The Complete Idiot's Guide to Options and Futures, 2nd Edition [Mass Market Paperback]

Scott Barrie (Author)

Book Description

Series: The Complete Idiot's Guide | Publication Date: December 5, 2006

Completely updated, this practical guide has the information investors need to keep up in the complex, fast-paced, and highly profitable world of options and futures, where everything is in play—from oil to diamonds, poultry to vaccines, franchises to coffee.
• Provides cutting edge information on energy futures and options
• Tools for creating flexible strategies that can move with the times
• New information on the solid standbys like livestock, precious metals, and equities
• Keyed to the new realities of the global economy, making this book vital for investors at all levels
• Highly respected expert author

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Scott Barrie owns Commodity, Futures and Equity Analytics and is the former head of research and operations for Great Pacific Trading Company in Oregon, an educational brokerage specializing in introducing newcomers to speculating in the futures and options markets. He has 12 years experience in the financial derivatives industry, including time as a trader and hedge specialist. He is a regular contributor to Stocks and Commodities magazine and Stock Traders Almanac and has been quoted in the Wall Street Journal, Investors Business Daily, and Barron’s Weekly.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 18 and up
  
• Mass Market Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Alpha; 2 edition (December 5, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 159257548X
• ISBN-13: 978-1592575480
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #82,297 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Absolute Beginner, no really, I mean you have to know NOTHING about Commodities to use this book, April 11, 2007

By 

Keith Vallely "Keith" (Asheville, NC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Complete Idiot's Guide to Options and Futures, 2nd Edition (Mass Market Paperback)

Let me start by stating that Scott Barrie does a great job converting the subject matter in this book to something that a casual, perhaps even disinterested party, can understand. I have never read any of the other Complete Idiot's Guides, but if this is how they deal with the incredibly complex subject of Commodities Trading, I wont be buying any of them again for other subjects. This was the third book in my commodities trading education. After book's one and two, this book taught me nothing. Not one thing. It does not provide enough depth on any of the multitude of subject matters that are required knowledge of the trader. However, it does touch on nearly every matter that a trader should be deeply knowledgeable about. This book was so short on details that if you were to read this book and then attempt to trade even a single transaction, it is my opinion that you would have NO IDEA what you were doing. If you are interested in Trading, a better first book is Futures 101. That will give you a better understanding if you know nothing. This book really is for people who know nothing about trading. And dont have an interest in trading either, but are interested in the subject as hobby of sorts.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars good but not great, January 22, 2007

By 

a_guy_in_boston "a_guy_in_boston" (Boston, MA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Complete Idiot's Guide to Options and Futures, 2nd Edition (Mass Market Paperback)

This book reads like the first draft of something better that will arrive in a future (no pun intended) edition. Despite the title, the book is really solely about futures; options are discussed only insofar as they pertain to futures, so the book does not really cover much about, say, options on stock or on financial derivatives (other than futures). The book is riddled with typos and errors, both mathematical and grammatical, making it difficult to follow what is happening, and it reads as if it were hastily written and sloppily edited, with frequent repeats and occasional poor organization. There are some bright moments -- occasionally the book has a really insightful definition or a clear, carefully worded example. Overall, though, you are probably better off trying a different book, especially if you want to understand options really well.

3.0 out of 5 stars Complete?, September 6, 2010

By 

Sean - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Complete Idiot's Guide to Options and Futures, 2nd Edition (Mass Market Paperback)

I found this book very much appropriately named. This book is very good at explaining the basics of futures and options which can be quite complex, and yet at the same time containing many idiotic mistakes, true irony. I was completely suprised by the number of mathmatical and grammatical errors contained in this book. The editor for this book appears to have done a very poor job.