Dan on March 14th, 2006
I picked up “Fooled by Randomness” by Nassim Nicholas Taleb at the store about a month ago. While looking for a mathematical options trading book (big surprise, not found) this caught my eye. Randomness has always interested me so when I found a book in the trading section about it I couldn’t pass it up.
While the book is much more about the philosophy of randomness than it is about trading and math it didn’t disappoint. I find the interaction between randomness and daily life very interesting and this book covers it all. While I would have liked to see more mathematical topics, Taleb does hit on a few such as Monte Carlo generators (software that explores large numbers of random results). It drives home the main topic that nearly everything is signficantly influenced by randomness very well. If you don’t already attribute much of your life to random results then this is a must read. If you’re already interested in the topic like I was this will bring your knowledge on the subject to the next level. I’m sure that society would be a better place if everyone read and understood this book.
Dan on January 18th, 2006
While not a new book, The 48 Laws Of Power by Robert Greene
is still a must read. Greene discusses 48 laws that will help you become powerful or maintain power.
Each chapter covers a different law of power, such as law #33: Discover each man’s thumbscrew. Greene provides at least one historical reference where the law worked, and at least one where it failed. He then reviews why they worked or failed, and when the law should be used or not used. The text is full of quotes and parables, and reading can be dry at times. Despite this I found it a very enjoyable and interesting book. It seemed easiest to read a chapter a day, thus reading it over a period of months. The combination of history, quotes, parables, fables, and poems brings power to a whole new light.
If you are interested in power (who isn’t?) this is a must read.
Dan on January 4th, 2006
I had this book on my shelf for quite some time before I started reading it a few weeks ago. I should have picked it up sooner! The Neatest Little Guide to Stock Market Investing by Jason Helly
covers fundamental analysis to pick long term stock investments. Kelly provides information for amatures and pros alike. There is something for everyone in here!
One of the things I liked the most about this book is chapter 2, “How The Masters Tell Us To Invest.” This chapter reviews the strategies of some of the top 6 investors of all time. He then compares and contrasts their methods, giving a concise summary of the things they all agree on. He then takes this combination and gives his method of stock picking.
If you’re looking for some excellent long term fundamental stock investment strategies this is a great resource. This is a book that I will keep and reference for quite some time.
