Customer Reviews

The Uncommon Investor

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

The so-called methodology in this book consists of no fewer than 83 "rules" of stock-picking that don't appear to have any basis in research or analysis. Some of these rules range from silly ("Never Buy Firms With A Share Price Over $25") to plain conventional wisdom ("Diversify", "Higher Risk, Higher Potential Reward") to strategies shown in other works to have a detrimental effect on returns ("If A Stock Sinks, Consider Averaging Down", "Sell at Least 50 Percent Of The Stock Near The Target"). There are certainly no secrets being given away here (while the author talks about stocks he had purchased, he did not mention at all how what types of screening or other methods they use to find these stocks). Meanwhile, the portfolio constantly alluded to in the book (in the "Boxscore") contains stocks that performed abominably (a stock that went from US$2.26 to $0.13, another that went from US$31.17 to US$10.25) in addition to their winners. Real investors with a few thousand dollars to start with cannot afford the level of diversification the author advocates, so following one or two of their bad calls, and (heaven forbid) averaging down on that stock as the author recommends "considering", could wipe an investor out, or certainly put him off the idea of investing. Any evidence of a selling discipline is completely lacking.

For a new investor that is not interested in parting with his money to hear the latest guru musings but wanting to make serious, market-beating, long-term returns I recommend reading James O'Shaughnessy's "What Works on Wall Street" and "How to Retire Rich". Mr. O'Shaughnessy actually did extensive quantitative research to come up with his rules (there are far fewer than 83 of them), and he's not out to sell you a newsletter.

The publisher has kindly included in the back of the book a form for those to order more copies of the book or to subscribe to the author's newsletter at US$200 a year.

I thought the book was poor, but, acceptable for a beginner, who was willing to read many books before this book. Then I read page 106, Gallandar sites a rule "Never Buy Firms With A Share Price Over $ 25.

That is pure absurdity. Don't read this book, even if it is free, unless, you are receiving more than $25 to read it.

This was the most fascinating investment book I have ever read. It was incredibly informative and I loved the way it included baseball and the seventh game of the World Series. Exceedingly creative. And I'm not even a baseball fan!!! After reading this book, which outlines the methodology Gallander uses for his investment letter, Contra the Heard, I no longer feel the need for a full service broker. Every rule that Contra uses when picking stocks is highlighted! I'm now ready to strike out on my own and save a ton in brokerage commissions. Funny, before I read the book, I wasn't even aware who he was. Now I notice people quoting him in all kinds of investment publications. A great, fun read.

VARIOUS NEWSPAPER REVIEWS

The Globe & Mail - 'The Most Classic of Contrarians' .............................................

Financial Post - 'Newsletter Guru ... his newsletter's stock picks have averaged an annual gain of 33.9% over the past five years' .............................................

The Vancouver Sun - 'Investment guru Benjamin Gallander ...'

The Toronto Star - 'A year ago Gallander warned on CBC Radio's This Morning that problems in Asia would be more devastating than others were predicting at the time. He was right.'

The author presents good stock market advice hidden in the form of a play. The setting is a family gathering in front of the TV, watching a baseball game. I don't quite see the connection and would have preferred getting the advice without the play. At least it's better than getting recipes in a book about the stock market.

In 50 years time, this is a book that will be looked back on as seminal in understanding investing.