| Investors who want to improve their understanding of financial markets do not have to look far for advice. The financial jungle is richly stocked with books on market lore and tactics, each confidently promising a fast track to profits. The problem for investors is not one of scarcity but of selection. Like Buridan's Ass, which starved to death because it was unable to choose between two plump bales of hay, it is easy to be overwhelmed by choice. -
- How do you choose between hundreds of different books on stock picking? -
- If you only need a grounding in technical analysis, do you have to read a 700-page tome on the subject? -
- Does it matter if an investing book is more than three years old? And so on. This book is an antidote to oversupply. It compacts 150 investing themes into one book, and the latest knowledge on those themes into 10 'rules'. In one go, you can learn what the leading experts in each field consider to be the key determinants of success. As far as we know, this format is unique. Certainly no other book has put together a roster of such high calibre contributors. If our instincts are right, it will appeal strongly to investors. Nevertheless, we should point out that: -
The book does not aim to be the ultimate word on the subjects it addresses. For that you'll need to read the contributors' own books, or visit their web sites “ details of which are included in the text. -
It is a reference book to be dipped into, not a narrative to be read from cover to cover. You don't have to start at 'A'. -
It does not try to be all things to all people. If you find 30% of the rules useful, you should be pleased. It probably means you've sharpened your technique. If you find 100% of them useful, you should worry. It probably means your technique is muddled. -
It aims to illustrate the diversity and conflicting nature of investing, not to proselytize a faith. Many of the rules conflict with each other. That's the point. -
It will not make you a millionaire overnight! It will however provide you with the foundations for accumulating wealth and protecting it. -
It is a work in progress, not a finished product. New rules are added regularly on the book's web site at www.global-investor.com/rules. The main aim of the book is to enable you to identify the rules which suit you, and which will improve your investment performance. For each reader, these will be different. You should also gain an understanding of the 'big questions' of investing: -
- Do stocks go up in the long term ? -
- Should you diversify your stock portfolio? -
- How should you measure risk? -
- Is investing long-term really better than trading short-term? -
- Should you invest internationally? Many of the rules in this book touch on these questions, and the answers are not always obvious. If you think you already know them, read what our contributors have to say - you may be surprised! A couple of practical points: -
- The book is organised alphabetically by contributor name , but there is also a detailed subject index at the back that may provide quicker access to specific information for some readers. -
- On www.global-investor.com/rules there is a special section reserved for owners of this book. As well as providing a full search facility on the content, and a channel for feedback, it offers a free 5 electronic voucher which can be used in the Global-Investor Bookshop, and gives you the chance to win & pound ;100 of investing books. Page 498 explains what to do. We hope you enjoy reading The Book of Investing Rules as much as we enjoyed compiling it. Philip Jenks, Stephen Eckett |
