Customer Reviews

Understanding Wall Street

5 star:		(19)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book is like a "Dummies Guide" to Wall Street. It covers all the basic concepts and theories at a low level or introductory level. The book is one of the best books available on Wall Street investing for the general reader. But the book is more technical like a dictionary or text book. It does not tell you what to do to invest.

If you are a general investor do not rush out and buy stocks - unless it is mad money for fun based on the book. You need to read more books. Here are some more books to read on the actual investing and market trends.

As a general investor I like three books. They are "Common Sense on Mutual Funds" by John C Bogle the founder of the Vanguard Group, and "Irrational Exuberance" by professor Robert J. Shiller. If you can read these books you will have the basic information needed to become a successful and diversified investor, Also I like "Random Walk down Wall Street" by Burton G. Malkiel. If you follow these three books, for the most part you will yield superior investing results. If you follow these books you will understand the markets, the trends, the volatility, the rewards and required patience - and you will not need a pesky and expensive stock broker/financial advisor.

This book is awesome at explaining the world of investing. It covers almost all aspects of trading and Wall Street a person would need to know. With just a couple of exceptions, the examples were extremely easy to understand. The one draw back to this book is its age. Some of the info in the book is no longer applicable due to the rapidly changing global economy, and it does not cover internet trading. Given this, I still consider this a must read for anyone considering investing.

If you have any desire to learn about the stock market this is the book for you. It starts from the very begining how wallstreet got its name and the very first markets in the usa.It should cover just about any nuts and bolt question.It takes you thru a mock corporation to the point that it sells shares in the company.If i had just one book to reccomend for understanding the workings of wall street this is it.This should be mandatory reading for any class

By far the best introduction to investing out there. Trust me, I've read dozens of books on this topic. This is the creme of the crop. Gives clear step-by-step explanations of basic strategies and what all the various important investment terms mean. I re-read this classic every couple of years to review.

Jeffrey Little and Lucien Rhodes' treatise "Understanding Wall Street" is a very valuable guide for the neophyte desiring the critical knowledge of how the financial nerve center of North America operates.

Rich with historical insight, this guide details the origins and subsequent transformation of some of the world's most prominent stock exchanges located on the street synonymous with wealth and power: Wall Street.

To that end the guide is easily readable and understandable. Complete with examples, explanations, and a comprehensive glossary I found the guide to complete and fill a hole in the much needed understanding of the financial facet of comparative government and civic theory studies.

I rate the text at five stars for providing a lot of information at only 300 pages. This review refers to the 2004 Fourth Edition.

The first edition of Understanding Wall Street was published in 1978. Like Wall Street itself, this classic has endured the test of time. Written by two investment bankers (Jeffrey Little and Lucien Rhodes), they cover topics, ranging from "Reading the Financial Pages" (Chapter 4) to "Worldwide Investing" (Chapter 8). In general, the text is well-written and concise.

From the preface:

"The stock market is rarely taught in high school, and even on the college level, investment courses are typically selected only by students with specialized business interests. Moreover, investors have found it difficult to educate themselves, even with the flood of literature available to date. Free pamphlets and superficial guides have not provided substance, encyclopedic texts have been too intimidating, and the "get-rich-quick" books have deluded investors with false hopes of easy gains.

Understanding Wall Street provides a good practical education by combining investment fundamentals and many useful analytical techniques."

This book is the perfect manual for the novice investor as in how to understand the finance world. Students would also benefit greatly specially if entering an internship. Thoughout its eleven sections, the book covers all of the basic topics that make Wall Street such an intriguing center of finance. It provides a detailed desrcription of the most simple concepts in finance. From what is a share of stock to stock options; it also breezes trhough a carefully told history of how Wall Street was born, grew, and became the international giant for which is known today. By becoming an ally of the reader, the book helps understand the theories behind investing, how to choose and analize a company so that it can meet the reader's financial needs. It also explains the various alternatives offered to novices and experts so they can see their money grow, it explains the mystery of risk, long-term and short-term financing. As well as it points out the importance of gold. Comparisons among the bull and bear markets come out, and the recent chaos would've been perfeclty understood if this book would've been part of your collection and you had little knowledge of this world. It's just an amazing book!!!!

The New Design Chair Company may not make today's investors turn on their heels and take notice. But, throughout it's storied existence, its done what few companies could do: introduce the basics of investing to generations of investors.

For nearly 30 years, readers have followed New Design from its humble beginnings, through the attraction of venture capital, and eventually to the breakthrough of going public. And, the details of that journey are just the first few pages of the Jeffrey B. Little and Lucien Rhodes classic, Understanding Wall Street.

Want to understand how Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs took Apple Computers from an idea in a garage to one of the most innovative computer companies in the world? Want to see what steps Bill Gates took to build Microsoft into the world's biggest software company? Want to know how Google went from fledgling internet company to a NASDAQ company with shares trading at $600 per share? Start with understanding how the New Design Chair Company went public.

As an investor, if you want to find out how to identify the next Apple, Microsoft or Google, then the rest of Understanding Wall Street is definitely for you. Throughout the rest of the book, Little and Rhodes fill in many more details and make the complex ideas behind financial markets, financial analysis, investment choices, and investment vehicles accessible. In everyday language, they cover basic investment concepts and theories at an introductory level, yet they are also complete enough and concise enough for anyone to read and get a thorough, top down, view of Wall Street. It may very well be the perfect book for someone looking to build a solid understanding from which to start investing.

In the late 80's, as a neophyte investor, I picked up more than I imagined I would from Understanding Wall Street.

In the late 90's, as an industry professional, I frequently turned through the pages of my tattered old 3rd edition for a great review from time to time.

Today, as an adjunct professor, I am still amazed at the book's scope and ease of understanding. And, I find myself recommending Understanding Wall Street before, during, and after it's apparent that 50lb text books don't always carry their weight.

The book's newest edition is nearly 40 percent updated with revised and new material. It includes two new chapters, strategies to uncover valuable investment opportunities on the internet, and an analysis and explanation of our most recent bear market.

If you have the slightest desire to learn about the world of investing, Understanding Wall Street just may be your best initial investment.

The first time I read this book was 20 years ago and was impressed with its thoroughness and ease in understanding. I teach at a junior college and offered the students an opportunity to learn a little more about investing that was not covered in their text. This book was complete enough to cover most of the topics and condensed enough for them to read considering their limited free time.

I found this book in a house my father bought as a kid and began to read it. From an age of 10, it gave me a great knowledge of the market. Reading this book gave me more knowledge of the market then all the adults i knew and meet now. Now, 20ish years later, its helping me pick stocks and doing well.