A foolish man who knows how to right
350780
I think Rush Limbaugh would enjoy this if he could understand it. The book is an interesting example of false premises leading to false conclusions. I inside Mr Mamet is the sales manager with the brass balls. No shades or nuances in this book. It's too bad because much of the material is thought provoking.
4976637
The author has an ability to transmit knowledge very efficiently. This is useful financial knowledge that anyone living in America need to have today. His solution to the Healthcare mess is the most likely outcome of that sector. The sooner you read this the sooner you will become adroit at listening to the "talking heads", who by the way should read this as well....smile
1086409
I'm a little old fashioned when it comes to books. I like opening covers and turning pages. So the book is a quick read, which may look like the mini books at the grocery check-out if it were in brick and mortar form. But enough of that. For the critics of his misspellings, incorrect grammar, and other writing flaws, you're missing the point. That's who he is. He mispronounces words, his grammar falls into the wrong tense sometimes, he misspells words on his Youtube titles, but his common sense and reasoning skills are EXCELLENT! If all these so-called flaws were corrected it wouldn't be sincere to me. And that's why I like this guy so much. Look at the educated knuckleheads running the country. I'd gladly sacrifice academia for the sake of a common sense smart country over a people who think they are intelligent elected by the stupid masses that voted them in. E T Williams 2016. Oh Hell to the yes. I would vote for him.
2430465
NOT FOR BEGINNERS. SOME OF HIS OPTIONS STRATEGIES ARE COMPLICATED AND COULD GET ONE INTO A LOT OF TROUBLE IF NOT SEASONED IN OPTION TRADING.
4136483
I like the way this dude writes.  He' super funny with his candor and I found myself chuckling more than once.  The best part is his advice is REAL.  Choosing Yourself is the only way to go in the current economy.  Following the author - and will read more of his books for sure.
3792496
"Investing is a psychiatric profession.  It deals more with emotion than with balance sheets and income statements."  John Spooner shares that insight at the beginning of the book, and his stories certainly bear  out that perspective.
The title of the book is explained in the first  story about Big Arthur, who really did just want to fool around.  It turns  out that stock investing is primarily entertainment for most of Spooner's  clients.  If he tries to provide them with good investments, they get  annoyed and leave him.  He has to be careful in figuring out what their  real objectives are.  One woman tells him to invest conservatively for  current income, then gets angry when he doesn't beat the S&P 500.  She  finally quits him.
The stories are done in a style reminiscent of Adam  Smith in The Money Game, except these stories aren't quite as funny or  illuminating.  They certainly resonate with me, however.  I've known a lot  of people these stories could have been written about.
Spooner's real  opinion is shared succinctly in the middle of the book.  "People are  mostly good at making money but terrible at investing it."  "And  not one of them . . . was capable of managing his or her own money."  As a result, he tells you to hire a broker and to do what the broker says,  or fire the broker.
He has three key questions to ask in deciding which  full service broker to use.  I think you could be misled by these  questions, as I was when I hired a talented, well educated man to be my  full service broker in 1968.  He clearly passed these three tests, and was  a nice fellow to boot, yet 80 percent of my money was gone within a year.  He put me into three of the worst dogs you can imagine.
For  perspective, I suggest that you also read John Bogle's, Common Sense About  Mutual Funds.  If you seriously want to make money, buy index funds.  If  you want to fool around, find a full service broker who will amuse you.  The choice is yours.
This book provides a valuable perspective on the  stalled thinking that affects people's ability to invest.  You can either  make most of these mistakes yourself in the future, or learn them by  reading this book.  It's much cheaper to buy and read the book.  I suggest  that you decide to make money with your money.  Save your entertainment for  other parts of your life where the cost isn't so high.
Live long and  prosper!
3227163
The best for the money I have purchased in along time.  Even though he has not matured yet the originality of his style was surprisingly evident.
4319465
Nathan Myhrvold, while a very smart guy, believes that he can replace art with technology and high production values.

I'll never forget his description of the perfect ribs he ever ate, and how he tried to replicate them with no success. He then turned to his classics of flash-freezing and deep frying. Failing at talent, he finds a workaround to simulate it. Brilliant.

Restrain yourself from encouraging his ego.
126043
good and cheap ,just like the man except for the good part
4857790
This man is funny!  I wouldn't listen to him over and over.  He points out the differences between men and women very well and his comedy is intuitive.  Most of his material is down to earth and easy to understand.  My wife likes him, and she is tough cookie when it comes to comedy.
2767111
Well, well, well...a lawyer with a talent for writing.  Vincent Bugliosi shows YOU how to think clearly about the criminal, Bush Jr.  Most of us "sheeple" cannot see the truth clearly, hopelessly addled with the media's barrage of garbage.  For many of us the capstone of our stupidity concerning the media is our faith in believing the talking heads.  How can so many so-called respectable talking heads be so mindlessly stupid?  How can we as citizens be so mindlessly sheepled?  The remedy to our sheeple sickness is the clarity is this book by Vincent Bugliosi.  Read and heed.  Read to set your mind right.
2205922
For anyone who wishes to invest or understand their investment advisor. If you think logic, reason and prudence are the virtues of investing you are a looser from the start. You have to understand the souls of men before you tread the machinations of the investment, business and banking arenas and this is the primer to get you there. 3rd century fiat money? Mid 17th century Dutch invented swap, option and future deriviatives? The first precedent setting speculation bubble of late 17th century England?

Chancellor embodies his depth of knowledge in history, finance and human motivation in an intriquing and flowing style. Reminding us again that life is stranger than fiction and that there is nothing new under the sun.
3929734
He sure does prove all that educated against with simplicity for all us who known real loves beats thinking too much when not smarter than all that haven't been too behind but only act like theys faiths in science faith in science but theys wrong cause this is truth easified for THINKERS!!!
515271
Heyerdahl was either extremely ignorant of the sea, completely sure of his hypothesis that ancient peoples traveled the sea in rafts, or both.

I worked offshore, and couldn't imagine doing what Heyerdahl did. I've spent my life on the water and the sea just has never been so forgiving in my case. To build a raft for the first time without testing it first against the sea was just madness. But to put out, without the technology we have today, that was just ballsy.

In the end, history proved him right, over and over again. Heyerdahl is a man who certainly knows how to put his money where his mouth is. If you want to know about the spirit of those who have the faith to really lean on their convictions, this is a great book.

-H
2761834
He knows his stuff.  What I like is that he is not saying this is the only way/supplies, but he tells what works for him, and gives very explicit info on the precise products he uses and why they are his preference.
2295871
An idealistic, somewhat solitary young man leaves a Mom shaped childhood of snowsuit wearing and germ fearing in search of his inner warrior / grandfather.
Endeavoring to seek his fortune with little more than a sketchy clue, skimpy budget, and big ideas he heads across the continent to a rugged Paradise in the process of being lost.
Blessed with an excess of beginner's luck, the kindness of singular strangers, and sheer pig-headedness, he survives darn fool adventures in the face of big weather & commercial greed with his sense of humor intact. He even matures and makes good.
If you like honesty, ideals, and individuality, if you value the epic struggle to teach the selfish why it's not smart to trash our very nice planet, if you like to have fun when you read... who could ask for more?
2284321
Book is a good read and appears to be written by someone who knows what he's talking about.