Quarter Share (Solar Clipper Trader Tales) Review

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(More customer reviews)I originally "read" Quarter Share, by Nathan Lowell, in the original podiobook format. I, like many of Nathan's fans, are eagerly awaiting the print release of his fantastic story (and the rest of the 'Golden Age of the Solar Clipper' series) so that I (we) can delve into his fantastic story again (and again).
If I can give you my quick and dirty recommendation: GIVE THIS ONE A TRY NOW!
It is a fantastic story that will resonate with you long after you have read the last word. It is a refreshing break from mainstream, "shoot-em-up and save the galaxy in time for dinner" science fiction, showing us the real, human side of our potentially bright future. If you like classic Heinlein (such as the Rolling Stones, Farmer in the Sky, Citizen of the Galaxy), then this one is definitely up your alley.Here's my longer, more detailed recommendation:
Quarter Share is not your typical futuristic sci-fi story. It is not a story based on waring nations or individuals bent on conquest or domination, so it does not easily fit into the mold of what many of us have come to expect from the sci-fi genre. Instead, it breaks the mold by concentrating on the life and experiences of what Nathan refers to as the "common man". Truthfully, as I started listening to this, at first I was very sceptical of this type of sci-fi story for the first couple chapters and was very unsure of where it was going. Then without really realizing it, I was fully immersed in the story and found that I was very interested in where Ish (the main character) was going to end up in his life, or at least where he was going to be by the end of the story... and I couldn't stop listening.
It was a strange transition for me--having come to expect conflict and danger and "bigger than life" for the majority of my sci-fi "hero" characters I normally get into--to suddenly be draw so completely into a story about the simple, average, and often repetitive everyday struggles of a common person. By the end of the story, I was more invested emotionally and more interested in the small victories that these common characters were able to accomplish throughout the story than I honestly expected I'd be... in fact, I find that the characters in this story have resonated and stuck in my mind more than most of the other sci-fi books I have read (and I've read hundreds of sci-fi books over the last 25 years). Don't get me wrong, I love a good action oriented hero story set in the sci-fi genre as much as anyone else... it's just that this one is so unlike those other storytelling methods that I thoroughly enjoyed Nathan's Quarter Share as much, if not more, than those mainstream offerings... just in a very different, more meaningful manner.
The story revolves around Ishmael Wang (pronounced "wong" as in "gong"), known as Ish to his friends and intimates, a young man who is growing up on a corporate-owned planet. After his mother dies in a tragic (fateful) flitter crash, Ish is suddenly thrust into the real world when he is notified that he must vacate the planet (since he is not a company employee), forcing him to make some quick and difficult decisions about his potential future. A young man with no real marketable skills (or so he believes) and no idea where his future lies, Ish lands a job as a low level crew member (with a "quarter share" of the ship's profits) on an interstellar solar clipper called the Lois McKendrick. Ish begins to see a brighter future unfold where once he had little interest or premonition of his future, as he begins to learn the ins and outs of shipboard life. The story conveys the normal trials and tribulations of a young sailor on an interstellar trading vessel as he finds his place in the grand scheme of things and starts planning to have an active role in the development of his future... with potentially very lucrative results.
My overall recommendation is to give this story a try, no matter what your preconceived notions of the sci-fi genre are. Leave your normal sci-fi genre expectations at the airlock and travel a bit with Ish, Cookie, Pip, Big-Bad Bev, Mr. Maxwell, and the rest of the Lois crew as they travel the known trading routes in search of profit. This one is well worth the time! You won't be sorry.

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The Golden Age of Sail has Returned -- in the Year 2352When his mother dies in a flitter crash, eighteen-year-old Ishmael Horatio Wang must find a job with the planet company or leave the system--and NerisCo isn't hiring. With credits running low, and prospects limited, he has just one hope...to enlist for two years with a deep space commercial freighter. Ishmael, who only rarely visited the Neris Orbital, and has never been off-planet alone before, finds himself part of an eclectic crew sailing a deep space leviathan between the stars. Join the crew of the SC Lois McKendrick, a Manchester built clipper as she sets solar sails in search of profit for her company and a crew each entitled to a share equal to their rating.AWARDS AND RECOGNITION 2008 Parsec Award Finalist for Best Speculative Fiction for Full Share 2008 Podiobooks Founder's Choice Award for Double Share 2008 Parsec Award Finalist for Best Speculative Fiction for South Coast 2009 Podiobooks Founder's Choice Award for Captain's Share 2009 Parsec Award Finalist for Best Speculative Fiction for Double Share 6 out of 10 Top Overall Rated podio books (#3 Ravenwood, #4 Quarter Share, #5 Double Share, #6 Captain's Share, #7 Full Share, #10 South Coast) as of May 20105 out of 10 Top Overall Rated by Votes podio books (#2 Double Share, #3 Quarter Share, #4 Full Share, #7 Half Share, #10 Captain's Share) as of May 2010ABOUT THE SERIESTRADER'S TALESQuarter ShareHalf ShareFull ShareDouble ShareCaptain's ShareOwner's Share* SHAMAN'S TALESSouth CoastCape Grace

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Capital Gains, Minimal Taxes 2009: The Essential Guide For Investors And Traders Review

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(More customer reviews)This is probably the best book out there for the tax treatment of the following investment topics: stocks, options, short sales, wash sales, mutual funds, and dividends. I keep this book next to my computer and refer to it often. It has many examples. It even covers more advanced topics such as constructive sales and straddles. It has sections on the taxation of traders, gifts, accounts for minors, and AMT. It covers all of these topics accurately and thoroughly, while still being very readable for the non-tax professional. The author points out any grey areas of the tax law. This book isn't perfect (for example, in the section on estimated taxes, it doesn't mention form 2210 or what to do if unexpected income comes late in the year), but it is still very good.

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If you buy or sell stocks, mutual funds or options, you need to handle your taxes like a pro. This book makes it easy to understand the rules and the best strategies for minimizing taxes. It starts with the basics but goes on to provide a plain language explanation of rules for short sales and other advanced techniques, and covers the special rules that apply to traders. This edition covers legislative changes through 2008 and other important developments.

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The Little Book of Marks on Southwestern Silver: Silversmiths, Designers, Guilds & Traders Review

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(More customer reviews)Excellent resource book for both beginners like myself and those who have been collecting longer. Years of research compiled for us in one place presented in an easy search format. This book is as important for Southwestern Silver fans as his book on Mexican hallmarks is to those of us who collect vintage Mexican silver.

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The Stock Trader: How I Make a Living Trading Stocks Review

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(More customer reviews)Don't read this book if you are looking for esoteric set-ups and tricks that you can use in today's market. Do read it if you want to sit with a successful trader and get a hint of what it's like to live by trading.
Mr. Oz impressively made 32% on his account during the crash of April 2000 when the NASDAQ dove by 30%. He did it without shorting and by trading only the hard hit tech sector. The strategy he used was basically the "buy on the dip" technique that worked so well during the historic run-up. However, this feat is not the "take-away" from this book.
The real lesson is risk management. First, Tony is ruthless about leaving bad trades without afterthought or regret. Even when the stock bounds up shortly after he sells, he affirms that he did the right thing by exiting when he did. He always enters a stop loss as soon as he enters the trade, and raises it as soon as feasible. Those of us who have learned this lesson the hard way can only admire his intestinal fortitude. Second, Tony almost never hits his target for a trade. He almost always exits sooner, but he preserves his profits. Mastering these two seemingly simple lessons is what separates the real money-makers from those who finance them.

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"Put your money where your mouth is," came the challenge. So he did.Best selling author, Tony Oz, was challenged by Tim Bourquin and Jim Sugarman, founders of the International Online Trading Expo, to prove that his stock trading strategies work, that he could consistently take higher-than-average returns out of the market.To meet the challenge, Tony kept a trading diary for four weeks, documenting each and every trade he made. The simple story that unfolded turned out to be of much greater consequence than anyone could have foreseen, as Tony chronicled a first-hand description of one of the worst stock market crashes in recent memory.Tony was already into his four-week trading challenge at the peak of the Nasdaq market, just before the Crash of April 2000. Having no idea at the time that he was in the middle of a "correction" that would wipe out over two trillion dollars of stockholder's equity, Tony managed to earn respectable profits each week, and had only a few losing days. What is truly extraordinary is that all trades were on the Long side – not one trade was selling Short in a rapidly declining bear market.The results of the challenge are detailed in this exciting new book.Inside, Tony tells how he chose a broker, set up an account, and then drew a handsome income from the stock market each week, earning a 56% return on his capital in one month – more than most investors earn in a year. Over 100 round trip trades are recorded, charted and explained in a daily trading journal. Tony reveals what he was thinking and feeling, and he explains each trade's strategy, and his profits and losses - all the while walking the reader through his simple methodology and simple rules. At the end of each week, he ordered a check from his broker to "sweep" his account, and prevent compounding of profits. "After all," Tony explains in the book, "Friday is payday."

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The Universal Principles of Successful Trading: Essential Knowledge for All Traders in All Markets (Wiley Trading) Review

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(More customer reviews)This book is excellent for traders that are ready for it. You need a foundation in trading to understand its importance and take the principles seriously. Once you are through the rainbow and butterfly phase of trading and realize that you will not be a millionaire in a year this book will help you get focused and get serious about your trading and what really works.
Here are the six universal principles of successful traders:
1). Preparation
Author Brent Penfold is in the minority believing risk management is the #1 priority in trading. He believes that once you get your trading system and position size in place you must use the amount you will risk on each trade to figure out your risk of ruin. The book shows specifically how to figure this out using an excel spreadsheet. His point is that if your risk of ruin is not zero then you will eventually blow out your account. Risking 1% to 2% of your capital in any one trade usually gives you a zero percent risk of ruin but it also depends on your systems win/loss ratio. But the point is to test any system with 30 trades first then determine your risk of ruin.
2). Enlightenment
Your #1 goal is to lower your risk ruin to zero. In trading the trader with the best ability to cut losses short wins. Simple trading strategies work the best based on support and resistance. The simplest way to win in trading is to trade with the trend on either retracements of break outs. The 10% of winners in the market win by treading where others fear, buying on break outs when they first occur and going short when a new low is made. Or buying into the abyss when a security finds support or resistance and reverses at the end of a monster trend.
3). Developing a trading style
You must choose your own personal style of trading, swing trading or trend trading. You must also trade based on your chosen time frame: intraday, short term, medium term, or long term.
4). Selecting Markets
Ideal markets to trade have volume and price transparency, liquidity, 24 hour coverage, zero counter party risk, have low transaction costs, and are honest and efficient. They also need to have the good trading attributes of volatility, research, simplicity, ease of short selling, specialization, opportunities, growth, and leverage. These are the markets you can make money trading.
5). The Three pillars of trading.
Money Management: You must make your trades as fixed as possible. Trade with the same risk, capital, units, percentage, and in the same type markets to manage risk most effectively.
Method: Choose a method that works for you and your personality from the ones available. (Dow Theory, technical indicators, patterns, price and volume, etc,. etc.) Once you have a methodology to your trading test it 30 times by e-mailing a trading partner for accountability to verify it works in the real world.
Psychology: Manage your hope, greed, fear, and pain to stay in the game.
6). Putting it all together
Monitor performance. Positive reinforcement. Equity momentum.
I have been actively and successfully trading the market for a decade and agree 100% with the authors principles.I have also learned a lot from this book even though I have read over 100 books on trading at this point.
The author finishes up his book by asking many legendary traders and some that are successful private traders what one advice they would give to aspiring traders. This advice alone is worth the price of the book. Here is a summary:
Money Management:
Trade small
Focus on risk.
Methodology:
Pick a method that suits your personality.
Develop a simple methodology.
Avoid the majority, learn to anticipate reversals.
Look for alignment in set ups.
Good defense wins games.
Identify low risk set ups.
Know your methodology using software.
Psychology:
Deep practice before trading
Expect to lose. Trade to win.
Be disciplined. Be patient.
Be humble.
Be in control.
This book is the real deal. The author warns of the pain of trading. If you trade you will experience those ten losing trades in a row in any system. You will experience the 10% draw down in your account the only question is when. 90% of people who enter the markets to trade will lose. The majority of even successful traders who win in the markets usually start out by losing most of the money in their first trading account. So be warned the market uses maximum adversity at all times so the majority of traders lose long term. This book is in the top five I have ever read on trading and is a must for any serious trader's library. Even with the long review I have not even scratched the surface of this excellent book full of trading wisdom. It is like combining all the best trading books into one. I would give this book six stars if Amazon would let me.

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The Universal Principles of Successful Trading clearly and unambiguously articulates trading principles that distinguish the winners from the losers. Though trading can be performed in different markets, across different timeframes, and with different instruments based upon different techniques, there is one common thread that ties all winning traders together: the universal principles of successful trading. All consistently profitable traders adhere to them regardless of the markets, timeframes, and techniques.
In this ground-breaking book from top trader, Brent Penfold, the reader will:
Learn how to develop a trading plan
Learn how to identify and create an effective methodology
Discover successful money management strategies
Understand trader psychology
And many more exciting trading and strategies secrets.

Supporting the universal principles are rare interviews from a diverse group of successful traders. Some are the new young guns of trading and others are market legends who are trading just as actively today as they were over 50 years ago. They represent a diverse group of traders from the United Kingdom, America, Singapore, Hong Kong, Italy, and Australia. All of them have generously agreed to offer the reader one singularly powerful piece of advice to help them towards their trading goals. Each piece of advice emphasizes an essential element of the universal principles.
This timely and exciting book from Brent Penfold has already garnered many accolades and looks set to become a modern-day classic.

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Technical Traders Guide to Computer Analysis of the Futures Markets Review

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(More customer reviews)This book gets a 4 stars rating because of its expensive price (the book is only 220 pages and full of empty spaces). But, price is always subjective. You may treat it as the cost of your education.
Anyway, what makes this book so very valuable is the fact that it is easy to read, clear, definitive, and yes it has so many valuable information on what parameters to use for each indicator. How many of you left confused on what parameters should be used? This book will definitely clear away the clouds in your mind.
LeBeau has done extensive research on indicators such as ADX and his insights on other popular indicators are extremely valuable.
The title may be slightly misleading because bulk of the contents is explaining each technical indicator (120 pages), while only 45 pages on explaining how to build a trading system. Yet, it is clear and concise.
The final Chapter is also valuable. It deals with 12 Day Trading systems that the author has selectively chosen out of all day trading ideas he has or has received from other great traders.

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With the low cost of modern computer hardware and software combined with the communication of price data via satellite, a new and rapidly expanding market of traders using computers has developed. This essential book bridges the gap between the basic instruction that comes with software programs and what a trader actually needs to know to develop and text profitable futures trading system. With specific information on how to set up and use computer-generated technical studies of the most popular indicators, the book includes: How to build a trading system tailored to the reader's specific need; Practical instruction on how to display and analyze technical information; Advice for developing well disciplined money management and risk control strategies; techniques for monitoring a trading system to detect if something has gone wrong before major losses occur.

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Antique Trader Guide to Fakes & Reproductions, 4th Edition Review

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(More customer reviews)I purchased this book when I became interested in antiques and found myself scrolling the pages of Ebay for treasures. The book is invaluable in pointing out many of the creative ways con artists have ingeniously come up with to defraud the unwary buyer. The biggest flaw of the book is that it is a survey book and hits only a few examples of fakes within a number of widely diverse catagories. I happen to be interested in porcelain and the information the book provided on the few specific areas of porcelain (like RS Prussia and Delft) were first-rate. Unfortunately vast areas of porcelain like figurines in general or companies like Meissen were never even mentioned. This is understandable as the book also covers broadly furniture, bronze, scrimshaw and cast iron lawn and garden items. I would love an expanded series with books specializing in each of the areas listed. As an overview this points out areas of fraud to be on the lookout for. As a specific, unless you happen to be evaluating the exact same item, it is unlikely to be helpful in any one particular fraud question.

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Full Share (Solar Clipper Trader Tales) Review

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(More customer reviews)No massed missile launches, no slashing laser beams, no fleet actions and yet this is one of the best Science Fiction series I have read in years. C. S. Forester without war, O'Brian without the death. Realistic merchant marine life in space, a coming of age series in the space age. Each of the first two books in the series, Quarter Share and Half Share only set the stage for this story. Here we begin to see the full development of Ish and a sense of where the series might take us. I can not recommend this book and this series highly enough, I need more stars!

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IF EVER THERE WAS A TIME TO “TRUST LOIS" THIS WOULD BE IT.When the home office adds an unexpected crew member to the environmental section of the Lois McKendrick, Ishmael Wang faces being put ashore at the next port. Not even his multiple division ratings can save him because he refuses to bump someone else in his place. In just a few days, Ishmael will lose both his friends and the home he has made for himself while traveling through the Deep Dark. Just when he thought matters could not get any worse, an EMP damages the ship and threatens the lives of everyone on board. Gone are the days when Ish's biggest challenge was making a good cup of coffee. Now he must use his wits and rely on the ingenuity of his shipmates just to survive. Return with the crew of the SC Lois McKendrick, in what may prove to be their final voyage. All your favorites will be aboard including: Ish, Pip, Cookie, Brill, Diane, and Big Bad Bev. “Nathan Lowell does what few authors can'make each successive book better than the previous one. While Full Share remains true to Nathan's goal of exploring the lives of ordinary people, what we find is something truly extraordinary-the coming of age of a character that we just love spending time with. Nathan's Solar Clipper has been compared to the addictiveness of crack cocaine and a return to classic Heinlein; I think both descriptions are well deserved." - Michael Sullivan, bestselling author of the Riyria Revelations TRADER TALE BOOKS IN THE GOLDEN AGE OF THE SOLAR CLIPPER Quarter ShareHalf ShareFull ShareDouble ShareCaptain's ShareOwner's ShareSHAMAN TALE BOOKS IN THE GOLDEN AGE OF THE SOLAR CLIPPERSouth CoastCape Grace**ForthcomingAWARDS 2010 Parsec Award Winner for Best Speculative Fiction for Captain's Share2009 Podiobooks Founder's Choice Award for Captain's Share2009 Parsec Award Finalist for Best Speculative Fiction for Double Share2008 Podiobooks Founder's Choice Award for Double Share2008 Parsec Award Finalist for Best Speculative Fiction for Full Share2008 Parsec Award Finalist for Best Speculative Fiction for South Coast

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Nathaniel's Nutmeg: Or the True and Incredible Adventures of the Spice Trader Who Changed the Course of History Review

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(More customer reviews)Put on your windbreaker and get a firm grasp on both arms of your easychair and get ready for a great adventure! This book is that good. It flies along at breakneck speed with never a dull moment. Mr. Milton has a wonderful style and he has obviously done a tremendous amount of research in putting this book together. There are a lot of quotes from the primary sources, which makes for very interesting reading as you get a"you are there" feel. Actually, Nathaniel Courthope, from the title of the book is only a relatively small, though integral, part of the story. Mr. Milton gives brief but vivid character sketches of many of the Dutch and English sailors, merchants and explorers who were involved in this long and bloody trade war. Also, the book is not confined to just talking about the East Indies. It moves around from England, Holland, India, etc. to the Arctic and the search for a Northeast Passage and to Manhattan and the Hudson River and the search for a Northwest Passage. One note for the squeamish: the participants in the fight for control of the nutmeg trade did not obey the Marquis of Queensbury's rules for fighting fair. The book is full of beheadings; people being keelhauled and drawn and quartered and there is a horrific chapter on English sailors being tortured by their Dutch captors that is worthy of the worst things done during the Spanish Inquisition. If your picture of the Dutch East India Company is one of fat and jolly pipe smoking burghers, think again!

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Tricks of the Active Trader: An Insider's Techniques for Getting the Edge Review

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(More customer reviews)There is a reason why this book has two reviews after two years in publication--smart people have NOT bought this book. The book is filled with the author's attempt at light humor mixed with his "prestidigitations" and believe me, not a bit of the first 89 pages are worth a dime unless you want to know how zebras become prey if they lurk on the edges of the herd?? Pages 90 through 174 are about personal computers, avoiding spam, backing up your data, how to send emails, you get the picture. The type of info a sixth grader has already mastered...why so many pages are devoted to absolute grammar school level is beyond me. Oh, the meat you ask...what is it. Well, jump to part three where you can find out what radio stations to listen to, what web sites carry financial information and trading software you could find by doing a very simple Google search. The "Tricks for the Active Trader" is use your time more wisely, read one issue of Investor Business Daily and you are ahead of this book's curve.

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The best-selling author of Tricks of the Floor Trader reveals how to hone your online trading skills and assure your future success

Trick #1: This isn't yet another day trading book.Tricks of the Active Trader reveals the new rules of online trading. Veteran active trader Neal Weintraub puts his experience, smarts, and savvy to work for you, demystifying the complex world of computer-driven markets and providing you with more than 150 ways to improve your trading success. You'll find expert insights on trading techniques, software, and hardware you won't find in any other single source.

In straightforward, easy-to-understand language, Weintraub presents proven trading tips and tricks used by active traders that you can put to use immediately, as well as highlights the traps that can trip you up. Each tip, trick, and trap covers a basic trading rule of thumb, from "Pretend You're a Customer" and "Electronic Trading Has Trap Doors" to "If You Don't Know, Don't Fix It" and "People First, Computer Second."

Aggressive, successful active trading requires careful planning and knowledge. Tricks of the Active Trader is your hands-on guidebook to joining the ranks of the top online traders.
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Sir Francis Drake: Slave Trader and Pirate (Wicked History) Review

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(More customer reviews)The first book I read in Scholastic's series was Mary Tudor: Courageous Queen or Bloody Mary? (Wicked History), who has a "bad reputation" in history for executing Protestants. So she fit into the infamous category. Francis Drake, however, has a swashbuckling reputation owing to his exploits benefiting England. History is usually written by the victors. However, this book did try to present a more evenhanded view of Drake. He was a pirate - even Queen Elizabeth knew this. During the famous victory over the Spanish Armada, Drake disobeyed the fleet commander in order to attack and loot a ship carrying the Spanish soldier's pay! He also heavily expanded the slave trade. Yet, he did have a personal code - he often released his prisoners unharmed. This little book provides information on most of Drake's expeditions, including his feat of sailing around the world, and how his expeditions impacted the war with Spain and helped England gain wealth and naval supremacy.

There is one problem with the book, which the author readily admits - not much is known about Drake before he came to command his own ship or even about many of his expeditions - so there are quite a few instances of "Drake probably did..." and "It is likely that Drake...." However, this is preferable to making unsupported statements, even in a non-scholarly work. And again, the list of recommended sources for more information is a great feature.
Overall, this is a great entry to a wonderful series.


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What sight sent shivers down the spines of 16th-century Spanish sailors? The masts of any ship belonging to Sir Francis Drake the slavetrader, pirate, and looter known as "The Dragon," who prowled the seas from the Mediterranean to the Pacific Ocean.

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The Commitments of Traders Bible: How To Profit from Insider Market Intelligence (Wiley Trading) Review

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(More customer reviews)I still remember the impact Steve Briese'a ideas had on me when I first encountered them a dozen years ago. There are three groups of futures traders - hedgers (the true insiders!), big speculators (supposed to be smart but not always...), and the rest - small specs. The US government publishes reports about their relative positions. When you see a situation where the bulk of hedgers is squaring off against the bulk of small specs, you have the makings of an explosive move. In whose favor? Who do you think is likely to win - the insiders or the small fry?
This analysis is further complicated by the fact that hedgers tend to be on the short side of the market (you may want to look up my latest book Sell & Sell Short). Briese discovers their true bias by comparing their current position to the historical norm. A beginner may look at the numbers, see that hedgers are 70% bearish and decide that the insiders expect a decline. In fact, if their bearish norm in this market is 90%, then 70% is wildly bullish!
Briese's book covers everything you need to know about COT )Commitments of Traders Reports) - including technical patterns, currencies, metals, oil, and much more. If you trade futures, you sure need this book!
I like Briese's breezy writing style (pardon the pun!) but dislike the arrogant title of the book. I know of only one Bible, and Briese is definitely not its author. This minor quibble aside, I highly recommend his book to every serious futures trader.

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Regardless of your trading methods, and no matter what markets you're involved in, there is a Commitments of Traders (COT) report that you should be reviewing every week. Nobody understands this better than Stephen Briese, an industry-leading expert on COT data. And now, with The Commitments of Traders Bible, Briese reveals how to use the predictive power of COT data—and accurately interpret it—in order to analyze market movements and achieve investment success.

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Antique Trader Antiques & Collectibles 2009 Price Guide (Antique Trader Antiques and Collectibles Price Guide) Review

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(More customer reviews)I purchased this because the 2008 version had great reviews compared to other antique guides. One of the strengths was they had more pictures than their competitors. Well, it does have lots of pictures. But there are so few items listed for each section that it is of little use, unless they happen to have a picture of something you are looking for. They do cover the marks to look for in each section.
Some sections are much bigger than others. For example, bottles are covered well with lots of pictures of different types. I can see now that the long lists in Kovels are more useful if you know what you have. For instance Hopalong Cassidy items would have more listings in Kovels than in Traders.
So, if you want to see lots of pictures to browse and help with identification of what to look for in more detailed books, then this is a good book for that. The pictures are in color and well done.

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A lot has changed in the world of antiques and collectibles since the collecting world was introduced to Antique Trader Antiques & Collectibles Price Guide 25 years ago. However, in all that time this guide has maintained unequivocal reliability of pricing and data, depth of coverage in key antiques and collectibles categories, and rapid response to the changing needs of the collecting community. With more than 5,500 color photos (more than any other price guide), newly updated listings and broad range of categories, this guide more than lives up to its legacy.

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Antique Trader Collectible Paperback Price Guide Review

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(More customer reviews)This book falls short as a reference book or a price guide although the pictures are nice. Of the 1000+ paperbacks in my collection from the 40's through the 60's, I found 47 in this book. No publisher fared well but Ace Books seemed particularly unrepresented. Authors such as Anderson, Norton, Nourse, Silverberg, Leinster are either absent or barely mentioned. I wasn't expecting a rigorous compendium but I didn't like the sampler found here. Anyone know of a GOOD price guide?

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The humble paperback packs a lot into just a few pages, and that's without even getting into the storyline. Every imaginable genre and subject, from romance and science fiction to sleaze and the traditional western are among the pocket-sized reads you'll find in this price guide. The appealing intense, often graphic, passionate and sometimes provocative cover art of paperbacks that you can't help but love are featured in 1,000 brilliant color photos in this must-have collectors reference.

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Adventures of a Currency Trader: A Fable about Trading, Courage, and Doing the Right Thing (Wiley Trading) Review

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(More customer reviews)I will have to disagree with the enthusiastic reviews of this book by various users. I suppose I'm not the target audience of this book because I've been trading currency in one form or another for about 9yrs now and I just read the book yesterday. So being a seasoned trader, I came to the book with different experiences than a total newbie.
That being said, *if* I could go back to my newbie self and recommend books for me to read, this would not be one of them. First off, the title of the book is misleading: Adventure? There is no adventure in this book. If you want adventure, read "Investment Biker" or "Adventure Capitalist" by Jim Rogers. If you want a pseudo-adventure with a real character - read "Reminiscences of a Stock Operator" by Edwin Lefevre. Reminiscences is a great book about a true trading legend, this book is about a guy in an office who wants to trade for a living. It goes on about how he blows through two accounts and meets various mentors (more on that later) that get him on the right path. There is very little that is exciting about any of the events that happen within the book - i.e. there is no adventure here.
You should also understand that this book is a parable/fable - so it reads as a strange combination of personal journey and enlightenment event. It's somewhat bizarre. Some of the characters seem to know things about the protagonist that are completely unbelievable. For example, in the book, a big-shot trader of a multi-billion dollar trading firm knows that a random law clerk (the main character) just lost $5,000 using a retail forex account. You're expected to believe that an unemployed law clerk can sneak into a trading firm and get a trading mentor. (Incidentally, the author's adulation of "mentors" is not the least bit suspicious considering he seems to run some sort of mentoring business on the side). All of these logical leaps and storytelling lapses you're expected to excuse because the book is a parable.
The main character himself is not really sympathetic or believable. We are told that he funds his forex account with his credit card but that he and his wife are maxed out on their 6 credit cards. Yet somehow, miraculously, at some point later in the book, he has something like $30,000 in "savings" that he can draw upon. His wife is pregnant with his fourth child at the same time that he quits his job and decides to become a trader (despite having shown no talent for it and having no experience doing it). We are supposed to have sympathy for this guy, who decides he doesn't need health insurance while having a pregnant wife and no money? In general, the character himself makes so many poor decisions it lessens the impact the author is trying to achieve. It's quite obvious the author wants to point out the many pitfalls of trading currencies (i.e. don't use too much leverage, don't gamble with money you can't afford to lose, etc etc) but he makes these points in such a heavy-handed manner that it's nearly impossible to take the protagonist seriously.
I got through over 2/3 of the book before I ever saw the words "stop-loss". But of course by the time the reader learns about what a stop-loss is, the protagonist is already hobnobbing with multi-billion dollar hedge fund managers (explaining to them what the carry trade is - again very believable stuff here). Keep in mind, he's meeting all these people before he actually knows how to trade. A few paragraphs later we find out that our protagonist doesn't know how to use spreadsheets. Risk management is sort of an afterthought in this book. Again, we get through 2/3 of the book before we hear about what an acceptable drawdown is - Apparently that number is 25% (in a day? in a week? The author never specifies). He dismisses 10% out of hand without giving any explanation, but I'll tell you, any trader that would be OK losing 10% of his entire account in a day is either a) not a very good trader or b) a maniac. I simply think this is bad advice - especially for rank beginners which are who this book is intended for.
Putting aside the thin "plot", the style of the writing itself is repetitive and boring. Many sections are structured as interviews. The dialogue is clunky & unnatural. I've already mentioned that the situations themselves are totally unrealistic but the way these characters interact with each other is sometimes just plain strange.
At the end of the day, if the target audience is supposed to be newbies, let me give you some free advice:
1) Start trading with a demo account - don't risk real money until you understand the mechanics of trading and can prove that you can make money on the demo platform
2) As soon as you feel comfortable, fund a small account where you can trade micro lots and use no more than 2-1 leverage until you are consistently profitable
3) Never play with money you can't afford to lose - This is a cardinal rule (although the author makes the rather dubious argument that there is no such thing as money you can't afford to lose).
4) ALWAYS use a Stop-Loss! (this should actually be rule number one)
5) Do your homework and find/create a system that works for you - There are no free lunches
For the amount of money this book costs, you could buy 3 very good trading books or buy 5-7 used books.
Final verdict: 1.5 stars


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Praise for ADVENTURES of a CURRENCY TRADER
"A truly easy, unique, and enjoyable read! Rob has done it once again to teach us in the funniest way possible how not to make the most common trading mistakes. If you are tired of reading how-to books, this is perfect for you. I highly recommend this book to all traders. Everyone will learn something about themselves by reading this book."—Kathy Lien, author, Day Trading the Currency Market, and Chief Strategist, www.dailyfx.com
"Adventures of a Currency Trader is a must read for anyone who has ever traded or is thinking about trading in the Forex markets. Rob Booker has a unique way of taking years of market knowledge and transforming it into an educational and entertaining experience. It has quickly become a cult classic in my trading library!"—H. Jack Bouroudjian, Principal, Brewer Investment Group
"Brilliant! Rob's humor and humanity shine through in this parable about trading and life. Filled with wisdom and wit, it's an exhilarating rollercoaster ride through the peaks and valleys of the learning curve, with many valuable lessons learned along the way."—Ed Ponsi, President, FXEducator.com
"Rob's fable of everyman 'Harry Banes' is destined to become a trading classic. This is both the missing piece and the foundation that comes before the strategies and methodologies. The search for the Holy Grail begins and ends in the heart and mind. The journey is authentic and real and if you're willing to take it with Rob, you will be rewarded in the end. Seldom has psychology and wisdom been so entertaining!"—Raghee Horner, trader and author of Forex Trading for Maximum Profit and Days of Forex Trading
"In a series of insightful and entertaining vignettes, Rob Booker teaches both the novice and the experienced trader some hard won truths about the currency market. It's a must read book written by a guy who survived the trenches and went on to prosper in the biggest and most competitive financial market in the world."—Boris Schlossberg, Senior Currency Strategist, Forex Capital Markets LLC, and author of Technical Analysis of the Currency Market

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The Jewel Trader of Pegu: A Novel (P.S.) Review

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(More customer reviews)I was delighted when I received an Advanced Readers Copy of "The Jewel Trader of Pegu" by Jefferey Hantover to review. Everything about the description of this book enchanted me. It looked like it would be a tantalizing and sensuous mix of literary delights: an adventure story set in the 16th century Burmese Kingdom of Pegu, a tender romance with ancient multiracial and multireligious overtones, a thinking-reader's tale rife with thematic undercurrents, and a work of dreamy and lyrical prose.
I finished the novel easily in one day. The experience was pleasant enough, but the book left me feeling sorely disappointed. It wasn't the ending that disappointed. Rather, it was the insubstantial literary weight of the entire work. I wanted to like this work. There was great promise, on multiple levels, but none of the parts measured up. The novel left me feeling empty.
Typically, I write a review within a day or two after finishing a book. But I didn't for this book. Instead, I kept waiting. I let almost a week go by hoping time might provide further insight that I could use to appreciate this book in a better light. But the more time passed, the more I found myself finding even greater fault with this work.
On the good side, the author succeeded in giving me an intriguing glimpse of two separate late-16th-century worlds: the Jewish Ghetto of Venice, and the Southeast-Asian Kingdom of Pegu. But even here, I felt cheated. I wanted much more detail. Historical fiction typically takes its readers deep into the culture, politics, economy, technology, and customs of a new world. This book merely gave an overall feeling for the times. That might have been all right, if the novel had delivered convincing deeply wrought main characters. But here, too, I felt let down. For me, none of the characters came to life. They weren't flat. They were just not real three-dimensional human beings. Frankly, the main characters, Abraham and Mya, were nothing more than flimsy fantasy--too perfect to be real.
The inspiration for the story evidently came from a single sentence in an unnamed Southeast Asian history book: "In Pegu and other ports of Burma and Siam, foreign traders were asked to initiate brides." From this one source, the author builds the entire scaffolding for his novel. But I found his framework to be little more than a house of cards. I was completely unable to buy into the author's fantasy of what this sentence might suggest. The more I thought about it, the more upset it made me. How dare the author create a fictional history on so little evidence? To me this idea seemed little more than a late-night sailor's tale that somehow made its way into some obscure history tome. But perhaps more important, is how poorly the author succeeds in making us believe these rituals: the deflowering of ancient merchant-class Burmese brides by foreign traders in order to bring their families good luck. Nonsense!
The novel did have one significant redeeming quality: the prose was fresh, reflective, and at times delightfully lyrical.
In the end, this novel was nothing more than a light sensual soft-core romance-- uncommon in its unusual ancient multicultural setting, but nonetheless very forgettable.

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Trading Full Circle: The Complete Underground Trader System For Timing and Profiting in All Financial Markets Review

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(More customer reviews)Despite years in the market I had never heard of the Underground Trader or Jea Yu before buying this book. I must say I was pleasantly surprised. It is written by somebody that has clearly been in the trading trenches. Trading Full Circle is packed with information from cover to cover. You get the feeling that the author is not holding anything back. The book is mostly about day trading but the basic methodology can be applied to all time frames.
Although well written, it's not always an easy book to digest. Even with my experience I found that I had to read and reread some sections to understand what was going on. It would be tough read for beginners but the first two chapters (Starting with Failure and What is the "Edge") should be a must read for all traders. If you are a beginner and can get through the book and truly understand what Yu is saying, the book it will save you many headaches and many dollars.
The one criticism I would have is that Yu uses terminology early in the book that means nothing unless you are familiar with the terminology of his system. I kept hearing the term "Pup's". I finally had to stop my reading and study the section later in the book to understand what "Pup's" and some other terminology are. To Yu's credit, he does provide a Glossary in the back.
The general methodology of the UndergroundTrader System isn't unique but the way the methodology is used and the detail given in the book makes "Trading Full Circle" a top tier trading book. Also, don't miss the three Appendix sections in the back of the book. All are excellent. One is written by Suri Duddella, whom I've heard speak. He's one of the top experts in pattern trading.
"Trading Full Circle" is not cheap but clearly in this case, you get more than what you pay for.


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