Product Description

Investing isn′t just for the super–rich. This straight–talking guide shows you how to make sound, sensible investment choices – whatever your budget. All the major investment categories are clearly explained, including shares and bonds, unit trusts, and property. Alternative investments for the more adventurous are also covered. Fully updated and an established bestseller, this trusted manual covers all your options.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #36527 in Books
• Published on: 2008-03-20
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 346 pages

Review
“…well–explained, meticulously detailed, and in parts, highly amusing…” (Goodtimes,September 04)

“…shows you can do as well – and often better – than the professionals.” (The Guardian, Saturday 18^th September)

“…a wonderfully basic “how to” guide that offers all sorts of advice for the investment beginner without the jargon...” (Active Life, September 2004) 

Active Life, September 2004
"...a wonderfully basic 'how to' guide that offers all sorts of advice for the investment beginner without the jargon..."

From the Back Cover
Investing isn’t just for the super–rich. This straight–talking guide shows you how to make sound, sensible investment choices – whatever your budget. All the major investment categories are clearly explained, including shares and bonds, unit trusts, and property. Alternative investments for the more adventurous are also covered. Fully updated and an established bestseller, this trusted manual covers all your options.

Customer Reviews

A good first port of call
This is a good place to start if you're interested in investing but don't know much jargon or terms. It goes through subjects like investor psychology, as well as explaining the various types of investments and the risks associated with them. It is clear to read and very understandable. This would be a perfect launch-pad to other books about investing and a great way to further your knowledge about what can be a confusing topic.

My review
I have read this book from cover to cover at least once and some topic of my interest at least twice or more.

I am no new comer when come to investment, but I do get some refreshment on certain bits which I have too long forgotten in my consideration whenever I buy my shares.

The author placed a lot of emphasis on buying shares and dedicated almost half of the book on shares. He is in agreement with Warren Buffett style of investing - buy and hold. He placed similar emphasis on bonds (maybe a little lesser than shares). He placed lesser emphasis on real estate investment and alternative investment.

I think these forms of investment are just as important as knowing how to invest in stock. I sincerely do think the author should really have placed a bit more of his attention on these areas. I think the details on some of the more sophisticated form of investment (CFD/Spreadbet/Share Options) are covered too briefly in this book. Warnings and danger of these geared products are not discussed in great details.

Oh yes, the author has very deep hatred for OEIC/Mutual fund. He would not recommend anyone buying OEIC/Mutual fund. And I see where he is coming from, but perhaps he has been a bit too extreme to certain extent. OEIC/Mutual fund is still a great one-stop solution for investors who do not have the time to study the various different form of investment and still provide a quick diversification.

I like the first half of his book, but somewhat feel he had been under pressure to finish the second half of his book. A lot of the important details on the topics covered in the second half of his book has been absent (For example: He discussed about real estate in just few pages whereas he discuss shares in great details. He has not discussed about investing in education or owning a business (to me that is also a form of investment).

And I dislike the way he drew his conclusion. The conclusion is in direct contrast with the first half of the book. In the first half of his book, he is almost certain that shares almost always beat any forms of investment in the very long term, with charts and statistic to back him up. In the last chapter of his book, he is not so sure of that, in fact, he is not even sure any form of investing is good (I felt it is as though the conclusion is written by another person altogether).

I give it a 5 star for the first half of his book, but 3 star for the second half. If you are interested in shares and bonds, this is the book you should read (discard the second half). If you are interested in other form of investment other than shares and bonds, I suggest you look for other books.

Excellent intro to the subject
Well-written primer for investors or anyone who simply wants to understand what all the financial pages of newspapers mean. Levene tackles the subject in an informal but informative manner and his background as a journo rather than a fund manager clearly helps in this respect.

This is one of the better '...For Dummies' titles I have come across and certainly the best introduction to the subject I have encountered. Too often investment books are either over-technical or dry as a bone. Given the huge scope of the subject and the complexity of some of the investment vehicles currently available, Levene does as well as anyone could hope and probably a bit better.