Rating: 
Summary: Helps you build a solid foundation for further reading
Review: I have been investing in stocks, mutuals funds and real estate for about 8 years without ever reading a book on the topic. I bought this book to learn the nuts and bolts of investing. Despite the fact that I am not a beginner I still found the book informative. For example, Tyson says when a stock plummets don't bale out, buy some more at the lower price. I baled out of amazon.com at $11 and of course I deeply regret it now. I have since learned to hold during the bad times and now I am in profit territory with all of my stocks. He suggests that college savings accounts, such as 529 plans, may be a bad idea because it could hurt your child's chances of getting financial aid. He explains how bonds can go down in value and says instead of buying individual bonds it is better to buy bond mutual funds. I had been wary of bonds before reading this book, now I am thinking about buying a bond fund in the interests of diversification.I didn't agree with Tyson on everything. He is more conservative than I am. I am only in my early 30s, so I believe I am young enough to take some financial risks. Also, he believes that it is a bad idea to pick your own stocks. Yet he also says that if you buy good companies and hold for several years you will always come out ahead as long as you have a diversified portfolio. I see no reason to pay a financial planner (who may put his/her own interests ahead of mine) to do this for me. One thing I really like about the book is that he doesn't just focus on financial instruments. He also discusses investing in both real estate and small businesses. I will be buying a franchise within the next year and I found this information very helpful. Of course, I will need to do further reading on this topic. This is an excellent book that I had a hard time putting down. If you want to learn more about investing I suggest that you start with this book. It will provide a solid foundation, and help you move onto more complicated financial books and magazines.
Rating: 
Summary: Lacking
Review: There are very few good nuggets of information in this one.
I listened to the entire audio version in my car on the way to work. I didn't have to stop once to jot down anything important.
Rating:
Summary: Buy the Third Edition instead of this OLD one
Review: The Third Edition of this book is already out. Why would you buy the second edition if the third edition is newer?
Rating: 
Summary: Practical Introduction for Beginners
Review: Considering that I know hardly anything about investing in stocks, real estate, etc., this book was a very good one because it introduced me to the basics. It starts with each topic on "level one" and gradually leads you to the level where you understand the topic but do not have useless information. It discusses stocks and bonds, real estate, portfolio buiding, and even the interesting psychological obstacles in investing. I thought an interesting idea was that to succeed long term in mutual fund investing, your portfolio must be diversified and well-researched. This book also discusses the pros and cons of having a financial advisor, and gives resources for more information. The book has cartoons, which add humor and taught me how investing would be applied to my life. The section of the book least applicable to me was about running and buying business, but it was interesting nevertheless. It was a great introduction to investing and I feel much more prepared than I did before reading the book.
Rating:
Summary: Especially relevant today
Review: I preface my review with saying that I am a huge fan of the For Dummies series in general and those written by Eric Tyson in particular. This is another well-written, highly informative book in the series regarding finance and investing. I often conduct seminars on the subject of investing, specifically in retirement accounts, and borrow heavily from the advice and explanations provided in this book. Although the subject matter demands more complexity, and therefore more attention, than the other For Dummies books, it is excellent for those willing to take the extra time. I personally learned a great deal regarding individual stock selection by learning how to understand a company's financial statements. As with any other For Dummies book, you can easily decide how deep you want to go on any given subject. I feel this book is especially relevant in an environment such as today, where many have equated investing with gambling. This statement may be true, if you don't understand the rules. However, this book provides a valuable service in explaining that investing, like anything else in life, will reward you to the extent that you are willing to take responsibility and understand how it works. For those willing to do so, I can not think of a better place to start than this book.
Rating:
Summary: Mandatory Reading for Personal Investors
Review: If you plan on investing, either by hiring a broker or doing it yourself, you owe it to yourself to read this book. It covers the range of potential investments, from stock and mutual funds to small business and real estate investing. It is true that Tyson seems biased towards Vanguard's mutual funds and this book, like his other books on mutual funds and personal finance, carries that tradition forward. In this regard, Tyson is in good company: Vanguard is also highly rated by Consumer Reports and it consistently has the lowest costs. So far, Vanguard has avoided any hint of scandal that has plagued other mutual funds.
Rating:
Summary: Really Helpful
Review: I knew very little about this subject and this was a great introduction. It's easy to read with a dash of decent humor.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent book for beginners
Review: I bought this book on Monday night and finished it on Thursday. Great information on a variety of subjects. I am taking what I read and opening an account within a week of finishing this book. I recommend to anyone who is thinking of opening a brokerage account. Well worth the money.
Rating:
Summary: Great book!
Review: If you need a breather from the stock market's shenanigans then this book is for you. Mr. Tyson really goes out of his way to show that investing comes in multiple forms and is not limited to just stocks. His entire section on investing in yourself by opening a business will ring true during this recession. His guidance and opinion on this "alternative" is the most valuable section of this book. He glosses over futures, which is considered both as an investment and a business. But the information he does speak about will help you profit from the recent moves in oil, gold, and the potential move in interest rates. ... I can't help but advocate this books tone that securities aren't quite "secure". Overall the "Dummies" series has done it again and am proud to own several of their books. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title
Rating:
Summary: Very comphrehensive. Realistic, doable
Review: I like this book by Eric Tyson. It is idea for both the novice investor as well as experienced. You will find great information on investing in stocks and mutual funds.It is also written in plain english so anyone can understand it. You don't have to be a Wall Streeter to appreciate the information in here.I also recommend Eric's Personal Finance for Dummies to fine tune your personal finance know how.Great books Eric!
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