Investing in One Lesson

Failed to live up to its blurb

This book opens by declaring itself as a how-to-guide for individuals who plan on investing, but who fall into categories such as myself: a professional who does not have the time to dedicate to an immersion in stocks, bonds, funds, etc. The book declares that it will teach the basics of all in one easy lesson. Yes, it did cover a lot. Yes, it did provide some advice that sounds pretty good, but it still failed to achieve the goal that it stated, at least to my expectation, of educating me in one easy lesson. The terminology was difficult to follow, more than a few abbreviations were used and you are hosed if you missed it when the author told you what they meant. In the end, I felt only slightly less confused than when I began--thus the two stars that I have rated it.

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A delayed appreciation

This book contains solid advice. When I first read it in 2007, I found it too conservative and repetitive... but now I retract all of that, because not following the advice in this book cost me half of my savings in the meltdown of 2008.

The lesson here can be applied in the good times as well as the bad. As for being repetitive, I believe that it is the reason for me still remembering it all - more than two years later. And since investing is a long-term thing, that is exactly what you need - advice that sticks.

The narration is okay, and you need to pay some attention to terminology so as not to get lost... but even if you don't, it is written in such a way that the essential lesson comes through, even over time.

It was easy to be critical back in 2007 when a monkey throwing bits of fruit at a stock listing and picking the juicy ones could make money. It is when things go wrong that we learn who's advice is really valuable. In my opinion, you can find some of that in this book.

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Review

The book is very simple for the experienced investor; but it is well written, and it states helpful theories that can help investors at all levels.

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This is a good entry level book on investing

My first book was "getting started in stocks". I'd say this is on par with that first book on stocks.