Confessions of a Street Addict

Rating:
Summary: Please...
Review: This book is not to be read by any serious investor. Read some of the reviews here a few months back. Seems that most of the negative ones have been deleted. This reflects the level of honesty of Cramer and Co.
In his book, Cramer claims that his hedge fund made alot of money. That may be, but in the past two years, Cramer has consistantly underperfomed the market. Some of his market calls have been so poor they are laughable. The word "charlatan" comes to mind.
Wonder how long it will take Cramer and his band of lawyers to delete this review?

Rating:
Summary: Big time trading
Review: I have been reading JJC on TheStreet/Realmoney for five years, and I must say he is very entertaining, but except for a few instances his ideas has not been making me money, quite the opposite. I always wondered why such a poor stock picker could make such an impressive performance as a hedge fund manager. After reading this book, and another "Trading with the enemy", written by a former employee, I understand how he did it, but I also have to say, that except for his rigorous work ethics and his emphasis on keeping an open mind, there is little to be learned here. Unless you are a hedge fund manager or big time trader, his methods cannot be emulated. But the book is, as always when JJC write, very entertaining.

Rating:
Summary: working the wall
Review: excellent account of runnung a hedge fund, being a player on the wall, and running a .com
my only critiicism is his description of his wife's excellence and brilliance--was a bit too much then
some of his criticisms of people were a bit much as well

Rating:
Summary: Cramer vs. Maier, Trading with an Ego
Review: I read this book after reading Maier's account of working at Cramer's hedge fund, "Trading with the Enemy". While Maier's book is not an in-depth detailed book, it projects Cramer as an egotistical tyrannical trader. Reading this book for a comparison, you can believe both sides of the story. Cramer recounts many of the same stories and they are remarkably similar but from different perspectives. For example, they both wrote about the birthday party where Cramer became extremely intoxicated and puked on the guests. Maier describes this as another example of Cramer's poor manners and ego. Cramer describes the bad day he had had and where he was mentally that had him over drink and embarrass his family. If anything, I was surprised that an egomaniac like Cramer could admit to any shortcomings. Many "Masters of the Universe" can't.

Cramer doesn't strike me as a charismatic guy. But you have to be impressed with where he started and where he ended up. Maybe his tactics were questionable. But to compete in the money arena with the fortunes at stake, it is impressive that he was able to even be on the field and favorably compete at least for a few years.

There are two significant relationships in the book I feel compelled to mention. First the investor who Cramer met who not only invested but recommended investors. This also turned out to be the relationship that Maier knew to get his job. A partnership was formed to set up TheStreet.com and somehow in the personnel problems of the venture, Cramer had a falling out with his favored investor that appeared to eventually leading to the shutdown of the hedge fund. You can sense from hearing Cramer's side that there is another side to the story. Cramer doesn't place blame but you can sense that he probably upset many people in his new business venture. It is an interesting case study listening to the different CEOs that are hired and how in Cramer's opinion they ruined the business.

Also, Cramer talks extensively about the relationship with his wife. She was also a stock trader and at different points in his career, she comes back to assist with trading. This part of the book shows just how emotional and psychological trading can be. Cramer would be a tough guy to live with and being married to another trader who understood the environment and the egos involved would make for a volatile relationship. I'd like to know more of the dynamics of that relationship but I suspect she is a real saint, as it appears to work well.

In summary, this book gives some background on what it is like in the rough and tumble world of Wall Street during a very unique trading period. Cramer is a self-promoter who successfully promoted himself into a high profile media job and therefore has some celebrity status. But the real story is the egos of people in this business and what they have to do to be successful and how they can live with some of their egotistical tendencies

Rating:
Summary: A great audio book.
Review: I listened to the audio version of this book, which is read by the author. This is one of the most enternaining books I have ever read/heard (I have listened to well over 100 audio books). The key is that you are gaining so much insight into how Wall Street really works while at the same time being wonderfully entertained by the author as he describes his own roller-coaster career. Add to this that he has his own "dot.com" story to tell and you have a great package. You will not be disappointed.

Rating:
Summary: The best book I have read about the Street
Review: Because I told my hubby it was the best book I have read about the Street, he has just bought the audio version so we can listen and discuss amongst ourselves.

If you have heard Jim speak, you can HEAR him saying every word in this book. I could viscerally feel every emotion he expressed regarding owning the business, responsibility to partners the heart palpitations, the outrages, the turbulent ups and downs, the sinking feeling of beginning every January 1 as a blank slate, the being only as good as your last transaction: the addiction.

Since January, I have "eaten" probably 50 + books about the Market / the Street. This book made all the info about the inner / inter working of all the aspects of the market and the players - and how that affects me as a miniscule player - come together for me. It gave simple explanations of trading concepts, and repeatedly reiterated them, and refreshed my mind periodically of who the players were, so that I didn't have to go to the index and thumb backwards to get the context clue.

I am now reading the book AGAIN and taking notes!

Rating:
Summary: Presents another side of Cramer...
Review: I have seen Jim Cramer on TV countless times over the past several years, and always believed him to be a raging ego-maniac. However, this book presents another side of him, and one that is decidedly less offensive. The Cramer of the book comes across as someone who is surprised and humbled by his success, and still pensive about the future. Regardless of how you feel about Cramer, this book is interesting to read if you are a Wall Street professional or simply interested in the mechanics of money management from a personal perspective.

Rating:
Summary: Well, I bought the book and could not put it down.
Review: I read the book on vacation and loved it. You should buy this book because of the large number of reviews the book's getting. How bad could it be if it causes this much of a racket with so many reviews? He says he's retired from the hedge fund business, but I think he'll come back someday. I don't think he can stay away from the action for very long. He is more like Godzilla frozen in ice for a while, but I think he'll be back hedging again someday. They say behind a great man is a better woman, and Cramer's wife is such, as he writes about her. I'm sure he's the type of guy who will read every Amazon review of his book. So, I toast to you, James, and thank you for writing a great book about your life. Keep writing.

Rating:
Summary: The Street revealed.
Review: Confessions of a Street Addict is an insightful and honest depiction of Wall Street and investing as experienced by Jim Cramer. Through this journey Jim portrays his personal experience and passion along with his successes and failures in his very true to life autobiography of investment. This no holds barred approach details the effects on life as a Hedge Fund manager. One feels the pressures and passions with each word. Jim tells it as it is! He has the courage and conviction to admit when he has been wrong as often and as decently as when he is right. This is accomplished by being objectively critical of himself as well as others.

This book is captivating, energetic, motivating and moving. One will learn details about Wall Street that will pull emotions in all different directions. Confessions of a Street Addict is a must read. Once you get into it you will not want it to end!

Rating:
Summary: Honest confessions
Review: Enjoy reading this book. The main characters, Cramer, Peretz, Berkowitz, Karen, Desai, are fascinatingly intertwined. If you trade stocks, mutual fund, or any other financial instrument, you will love the inside story. Cramer talks honestly about his own addictions and shortcomings. It is a miracle that he did not get a heart attack sooner. You don't have to be a maniac to make $$$, see Maier and Fund's book "Trading with the Enemy".