Customer Reviews

The 12 Investment Myths: Why Individual Investors Are Failing Miserably and How You Can Avoid Being One of Them

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In this informative and entertaining read, the author - managing principle of a large Atlanta investment firm - investigates why investors consistently make decisions that undermine their ability to accumulate long term wealth. He lays out a series of "myths" widely propagated by Wall Street and the business media that encourage self-destructive behavior and results in investors sacrificing a large portion of their potential returns. Especially timely was the author's analysis of the relative merits of full service brokerage firms vis-à-vis fee-only advisors.

Readers will find Calhoun's investment principles compelling. Highly recommended to both new investors and for experienced investors who are paying too much and receiving too little.

I am a left (or is it right?) brained person who normally loses interest in anything financial about four seconds into reading. Not so with this book-the humor and stories that weave through the book kept my interest. Also, the author gives very sound advice for uncertain times-definitely a book to read and keep on your nightstand for referring back as the markets change daily!!

Jack J. Calhoun Jr. exposes twelve investment myths prevalent in today's volatile market environment. In layman's language Calhoun explains why individual investors are failing in the stock market. His book "the 12 Investment Myths" helps the reader set a course so that they can avoid the trap of falling for these myths.

Each chapter discusses one of these popular myths of investing. Calhoun talks about the issues involved and offers alternative solutions, which helps the reader avoid being deluded by the myth.

Jack objectively discusses brokerage houses, sales charges and fees, expense ratios, turnover ratios, and index funds. He explains commodities, derivatives, and options. He gives details on the importance of a sound investment philosophy and why it is crucial to find a wealth management firm that exhibits expertise in investment counsel and investment planning. He introduces the concepts of relationship management and a professional team.

I learned a valuable lesson from Jack's illustration of an ironic telephone interview with a young finance reporter from the Wall Street Journal and the way he addressed the myth "the media is a good source of investment advice."

Jack concisely summarized the four principles of investment success: Diversify effectively, control costs and taxes, control your emotions, and be patient.

"The 12 Investment Myths" submits important advice, wise counsel and is committed to help the investor recognize popular fallacies of investing. Jack's writing is stimulating, engaging, and informational. This is an important and timely book. Relevant reading.

The book was a quick read and it was humorous. I enjoyed it and learned several investment principles that would benefit me and my family.

Thanks to Jack Calhoun's easy to read and even easier to comprehend book "The 12 Investment Myths" my faith in investing has been restored. This book is for anyone who is interested in fearlessly creating wealth - "fearlessly" meaning without the influence of the big, bad media fear machine.

This book really opened my eyes to what the author refers to as "The twin forces of wealth destruction in America" (Wall Street and the media) and how they feed off of each other. If you are interested in the real keys to wealth creation and the truth that investing is boring and predictable when approached with a calm, unemotional mindset, this book is a must read.

It's a rare delight when a book actually delivers what it says it will - if you really want to know "Why individual investors are failing miserably and how you can avoid being one of them," the mystery is unveiled in this witty yet insightful book.

I give two thumbs-up to "The 12 Investment Myths" for delivering powerful truths with a clever sense of humor that lifts the human Spirit and empowers you to create your financial future.

Calhoun delivers what many of us need to hear, especially in these turbulent times: calming words, with a dose of humor, written by someone trained in the best journalism school in the country. Throw in his impeccable experience in the financial realm, and you have the best of both worlds, an engaging book that's a must-read for the every-man investor.

FINALLY, a book that makes some sense of investing in general. Instead of buying into the "media train" and all the almighty analysts who think they know everything about every stock and industry, Calhoun's book cuts through all the hype and lays it all out in a very pragmatic (sometimes quite witty)way that we can ALL understand. Let's face it - most investors (including myself)are not equipped to make good decisions on what to buy, when to buy it, and why we should buy it. Let the experts do it - their investment track record ties into whatever index they are managing and, based upon historical statistical and performance data, those indices have worked quite well for the disciplined, patient investor.

It's easy to be an emotional investor who thrives on real-time movements and buys and sells based upon "hot tips" and media deluge. History supports the advantages and successes of investing for the long-term. Once again, let the experts do it!!!!

This is a timely book that will help guide anyone in making smart investment decisions. It's written in a manner that will make you want to keep reading; smart writing yet humorous at the same time. I highly recommend it to anyone who is interested in investing in the near future--terrific advice!

Jack Calhoun's book is witty. Though it is full of investment wisdom there is an underlying sense throughout the book that wealth is only one part of achieving a peaceful and balanced life. It is written like an investor should be-witty and wise instead of greedy and glib.

. . . Jack Calhoun's book is one that I was privileged to read in manuscript, and I loved it then and I loved it again as I read my copy from Amazon. Intelligent, wise and prudent investing is a new concept in America but one that I think will catch on now that all the real estate bubbles and scams run by banking casinos have run their course. This book dispels most of the myths that led to our financial disaster in the first place and restores truth and clarity to the investing process. Jack Calhoun is a contrarian, but only in the most considered and experienced way. That he livens up his advice with a lot of humor makes the myth-busting all that much easier and fun to read...and impossible to forget.

We don't need misperceptions, untruths and myths tempting us down false alleys any more in the world of investing. And this book is the wake-up call that ends all that.