Monday, June 25, 2012

Book Review: The Neatest Little Guide To Stock Market Investing

The Neatest Little Guide To Stock Market Investing (2010) by Jason Kelly

This was the first book I read about investing in the stock market. The author provides a fairly well-rounded, beginner-level introduction to investing, which is what I needed at that point. In Chapter 1 he discusses the nature of stocks and the market, and provides a brief overview of key terminology. In Chapter 2 he covers the investing styles of well-known "Masters" such as Benjamin Graham, Philip Fisher, Warren Buffett, Peter Lynch, William O'Neil, and Bill Miller, indicating points of agreement among them. In Chapter 3 he discusses value and growth measures that have some validity based on historical analyses, then in Chapter 4 he provides an overview of a few strategies for building a portfolio, including discussion of leverage and technical analysis. Chapters 5 and 6 cover how to choose a discount broker, place an order, screen for stocks, and where to find useful information in print and online. In Chapter 7 he presents a detailed approach to building a core portfolio that includes several criteria (most of which are useful and sensible) and a worksheet for analyzing stocks based on those criteria. The buying and selling of stocks are addressed and some general advice is given for dealing with market fluctuations. Overall, the book is a concise and informative guide to stock market investing that helped get me started, even though the eventual strategy I settled on (dividend growth investing) differs in many respects from the approach presented in the book.

Note: I read this book in the spring of 2011.

2 comments:

  1. Thank you for the informative review! Note that a 2013 edition of the book will become available in December, and will include:

    <> What has changed and what remains timeless as the economy recovers from the subprime crash

    <> All-new insights from deep historical research showing which measurements best identify winning stocks

    <> A rock-solid value averaging plan that grows 3 percent per quarter, regardless of the economic climate

    <> An exclusive conversation with legendary Legg Mason portfolio manager Bill Miller, revealing what he learned from the crash and recovery

    <> Thoroughly updated resources emphasizing online tools, the latest stock screeners, and analytical sites that best navigate market trends

    Best regards,
    Jason Kelly

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    Replies
    1. Jason,

      Thanks for your comment. As I mentioned in my review, your book was a helpful resource when I started investing, so I hope the new edition will help others get started.

      Cheers,

      Deedubs

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