Market Rap : The Odyssey of a Still-Struggling Commodity Trader [Paperback]

Art Collins (Author), Kevin D. Stokes (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 4, 2000 | ISBN-10: 0934380619 | ISBN-13: 978-0934380614 | Edition: 1st

Few books depict both the up and down sides of the trading world as completely as this.

The author leaves his job with a generous, secure income to pursue the life of a full-time floor member, and in so doing endures the loss of security, the consternation of his family, and personal demons that threaten to undermine his dream.

His odyssey is poignant and funny, harrowing, and altogether human. His trials will strike familiar chords with anyone who has ever traded a market, and his tribulations will similarly enrich the reader.

The book includes some highly effective trading ideas and methods that have earned Art money over the years.

A must read for anyone who appreciates honesty over hype.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Art Collins has been successfully developing and trading commodity systems since 1986. Shortly after implementing his first programs, Art amassed enough money that he felt comfortable exchanging his managerial position in an automobile dealership for his true passion. He became a full-time floor member of the Chicago Board of Trade.

Years of struggle resulted from Art's attempts to combine reactive, judgmental trading with his more effective system methodology. This book is, in part, a chronicle of that experience.

A Northwestern University graduate, Art has been a long-standing guitarist/songwriter with the satiric rock band the Cleaning Ladys. The band has appeared on MTV and the Doctor Demento radio show.

To relieve stress, Art takes Tae Kwon Do. He recently achieved a first-degree black belt.

He lives in Geneva, Illinois, with his wife, Pat, and teenage daughter, Maggi.

Product Details

• Paperback: 229 pages
• Publisher: Traders Pr; 1st edition (February 4, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0934380619
• ISBN-13: 978-0934380614
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,515,045 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Funny, poignant, harrowing, riveting, highly recommended., August 6, 2000

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Market Rap : The Odyssey of a Still-Struggling Commodity Trader (Paperback)

Market Rap: The Odyssey Of A Still-struggling Commodity Trader is the story of Art Collins who left a job with a generous, secure income to pursue the frantic and frenetic life as a full-time floor member of the commodities exchange. In making this transition Collins endured loss of security, the consternation of family, and personal demons that threatened to undermine his dream. Market Rap is funny, poignant, harrowing, and a riveting read. Included throughout Collins personal story are highly effective trading ideas and methods. Market Rap is immensely rewarding reading for anyone who aspires to become a successful commodities broker, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in this significant aspect of the American economic system.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars finally, someone seems to have shared my own experiences, August 20, 2000

By 

ted stokes - See all my reviews

This review is from: Market Rap : The Odyssey of a Still-Struggling Commodity Trader (Paperback)

This book was honest, funny, and thoroughly entertaining. Mr. Collins obviously is not afraid to appear less than cool or all-knowledgeable about his subject, but he obviously knows enough to give his reader a ton to think about. In my life, I've encountered many traders who come up with systems, but I haven't met one who doesn't frequently circumvent them. Collins' own experience with such improvisations merely confirms what I've observed--a winning trading approach is incompatible with human emotion. The trades we feel the most sure about are almost always the ones that lose money. But it's obviously hard to stay one-hundred percent committed to a mechanical approach, as Market Rap confirms. I don't know how effective the systems in the book are, (I will get around to testing them), but they seem simple and straight-forward; characteristics that work the best in my portfolios also. Finally, most traders can't get enough of trading books just because they love the subject so much. What's especially cool about this book is, the author obviously shares our passions.

3 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars finally, someone seems to have shared my own experiences, August 20, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Market Rap : The Odyssey of a Still-Struggling Commodity Trader (Paperback)

This book was honest, funny, and thoroughly entertaining. Mr. Collins obviously is not afraid to appear less than cool or all-knowledgeable about his subject, but he obviously knows enough to give his reader a ton to think about. In my life, I've encountered many traders who come up with systems, but I haven't met one who doesn't frequently circumvent them. Collins' own experience with such improvisations merely confirms what I've observed--a winning trading approach is incompatible with human emotion. The trades we feel the most sure about are almost always the ones that lose money. But it's obviously hard to stay one-hundred percent committed to a mechanical approach, as Market Rap confirms. I don't know how effective the systems in the book are, (I will get around to testing them), but they seem simple and straight-forward; characteristics that work the best in my portfolios also. Finally, most traders can't get enough of trading books just because they love the subject so much. What's especially cool about this book is, the author obviously shares our passions.