non-randomness of stock market routs (Spitznagel's bread and butter) to scorned highly-productive assets, in Ron Paul's words from the foreword, Spitznagel "brings Austrian economics from the ivory tower to the investment portfolio."The Dao of Capital provides a rare and accessible look through the lens of one of today's great investors to discover a profound harmony with the market process--a harmony that is so essential today.

All About Derivatives (All About Series)


Michael Durbin - 2005
    Using real-world examples and simple language, it lucidly illustrates what derivatives are and why they are so powerful. This second edition of "All About Derivatives" provides a rock-solid foundation on: The most common contracts available to you in today's marketKey concepts such as cost of carry, settlement, valuation, and payoffProven methods for establishing fair valueHow leverage can work for you--and against youThe various derivative contracts traded today, including forwards, futures, swaps, and optionsPricing methods and mathematics for determining fair valueHedging strategies for managing and reducing different types of riskINCLUDES A BRAND-NEW CHAPTER ON THE ROLEDERIVATIVES PLAYED IN THE 2008 FINANCIAL MELTDOWN

You Need a Budget: The Proven System for Breaking the Paycheck to Paycheck Cycle, Getting Out of Debt, and Living the Life You Want


Jesse Mecham - 2010
    A guide based on the tenets of the award-winning financial platform, "You Need a Budget," argues that a well-planned budget does not involve deprivation and counsels readers on how to prioritize financial goals, reduce stress through strategic cash flow allocations and meet the challenges of unplanned expenses.

Dividend Growth Machine: How to Supercharge Your Investment Returns With Dividend Stocks (Dividend Investing)


Nathan Winklepleck, CFA - 2016
     What You Will Learn Through easy-to-understand examples and practical tips, Nathan will show you how anyone can achieve financial independence and investment success through dividend investing. In these pages, you'll discover: Why traditional investment strategies fail. The most dangerous investment strategy out there right now (and how to avoid it). How to dramatically improve your investment results while taking less risk. How to outperform most "passive index" strategies. How to practically guarantee a positive investment return over the long-term. Why dividends are the safest, most consistent, and common sense way to build wealth. What dividends are and where they come from. How dividends can replace your paycheck in retirement. Who Should Read It This book is for anyone who wants to build wealth and improve their investment returns. It’s not complicated. There are no fancy formulas or Wall Street mumbo jumbo. Beginning investors who just want to better understand how to make money investing in stocks. Experienced investors who have been burned by other investment strategies. Anyone who is afraid to lose money investing in the stock market. Those nearing retirement who wants to generate passive, consistent, and growing income. Retired people who are tired of getting 1% returns in their checking accounts and 3% (or less) from bond funds. Anyone considering buying an annuity. Who Should NOT Read It Those looking for “get-rich-quick” investing strategies. This strategy is about consistently and predictably growing your wealth over long time periods (20+ years). This book is targeted to people with little-to-no experience with dividend investing or investing in general. If you have a lot of experience with dividend investing, there probably isn’t much here for you. Annuity salespeople. If you want to sell an annuity, don’t read this book. And definitely don’t let your potential victims (errr… “clients”) read it. Testimonials "The book is well written and understandable for anyone with even minimal investing experience." -JCS "One of the best books on dividend growth investing. I wish I had known about this 10 years ago as I compared my tax-free bonds versus dividend growth investing would have doubled my portfolio if I had followed his books advice." -David "An investment strategy that makes sense. The book is short and to the point. Reading it will be time well spent." "I'm already employing the strategy in my own investments, but this book gave me a lot of confidence that I'm absolutely doing the right thing. It is short, but there's every bit as much content as a much longer book.

Thou Shall Prosper: Ten Commandments for Making Money


Daniel Lapin - 2002
    In Thou Shall Prosper, Rabbi Lapin has done it again. This book tells it like it is in a helpful, honest, hopeful, informative way. He offers valid, useful information based on ancient wisdom and modern experience." -Zig Ziglar, author and motivational teacher "Is it practical to apply spiritual lessons to the hardheaded world of business? In this potentially life-changing book, Rabbi Daniel Lapin proves that it's impractical not to use those lessons-and to bring ancient, timeless wisdom to contemporary problems. This unique approach provides an organized, supremely useful view of the world, combining common sense and unexpected, even startling insight. No matter how successful or sophisticated you may be, this remarkable work will enrich your understanding of the important, exciting process of building wealth." -Michael Medved, nationally syndicated radio host and author of Hollywood vs. America "Rabbi Daniel Lapin is a light unto the nations. A risk-taking rabbi of immense wisdom, his books have already influenced countless Jews and non-Jews with the eternal truths of the Hebrew Bible. Now, in this highly insightful and controversial new book, Rabbi Lapin unearths the golden nuggets of Jewish business genius. By emphasizing the unique talents of the Jewish way of life, Rabbi Lapin demonstrates how Judaism's spiritual regimen can be translated into tangible material rewards, with the bottom line being directly affected. A thoroughly engaging, enriching, and thought-provoking book." -Rabbi Shmuley Boteach, author of Kosher Sex and Judaism for Everyone "Rabbi Lapin is an unorthodox Orthodox rabbi. He understands the Biblical nature of economic freedom as well as he understands the Bible: uniquely well. Prosperity must have a purpose and Rabbi Lapin explores the wellsprings of the Judeo-Christian heritage to elucidate those purposes. In so doing, he also illuminates the road to greater prosperity for all. I really enjoyed this book and I heartily recommend it to people of all faiths." -The Honorable Jack Kemp

How to Trade in Stocks


Jesse Livermore - 1940
    Written shortly before his death in 1940, How to Trade Stocks offered traders their first account of that famously tight-lipped operator's trading system. Written in Livermore's inimitable, no-nonsense style, it interweaves fascinating autobiographical and historical details with step-by-step guidance on: Reading market and stock behaviors Analyzing leading sectors Market timing Money management Emotional control In this new edition of that classic, trader and top Livermore expert Richard Smitten sheds new light on Jesse Livermore's philosophy and methods. Drawing on Livermore's private papers and interviews with his family, Smitten provides priceless insights into the Livermore trading formula, along with tips on how to combine it with contemporary charting techniques. Also included is the Livermore Market Key, the first and still one of the most accurate methods of tracking and recording market patterns Jesse Livermore is a stock market legend who made and lost four stock market fortunes in 40 years. Livermore's revolutionary timing techniques, money management systems, and high-momentum approach to trading are as valid today as they were three-quarters of a century ago. Richard Smitten teaches the “Jesse Livermore Trading System" and is developing "Trade Like Jesse Livermore" software. His other books include How to Trade Like Jesse Livermore and a number of novels About The Author: Jesse Livermore is a stock market legend who made and lost four stock market fortunes in 40 years. Livermore's revolutionary timing techniques, money management systems, and high-momentum approach to trading are as valid today as they were three-quarters of a century ago. Richard Smitten teaches the “Jesse Livermore Trading System" and is developing "Trade Like Jesse Livermore" software. His other books include How to Trade Li

Inside the Investments of Warren Buffett: Twenty Cases


Yefei Lu - 2016
    But how did they know they were making the right investments? What did Buffet and his partners look for in an up-and-coming company, and how can others replicate their approach?A gift to Buffett followers who have long sought a pattern to the investor's success, Inside the Investments of Warren Buffett presents the most detailed analysis to date of Buffett's long-term investment portfolio. Yefei Lu, an experienced investor, starts with Buffett's interest in the Sanborn Map Company in 1958 and tracks nineteen more of his major investments in companies like See's Candies, the Washington Post, GEICO, Coca-Cola, US Air, Wells Fargo, and IBM. Accessing partnership letters, company documents, annual reports, third-party references, and other original sources, Lu pinpoints what is unique about Buffett's timing, instinct, use of outside knowledge, and postinvestment actions, and he identifies what could work well for all investors in companies big and small, domestic and global. His substantial chronology accounts for broader world events and fluctuations in the U.S. stock market, suggesting Buffett's most important trait may be the breadth of his expertise.

The Creature from Jekyll Island: A Second Look at the Federal Reserve


G. Edward Griffin - 1994
    Cussed and discussed by all from notable politicians to academicians to laypersons. Do you want to know the truth about money? Creature from Jekyll Island will give you the answers to these, and other, questions: Where does money come from? Where does it go? Who makes it? The money magicians' secrets are unveiled. We get a close look at their mirrors and smoke machines, their pulleys, cogs, and wheels that create the grand illusion called money. A dry and boring subject? Just wait! You'll be hooked in five minutes. Creature from Jekyll Island Reads like a detective story which it really is. But it's all true. This book is about the most blatant scam of all history. It's all here: the cause of wars, boom-bust cycles, inflation, depression, prosperity. Creature from Jekyll Island is a "must read." Your world view will definitely change. You'll never trust a politician again or a banker.