Stock Investing For Dummies, 2nd Edition, has been an honor for me to write. I’m grateful that I can share my thoughts, information, and experience with such a large and devoted group of readers. Although the stock market has served millions of investors for nearly a century, recent years have shown me that a great investing vehicle such as stocks can be easily misunderstood, misused, and even abused. The great bull market of 1982–1999 came to a screeching halt in 2000.
During 2000–2002, millions of investors lost a total of over 5 trillion dollars. What bothers me is that much of that loss was easily avoidable. Investors at the tail end of a bull market often think that stock investing is an easy, carefree, certain way to make a quick fortune.
How wrong they are! The countless stories of investors who lost tremendous amounts of money speculating in tech stocks, dotcoms, and other flashy stocks are lessons for all of us. Successful stock investing takes diligent work and knowledge like any other meaningful pursuit. This book can definitely help you avoid the mistakes others have made and can point you in the right direction. Explore the pages of this book and find the topics that most interest you regarding the world of stock investing.
Let me assure you that I have squeezed over two decades of experience, education, and expertise between these covers. My track record is as good (or better) as the track records of the experts who trumpet their successes.
More importantly, I share information to
avoid common mistakes (some of which I made myself!). Understanding what
not to do can be just as important as figuring out what to do. In all the years
that I have counseled and educated investors, the single difference between
success and failure, between gain and loss, boils down to one word: knowledge. Take this book as your first step in a lifelong learning adventure.
