The Unofficial Guide to Investing

Over the years, I've concluded that most financial books are unrealistic in the marching orders they give us, their poor readers. I'm a long-term investor (not a day trader!), so I don't appreciate a lot of fancy financial formulas that require a great deal of thought or time. Thank goodness the author of The Unofficial Guide to Investing understands that. She provides solid advice that makes an awful lot of sense to me. I also appreciate all the tips she sprinkles into the book's margins. For instance, I discovered how I could very easily determine how much my savings bonds are worth. I also learned the phone number to call to find out how much my Social Security benefits will be worth someday.

This book is engagingly written with wit & humor as well as lots of factual material and sound advice that you can actually use. Clear and straightforward for the novice, there is also lots of information and advice on on-line investing information and tools for the web-accessing sophisticated and savvy investor. Whether you are a novice or an experienced investor, Ms. O'Shaughnessy serves you up lots of good advice and information with respect and gentle humor. A good read, and a keeper for later reference with wonderful resource and reference material as a supplement at the back. - A San Diego cardiologist

This book was written for me! I'm sometimes intimidated and mystified by the arcane language and imperious attitude of brokers and other people I've turned to for help with my investment decisions. And most of the books out there seem to be written for graduate students at the Wharton School of Business. But this is a book I can relate to. At times, I even catch myself laughing out loud. In Chapter 6, for example, O'Shaughnessy describes her first visit to the hallowed inner sanctum of a mutual fund. (Aren't we all a little curious about what that's like?) She asks herself: "Would I meet men and women with such advanced analytical and mathematical capabilities that scientists someday would want to preserve their brains in formaldehyde?" NOT! O'Shaughnessy has an innate ability to explain investment principles in ways that are easy to understand. She's got me believing that I don't have to be a financial wiz to make sound investment decisions.

In writing "The Unofficial Guide to Investing", Ms. O'Shaughnessy achieves success where most other authors of financial advisory guides underachieve. I was immediately greeted by her approachable writing style, as though sitting across the table talking investments with a familiar friend over coffee. She consistently treats the reader as an equal, stating at the outset that she, too, was once an overwhelmed novice investor. I quickly gained confidence learning that an advanced degree from some hallowed institution or years toiling behind a Wall Street trading desk wasn't a prerequisite to become a knowledgeable and competent investor.The book seemly covers the full scope of investment topics, and then some. (A chapter on insurance is thrown in for good measure.) Though packed with lots of information, the book is a smooth read. Ms. O'Shaughnessy cuts through the bull, presenting the fundamentals of mutual funds, bonds, internet investing, et.al., in a straight forward and logical fashion -- good for new investors. Seasoned investors will delight in her vast collection of highly practical ideas and tips, useful references of all sorts, and closely-held industry secrets which they'll find throughout the book. I especially loved the section on "investing on the net" with its abundance of web site information.The Unofficial Guide is truly the best book about investments I have ever read. Already I have recommended it to my family and friends who have an interest in investing. Selfishly, I'm glad Ms. O'Shaughnessy didn't follow her second grade career choice and enter the convent (a fact revealed in the acknowledgments section). I'm sure the Lord understands -- for Lynn's work will undoubtably bear much fruit for the many of us.

Wow. I didn't know anybody could make bonds sound interesting, but the author of The Unofficial Guide to Investing managed to do just that. While I've read many articles about stock investing, I've seen very few really good, readable primers on the bond basics. From this book, I learned why I should keep corporate bonds in my retirement account, while the muni bonds should stay in my taxable account. I also appreciated the book's strategy on building a portfolio of U.S. Treasuries. And I found it helpful when the author outlined the pros and cons of buying individual bonds versus bond mutual funds. That really helped me out. -- A soon-to-be-richer reader in Plano, Texas