Customer Reviews

The Disciplined Investor: Essential Strategies for Success

5 star:		(24)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The reviews here are overwhelmingly positive and I don't think the book was awful. I just don't think it was that great. When I heard the ads on his podcast and the way he talked about the book. I was sort of expecting some kind of compendium of investing knowledge. It's partially my fault for not observing how short the book was before I ordered it - and the book is very short. Faster readers can easily devour it a single sitting. Also, if you are an 'intermediate' level investor the book probably won't be that helpful, although it will probably cover a few things you don't know. My complaint is that the coverage of each topic is rather terse, and you will feel like you need to read another book on the topic at hand before you can apply any of it. For example, the chapter on quantitative boils down to demonstrating how to run some screens. I am quite certain that quantitative investing gurus use a wide variety of mathematical techniques other than running screens. The coverage of technical and fundamental analysis is equally weak.

At best this book provides a simple and brief coverage about most of the major topics you should probably be aware of as an investor.

At worst this book totally fails to really teach you risk mitigation which the author claims that it does. He does mention how you might use options to limit your downside, but this really does not make for a sell side strategy, or much of a strategy for protecting your gains or limiting your losses.

This book is a really good book for a novice investor just starting to learn about the stock market. This book is a lousy book for an intermediate investor who wants to better his risk mitigation acumen.

I have been listening to Mr. Horowitz through his website and podcast. I was looking for one new idea. Being well versed in a number of areas of finance, investment, and trading, I ordered the book.

It delivered on a number of fronts. While not being in-depth on any one subject, it offered a good foundation to base further learning.

Basic Quantitative stock screening, and where the investor/trader can get a robust screener at no charge.

Financial definitions and application of those definitions i.e. GARP, PEG ratios, GICS,

Basic Technical Analysis - When the investor looks at a stock/index chart what does he or she see. The basics of trending, breakouts, and basic patterns are addressed. This is not a technical analysis book, again it is a basics book. If the reader would like that, there are a number of great in-depth volumes on the subject.

Basic Fundamental stock review - Reviewing the Balance Sheet, Price-to-Book and Debt to Equity Ratios are addressed.


Risk Management - As a professional trader, I see this as the most over looked aspect of investing for most people looking to invest.

Options- a basic overview of what an option is, and how it works. It is not a lottery ticket, it is a risk management tool. The book offers a few basic strategies for their use.

Mutual Fund - Overview of performance, expense ratios, and how to sort between the thousands of mutual funds.

This is a book I would feel comfortable giving to my mother, children, or friend looking to learn more regarding a variety financial topics. It covers many topics, and the unassuming 232 pages makes it an easy, non-intimidating read.

Lastly, it is a nice introduction to any of the topics the reader would like to explore further.

As a financial planner myself, I was a bit skeptical about Mr. Horowitz's methodologies, but I must say that given the current market conditions and the totally changed investing landscape, the buy and hold approach of yesterday no longer applies. Tactical moves in an ever volatile market with the disciplined approach that Mr. Horowitz's espouses can be just the thing to balance the playing field. Through listening to his podcast and now reading his book, I can heartily recommend this well written and detailed approach to investing. It's not for the faint of heart though, as option strategies and other sophisticated tools can be overwhelming for those not committed to taking the time to really understand the material. If you are, then this book can be just what you need to get going and better understand how to handle the investing landscape.

This book covers the basics of investing, but by no means does it give enough in-depth information for any level of decision making. The whole strategy is simplified to the point of being too vague to offer any information to all but the most novice readers. Despite reading this book, I invested my money with his TDIMG strategy and was rewarded with a -10% return over 6 months when the SP500 went up 40%. You may not be able to judge the book by it's cover, but in this case, one can judge the money manager by his book.

With the current volatility in the market, The Disciplined Investor gives the essential strategies to give even the most novice investor (me) a fighting chance. The book mainly covers stock screening, chart reading, and fundamental analysis, the trifecta of Horowitz's recipe for successful investing in any market. It also has description and uses for mutual funds and annuities and how they fit into a diversified and balanced portfolio. I would have given 5 stars for more detail on the technical side, such as picking buy/sell points, but at this price point, this book was a great introduction to investing in the stock market.

With these tools, you'll have the knowledge and confidence to stand up to the bullish market trumpeters and take control of your own money. Of course you need to do your own research and determine your goals and risk tolerance, so good luck!

I came across this book via the author's free podcast. The author has many guests on his podcast. Discussions between Mr. Horowitz and his guests reveal his refreshing attitude towards a potentially dreary and boring topic. He seems to be an "educator," in the sense that he actually wants people to learn what's best for them. So I got the book and it's fantastic! I highly recommend it. I am just beginning to learn about investing, so some of the podcast is over my head, but I think the book will help me fill in the gaps. Practical, clear, full of valuable tips, and entertaining--I'm really enjoying it.

The book, along with the "The Disciplined Investor" podcast are invaluable for investors in the beginning of their way. Reading the book will save you lots of money and guide you in the path to success in the market.

I got serious about finances when I got married a few months ago. Andrew Horowitz's expertise through his podcasts has been a tremendous help, but the book is even better. His writing style is clear and succinct, and the definitions of financial terms throughout the chapters are very helpful. I especially appreciate the balanced overview of different investment strategies and tools, as well as instructions on how to implement each one.

Keep up the good work, Andrew!

After completing The Disciplined Investor, I am disappointed to say that this book is little more than a dictionary of investing terms, which, in its own right, could be useful, if the definitions were not convoluted nor the examples poor. Sadly, I did not walk away from the book with an investing strategy of any sort. To further complicate the content problems of the book, the writing is very amateurish, with repetitive sentence structures, vague generalizations, and a plethora of common sense applications. I'd avoid this book, try and find another on investing.

This book provides definitions of alot of investing terms and provides some extremely basic investing advice (like don't try to time the market). But unless you are a raw beginner, this book isn't worth reading.