Product Description

The Wall Street Waltz

Introducing the new Fisher Investment SeriesComprised of engaging and informative titles written by renowned money manager and bestselling author Ken Fisher, this series offers essential insights into the worlds of investing and finance.

"Any investor who fails to read and heed Ken Fisher's book will have only himself (or herself) to blame if he loses his shirt in the market. Using simple words and dramatic charts, Fisher packs a whole financial education into one neat package."

James W. Michaels, Editor Emeritus and Group Vice President-Editorial, Forbes, Inc.

"Ken's book vividly presents a complete picture of the stock market's history-a vital tool for the savvy investor."

Charles R. Schwab, founder, Chairman, and CEO, The Charles Schwab Corporation

"If a picture is worth a thousand words, then these charts could be worth your life savings."

William E. Donoghue, Chairman, W. E. Donoghue Co., Inc.

"Ken Fisher's clear, insightful analysis makes this a compelling book. For information and entertainment, this is a book to turn to again, and again, and again."

David Dreman, founder, Chairman, and CIO, Dreman Value Management, LLC

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #410732 in Books
• Published on: 2007-11-12
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 240 pages

Review
“…the book gives new insight into investing in stocks while keeping the historical perspective intact.” (Gulf Business, March 2008)

From the Inside Flap

On the surface, Wall Street always seems to be changing. But if you dig a little deeper, you'll quickly see that while events and curious phenomena enter and exit the scene almost daily, nothing really important has changed over the years. In fact, much of what happens in the financial world today has been played out in history many times before and has been captured in the cycles and trends of financial charts created over time. Understanding the movements within these charts provides a clearer perspective of today's market and can help you make the best possible investment decisions tomorrow.

As a successful money manager and respected financial columnist, Ken Fisher understands the importance of this information and now, with a revised and updated edition of The Wall Street Waltz, he brings it to life through 90 of the most revealing and provocative financial charts ever assembled. Many of the charts in this reliable resource are snapshots of modern financial markets—which reveal how stocks relate to sales, earnings, dividends, cash flows, and assets—while others include early twentieth-century originals, and new charts of even older events. In each case, Fisher provides what he calls a visualization, in which he analyzes each chart according to its origin, historical significance, and most importantly, its relevance to today's market.

The key to making money on Wall Street doesn't involve fancy moves, it requires focusing on the simple steps. The illustrative charts and informative explanations—which address what you should see in each chart and why they're important—found throughout these pages will provide you with a new perspective on the highly orchestrated "dance" known as the Wall Street waltz and detail timeless investment insights that will enhance your everyday investment endeavors.

The Wall Street waltz has been around for over 200 years, surviving wars, revolutions, depressions, and inflation. It's gone on all around the world in boom-bust cycles with a rhythm all its own. If you want to waltz, the 90 visualizations found in this indispensable volume will provide you with the practical guidance to do so. And tomorrow or ten years from now—when some seemingly new mania or hysteria is causing those around you to panic—you can turn here for help in gaining and maintaining your financial footing.

From the Back Cover

The Wall Street Waltz

Introducing the new Fisher Investment SeriesComprised of engaging and informative titles written by renowned money manager and bestselling author Ken Fisher, this series offers essential insights into the worlds of investing and finance.

"Any investor who fails to read and heed Ken Fisher's book will have only himself (or herself) to blame if he loses his shirt in the market. Using simple words and dramatic charts, Fisher packs a whole financial education into one neat package."

James W. Michaels, Editor Emeritus and Group Vice President-Editorial, Forbes, Inc.

"Ken's book vividly presents a complete picture of the stock market's history—a vital tool for the savvy investor."

Charles R. Schwab, founder, Chairman, and CEO, The Charles Schwab Corporation

"If a picture is worth a thousand words, then these charts could be worth your life savings."

William E. Donoghue, Chairman, W. E. Donoghue Co., Inc.

"Ken Fisher's clear, insightful analysis makes this a compelling book. For information and entertainment, this is a book to turn to again, and again, and again."

David Dreman, founder, Chairman, and CIO, Dreman Value Management, LLC

Customer Reviews

Great Book, but 2007 version offers little over 1987 version
The concept and execution of, Wall Street Waltz is great, however the 2007 edition is basically a reprint of the 1987 version - with some commentary (well done by Mr. Fisher) - and only 4 or so charts updated.

If this were 1987, I'd give the book 5 stars+. I completely enjoyed the 1987 version, and was looking forward to the "updated" charts. I set expectations too high, and only 4 of the 90 charts were updated (Chart 18-Supply & Demand-the real drivers; Chart 74-Debt, the Federal Government, and Herion Addicts; Chart 83-Scale it to see it (defense budgets %GDP); and Chart 84-Predicting Communisms Demise (Kondratieff Wave).)

If you don't have the 1987 copy, by all means get this one. It is a fun read, and the updated commentary boxes add some new insights. If you do have the 1987 version, I'd pass on this new book. The internet can give you a wealth of updated charts and visualizations.


Happy and successful investing ###

Where Are the Last Several Decades?
I am dismayed by Mr. Fisher. At the same time that he is blitzing the media world with ads that solicit his management of our money (if we have $500,000 to give him), he puts out an otherwise wonderful book in 2008 that is filled with old charts, mostly not updated. Examples include "Long-Term vs. Short-Term Interest Rates, 1950-1975" and "Long-Term DJIA Showing Bull and Bear Trendlines, 1929-1977." I'm sure he knows a few additional trends have taken place in the last 30 years, and that his readers would like to see them on the same graphs! This carelessness can only make one wonder, I assume incorrectly, if he uses outdated data to manage clients' money. I hope he reads this comment and immediately puts out a revised new edition of these charts. Not long ago I experienced a very strong sales pitch from his staff. Had I known about his cavalier approach to this book, I would have ended the conversation much sooner. By the way, the book I am looking at has the same ISBN mentioned in the Amazon review, but it has only 224 pages. The review states there are 240 pages. Another odd oversight?

Great Book - Lazy Update
Having read Fisher's excellent recent book, The Only Three Questions That Count and consider his father's book, Common Stocks and Uncommon Profits among the three best books ever written about investing, I was looking very forward to an updated version of this book, initially published 1987.

Many of the charts are fascinating and Fisher's insights are generally worth reading. This is, however, hardly an updated version from the one published 20 years ago. Many of the charts even are now outdated, meaning that they are merely an anecdote of old times that have no relevance today. Most of the charts are the same with a short added commentary by Fisher regarding the 20 years between the editions. Fisher even does not bother to add any for some charts, feeling that the message has stood the test of time. Case in point is chart 25, where he comments: "If you updated this chart, the story would be much the same." Why on earth doesn't he simply update it himself?

Although I think the book itself is interesting, I do deduct a star because of the lazy attitude towards this version (am even tempted to give another minus because of Fisher's constant promo references to his recent book). It is definitely worth getting for anyone with an interest in financial history, it simply should have been better.