Trading Options For Dummies (For Dummies (Business & Personal Finance)) (Paperback)

by George A. Fontanills (Author)
Key Phrases: technical analysis, short puts, stock purchase price, Evaluating Markets, Targeting Sectors, Know About Options (more...)

Product Details

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: For Dummies (March 31, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0470241764
• ISBN-13: 978-0470241769
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #65,637 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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  #95 in	Books > Business & Investing > Investing > Options

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good for wrapping up loose ends, July 18, 2008

By	C. Chiang (Baltimore, MD USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

What this book lacks in detail, it makes in subject completeness.

There are dozens and dozens of great websites out there describing options and trading strategies in far better depth and completeness than this book. So, if you're looking for complex spreads or techniques, this book will not satisfy you.

However, online searches are so saturated in trading strategies that it's actually difficult to become aware of real world transactional details (like, "who are the market makers? how does assignment work?"). this book nicely wraps up those "loose ends" that are hardly ever mentioned on your favorite search engine.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars May be your first book on Options, December 2, 2008

By	Maxim Masiutin (Chisinau, Republic of Moldova) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This book assumes that the reader already have familiarity with stocks, and would like to move further, to options. The author doesn't take into account the fundamental analysis of the underlying security, however, there is a chapter about the technical analysis. In my point of view, it is a drawback: a reader already familiar with the stock market may be aware of the technical analysis, so either both technical and fundamental need to be covered or none.

The book covers three types of options: stock options, index options, and ETF options. There is a separate chapter devoted to ETFs, but a reader already familiar with a stock market will get no benefit from this chapter.

The book is printed with quite a large font have quite much space around the text, so it is quick to read. This may be a good introductory book to options. It is pretty basic and easy to understand, however, it fails to address an important technique of selling puts as a way of buying the underlying security. Warren Buffett obtains most of his stock holdings through selling puts. He got most of his Coca-Cola Holdings this way, and, recently, Burlington Northern Santa Fe.

If you need a much deeper book on options, I would recommend "The Options Course" by the same author. It doesn't have the drawbacks above mentioned, very friendly and easy to understand, although it is a much lengthier read.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Should be called "Completely Useless Trading Options Book for Dummies", March 15, 2009

By	R. Allaire "Rainman45" (Las Vegas, NV) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

OK...any time I see a book with "For Dummies" in the title, I assume it is a "Beginner's" book. This author clearly wrote a different book. While the information in this book is probably accurate and useful to those with options experience, it is absolutely useless to anyone with no experience.
I admit it...I'm a "Dummy"...who was looking for a book that would walk me through the basics. You know, "square one" kinda stuff. With that in mind, I purchased this book. After all, that's what the title suggests...right?
So, my suggestion to anyone who is looking for a real beginner's book on options is to stay clear of this one. It's a complete loser as it fails miserably in delivering what the title promises.
It may be a great book for those with experience...but, what would I know ? Like I said, I'm a "Dummy".
Bottom line...don't waste your money.