Classics: An Investor's Anthology [Hardcover]

Charles Ellis (Editor), James Vertin (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 1988 | ISBN-10: 1556230982 | ISBN-13: 978-1556230981 | Edition: 30th Anniversary Special Edition

Classics: An Investor's Anthology and Classics II: Another Investor's Anthology, by Charles Ellis. Charlie Ellis edited these two books in 1989 and 1991. They are out of print now, so you may need to visit a used book dealer or your local library in order to find them. Your search would be well worth the effort, however, because these two books provide a treasure trove of short articles written by the best investors and financial authors of all time--luminaries such as Paul Cabot, Benjamin Graham, David Dodd, T. Rowe Price, John Burr Williams, David Babson, Peter Bernstein, Phil Fisher, Harry Markowitz, Warren Buffett, William Sharpe, David Dreman, John Templeton, and many others. There is more wisdom contained in these two books than most investors are apt to encounter in a lifetime of personal investing experience, and if there is a better collection of important investment writings, I haven't found it. As they say on television infomercials, it would take a long time and cost a small fortune to duplicate this collection of the most memorable writings from many of the finest minds in investing. If you can't find these books, consider Ellis' similar, more abbreviated book, The Investor's Anthology (reviewed below).

Product Details

• Hardcover: 759 pages
• Publisher: Business One Irwin; 30th Anniversary Special Edition edition (December 1988)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1556230982
• ISBN-13: 978-1556230981
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.2 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #825,673 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This Ought to be a Collector's Item!, March 10, 2004

By 

AdamSmythe - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

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This review is from: Classics: An Investor's Anthology (Hardcover)

This book is currently out of print, so you will need to find it at a used book retailer or in your favorite library, perhaps. Regardless of how you get it, it is well worth the effort. It consists of 80 or so original short articles by the best investors and financial authors of all time--people like Paul Cabot, Benjamin Graham and David Dodd, Jesse Livermore, T. Rowe Price, John Burr Williams, David Babson, Peter Bernstein, Phil Fisher, G.M. Loeb, Harry Markowitz, Warren Buffett, Edward C. Johnson, William Sharpe, Arthur Zeikel, Barton Biggs, David Dreman, Charlie Ellis, Bennett Goodspeed, Roy Neuberger, John Train, Richard Brealey, John Templeton and Byron Wein. If there's a better collection of important investment writings, I don't know what it is. (There is a Classics II, however, which is a follow-on book to this one.) As they say on those television infomercials, it would take you forever and cost a small fortune to duplicate this collection of the most memorable writings of the finest minds in investing. In terms of what you'll get for what you pay, this book is simply a steal.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A New Found Gem of Investment Knowledge, January 22, 2007

By 

James East (Charlotte, NC) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Classics: An Investor's Anthology (Hardcover)

As the authors claim, this is a collection of the most enduring writings on investment theory and practice, and offers you invaluable insights from the industry's leading thinkers. I would have to agree that the 82 selected articles, chapters from books, and career observations by some of the best investors and financial authors, round out a mini-education in itself. Some of just a few of the authors selected are heavy weights like Benjamin Graham, Phil Fisher, Warren Buffett, Jesse Livermore, John Burr Williams, David Dreman, John Templeton and many many others. Topics as diverse from Buffett's 1965 letter to the partnership, to Jesse Livermore's "How to trade stocks" are spread throughout. The book is segregated into five (5) sections starting with the Pre-WW II section, then the 50's, 60's, 70's, and finishes with the 80's. (The book was originally published in 1989)

I am somewhat partial to Roy Neuberger's Almanac, Ben Graham's Chapter 20, and Phil Fisher's 15 Points, but there many others to comment on but let's just say this should be in everyone's collection that is a serious student of the market as the 700 plus pages are well worth the time invested. Of note: Since this is no longer published, one of the used book services will be needed.