Customer Reviews

Investing for Cowards: Proven Stock Strategies for Anyone Afraid of the Market

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There are those who are very comfortable investing in stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and a host of other vehicles that can earn lots of money . . . or not. Then there are those who are chicken-afraid of making the wrong decision, losing their shirts, and suffering the ridicule of everyone who knows them. This book is written for chickens.

Fred Siegel is president of an investment management firm in New Orleans, widely respected for knowing the investment field very well. In addition to running his advisory firm, Siegel also runs The Siegel Group International, providing financial news analysis to broadcast media in the United States and other countries. He has been on the air continually since 1984, broadcasting from WWL-TV and WWL radio in New Orleans. His advice is heard far and wide-and can now be read in a fun sort of book.

Fun? Investing? Chickens? Scary. The book is written in a light vein so it's easy to move through. The type is large, so that readers don't have to squint to get his message. There are several unusual features in the book-like red and black ink on the pages. Illustrations of chickens abound. There are lots of call-outs and sidebars, including testimonial quotes from his clients. The book is almost too self-serving in that regard, but one might expect a talk-show personality to be a bit self-promoting.

The book is organized into twelve chapters, dealing with the stock market, jargon, and then the focus on chicken stocks. Siegel makes his point that buying particular types of stocks is wiser than buying others, and explains. He doesn't like mutual funds, but talks about them, trusts, bonds, and annuities. Even on-line investing is covered for the reader.

As you might suspect, this book is going to give you a "once over lightly." It's not really deep, nor does it need to be. It meets its design of giving chicken investors enough knowledge to feel comfortable looking more deeply into the opportunities. As with any investment advisor, it's smart to take the advice carefully and understand that biases are present and influential. Whether you agree with everything Siegel says or not, you will have a broader understanding of the world of investing after reading this book.

There are a lot of books on investing in the markets. This one is just average. Personally, I found the layout of the book to be very 'busy' and disorganized. I think there are a number of other books that would help the beginning/novice investor more than this one. Look at my other reviews for suggestions.

This book is for the reader who is new to investing. If you are interested in investing in the stock market, but are worried about the outcome, then this books provides some good advice. The investment approach recommended is truly for very conservative types - but the truth is, that the author's recommendations have worked well in the past and are worth consideration by all investors. Reviewed by the author of THE SHORT BOOK ON OPTIONS.

I have been in the financial community for more than 30 years. I read this book and thought it was a great book for the beginner. I have given it as a gift to at least a half dozen people who had no clue about investing. It gives a good overview of many investment avenues with some sound advice. If you're new to the game and don't want to lose a lot of money or don't want to get into the wrong investment vehicle his method has worked well.

As a veteran financial broadcaster, Fred Siegel loses nothing when shifting to the print media. He is just as clear in these pages as he is on his talk show on WWL. He believes that profits drive value, and the investor must look for them, not some hot Dot Com or 2020 high tech product that is unproven and unnecessary. As much as there is good advice on what an investor should do, the really valuable advice is on what not to do, and who not to do it with. This book is a real eye-opener for the average investor.