5 comments about Investing For Dummies, Fifth edition.

1. I guess I was expecting too much because I have several other books in the series that I really liked. I read about 1/2 of the book and just couldnt take it anymore. Maybe from reading newspapers and talking to people, I learned too much to benefit from this book. I bought it because I was afraid that maybe I was missing some important basices like diversifying, etc. but I guess I wasnt.



2. Do not buy this book and pls do not loose ur money. Invest on something good but not this one. :(



3. A very straight forward book. General summary not so many specifics but exactly what it is intended for. Gives a broad explanation of all aspects of investment and a very good start up guide for people who do not plan on what to do with money. Thumbs up!



4. My title says it all! The book is a little too basic but then again, I should have realized that given the title! If you have ever had even some exposure to investing, find something at the next level. It would be a better investment! :)



5. After reading this book, I finally have the knowledge and confidence to invest. I'm 32 years old and I'm so glad I've taken the time to educated myself, now having 27 years to consider in making the most of my money and investments.

5 comments about Option Volatility & Pricing: Advanced Trading Strategies and Techniques.

1. Explains in clear and readable terms option pricing and the way in which volatility is determined and affects the price modelling.



2. This is a fundamental "must read" for anyone who seriously intends to trade options.
   
   It's not a kind and gentle read (meaning you're going to get ALL the details about what drives option pricing). Sometimes you need to read through a section then back up and read it again - just like any legitimate textbook.
   
   What you'll take from the book is true insight into what's happening on the other side of the trade - and how to leverage that to your advantage.
   
   Again - a must read for anyone who is truly serious.



3. Natenburg is often referred to as the bible of options. If you are in that business, this is a great choice to read. Although dry at times (as a result of the subject), this book is thorough and a must have for those who are learning.



4. The book dwells on too much theory:
   
   1)Not hands on.
   2)Too much of explanation with few examples and kind of feel abstract sometimes.
   
   I got headache and resold mine. Don't get carried away by the 5 star reviews. This might not be for everyone.



5. It has been 32 days and I still have not received this book.
   
   Murray Tosh

5 comments about Understanding Options.

1. Lately I have been thinking about the possibility of options. After I Toni Turner's (A Beginner's Guide to Day Trading Online (2nd edition)) positive words on the back cover, I put Sincere's book in my cart and ordered it once my cart reach the minimum for free shipping. The book doesn't necessarily disappoint but I wish it was longer and went into a good deal more detail. I understand the need to limit the scope of a beginner's book but I still think it lacks depth.
   
   Concerning Sincere's style, I like how he refuses to preach to the reader in absolutes. On the one hand, I believe it allows the reader to keep an open mind which is vital when you are learning a new skill. However, the glaring downside of this practice is that the reader needs to find his (or her) own direction. That is great in the Zen sense, but financially, most audiences aren't looking to be trailblazers initially. They are looking to minimize trader's tuition and find a successful sense of direction that they can personalize and make more efficient as they progress.
   
   To me, the author comes across like a parent who aims to be more like your friend. The book reads easily and effortlessly, at the cost of learning more detailed, pertinent information. I do not mean that the author cuts corners necessarily, more that he doesn't offer potential tricks of the trade, insights after years of experience or mistakes that newbies fall victim to time and time again.
   
   Because of that, the book is educational but there is no chance of having a systematic approach if this is the only book at your disposal. The book explains buying puts, buying calls, selling puts and selling calls in four respective chapters. It is impossible to get any of them confused, but it definitely gets repetitive and almost patronizing every time he tells you:
   
   - Step 1: Turn on calculator
   - Step 2: 3.30 premium x 100 shares
   - Equals $330 profit on a sold covered call.
   
   I am far from a genius but even I don't think I need to be told to turn on a calculator or even use one at all when it comes multiplying any number by 100. Maybe it was the fact that I was reading the book well beyond my bed time but also by the fourth time he reminded me that 1 contract is equivalent to 100 shares so don't type in 100 contracts, I was rolling my eyes.
   
   With that said, I have a better foundational knowledge of the absolute basics of options understand the basics of options now. It is definitely worth a read, but looking back, I could have gotten this book from the local library instead of purchasing it. I doubt i will refer to it for anything once I start reading the next book on options



2. At the time of purchasing this book, I had about 1 year's experience trading stock. My understanding of options was fairly limited, and I was looking for a book that would lay out the basics, and provide me with the foundations for trading option contracts. I was very pleased with this book and its pedigogical approach. A richer understand of options however, this book does not provide. Perfect if you have little to no experienced with options, perhaps not so recommended if you consider yourself intermediate on the topic. Otherwise, an excellent buy for the price.



3. Reading this book allowed me to get started in options trading. I read a few more as I got more into it. He explains options in terms that are very easy to understand. He explained necessary analysis necessary before picking an option and option strategy. It was easy to turn that into spreadsheets you can use to analyze your plays.



4. Several reviewers have mentioned that this book is too narrow and simple on the techniques described, but I believe they miss the point of the book when it's aimed at people who are new to options. This book offers a quick read and out of several beginner options books out there, I would pick this as the first to get started. I have to stress that this book is for beginners - meaning people who don't know what options are and wants to gain a better understanding in a language that is easy to understand. The author takes a friendly approach in using real life examples for explaining how options work, and I think for the visual learners out there, this teaching style would be very helpful. After that, the author goes into the four most common techniques in trading options and simply gets the reader's feet wet. This is perfectly fine since it's a book that offers a stepping stone to what's out there and it's accomplished that successfully.



5. This book is great for beginners. Michael explains all aspects of option trading in words and examples that are easy to understand. This is a great place to start if you think you might want to trade options.

5 comments about Options for the Beginner and Beyond: Unlock the Opportunities and Minimize the Risks.

1. Stock options are complex. This book really helped me understand the basics, and more. I am confident that I will be trading options profitably soon.



2. This book covers everything from basic option fundamentals to more advanced strategies. Great Book, well written and easy to understand.



3. This is a great book to start with. It contains all the basics of options trading, where the various options types are clearly described and emphasized with trading examples.
   If you have no idea about options and you want to get started, this is the right book for you.



4. I feel lucky to read "Options for the Beginner and Beyond" as my first book on options trading. This book showes me a clear big picture on options trading.
   
   Since Prof. Olmstead doesn't have an errata on this book. Two errors found by me are posted here. I've confirmed them with the author.
   
   Chapter 13, Advanced Calender Spreads
   Page 105
   When both of these trades are done together, the sale of the Sept 124 call in the calendar spread is cancelled by the purchase of the same option in the vertical spread.
   '124' should be '126'.
   
   Chapter 23, Butterfly Spreads
   Page 180
   Net credit = $150 [990 + 80 - 920 = 150].
   'credit' should be 'cost'



5. At first read, I went to some of the other basic books I had also purchased.
   After reviewing the Thinkorswim (TDameritrade) archived Web-cast training, I picked up some of the Titles in their Investools lessons, and found them explained well in this hard-copy book. Highly recommended for the beginner.

5 comments about Options as a Strategic Investment.

1. I don't need to add much to the already quite thorough coverage of this book by the other reviewers. I just want to emphasize to anyone shy about plunging into this book on the grounds of potential boredom that it is not at all boring. McMillan is such an eloquent writer and explains every aspect of the subject matter with such refreshing, dazzling clarity, that this book is a real joy and treat to read. Does it read like a novel (to follow up on another reviewer's comparison)? No, I'd say better! It's such a great feeling to have one's questions answered, to read along and become curious about some sideline consideration, and then to have that curiosity addressed, as if the author could read the minds of his future readers. This is an amazingly thorough book and a fascinating survey of the vast and often abstruse world of options. At McMillan's hand, the subject becomes crystal clear, great fun, and very practical.



2. I am new to options, but I use this book as my primary reference as I go up the options steep learning curve. In my options class, the instructor recommended this book as the "gold standard" for options investing, and he has 25 years of experience. I love it and refer to it very often when I need more deep insights. A beginner may get lost in some parts, but overall, it's a perfect reference. It covers all the basics and goes deep into the advanced trading strategies, with a lot of theory and statistics to back it up (for example, the famous Black-Scholes valuation model is explained in depth). There are two whole chapters on implied volatility! I highly, highly recommend this book if you are serious about options and/or futures. It is not for the faint-hearted! It's a deadly serious, information packed text and will help you in no small measure. Get it!



3. I was not sure whether to buy this book due to the many reviews indicating that it is more focused on theory than applications. I decided to borrow it from the local library and will have to say that I agree with this observation. This book serves more as a theoretical reference for the many option strategies available rather than a how to book to actually implement those strategies. Picking the right stocks as well as the effect of stock technical picture is almosed completely glossed over.
   
   My experience as a small independent trader has demonstrated that I can be quite profitable using simple option strategies. Many try to complicate their trades by trying to cover all possible outcomes to reduce risk , unfortunately that cuts down significantly on potential profits when taking commissions and slippage into account.
   
   Having said that I found that this book can serve as a reference to remind me of the risk profile of each strategy as well as the theory behind it. If combined with books that focus more on application as well as factoring the stock's technical picture into the mix, it can be a good addition to your library



4. This book is the definite essential that every option trader should read. McMillan covers whole area of information including basics, strategies, mathematical background, volatility and even alternative background of options. Every step is written very simply and it is very easy to understand so sofisticated instrument which options are. Frankly, I am looking forward to reading his next book.



5. Excellent book for anyone interested in trading stock options.
   It covers the subject A to Z with many examples. The cost of the book was money well spent.

5 comments about Trading Options at Expiration: Strategies and Models for Winning the Endgame.

1. Investors commonly use pricing models and formulas to determine the fair value of call options to buy stock and put options to sell stock. But formulaic fair value does not account for all the pricing dynamics that affect options near their expiration dates. That is why the price of an expiring option often diverges from its fair value. This pattern of distorted pricing creates trading opportunities in the options market that are less risky and potentially more rewarding than holding the underlying stock over the long term. Jeff Augen's compact, focused book details strategies for trading options on the third Thursday and Friday of each month, before the options expire that Saturday. He cautions that investors must be aware of collateral funding needs, regulatory requirements, investment minimums and other sophisticated details. Because Augen assumes that the reader has substantial background knowledge, professional traders may have the most to gain from his mathematically rigorous insights. getAbstract, which recommends books, but not investments (the opinions in the summary are those of the author), also suggests this book to amateur investors who are familiar with options and seek the next level of professional information.



2. Great option book for advanced users. Reading it helped me become a successful option trader. Buy this book and start trading binary options on trader711.com.
   Start trading on demo accounts and when you feel ready start real money trading.



3. This book is poorly structured. It is basically a collection of (random?) examples. It remains completely unclear whether the strategies would be profitable on average, or that the examples shown in the book were selected on profitability. It is also amazing that in a book about option strategies risk graphs are completely missing (while some of the proposed strategies do have a lot of potential risk involved). The basic idea of trading options on expiration is interesting. However, this book will not help you if you want any insight in the risk award relationship of the proposed strategies.



4. I liked this book. I liked how it focused on such a specific element: trading options near expiration. I only gave it 3 stars because actually pulling off some of the strategies is quite difficult especially in today's lower volatility environment. Some focus on higher level maths may also turn some readers off. Overall I think it is a good addition to a trading library and any reader will benefit from some of the knowledge and ideas contained in the text



5. I found the book difficult to understand, but then I realized it is the subject, not the writing, that is hard. The author does a remarkable job of explaining his approach. I would rate this the best book on trading I have found in years.

5 comments about Options Made Easy: Your Guide to Profitable Trading (2nd Edition).

1. This book presents the basic option strategies in a concise, clear and easy to understand format for a beginner. Basic put and call strategies are then built on to introduce spreads and volatility strategies in an easy to follow presentation. Greeks and their effects on different option positions are also discussed but not in comprehensive detail. I believe this was intended on the author's part since this is a book meant for beginners and too much complex details are likely to lead to confusion .
   As another reviewer mentioned, a couple of chapters discussing Fundamental analysis and psychology were in my opinion out of place in this book. I would rather have seen examples of how the different option strategies were used in conjunction with the stock's behavior.



2. Guy Cohen has done a good job on explaining the fundamentals of Option Trading. He also encourages readers to improve their understanding of areas which was not covered in the book, which in my opinion is extremely important. All in, I would say that it would be a must read for Option Traders to get a good grasp of Option Trading.



3. I have read other options books and also trade options but in an effort to be better educated, I purchased this book and found it very easy to read, comprehend and use as a learning and option trading tool.



4. Guy Cohen takes a very casual and informative approach in this book. While options trading is an intimidating and daunting subject, Cohen does an excellent job making the reader feel comfortable with the material.
   
   The book provides a solid introduction to options trading. It also touches on quite a few related subjects - macroeconomic factors (which I found excellent - crisp and informative), fundamental and technical analysis, trading and investment psychology, etc., which provides the reader with a more holistic view on trading. While the primer on technical analysis is relatively short, Cohen provides several links to other references on the subject. He stresses that this book is NOT enough to cover the advanced topics, which are pretty crucial to understand before one starts trading seriously.
   
   I feel that this is the case with most of the chapters. They provide a solid introduction, but not many details. For example, I found the chapter on Greeks, which describes how the worth of your position is affected by various variables, to be somewhat incomplete and fuzzy. The chapter on fundamental analysis, while interesting, is completely unnecessary for this book - and feels out of place. The other "fuzzy" chapters on trading and investment psychology, setting strict rules, etc. are geared toward beginners and repeat a lot of obvious things, which frankly don't belong in a book about an advanced subject like options.
   
   That said, the book does a good job introducing the reader to a few semi-advanced options trading strategies. Cohen discusses collars, synthetic calls, covered calls, bull call spreads, bull put spreads, straddles and strangles, and butterflies and condors. For each one, he explains the risk and reward profile and how the position is affected by Greeks. Cohen also provides a lot of graphs and illustrations, even if some are overly simplistic and unnecessary.
   
   The appendix features a nice strategy table with lots and lots of options trading strategies. It would be great to see more in-depth discussion of each one, but, again, this book is geared toward beginners, and there are limitations to the material that can be covered.
   
   There are a couple small errors in the Second Edition, 7th Printing of the book. On p. 139, Diagram 5.1 shows an incorrect diagram for a synthetic call, and p. 161 shows the same erroneous chart. However, I got in touch with Mr. Cohen, and he assured me that this has already been corrected. It's great when an author is so responsive about his/her writing, I always feel that makes a book better.
   
   One major missing component in this book is the pricing of options. Cohen never really explains how one should tell whether certain options are over- or under-priced. In the Greeks chapter, he describes the variables that go into option pricing (via Black-Scholes), but he doesn't go into much detail. In my opinion, a more in-depth discussion of option pricing would be very useful. While this is a complex topic, and perhaps there is no need to go into all details of the Black-Scholes model, I think Cohen can at least point the reader to some calculators or reference materials. This is an important component of options trading.
   
   In conclusion, I recommend this book to anyone who has not had any exposure to options. Cohen makes an easy-to-read introduction that, while not necessarily making you completely ready to go trade options, can get you started on the right path.
   
   Pros:
   + easy to read, even about this daunting subject
   + covers many broad investment topics
   + good, in-depth discussion of risk/reward profiles for several strategies
   + excellent summaries at the end of each chapter: "major learning points"
   + many, many examples from Cohen's trading experience
   
   Cons:
   - some of the topics don't belong and can be skipped
   - not enough on option pricing, Greeks chapter could use more detail
   - some diagrams are overly simplistic and unnecessary



5. This is a book that describes option strategies suitable for beginner to intermediate level traders.It introduces the reader to the different basic option instruments in a textbook like format.This is helpful in that each strategy is summarized in table form with different variables listed (greeks, etc).Although the author does include a chapter on fundamental and another on technical analysis , what the book leaves out is how to trade the different strategies presented in real market situations using real stocks.I do realize that this may not have been the intended purpose of this book , and for this reason, I recommmend that you supplement it with books that are more geared to the practical application of basic option theory.

5 comments about Mastering the Trade: Proven Techniques for Profiting from Intraday and Swing Trading Setups (McGraw-Hill Traders Edge Series).

1. The money you save by NOT buying this book will put more money into your brokerage account which you can use in more useful ways. Just another book with a sharp title and cover to lure one into wasting their hard earned money on a useless product. DON'T BUY!!



2. Why three stars instead of zero (which one might have expected me to give it after reading what I'm about to write below)? Because Carter's an effective writer and says some things that make sense, even a lot of sense at times. But as the title of this review suggests, I'm puzzled by how Carter expects us to take this book seriously when at his website, [...], he's peddling someone else's (not even his own!) "black box" system (for a definition of "black box," see Wikipedia: [...]; in general, when applied to trading, it's a proprietary program that one relies on to indicate when to buy and sell and whose dictates one follows without worrying about what criteria it uses to make its decisions, which are kept under lock and key by the creator of said system).
   
   In the video located (as of this writing, on 6/16/10) at [...], at around the twelve-minute mark, Carter fawns over the "Wave Indicator" developed by "Rodney," which is on sale at half price for a mere $747 (see 24:27 into the video). Why would a supposedly world-class trader steer the visitors to his web site to someone else's black box trading system? Doesn't this reduce, or at least call into question, his credibility as an authority on trading? Everybody's looking for the trading "Holy Grail," and apparently Carter believes this other guy's system is just that--or at least enough to ask his followers to shell out $747 for it. Why waste our time asking us to read this long tome when all he has to do is tell us to buy this other guy's system and blindly follow what it tells us to do in order to make a bundle of money?



3. This is one of the better trading books I've read. I would have given it 5 stars but because of it being just a tad dated (4 years old) I marked it down 1 star simply because a lot of the material is specific rather than general. I like specificity but it ages quicker than generalities or principles. With that said, the majority of the material is still pertinent. At least 1 of the techniques though are no longer valid (the 2:50 PM trade) because it's a low volume trade and when a lot of people started using it, then it lost its effectiveness. The author, who makes his living trading, gives specific trade patterns and techniques he uses. He provides lots of examples of trades with clear, easy to understand charts and explanations. He discusses how he enters and exits certain trades. Very valuable information. It's a keeper for my shelf and I highly recommend it.



4. Being well written it leads to a strong sense of confidence about the trading ideas put forward.
   In addition there are many expressions of criticism for anyone that does not follow trades to the letter.
   Having traded some and simulated the others I believe there is nothing in this book that is directly a money generator. The views are too simplistic (cookie cutter almost) to be practicable and there is no direction on how to develop.
   
   Easy read, bad execution.
   
   Many better books out there on successful trading style and techniques.



5. This is a MUST-HAVE book for people who have just begun trading actively. The set-ups that he included in this books are proven techniques that highly increase the probability of being profitable. Grab a copy!

5 comments about The Bible of Options Strategies: The Definitive Guide for Practical Trading Strategies.

1. At first glance, this book appears as though it would be useful until one actually tries to make use of the information it provides. This book is not good as a reference due the errors which are such as to make the explanations incorrect in some parts. One statement which I especially disliked which appears throughout the book as a means to exit is "Manage your position according to the rules defined in your Trading Plan." This book is also not good for learning either. As early in the text as the first twenty pages, the author uses terms which he does not explain. I would recommend that you buy other books.



2. A good read overall if you understand options already and are looking for supplemental strategies. I read all the strategy books I can find, and I subscribe to OptionsMonster and [...] and I've been doing very, very well trading options.



3. This book explains the theory and logic behind the more than sixty option strategies available to the option trader, from the simple to the highly complex. The author touches on the advantages of each strategy,risk profile, greeks, time decay and entry and exit.Often an example is given for each of the strategies discussed.
   Although it is alway good to be familiar with as many of the option techniqus as possible, most individual traders only focus on few simple option instruments in practice.To execute such trades successfully, it is critical to be at least qualitatively familiar with option behavior.This includes factors such as short interest on the stock, how close the stock price is to the strike, volatility of the stock and implies volatility of the option,open interest ratio.
   These factors are key in deciding what trade to take. As an example consider a stock with the call to put ratio of 3:1 with few days left to expiration, what option is more likey to expire worthless?. Or A highly volatile stock pinned at strike near earnings, what strategy will you use to trade options in this case? etc. The answers to such questions are critical in deciding how to trade. Some traders use options to mitigate losses on their stock trades or increase profits. In such cases where stock /option trade combinations are executed, technical analysis in addition to option behavior becomes critical. These are areas that this book does not touch on, probably because they were not within its intended scope . I would suggest for advanced option traders reading The Volatility Edge in Options Trading or Trading Options at Expiration. Beginning and intermediate traders that are more interested in simple option strategies combined with trading stocks, I would suggest Generate Thousands in Cash on your Stocks Before Buying or Selling Them: Third Edition.
   Using these books in combination with " the bible of option strategies" allowed me to translate theoretical knowledge to money making trades, which I assume is the goal of most traders.



4. It is hard to find a book that shows you the different ways to trade options in combination as well as the risks, rewards, and special considerations of each one. It is not a long tutorial but rather a set of logical groupings of related types of trades to choose between for a specific situation. It is more like a recipe book so you can quickly look up the the types of options that are good choices for a situation. It also defines each type of option strategy in a similar layout in just a few pages each. Very helpful!



5. I am a pretty experienced stock trader but I must admit trading options is much more challenging. The good news is once you start understanding options you won't want to trade stocks again. This a very well structured book, a bit repetitive here and there but overall I liked it. Despite the title I won't consider this book the "Bible" of options, if you really want a "Bible" I would recommend "Options as a Strategic Investment" by McMillan. However, this the best book to start learning options. It gives you the basics, it explains all the strategies out there and in which conditions you should use them.

5 comments about Generate Thousands in Cash on your Stocks Before Buying or Selling Them: Third Edition.

1. 
   Very truthfull book. I've made back all the money I've lost over the years using the techniques in this book. I can't take my 3000 tax loss anymore. I don't beleive in an easy money machine to get money to flow into your pocket. This book reiterates that and provides the tools and info you need to make money with some work. I think what's missing from most books is: "what do you do when your trade turns to crap." This book adresses that. Wish I would have read this a long time ago but most of it would have probably gone over my head. I recommend the book.



2. Even after trading options for few years , my goal of deriving a consistent monthly income remained elusive until reading this book. After six months of implementing strategies in this book, my option income is now close to half my income from my regular job as an engineer.
   
   The beauty of the strategies in this book is that,while they target trades with high profit potential, they are easy to apply and very practical.
   Rather than using complex setups trying to cover all potential outcomes, quantitative parameters defining the stock's technical strength and sentiment picture are used as a factor in setting up each option trade.
   
   To benefit from this book one needs to think outside their comfort zone as a classical option trader and be willing to incorporate the stock's general picture as an integral part of each option trade.



3. On the plus side, each option strategy recommended is backed up by tips on how to spot the best moment to execute it. Thus it includes a lot of technical analysis crucial for stock trading as well as options trading. The author mainly takes an contrarian approach to stock and options investing, so many of his recommendations are to find the turning point and bet against the market. On the minus side, the author does not explain anything about the Greeks and how they are used in his trades. But overall I enjoyed reading the book.



4. I have found one common theme among most option books. They concentrate mostly on theoretical description of option strategies but leave out the explanation on how and when the different strategies should be applied. More importantly the behavior of the underlying security is often completely ignored.
   
   This is where this book excels , many important indicators including short interest, option open interest,option volume lopsidedness, Volatility index,Convergence divergence values, and several others are taken into account to identify high profit stock trades and show how the profit is further multiplied by using simple option strategies.
   
   Another unique feature in this book is that the author shares a stock scan to identify reversals from a bottom. He then takes the reader step by step through the charts to identify trade candidates. I found this feature very valuable since it allows the reader to identify stocks that can deliver exceptional profits especially when specific option strategies are used.
   
   I was able to use this scan as a template to create other scans for different market conditions. My most profitable is one that identifies stocks breaking out from a flat basing pattern.
   
   By combining this book with one that focuses more on basic option theory; you have command of both , theory and effective application to insure profitable trading



5. This book was picked January 2010 as favorite by the popular `OPTION GENIUS WEBSITE`. See Comment for LINK.
   (Disclosure: I am not affiliated in any way with this site).
   
   I figured that if an experienced trader who makes his living trading stocks and options and runs a popular website giving trade recommendations to others, picks this book as favorite among his list; it must contain a lot of useful information.
   
   I`ve had the book for only few months and so far I made good profits by applying a couple of strategies. The book contains many more interesting ideas that I am planning to incorporate into my future trading.