Investing in One Lesson

Investing in One Lesson

by Mark Skousen

Investing in One Lesson
(Regnery Publishing, 2007)

"If you could identify one lesson of investing, what would it be?"

This question, repeatedly asked of Mark Skousen by everyday investors, intrigued the stock market expert. Could he sum up his decades-long experience as an investment advisor, professor, and writer in a single lesson? Was it possible both to explain the cryptic workings of the stock market and also relate a comprehensive investing strategy in just one book?

This book represents the definitive answer to that question. With Investing In One Lesson, Dr. Skousen has compiled a primer that will put even the most baffled investor on the road to success in the stock market. Mixing sober investment guidance with compelling stories from Dr. Skousen's years of exploration in the stock market jungle, Investing In One Lesson is an engaging, indispensable guide for surviving and thriving in the peculiar universe of Wall Street.

Why are the smartest, most successful professionals so often failures when it comes to investing? Can stock prices really be so illogical that even doctors and lawyers can't figure them out? Ultimately, is it possible for anyone to decipher the financial markets? Fortunately, the answer is yes.

In Investing In One Lesson, investment guru Mark Skousen clearly and convincingly reveals the reasons for the seemingly perverse, unpredictable nature of the stock market. Drawing upon his decades of experience as an investment advisor, writer, and professor, Dr. Skousen explains in one spirited, easy-to-follow lesson why stock prices fluctuate with such apparent irrationality. Lifting back the veil of perplexity and confusion that surrounds the workings of the stock market, Dr. Skousen explains:

• Why good news for the economy is often bad news for the stock market

• Why stocks of old, established companies in shrinking industries tend to be a better investment than shares in rapidly growing firms in cutting-edge fields

• Why stock prices can suddenly skyrocket or collapse--regardless of market fundamentals

• Why initial public offerings often enrich insiders at the expense of the majority of investors

• How Wall Street is like a giant casino--and how it isn't

The perfect investment primer, Investing In One Lesson provides an introduction to everything from day trading to contrary investing to chart-based techniques. Dr. Skousen's book concludes with a comprehensive but simple investment strategy to maximize your returns without having to dedicate countless hours to researching the market.

Dr. Skousen packs his book with entertaining personal and professional anecdotes illustrating his central point--that the business of investing is not the same as investing in a business. He offers investors a wide-ranging but accessible course on investing history, psychology, and strategy--all in one lesson.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1. Is This Your Story?
Chapter 2. What's Your Business?
Chapter 3. A Rocky Marriage
Chapter 4. A Peculiar Institution
Chapter 5. The Perversity of “Mr. Market”
Chapter 6. Has Wall Street Become Another Las Vegas?
Chapter 7. The Plungers and the Peacocks
Chapter 8. The Growth Trap
Chapter 9. The Contrarians Chapter 10. The Strategy
Chapter 11. My Favorite Investment Choices
Chapter 12. Creating a Permanent Portfolio
Chapter 13. Bonds, Real Estate, and Other Income Investments
Chapter 14. The Lesson Redux
 

What They're Saying About Investing in One Lesson

“Mark Skousen has a remarkable talent for explaining complex financial principles in every-day, understandable language. Investing in One Lesson is easy to read and full of practical advice. Read this book and you will relax and feel comfortable about your financial plan in any and all market conditions.” -- John Dessauer, editor John Dessauer's Investor's World

“Mark Skousen is one of the best financial economists I know. His books on free-market economics and investing can't be beat...I urge you to read his book and follow his simple, powerful investment strategy in Investing in One Lesson.” -- Larry Kudlow, host, Kudlow & Company

“There are few infallible truths of investing, but Mark Skousen identifies the one principle that comes close to gospel in explaining how investors grow rich – and stay rich. In this commonsense guide, Dr. Skousen shows how investors can learn the one lesson of investing and build a secure and prosperous future.” -- Richard E. Band, editor, Profitable Investing

How to Order Investing in One Lesson