Rating: 
Summary: A Must Read.
Review: A truly great book. Practical. Well written. I came away with more knowledge I can actually apply from this book than anything else I've read. Not for beginners. But an absolutely invaluable book!
Rating:
Summary: Best Trading Book
Review: The book is very well written and covers material that is important to new and/or experienced traders. The information I've learned by far exceeds the price of the book. I would recommend this book to anyone who contemplates trading.
Rating:
Summary: Good book. Worth the read
Review: Like my title says, I thought this was a good book. It deals more with money management and risk than with stock picking. I am glad I purchased the book.
Rating:
Summary: Knock if off you Twit from Portugal
Review: Multiple negative reviews are really annoying. Please stop babbling on about how you hate this book.You must be from a competitor or you would't waste so much time talkinga about a book you don't like. It's less than $30 dollars for goodness sake. Stop whining. And quit talking about Phd level research. Academia in finance is just now starting to realize that humans don't behave rationally in markets, give me a break. Any academic who talks about trading is invariably talking about something he doesn't understand. This book is excellent. I know. I personally have made over $30 million trading futures and the major principles in my own trading are all contained in this book.
Rating: 
Summary: Some good stuff, but lot's of hard reading
Review: First off, let me state that I am not a trader and know just a little bit about it. I am interested in learning, however, leading me to try this book out as it has received some good reviews here at Amazon. Much of it was way over my head and too confusing to do me any good. But some of the information was very good and very understandable and for that information I felt my investment in terms of both time and money was well spent with this work. One of the things the author says near the end of the book is that it will take four or five readings for some of the information to sink in. And that's for people who actually know the topic to begin with. I can understand why; trading seems so easy when looked at from a distance, just buy low and sell high, hey, anyone can be a millionaire! Of course it isn't so easy and most people end up losing money or at least not making enough to justify the time spent. I think the most important and helpful part of this book is the teaching on what many call "money management" (often erroneously); that the author refers to as "position sizing." This topic is part of investing that many over look.
I understood and appreciated this subject from the days (long past) that I used to enjoy both the ponies and blackjack. Position sizing in both these pursuits is vital and understanding why you don't sit at the $5 blackjack table with only $40 bucks, you go to the $2 table or get more money, is the same understanding you need when figuring out how much to "bet" when making trades in the stock market relative to your overall investment size (simply put "what percentage is at risk?") If you sit at the blackjack table with $40 and bet $5, you are risking too much with one "trade." The other helpful part was how to look at "expectancy." What is the expectant overall rate of return based on both the success rate AND the amount won and lost on those respective trades. In other words, you can be wrong 70 percent of the time and still make money just as you can be right 70 per cent of the time and still lose money. The authors coverage of this area, and how some people put too much emphasis on one or two areas of investing was very helpful to me. The area of entry's and exit's was covered well too. When too much consideration is put into entry's, without considering position sizing, expectancy and exit strategies, then the investor will be at a severe disadvantage. While still a neophyte, I can give this book a recommendation to any that don't mind some difficult reading, it covers a lot of ground and makes a lot of sense in places while being overworked and confusing in others. I found it helpful that the author covers multiple strategies and why or how each one works or doesn't and how that system could be improved with (sometimes subtle) changes. I also checked out the web site associated with Van K. Tharp's work and I'll concur with those that say "beware", because he is definitely out to sell something besides just this book. Whether that is a warning sign or not, is up to the individual.
Rating:
Summary: Amazing book which only a few will understand.
Review: I have to admit the reading was a little intense, but once you understand the guidelines, these concepts can be applied in developing a successful trading system. I use some of these techniques in trading for my clients', yes I'm a broker based in LA (amazing a broker with a trading system, yes we do exist...LOL). This book has to be read in accordance with the following books. To get a better understanding of what Dr. Tharp is saying.
Reminisces of a stock operator by Edwin Lefèvre
Market Wizards by Jack Schwagger By reading these books along with Tharp's book you have to get visualizations on what it takes to trade, the psychological aspect, market knowledge, and mathematical (algorithms) concepts. If this combination can't be understood than the people who brought this book and gave it poor ratings will continue to fail in the markets like the other 90 percent of investors or speculators who don't have a system in place. I always tell my clients not to treat trading as a hobby; a hobby is what you throw money at to satisfy certain emotions, but to treat this as a business where cash is your inventory. Strict rules and discipline are required to run a successful business, and this book enforces this ideology.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent overview of trading
Review: I am an active trader. In my opinion, Van Tharp's book is very well written and will probably give most readers some deep insights. At least it gave me some, and I regard myself as experienced in the subject. While most traders and authors keep searching for the holy grail - the entry indicator that will make them rich - Van Tharp points out the importance of creating an entire system that works, especially position sizing and money management. The book also gives an excellent overview of techniques for different kind of trading, e.g. exit techniques.
Rating:
Summary: Not a book about systems ...
Review: This is not a book about writing systems or discretionary trading. For that area seek out books by Stridsman, Kaufman, Lebeau and Hill. Its a book about the most important elements of trading - managing yourself and your money. Read this book before you risk your money.
Rating: 
Summary: Overrated - and how!
Review: I couldn't agree more with jsclinton, below. I had assumed that, with all the lavish praise I've seen heaped on this book, I was the one who didn't get it. All the mumbo jumbo must be of value, surely?
No, I don't think it is. There is sufficient interesting information on position sizing to fill a small pamphlet, the rest is just endless filler.
Rating:
Summary: Who knew trading could be so easy!
Review: In this bear market it is important to have as many weapons in your arsenal as possible. Mr. Tharp makes sure you do. He gives you the basics of goal setting and helps you discipline your trading. Since my focus is on futures I was looking to gleam as much information as possible from this book. Sure enough it applied. Anyone that is hurting in their retirement savings accounts needs to have this book.
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