How do we find hot stocks without getting burned? How do we fatten our portfolios and stay financially healthy? Former hedge-fund manager and longt...
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May 18, 2011
Classic
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I started listening to Jim Cramer about a decade ago when I was still living in South-East Austin. There was a 50,000 watt AM station (WOAI) being broadcast out of San Antonio that was somehow able to get coverage all the way to me, some 80 miles away. As I drove around town I would listen intently as Jim would invite me and my leaky 1989 Ford escort to join him in a piece of the action. He was exciting, motivating, and usually right. Cramer was my first real glimpse into the finance world, and
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Apr 08, 2010
Fred
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Goal setting, analysis, homework, how to trade, when to trade, what to look for and a lot of specific ideas about
stocks, sectors, trends and market timing. Much different than the traditional conventional wisdom. No shortcuts,
study and do your homework. Discipline is your best friend. Throw in a lot of enthusiasm and a little humor for spice.
This guy is amazing - he knows it and he is able to convey it. I believe anyone could follow his advice and make money.
I di More...
stocks, sectors, trends and market timing. Much different than the traditional conventional wisdom. No shortcuts,
study and do your homework. Discipline is your best friend. Throw in a lot of enthusiasm and a little humor for spice.
This guy is amazing - he knows it and he is able to convey it. I believe anyone could follow his advice and make money.
I di More...
Dec 29, 2009
Forager
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Excellent book with a lot of valuable advice and delivered with Cramer's classic wit. I think his best comments were in regards to spotting tops and bottoms. I didn't find his valuation advice to be quite as helpful (though certainly a good primer for beginners). I do wish he went a little more in depth with some of the valuation techniques, but this probably wasn't the place for that sort of stuff. It was a truly entertaining read (his real life stories are great illustrations of his points and
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Dec 17, 2009
Taylor
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Fav. Quote, "Nobody cares about your money like you do."
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Aug 27, 2008
Leonard
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For a long time I was a staunch critic of Cramer as I perceived many of his ideas to be reckless and dangerous. Having read his book I've done a complete 180. Not only did I enjoy the book, I watch his show on CNBC almost every day now. His insights are not earth shattering. Rather I would describe them as Advanced Common Sense. His book and show have helped me to identify why some of the stocks that I've invested in the past did not perform as I expected them to. Although he shamelessly plu
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May 16, 2008
Hundeschlitten
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When I first caught this guy on CNBC (while at work), I couldn't believe that a major network was giving this blow-hard that much air time. Eventually, I started to warm to his sheer obstreperousness, and when he was the only guy in the media last autumn to call it like it was and note that the Fed was about to dilly-dally its way into allowing a wholesale collapse of the global financial markets, I began to sit up and take notice.
I've since come to the conclusion that Cramer is one More...
I've since come to the conclusion that Cramer is one More...
Dec 29, 2010
Gary
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great introduction to investing, but read a lot more before jumping right in because not everything is as wonderful as he makes it sound. For example, he talks about the stock market being up over the past 30 years, and therefore it will be up over the next 30 years, but the stock market has been down the past 11 years so... learn some terms, get excited, try it out, but this is a crash course.
Aug 23, 2009
Yes, the man's insane but also bright and compassionate w a photographic memory. Cramer had some great suggestions that turn investing on its head compared to 20 years ago. For instance, the question to ask is "what will the stock do tomorrow?" and not what I paid for it (the past). That simple question helps to remove emotion from the transaction and suggests facts rather than emotion.
Jan 24, 2010
Bethany
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This is not a book that I could read "cover to cover" - I stopped somewhere in the middle and plan to pick it up again later. There are chapters, but the whole book seemed to be one continuous stream of thought, so even though I didn't get to the end I feel like I have "read" the book. I thought it had great advice that I could actually understand, and Cramer was witty enough to keep my attention. This is the first book on investing that I was able to actually read, comprehen
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Sep 06, 2009
Thor
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Yes, Jim Cramer is an egotistical, obnoxious blowhard, but that doesn't mean he's an idiot. He knows his business, and if you can get around his clown-like antics, you may learn a thing or two about investing.
Sep 12, 2011
Ellen
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Jim Cramer is a top notch entertainer and writes a great book for beginning investors. His explanations are geared to the novice, yet provide sound advice for more experienced investors. He is fun to read.
Jan 17, 2010
Shawn
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3 words: Waste of Time.
Jim Cramer writes the way he talks, using a big long rant about any subject. There are no chapters, no logical order to the presentation of topics.
Try it and you'll regret it.
Jim Cramer writes the way he talks, using a big long rant about any subject. There are no chapters, no logical order to the presentation of topics.
Try it and you'll regret it.
Jan 07, 2010
James
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Explains the stock market in a way that I understand. Motivated me to look more into this area of investing.
Dec 10, 2009
Jonny99
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Cramer is more interesting in person - you don't get that sense of thinly-veiled simmering insanity via text.
Apr 06, 2010
Laura
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I can't stand authors that 'yell' at you but James Cramer has so many good points to make that I'm managing to persevere anyway. I have too many personal finance books on the go so it will take a bit longer to finish.
Update: I skimmed the rest of the book and put it away. The last half of the book is mostly about buying and selling stocks and 'beating' the market. I am years away from trying anything like that. I actually don't think this is a strategy I'll ever try so it seemed a w More...
Update: I skimmed the rest of the book and put it away. The last half of the book is mostly about buying and selling stocks and 'beating' the market. I am years away from trying anything like that. I actually don't think this is a strategy I'll ever try so it seemed a w More...
Sep 15, 2009
Qt
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Interesting book, interesting ideas/theories. Sometimes I thought things could have been explained a little more clearly, but maybe that's just me.
I think that people who have some stock experience already would get more out of this one than complete beginners would; you don't have to be an expert, but if you need concise definitions and have never bought a stock, this may not be quite right. On the other hand, just reading these kinds of books, even if they're over my head, help me learn More...
I think that people who have some stock experience already would get more out of this one than complete beginners would; you don't have to be an expert, but if you need concise definitions and have never bought a stock, this may not be quite right. On the other hand, just reading these kinds of books, even if they're over my head, help me learn More...
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Mar 01, 2009
Jason
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This is a great book. It isn't a beginners book like Rule #1 by Phil Town, it is more of an intermediate beginners book on investing. I would recommend it to all those interested in investing in the stock market. Although Cramer seems like a crazy nut when you first see or hear him, he is really a very smart guy. I found this book very interesting and will probably end up reading it a second time to make sure I caught everything. First though I plan to read his book Mad Money.
Oct 01, 2006
Douglas
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So far the best book on stock selection I have ever read - EVER. Unlike other stock investment books that suggest looking for value and buying and holding over the long term, this book shows you how to evaluate stocks, how to look for signals in the marketplace for market turns, and then gives great trading strategies about what to buy and sell at different points in the market. A SOLID read. I have become a great Cramer fan after reading this book. Excellent-Excellent Book.
Nov 03, 2009
Reed
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Great book for anyone who would like to know more about trading stocks and options.
Dec 31, 2008
Jay
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Read this book first. Jim Cramer is my hero. In today's information age, Jim is the voice of reason and experience. He provides the average person the means to succeed on Wall Street. If you are thinking about investing, then read this book and then read it again. This book discusses general investing.
Jun 27, 2007
started reading it to get some investment advice put into simple terms. jim does a good job explaining the stock market and investing to people who have no idea, but it can be a bit pendantic to those who have a little more experience. i still like jim and find him very entertaining, and he does have a lot of cool things to say. some of the best stuff he has said comes away from his shows, books, etc., but from articles and interviews about him.
Jan 25, 2008
Mike
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I have invested and lost plenty before I found this book. Since then, I've made and lost more but at least I now understand what the heck is going on and how to come up with a strategy to at least not lose a lot. He always says that discipline wins out. Don't be a pig and cut your losses early. Even if you don't want to risk your money on stocks, read this and have a clearer picture of the daily business news.
Aug 05, 2007
Kathy
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I enjoyed reading about smart investing. However, I would only recommend this to a young, wealthy person with tons of time on their hands who would like to spend 30 hours a week to research companies so that they can GAMBLE in the stock market. I doubt this book would do much for anyone without 20 years of experience behind them in active investing. But I got smarter about stuff by reading it. It has some secrets in it!
Aug 25, 2008
Jackie
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So... I can definately say I learned alot from this book... unfortunately I don't actually know enough about investing in the stock market to comment on whether I learned more or less than i would have from another book... my hope is to read a few more books on investing and then revisit this review :)
A side note, if you listen to this as a book on tape, the author's voice may really, really annoy you.
A side note, if you listen to this as a book on tape, the author's voice may really, really annoy you.
Mar 30, 2008
SteveR
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Bueha! Jim Cramer is loud and a madman on his TV program. You might not like his style, but this book is a good guide for investors or those interested in learning about buying stock. According to Cramer it's "not buy and hold" when it comes to stock. It's "buy and homework." This is good advise - i.e. if you're not willing to spend time (1 hour per week) on each stock you own, don't invest in equities.
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Mar 24, 2008
Jillian
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About halfway through this book 90% of people will probably realize they are too busy to devote 5 hours a week to a truly diversified stock portolio and should get a broker or a mutual fund, lol...but it's still good to know the rules of the game. I'm almost finished with Stay Mad for Life and I think it's much more general and relevant for most people.
Feb 19, 2008
Ryan
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I read this one of the times when I thought I wanted to make a mint. It's pretty good, I guess. Basically, the gist of it is a system for trading if you are willing to commit yourself to dedicating a huge amount of time managing your portfolio. Otherwise, Jim recommends some good index funds to put your money into.
