The Trading Systems Toolkit: How to Build, Test and Apply Money-Making Stock and Futures Trading Systems

Rating:
Summary: An un-sophistocated step-by-step approach anyone can follow
Review: I found this book to be quite upfront and personal. I felt the author was speaking directly to me. I also felt that the knowledge I received from this book was valuable even though at the onset, I was not firm in my decision as to whether or not I had the necessary confidence to develop my own commodities future system. Krutsinger's book is about as unsophistocated as it can get, while still being rather out-of-reach for beginners. If you delight in learning new things, and if you have a keen desire to build a commodities trading system, this book is definitely for you. The fundamentals, technical indicators, possible problems, pitfalls, and the psychological consequences of developing your own system are each explained. Then you are shown how to develop your own trading system according to your wishes, your wants, your desires, your likes and dislikes. The dessert of this book is chapter 9, which includes $48,000 of trading systems, and surprisingly enough, shows you the LOGIC behind each one! If I could only purchase one book to help me develop my own trading system, it would be this one.

Rating:
Summary: Very disappointed, very misleading
Review: I would describe this book as being a very high level overview of a trading system. If you want to learn how to really build a trading system this is not the book to read. At the end of the book of about 250 pages there are about 100 pages of screen printouts. I was pretty disappointed by this book, expecting some practical formulas and ways of building a trading system. On the upside this book can be read very fast.

Rating:
Summary: Great book for the beginner
Review: The Trading Systems Toolkit is a quick read book for the beginning futures trader. The emphasis on system trading and the need for strict adherence to the system is what the beginner needs for the first experience in the markets. Mr Krutsinger does a good job of specifying the key points of a good system, gives multiple examples of each, and discusses how to generate more ideas. This book should be a welcome addition to any traders library.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent practical guide for developing trading systems
Review: There are three types of traders - discretionary, technical and systems. Once you understand the advantages of being a systems trader, this book will become one of your prize possessions. You will need a copy of TradeStation software in order to test and apply most of the trading systems Joe presents in the book, but once you read the book, if you are serious about trading, you'll get a copy of the program. The book reveals many proprietary trading systems Joe has developed for different markets. The "Buy Monday" system he reveals in the book can easily make you a nice steady, safe income with a few minor refinements (and you don't even need the software for this one). The book details the workings of many trading systems, provides Easy Language code for most and explains why each of the systems works. Easy to read and to the point, this book provides examples of the technical tools and the mindset necessary to help you reduce the fear and uncertainty in trading.