Customer Reviews

Play to Prosper: The Small Investor's Survival Guide

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Praise for Dr. Bar-Or's "Play to Prosper." Dr. Bar-Or has created an innovative investment book that uses sports analogies that details every dimension of the game. Whether you are a student of finance/economics or a novice investor who wants to learn more about the investment "game," there is something for everyone in "Play to Prosper." The book is easy to understand and uses a logical framework that is easy to follow for those interested in investments and who want to improve knowledge of financial markets.

There are three general concepts in the book. The first is that financial advisors do not have a crystal ball and they "do not have a sure recipe for success." The second is that "a small investor should have a general idea of basic investing principles and risks" to avoid unintended consequences. The third is, more often than not, "believing that someone else's motives are perfectly aligned with your interests is wishful thinking."

This book provides the small investor with the necessary toolkit to make the playing field more level and fair. Dr. Bar-Or breaks down difficult concepts so they are easy to understand. "Play to Prosper" is a must for anyone who wants to learn more about investing activities, those who feel intimidated with financial markets, or are suspicious of financial advisors.

Whether you are someone like me who would like to make informed decisions prior to investing your money in a mutual fund, or simply someone who would like to learn more about the financial markets, this is the book to buy. The author has done a phenomenal job at explaining those cumbersome financial concepts and theories in an easy to understand way using game and play analogies. The book covers a broad number of basic investment vehicles (including stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and ETFs), as well as more sophisticated investments. It also describes the different players who eat a piece of your pie. Unlike some other books that only give you general information on investment vehicles, this book provides much deeper insight into the motives and behavior of the market players, as well as the many real risks you face as an investor. Finally, it provides meaningful advice about how investors can make the playing field more level and fair.


I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn about the financial markets. It's a pleasant read, it's honest and it's written with you (the average person or as the author calls "the small investor") in mind.

This book is presented from the outlook of the investor as the investment game is covered from head-to-toe. The reader learns that very few participants of the game are on your side. Feeling as though we have no friends in the game, fortunately Dr. Bar-Or is on our team. Play To Prosper is great because you know everything in it is true and "is actually how it works." I would not want to engage the markets without Dr. Bar-Or in my corner. Having read other big names, this book is on the shelf closest to my desk. There are other investment books out there but none with the same level of astuteness and credibility put forth by this author. The author's credentials are amazing. You want to know what he knows about investing and the financial markets.

The framework used to inform the small investor is effective in keeping the reader interested while glimpses of hope are experienced. The book is well-written and offers tremendous creativity in the way that knowledge is passed along to the reader. And, all I can say is that the information is presented in such a way that the book is very interesting, on top of being the holy grail of investment guides. It is a quick read. I highly recommend this book and would love to hear your feedback on my post and the book.

Play To Prosper lays down the foundation for the small investor. The most important aspects of investing such as risk, decision-making, and psychology are highlighted. In this book, the small investor learns the rules of the game while enjoying a book that has entertainment value. The valuable information on investing can easily be absorbed by the reader because sports analogies are used to help organize the investment landscape.

The Investor's Survival Guide is brilliant because it touches on both fundamental and behavorial concepts. And, these useful concepts are presented from the standpoint of the small investor; Dr. Bar-Or wrote this book for us! Furthermore, the book is written using delightful tact and clear prose. The author tells us everything we need to know to feel confident about investing in today's market.

Make sure you take notes when reading the chapters on Game Risks & Hazards and Winning The Game. As an experienced investor, I can tell you that this book is spot on in informing us how the game should be played.

Finally, investing literacy education delivered by a person who is both qualified AND objective.

Yuval Bar-Or has written a book that serves as a great primer for the beginning investor and as a reference book for those who already know some of the basics. At over 350 pages, this comprehensive book is very helpful for the beginning investor and also great value for the money.

I wish when I started investing that I had read this book. The emphasis is on the small investor and the need to have a passive approach so you do not spend an inordinate amount of time on making decisions. We have only so much time and it is best used in the wisest ways. So the passive approach that Yuval Bar-Or emphasizes is of great importance. Besides this the book deals with all of the players in the investment game, regulations and stresses that you must control your portfolio to the maximum that you can. Well done.