Jim Cramer's Mad Money: Watch TV, Get Rich by James J. Cramer

by Jim Cramer

Jim Cramer's Mad Money

Genres: Business, Finance, Nonfiction, Money, Personal Finance, Audiobook, Self Help

Hardcover

First published December 5, 2006

About the author

James Joseph Cramer is an American television personality, author, entertainer, and former hedge fund manager. He is the host of Mad Money on CNBC, and an anchor on Squawk on the Street. After graduating from Harvard College and Harvard Law School, he worked for Goldman Sachs and then became a hedge fund manager, founder, and senior partner of Cramer Berkowitz. He co-founded TheStreet, which he wrote for from 1996 to 2021. Cramer hosted Kudlow & Cramer from 2002 to 2005. Mad Money with Jim Cramer first aired on CNBC in 2005. Cramer has written several books, including Confessions of a Street Addict (2002), Jim Cramer's Real Money: Sane Investing in an Insane World (2005), Jim Cramer's Mad Money: Watch TV, Get Rich (2006), and Jim Cramer's Get Rich Carefully (2013).

Reviews

[Geoff Steele · Rating 2 out of 5]

-PEG under 2.0

-have clearly defined reasons, and expected price point for a stock

-detachment of emotions

[Ryan Freeman]

Jim Cramer's Mad Money is a helpful tool to anyone who is beginning to or wants to invest money in the stock market. In this book he advertises his TV show in which he gives viewers advice on what they should buy, nothing is for certain, however he does a lot of the research that you don't have time to do. In his book, he gives lots of shortcuts and tips very helpful to someone starting out. He breaks it down very simply in a way that is not dry and boring but entertaining and rather amusing. This guy is no doubt crazy, however he knows what he is talking about and i learned a lot about how to invest from reading this book. I would recommend it to anyone interested in finance or how to invest their money. It is a how to for dummies pretty much.

[Dave · Rating 1 out of 5]

I read this because I find Cramer's show very entertaining and had just finished his auto-biography (which was excellent). This book, however, is pure crap. You could tell they threw this book together simply to capitalize on the success of the show. It's barely 200 pages, only because they (I say "they" because I have no idea who wrote it--the cover says Cramer wrote it, but the writing was nowhere near the quality of Cramer's) kept adding fluff. There's only enough content for about 100 pages, if that. There are also typos galore. If it took any more than a few hours to read, I would have stopped reading.

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

I can't really say I read the whole book, but I read enough to get an idea of it. He prefaces this book by saying that investing in the stock market on an individual stock basis (not mutual funds), is only for those who have a solid financial base and at least $10,000 to "play" with. Since this doesn't apply to me nor to any of those I want to help with finances, I decided to just skim the book and not give it a thorough reading. It was sort of a review of the micro-econ class I had in college.

[James · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was expecting to learn more about investing from this book. I did learn some new things but the book itself felt more like a companion to the show with no real information. This book basically walks you through how the show works, which seems more like an instruction manual.

Maybe I starting reading this book with the wrong expectations but I would say this is only meant for die hard of Jim Cramer.

[Fayette · Rating 3 out of 5]

I get a big kick out of Jim Cramer. I am only giving this book 3 stars because it was written in 2006 which, let's face it, was 10 years ago. Jim makes a lot of references to stocks, IPO's, and general market news that occurred a full 10 years ago, which makes it less relevant than it would be, say, if it were written today. Nevertheless, it's fun to get inside his head for a little while. I think he's brilliant.

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

First of all, be sure to read his "Real Money" book before you read this one. This book will give you a bit more background on his TV show. However, the updates that he suggests in this book makes you realize that writing a book about investing isn't that helpful because market investing is such a dynamic scene.

[Carl · Rating 1 out of 5]

I listened to the Audio Book, and while it was nice that Jim Cramer read the book -- I thought the content wasn't so hot. This guy can't pick stocks any better than anybody else, and you're probably better off on your own than taking advice from him.

[Paul Tennant · Rating 2 out of 5]

this is a terrible book really. after his success in his other books, i believe he just wanted to milk the cow again. its short, and incredibly dull. it kind of takes away from the brilliance of his earlier wok. I honestly dont recommend it.

[Matthew · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good introductory to the stock market. Doesn't go into too many details about certain sectors. Explains how his show works as well too.

[Brad Solomon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked it a lot, tons of useful information and even though he can be a little too much to take sometimes, you gotta love the guys enthusiasm. Definitely plenty of actionable advice in here.

[Loretta · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author shares with us how he chooses what stocks/sectors to buy. He shares his knowledge about the ups and downs of the stock market.

[Jason Pomeroy · Rating 3 out of 5]

There's some real good information in here as long as you can get over the fact of Cramer saying how great he is in every other sentence.

[Ben Crawford · Rating 2.75 out of 5]

The book serves as a practical, behind-the-scenes handbook designed to help individual investors transition from passive television viewers to active, disciplined market participants. Expanding on the core tenets of his high-energy CNBC show, Cramer pulls back the curtain on his production antics while delivering structured frameworks for assessing corporate financial health, interpreting executive interviews, and capitalizing on major macroeconomic shifts. Rather than offering a shortcut to wealth, the book acts as an intensive training manual, using twenty candid case studies of Cramer’s own most triumphant and disastrous stock picks to teach readers how to methodically complete their investing "homework" and avoid emotional psychological traps.

Jim Cramer emphasizes portfolio diversification by recommending a holding of five to fifteen distinct stocks across unrelated sectors to ensure proper research can be maintained. He advises that no single sector should exceed 20 percent of the portfolio, cautioning against faux-diversification where stocks react identically to the same economic factors.

It was a fun book to skim but does not seem relevant as much to 2026.

[Jordan Mcculloch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice to finally read the book that explains his show. I’ve watched his show since I was in HS and never understood some of the buttons and things he said.

Also, the trading advice in this book is very applicable to the average trader. Puts it in simple terms to help you make money.

It felt that he was trying to give all the “insider” information he could from his time on Wall Street.

Will keep in library for reference.

[Greg Kopstein · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unlike Cramer’s other books, this one is more dedicated towards understanding his show - Mad Money - than engrossing you in stock trades. He does this skillfully, teaching about stocks as you read. I wish I had read this earlier, as it would have helped me understand the show and who The Professor is, rather than try to puzzle together all the buttons and sayings.

That said: I’d read Confessions of a Street Addict first, then this one, then some of his others.

[Trang Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good buying and selling tips

Early chapters are useful on buying and selling of stocks that I wish was in earlier books. Later chapters are more about the show which can be entertaining but not too useful.

[Dan McMillan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very good book and is definitely helpful to those who watch the TV show. As time goes on some things will need to be a bit updated and the same goes with companies out there. Overall great concepts and I definitely recommend it.

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

Most of the advice in the book is general knowledge and can still be applied today but all contemporary examples are more historical nowadays, since the book is over 12 years old now.

[Chris Ginther · Rating 4 out of 5]

B

[Scott Updegraff · Rating 4 out of 5]

You still gotta do your own homework. People watch his show and think they can just follow his picks. Doesn’t work that way for ANY kind of trading & investing…. So I’ve learned.

[Ron Cruz · Rating 1 out of 5]

I enjoy watching Jim Cramer just so that I can pick stocks he doesn't like or so that I can bet against stocks that he professes to be excellent buys. He's so full of himself and I am very careful with what he says because oftentimes, he is very wrong. I got a used copy of this at Half-Price Books for dirt cheap and find it one of the most utterly useless books in my collection. Most of the ideas he put in this books are impractical.

[BillOGoods · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cramer walks you through his television program in fashion allowing the viewer to profit from his tips. The real value here is Cramer's methodology for trading, not necessarily his picks. Cramer's writing style is entertaining but makes the book much longer than need be. Read it selectively. Best chapter is what to look for when he's interviewing a CEO. Again, it's better read for what Cramer looks for and, therefore, what you should look for when you listen to company's leadership spout and tout.

[Jamie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everything you've ever wanted to know about investing in the stock market. I was an investing newbie when I read this book. Almost a year later I am reading it again for the 3rd time and still soaking in Jim's plethora of information. He walks you through every step of doing homework on your stocks. He also gives great advice on buying and selling in increments.

Using his advice I feel empowered that I can effectively manage my own money and not have to depend on mutual funds and pay those mutual fund fees.

[Jeffrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

OK, if you're into risk, loud, obnoxious guys who give tips on TV shows that are fast and furious (and like the cars in the movie his suggestions, if you don't take them with a grain of salt[after all, it's TV, it's entertainment], will only help you crash and burn). At one time I was thinking of investing in the stock asset class; however, after further review, it's too risky. And unless you have millions to burn (read hedge fund), and lots of homework time, real estate is your only choice. Cha Bra! Peace out!

[Asriel · Rating 5 out of 5]

While many people think Cramer is obnoxious, he really understands the details and intricacies of Wall Street. He breaks The Street down into understandable and coherent points without losing the big picture or the overall story. Investing is truly all about the story.

After finishing the book.....
Yes, the book is framed within the concept of his TV show. But that does not prevent him from providing simple, easy to follow methods for researching and analyzing stock.
This is a good book for any level of investor.

[John Chiniara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jim Cramer is a national treasure, not that I agree with all his recommendations. Unfortunately, some people may be turned off by the props, the speed of delivery and hyperkinetic energy. Those who try to learn from Cramer will be richly rewarded. He fills a very important need: demystifying the voodoo aspects of the market. He offers several frameworks like fundamental, technical and comparable analysis, plus disciplined approaches like diversification, to enable people to get a better handle over their investments. This book is the manual to better understand the show.

[Jay · Rating 5 out of 5]

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. In this book Jim discusses how to interactively watch his show.

[Ryan Lum · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kind of an awesome book and gives great advice, I don't completely understand it but I think I'll be ready for the Stock market next year. Jim cramer,w ho's also on Tv helps explain what to invest in. He helps explain in what to do when it comes to doing your hw and making sure that you limit yourself when it comes to buying. He tells you when to buy and when to sell. He gives accounts of bad and yet good calls he made when it came to buying shares.

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is good but light. It's 200 pages, but half of that is fluff. It is meant as a companion to the TV show, and that is where its weaknesses lie. There is a chapter that describes the sound effects Cramer uses and a chapter explaining how to simulate Cramer's "lightning round" by yourself... The 100 pages of actual content are good though, especially to someone clueless like me.