by John Jagerson and S. Wade Hansen
Let me start by saying this book did not make me rush out and buy gold bars or commodity laden ETF’s. I see gold more as a piece of the investment puzzle, and I know that there are a lot of other investments that glitter in other ways, and that achieving balance between these many investment options is the key to success. This book, however, is very informative and detailed and, it is strictly about gold. There aren’t any investment plans being flogged here, nor do the authors offer any gold investing tips or advice. The book sticks to its premise, namely, of being an explanation of the ins and outs of trading gold, where to trade, when to trade, what to buy, and even why to trade. It does slant to “gold bull” outlook, being written largely in a tone that seems to imply that buying gold is a good idea, no matter what form or format you pursue. So, if you are thinking about gold as an element of portfolio diversification, but you really don’t know much about gold and you need positive vibes as well as information, this is the book for you. It will answer the questions of raw beginners, teach you some things you didn’t know, and give you some ideas for starting to invest in precious metals. It will also provide emotional support and “printed confidence” for intermediate and advanced traders. Just remember: If you’re looking for a get rich quick gold investment strategy or some kind of trading plan, you’ll have to look elsewhere. All in all, this is a very sensible, sober book, and I certainly learned a lot about gold. I would say that it even gave me some information that made me think about gold in a new way, namely, gold is not strictly a financial instrument in that it does not generate returns like stocks and bonds, therefore, it can’t really be considered an investment that will generate income. (Seems obvious, I know, but I’d never thought about it that way.) I found this book very informative, so if you’re looking to enroll in Gold Investing 101, this is the textbook for you.
