Buffett, the Bard of Omaha, is a genuine American folk hero, if folk heroes are allowed to build fortunes worth upward of $15 billion. He's great at homespun metaphor, but behind those catchy phrases is a reservoir of financial acumen that's generally considered the best of his generation. For example, in an essay on CEO stock options, he writes,"Negotiating with one's self seldom produces a barroom brawl." This is his way of saying that an executive who can give himself compensation totally disproportionate to his performance surely will. There are uncountable gems of financial wisdom to be harvested from these essays, taken from the annual reports he writes for Berkshire Hathaway, his holding company. Just to pick one more, here's a now-famous line about those he competes with when making stock-market investments:"What could be more advantageous in an intellectual contest--whether it be chess, bridge, or stock selection--than to have opponents who have been taught that thinking is a waste of energy?"

While Buffett has a policy of seldom commenting on stocks he owns--he feels public pronouncements will only lead to the public's expectation of more public pronouncements, and he likes to keep his cards close to his vest--he loves to discuss the principles behind his investments. These come primarily from Ben Graham, under whom Buffett studied at Columbia University and for whom he worked in the 1950s. First among them is the idea that price is what you pay and value is what you get--and if you're a smart investor, the first will always be less than the second. In that sense, the value of the lessons learned from Buffett's Essays could be far greater than the book's price. -- Lou Schuler

New, ship fast, delivered in 5 days in UK. No PO Box.

New, ship fast, delivered in 5 days in UK. No PO Box.

A completely revised and updated edition of the classic guide from the UK's foremost leadership guru

New, ship fast, delivered in 5 days in UK. No PO Box.

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Every person working in an investment bank or hedge fund has a large part of his work connected to the lifecycle of a trade. It is the glue by which all the departments are bound and the aggregated success or failure of each trade determines the survival and growth of the entire organization.

Tells the story of how the author realised that the sub-prime housing bubble was going to burst, making $15 billion for his fund and more than $4 billion for himself in a single year.

Like its predecessor 'Market Wizards', this book offers practical advice on investing from some of the most prestigious Wall Street professionals in a personal, anecdotal style. The book shows even small investors how to avoid pitfalls and make the most of their money.

Financial spread betting is growing in popularity. This book uses the model of climbing a mountain to explain a disciplined, winning approach to spread betting. It covers issues that include trade planning, record keeping, performance reviews, more on risk management, psychology and continual development.