A Fool and His Money: The Odyssey of an Average Investor

"There is one thing that can be said about A Fool and His Money that cannot be said about any other colume of investment advice: You will never make a penny from the information in this book. No work on the subject of personal finance has even tried to make this claim before. That is because works on the subject of personal finance are all lying. John Rothchild is the only fully honest author in the genre." from the Foreword by P. J. O′Rourke.

A veritable gold mine of comic insight into the predicament of an average investor′s avid pursuit of wealth, A Fool and His Money is John Rothchild′s critically acclaimed personal account of a year devoted to investing his money in the markets. The entire investment world its characters, institutions, customs, and myths–passes under Rothchild′s sharp and profoundly humorous scrutiny.

Acclaim for A Fool and His Money

"What makes this book so good is that Rothchild can explain things like naked puts . . . and leave the reader both edified and laughing. . . . Witty, fast–paced, and educational." The Washington Post.

"You′ll relish John Rothchild′s comic tale. . . . The book nears guaranteed delight." Newsday.

"A Fool and His Money may be the funniest book about investing ever written. It′s a reader′s capital gain." New York Post.

You set aside some money, quit your job, devote yourself entirely to studying the markets, and start to invest. Then, through hard work and your own magical intuition, you become so wealthy your major concern is finding a fashionable hobby to soak up your abundant leisure time. All in about a year.

Now, thanks to this hugely entertaining and informative book, you can live out the fantasy without risking your money, your job or your sanity.

Since its acclaimed debut a decade ago, A Fool and His Money has become a treasured investment classic. It′s the comic, firsthand account of a first–time investor who sets out to make his wildest money dreams come true.

In a surge of optimism and enterprise, financial writer John Rothchild drops everything to devote an entire year to learning how to invest a modest sum of money. Motivated by a sincere desire to get rich, he undertakes his mission by systematically studying as much as he can about the markets and how they really operate. He fearlessly asks the most basic questions, observes the professionals at work, studies the newsletters, makes investments, and reports back on everything including his own highly personal and often hilarious reactions.

With Rothchild as your guide through the marketplace, you will:

Eavesdrop as his broker explains in fluent double–talk why he should buy a certain "hot stock" Share in his buyer′s remorse as Rothchild purchases an unknown technology company stock that puts him on an emotional roller coaster Be humbled as he enters the almighty Federal Reserve Bank and struggles to understand its omnipotent power over his personal finances Witness the excitement and confusion of the Commodities Exchange and find out what pork bellies really are Hear firsthand the enigmatic and undoubtedly wise words of various wizards of Wall Street Sympathize with Rothchild as he explains his transactions to his loved ones Blush as he shamelessly attempts to deceive them.

In a gesture of pure magnanimity, Rothchild also includes the hard–won bits of wisdom he calls his "25 Useful Tips" which include such sage advice as "Never buy anything from a broker at an airport" and his handy "Fool′s Glossary," which clarifies many of the technical terms used in the book.

Clever, funny, and informative, A Fool and His Money will reward investors at all levels of experience with a revelation on every page.

My Expert Credentials.

Wanting to Be Rich.

Money in the Bank.

The Financial Checkup.

The Lessons of History.

Some Practical Advice.

Shopping for the Broker.

Buyer′s Remorse and Other Side Effects.

How the Experts Pick Their Stocks.

A Fool at the Stock Exchange.

On the Floor.

My Second Investment.

What the Fed Was Going to Do.

Going Over–the–Counter.

Seeing the Analyst.

A Walk on the Buy Side.

Among the Billion–Dollar Brains.

On Becoming a Stockbroker.

Selling Myself Short.

Reflections on My Progress to Date.

On to Chicago.

Opening a Commodities Account.

My Killing in Commodities.

My Doubts About Futures.

My Ethical Dilemma.

A Bout with Loews.

A Household Correction.

In Search of a Forecast.

My Inside Information.

A Street Gone Mad.

Postscript.

A Fool′s Glossary.

JOHN ROTHCHILD is the author of several bestselling business books with Peter Lynch, including One Up on Wall Street, Beating the Street, Going for Broke, and Learn to Earn. A former editor of the Washington Monthly, he has written for Harper′s, Rolling Stone, Esquire, and many other periodicals. He has appeared on The Nightly Business Report, the Today Show, and CNBC.