Greed Is Good: The Capitalist Pig Guide to Investing

I was looking for a book that would give an overview of the stock market and investing and I found it in this book. The title alone drew me to it. Johnathan Hoenig is the host and producer of "Capitalist Pig", the first radio program exclusively for the financial needs of 'Gen-Exers'. Hoenig has been investing in the stock market before he could drive and now holds a seat on the prestigious Chicago Board of Trade. In this book, he provides a lively intoduction stocks, bonds, mutual funds, futures, options, diversification strategies, order execution and other fundamental topics of investing. He encourages investors to take prudent risks and think ahead. Hoenig's philosophy is not just about being rich, but its also about taking control of our future, professionally, personally and financially. His overall philosophy is complete self-reliance. This witty and fun book inspires a delightful spirit of independence and after reading this, I am looking forward to making lots of money investing in the stock market.

My husband and I were trying to learn about the investing world as we started to look to the future. This book was such an easy read that is made this topic easy to understand plus fun as well. I would recommend it to anyone, especially those from our generation, to get serious and think about saving money for the future. It is not that intimidating and actually can be interesting if presented correctly. Thanks Jonathan for making our first taste of investing a delicious one!!

Let me start by saying that on a scale of 1-10, I give this book a solid 14. It is a hilarious, and highly educational primer for anyone contemplating entering (or in my case, re-entering) the market. Addressed to the young would-be investor, it nevertheless speaks to everyone. From one of his opening comments: "It's always better to own than be owned. And once you've experienced that feeling, there's no going back.", to his frequent irreverences, "Mutual funds have made stock ownership more convenient than getting a dime bag in Central Park", this book is a pure joy to read. Very obviously a proponent of the "buy and hold" school (nothing wrong with that), the only glaring weakness I can see is that although he points out that bear markets do exist, because of his youth (he's 23) and never having lived through one, he fails to truly factor that into the equation as a reality, rather than a concept. Having said that, though, I've already ordered a copy for my own library, and will gift my son with a copy soon after he's had a taste of what the world of work is really like.

This is one of those books you're either going to love or hate, due to the author's very individual, conversational style. Personally I loved it, that's why I'm writing this and that's why I gave it 5 stars. It's a fast-paced introduction to all different types of investing, from fixed-income to stocks to futures. It's laced with retro-80s references which you'll be familiar with if you're in the target 20-35 age group. Despite the whirlwind pace the author has some very good substance to offer. His philosophy of viewing every purchase you make as an investment may come as a shock to some but it is the foundation of good personal finances. He also presents the stock market in a very easy-to-understand way, for the beginner.This is a fun, introductory book, that maybe surprisingly bears re-reading several times (I certainly have). If you're in the target age group and have just started to think about your money, pick this book up. It makes a sometimes dry topic really come to life.

The author's out take on the stock market, investing, and life in general is amazing. If you can find your passions, and be greedy about them, you will discover real wealth.