Trading is a Business [Hardcover]

Joe Ross (Author)

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Joe Ross, trader, author, and educator, has been an active trader since 1957, when he began his trading career in the commodity futures market. In 1982, when it became possible to daytrade the S&P 500 stock index futures via live data feed, he successfully made the transition from full-time position trader to full-time daytrader. Since 1988, Joe has written seven major texts on futures trading. All have become classics.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 415 pages
• Publisher: Ross Trading, Inc. (October 7, 1997)
• ISBN-10: 9768108223
• ISBN-13: 978-9768108227
• Product Dimensions: 11.1 x 8.5 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,527,145 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Ross vs Van Tharp, February 12, 2003

By 

-oo0(GoldTrader)0oo- (Honolulu) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Trading is a Business (Hardcover)

Do not be mislead by the title. "Trading as a business," has little to say about business and a lot to say about Joe Ross and chart reading. John Hill does a much more detailed chart reading. How much do you really want to know about Joe Ross?

A more descriptive name might be Ross's "Tricks of a trader." Joe has many helpful tips about trading and technical analysis. Not a course in "Trading for a business 101," but it is always refreshing to hear a trader ramble on about trading.

I like Joe's books. Ross's "Trading Spreads and Seasonals," is at the top of almost 40 books in my Listmania "Seasonal Spread Traders Library." Joe trades by legging into spreads.

Joes business book is as Kindergarten, where Tharp's is as a MBA. Ross's subtle references to business are unlikely to make a useful impression on a new technician. You must have a plan to become financially independent. Tharp's will help you develop a trading system and business plan at a fraction of the cost of Ross.

It must be said both authors depend upon the reader having previous experience with a consistently working entry technique.

Speculation is a business of managing profits. Without the readers experience with consistent profits, managing profits is just a fantasy.

Ross aims at small steady profits, Tharp teaches risk management.

The fundamental difference is that Ross admittedly a short term Trader in this book, advocates risking a full position when you first get in and holding a small position when the market runs. Walter Bressert advocates a similar technique.

Tharp suggests simply that if you had held your full initial position until final liquidation you would have had more profits in every case.

If you want a book about trading, technical analysis etc. Joes book is fine. If you are interested in learning the business side of "Trading," I suggest Tharp's "Trade your way to Financial Freedom," instead.

17 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Do Yourself a Favor, Read This Book, March 24, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Trading is a Business (Hardcover)

I am in my tenth reading of Joe Ross' fabulous book, 'Trading Is a Business.' I learned more from this book than I thought possible. Joe Ross will both take you apart and put you back together with this down-to-earth book on what trading is really all about.

I was told to read Trading Is a Business by a friend of mine, and after reading it, my trading results were fantastically improved. I was told that this would be one of the most important books I could possibly read, and it is. Only a seasoned trader like Ross could have written a book like this one. Other books mold away on my bookshelf, but Trading Is a Business is never more than a few inches away from my hand. A true and real bible of trading by a real trader and written for anyone who wants to become a successful trader. Do yourself a favor, read this book!

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I give it 6 stars!!, December 7, 2001

By 

"lmm-trader" (Lisboa, Portugal) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Trading is a Business (Hardcover)

This was my first book written by Joe, and man, does it deliver!!

Trading is in fact a business, and Joe will tell you all you need to know about futures trading and how to manage your money, your trading system, your mind... everything really! An absolute must this one. Can't recommend it enough.

This was probably the first book i ever read about trading that actually teaches you on how to make money. And it makes it all look easy. If you follow Joe's advice on trading, maybe you won't be very busy about it, since trading is a business of patience and the patterns explained don't occur that often; but the detail of his explanations will surely make you a better trader by the end of the book. If you follow what's written, and explained, on this book you will make money. Period.