Rating: 
Summary: Experience Prevails?
Review: With this kind of record of seeing sights/sounds of the world, who's credible enough to argue?
Rating: 
Summary: World Financial Meteorologist
Review: Coming from a background of very little financial knowledge, I found Adventure Capitalist easy to read and enjoyable at the same time. However, some of the things Jim Rogers spoke about seemed a bit outrageous and extremely opinionated. As I was reading this book, I couldn't help but compare Jim Rogers to a meteorologist, only for finances. He was predicting the future based on what he saw throughout his adventure with his now wife Paige. It was interesting to here his opinion, especially about China owning the world and the Euro being "doomed to fail", but I can't say that I agree with some of his predictions.
Being a travel lover myself, Jim and Paige got to experience something that I will only dream of in my lifetime. Traveling around the world would be an incredible experience that I probably won't get the opportunity to have. However, I almost felt as though I got to experience a little bit of all parts of the world through reading this book. Not only that, but the financial advice and knowledge Jim drops here and there throughout the book gave me a deeper understanding of finances in general. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn a little more about investing and become more cultured through doing so.
Rating:
Summary: A Way of Thinking
Review: A great sequel to "Investment Biker." Rogers is a shockingly successful speculator who formerly worked with George Soros.
Again he travels around the world -- this time with his customized Mercedes and a woman (not Tabitha) whom he marries.
Very intriguing insights into economics around the world. These are especially interesting as he compares to his observations ten years earlier and the various changes--expected and unexpected--over time.
Not a how-to book on investing, gut a nice bowl of food for thought about how the world's economies work and, especially, the American place in their future.
Rating:
Summary: Interesting
Review: Combines a mostly entertaining travelogue of unusual experiences with worthwhile investment and political commentary.
Rating: 
Summary: Intriguing but Immature
Review: This book is a travelogue, adventure story, investment advisory, a lesson in world history and global economic commentary. It is an engaging account of a presumptuous man's self-indulgent travels. It takes you around the world and gives you an exclusive peak into many economies; and you don't even need a ridiculously expensive modified Mercedes. But be warned, this book is also full of immature, under informed predictions. Only 2 yardsticks - the number of young people in a country and its prostitutes - measure each nations investment opportunity. It is obvious that the author is by no means qualified to make the comments he makes. They are arrogant and irresponsible statements. These predictions are also highly inductive. With degrees from Oxford and Yale I am surprised the author does not realize that reasoning from the particular to the general can be a serious logical flaw. A waitress runs to your beck and call so China is efficient, another waitress would not serve rice that was not on the menu therefore Japan is inflexible, India is not liberalized because he needed an import license to replace his car mirror. Central Europe is a disaster.... the world is disintegrating into smaller nations...people who learn ancient languages are in a time warp. The rest of us would shudder to make such sweeping generalizations. The wife all along is an intellectual subordinate whose only role in this adventure is to squirm at silkworm snacks, weep about Hiroshima, traumatize over civil wars, shop for exotic expensive goods and most importantly slap the men who touch her bottom. Buy this book if you are curious about the adventure, it makes for good armchair travel. If you are looking for something more you will not find it. This book by the 'Indiana Jones of Investment' is a poor intellectual and bibliographic investment.
Rating:
Summary: Sometimes reality hurts
Review: I've often wondered, "what does it take to be a successful hedge fund manger?" "what is it that the great money masters use?" In business school the academia world teaches the students about risk/reward relationships. Was the investment worth the risk? They have risk measured with the performance of an index over an extensive period of time. If that is not enough there own rules bend to accomodate their own in the explanation of risk theories. They also teach us that people like Warren Buffett, George Soros, and Jim Rogers are quote "gifted". If that is not enough, the academia world teaches us that their investment risk was not worth their reward. Well after reading his book, I found out why Mr. Rogers was "gifted". In the world of investing I'm sure the greats would agree with me when I say they would rather have extensive knowledge of sound economics, history, and geography over a gift any day!
Rating:
Summary: Excellent book ...
Review: Great book. I read "Investment Biker", his first book, years ago. That was great, and this book is just as good. Jim does a great job of detailing basically two things about every place that he stops around the world:
1) The political, cultural, social, etc., issues that we Americans mostly do not see. We really are 'stuck' in a hole that is Americanism. We don't get out that much to see the rest of the world, and Jim does what I think is a great job of explaining many times how the American view differs from that of the rest of the world's inhabitants, especially when it comes to THEIR country; and
2) The economic or financial picture of each place. He gives a good accounting (no pun intended ...) of his opinion of the financial situation of each country or region, and also how he sees it unfolding in the next few years or decades. He has given me some great starting points for future international investments (with a lot more research to go ...). Generally, a great book. He does a great job of describing where he went, how he got there, the people and landscapes, etc. I really enjoyed it, as much as his first book.
Rating:
Summary: China, the Euro, and a Yellow Mercedes
Review: Jim Rogers, best-selling author of Investment Biker, is on the road again, but this time he chose a sunburst-yellow custom-built Mercedes convertible for his three-year journey spanning the turning of the Millennium. The ostentatious color was meant to draw attention to the unusual visitors complete with matching trailer equipped with all supplies. Rogers and fiancée Paige Parker began their trek January 1, 1999 in Iceland. From here, the reader is taken along through 116 countries; many rarely ventured and some through war zones, deserts, jungles, epidemics, and blizzards. Rogers ably describes many of their experiences. Can you imagine sleeping in the Sahara Desert and feeling the sea breeze in from thousands of miles away? Both Rogers and Parker wanted to sample as much as they could from the global bounty. They ate such delicacies as silkworms, iguanas, snakes, termites, porcupines, crocodiles, and grasshoppers (and they were not even contestants on Fear Factor). The trip did not always present them with ideal conditions. Once they had to rescue their rescuers. Another time they were in flight with partying pilots at the controls. Often they entered countries in a military convoy. The book is divided into 3 parts based on their observations for each of the three years. Thanks to a Polaroid camera, the book includes many photos (some borderline obscene). And what are some of Rogers' conclusions following his outlandish vacation? The 21st century will belong to China, the Euro is doomed to fail, and a new commodity bull market has started. The true worth of this book will probably depend on how these in his other conclusions pan out. In the mean time, enjoy the ride.
Rating:
Summary: Investment Biker is Better
Review: Investment Biker, Jim Rogers' first book, about his motorcycle trip around the world, was so original and entertaining that I read it twice. So when I found out he had taken a sequel trip and written a new book, I couldn't wait to read it. Adventure Capitalist just doesn't compare well to Investment Biker. Rather than take motorcycles, Rogers and his new girlfriend (the girlfriend from the IB trip is gone) take a custom-built car and a spare (car), just in case. Right away, we can see that this is not going to be the impromptu, go-anywhere journey that Investment Biker was. From almost skidding off the road in the rain just before they started their trip, to narrowly avoiding thieves in Africa when they had to sleep overnight in the car, the dangers often seem self-inflicted. After all, how can you cruise around in a fancy yellow sports car (with storage trailer and support staff) and not atttract attention? I really can't blame Rogers for taking another trip, and what the heck, he's got the money, why not go first class? It's just that it doesn't make for an especially gripping book.
Rating: 
Summary: Too bad the guy is such a wanker.
Review: For a guy who has all the money in the world and is doing something that is truly interesting, it's too bad he's such an arrogant wanker. Otherwise this book would be fantastic. Great idea, nice investment subplots, a plethora of interesting anecdotes, but I have toruble supporting Jim in any way. He's the kind of guy you want to punch in the face after listening to him for 10 pages. I still read the book and enjoyed parts of it, but I feel slightly tainted for passively supporting Jim Rogers.
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