A Fool and His Money : The Odyssey of an Average Investor

You set aside some money, quit your job, devote yourself entirely to studying the markets, and start to invest. Then, through hard work and your own magical intuition, you become so wealthy your major concern is finding a fashionable hobby to soak up your abundant leisure time. All in about a year. Now, thanks to this hugely entertaining and informative book, you can live out the fantasy without risking your money, your job—or your sanity. Since its acclaimed debut a decade ago, A Fool and His Money has become a treasured investment classic. It’s the comic, firsthand account of a first time investor who sets out to make his wildest money dreams come true. In a surge of optimism and enterprise, financial writer John Rothchild drops everything to devote an entire year to learning how to invest a modest sum of money. Motivated by a sincere desire to get rich, he undertakes his mission by systematically studying as much as he can about the markets and how they really operate. He fearlessly asks the most basic questions, observes the professionals at work, studies the newsletters, makes investments, and reports back on everything—including his own highly personal and often hilarious reactions. With Rothchild as your guide through the marketplace, you will:Eavesdrop as his broker explains in fluent double talk why he should buy a certain "hot stock"Share in his buyer’s remorse as Rothchild purchases an unknown technology company stock that puts him on an emotional roller coasterBe humbled as he enters the almighty Federal Reserve Bank and struggles to understand its omnipotent power over his personal financesWitness the excitement and confusion of the Commodities Exchange and find out what pork bellies really areHear firsthand the enigmatic and undoubtedly wise words of various wizards of Wall StreetSympathize with Rothchild as he explains his transactions to his loved onesBlush as he shamelessly attempts to deceive themIn a gesture of pure magnanimity, Rothchild also includes the hard won bits of wisdom he calls his "25 Useful Tips"—which include such sage advice as "Never buy anything from a broker at an airport"—and his handy "Fool’s Glossary," which clarifies many of the technical terms used in the book. Clever, funny, and informative, A Fool and His Money will reward investors at all levels of experience with a revelation on every page.