Denial: Why Business Leaders Fail to Look Facts in the Face---and What to Do About It

I have not read any management stuff for a long time... The title of this book really attracts me in the first place. As I mentioned always... I love failed stories more than those successful adventures. I am a strong believer that success can happen in all kind of different forms while failure cases are more or less on the same factors. Hence, the "denial" side itself is enough to convince me to read this book.

Ended up... Oppss, this is definitely not the stories I want. Well, I admit that I did not take a glance into the contents and chapters in the first place. If I had done so, I think I would not get this book. Please don't get me wrong. The author did so well in presenting "denial" stuff. However, stories provided are too familiar to me. In fact, examples quoted are found in many similar books. As such, I felt bored throughout the book.

Then, the author sums it up by providing some study case on those who are success by avoiding the so called "denial". Again, nothing enlightens me as those stories are really nothing new to me. In short, I found it hard to find inspiration while rereading the same story.

For a full rating of 10, I am going to rate it at 3/10. My expectation on this book is too high in the first place. Hence, it actually disappointed me so much when I found the case study as presented are some old stories. I thought newer stories that happened for the past 10 years will be good enough to present the "denial" ideas. Well, I am blaming myself for not digging through (at least take a glance) in the first place. Overall, this is a nice book and definitely well written by the author. But, it is just not my cup of tea... 

Buy High, Sell Higher: Why Buy-And-Hold Is Dead And Other Investing Lessons from CNBC's "The Liquidator"

I hardly attracted by this sort of book especially it is CNBC related, LOL. But, since the title itself is already my principle, I thought why not spent some little time to explore it?

Ended up... well, not a bad book overall. However... it is too simple and basic to me. Principles and theories being discussed are nothing new. As usual, this could due to the facts that there is really nothing new under the sun. As such, I actually found it quite boring even though some of the ideas discussed are right and make sense.

On the flaws....first of all, prediction stuff are presented all over the book. To me, a simple moving average always sound complicated when predictive elements are added in. This is the case in this book. Then, we got this very special technique: Don't trade on Mondays (trade on Thursday instead). Well, predictive stuff obviously not my cup of tea. To predict such a way would be real disastrous in view that I might lose tons of opportunities along the way. To me, every single opportunity is so important since money making opportunity does not presenting itself all the time. To make things worse, the author even suggest trading only on certain season or certain time frame. Again, another predictive stuff... Lastly, I am also quite confused by the idea of teamwork as suggested by the author. To me, trading industry is always unique in a way that individualistic at times seems more appropriate and easier to apply. After all, more voices means more noises too.

Overall, I do recommend this book if any new trader finally realized that buy and hold does not suit his or her character. Like I mentioned above, this is not some a-ha ideas. It is more like a repetition of ideas that were presented in many similar books. With the flaws as mentioned, I am going to rate this book at 2/10. After all, this sort of books are everywhere and there is better alternative if one wanted to explore further in buy high, sell higher stuff. 

Hot Commodities: How Anyone Can Invest Profitably in the World's Best Market

This is a book published long time ago. Roughly about 10 years, if I am not mistaken. I read this book once. Recently, a good article reminds me of this book. As such, I think time is just right to reread this book.

Hmm.... I am getting old. The last I read this book, I could not get the inspiration I want. During the first journey in exploring this book, it merely strengthen my belief that correlation and diversification is so important. This time around, I get more.

Well, how good this book after a thoroughly second read? The quotes extracted below tell the whole story:

The most efficient and profitable way to invest is through "index funds" because they are tied to such major indexes. Instead of trying to beat the average in the market, you join them by purchasing a fund that features a basket of stocks guaranteed to match the average, no matter what.

Anytime you move away from the herd, they herd will criticize you; it will call you crazy... But, when you make some money going against the grain, you're no longer crazy; you are just "lucky".

Certainty is an incomprehensible word to any rational and responsible investor. Only political ideologues, religious fanatics and other madmen believe they have all the answer.

I don't like to sell something short unless it's unbelievably expensive. And I mean unbelievably. I've shorted lots of things in my life that were expensive, only to see them get more expensive.

In fact, most traders lose more of the time. It's the bottom line that counts - winning more than you lose.

In fact, I thought this is the right time to reread this book (especially with the recent slump of crude oil). Yes, certain things may not be relevant given commodities' current environment. However, it proves that prediction is never an easy task. Put it this way: If master like Jim Rogers cannot do it precisely, what makes you and I think that we can do it? Hence... instead of focusing on predicting; why not concentrate in reacting? I had been reacting for more than 15 years. Hmm... so far so good, LOL.

Rating wise, I am going to give 10/10 for this book. Well, Jim Roger's prediction may not be perfect. But, his boldness in publishing this book deserved high respect from me. This book serves as good refreshment for traders always. I will surely come back to this book in due time.