Product Description

* The Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX) was passed in 2002 in response to a series of high-profile corporate scandals and requires that public companies implement internal controls over financial reporting, operations, and assets; these controls depend heavily on installing or improving information technology and business methods
* Written by one of the most visible personalities on the tech-biz side of the SOX discussion, this highly readable, engaging book provides a clear road map for integrating SOX compliance into the fabric of everyday IT infrastructure and business practice
* Shows the reader how to leverage and use service-oriented architecture (SOA), a set of technologies that enables interoperation of heterogeneous computer systems, to achieve the level of internal controls over IT that SOX mandates

Product Details

* Amazon Sales Rank: #439805 in Books
* Published on: 2006-04-03
* Original language: English
* Number of items: 1
* Binding: Paperback
* 312 pages

Editorial Reviews

Review
"an engaging and thought provoking book" (Information Age, December 2006)

From the Back Cover
"We choose to do [these] things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills."
—President John F. Kennedy, 1962

President Kennedy was speaking of going to the moon—a goal only slightly more ambitious, in the view of many corporate executives, than complying with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. Hugh Taylor, corporate iconoclast par excellence, turns the prevailing view upside down as he illustrates how achieving full compliance with the spirit as well as the letter of SOX actually has the power to strengthen American business. As a catalyst for positive change, SOX challenges us to tighten operational control while maintaining strategic flexibility—not an easy task, but one that, once achieved, can bring out the best in corporate America.

In this refreshingly readable book, Taylor presents a powerful case for compliance, not because it's the law but because it creates an environment that ensures a well-run business with financial information that CEOs as well as investors can rely on. It demands a new level of management effectiveness that, by its very nature, benefits the bottom line.

SOX has the potential to help us do what we do better.

About the Author
Hugh Taylor is Vice President of Marketing at SOA Software, the leading provider of management and security solutions for enterprise service-oriented architecture. He is the co-author, with Eric Pulier, of Understanding Enterprise SOA (Manning, 2005). The author of more than a dozen articles and papers on the subject of web services and service-oriented architecture, Taylor is an authority on business process management, SOA, and compliance issues. Taylor received his B.A. degree, Magna Cum Laude from Harvard College in 1988 and his M.B.A. degree from Harvard Business School in 1992. He lives in Los Angeles.
Customer Reviews

Joy of Sox3
Well written book, but too detailed about Sarbanes Oxley. I was looking for something with more emphasis on Service Oriented Architecture which is barely touched on in the book.

Little Joy in SOX, but Helpful Understanding4
I make a living leading seminars discussing topics on software project estimation, requirements, and project management. It is not uncommon during one of these seminars to have a participant ask how the practice under discussion would impact or aid Sarbanes-Oxley compliance. What I wanted out of Hugh Taylor's book was a deeper understanding of SOX and some pointers I could give my students.

The Joy of SOX delivered on the first half of my quest. While not an accountant, Taylor did a good job explaining the key points of the act, focusing on section 404. I grew in my understanding of the role software systems play in acting as a "control" and the impact of changes to those systems. A simple definition of a "control" is that it is a device (practice, checkpoint, division of roles) inserted by a company to assist in the determent and detection of fraud.

Taylor, after painting a very bleak picture of what it means to comply to SOX (i.e. insert and maintain all the necessary controls), goes on to propose a solution that allows a company to react as necessary in business while keeping compliant. His solution, using a web based Service-Oriented Architecture. For those who are not buzzword compliant, that means using non-proprietary methods over the internet to communicate between different computer systems. Most of the time today, companies have to pay software development professionals to write a proprietary method. That takes a lot of time.

It is on the second point of my quest that I felt a little let down. Being a software development person, the word "agile" has a lot of baggage with it. He uses the word to mean the fundamental fluidity of the business to engage in new business practices. We software people want to enable that but we use the word an approach to software development. The two don't quite mean the same thing. So when I got to his prescription, I was into an alphabetic soup of software development acronyms that I have never quite liked, even being in the field. Perhaps his way would work, but I think the hype machine is still on over XML, SOAP, SOBA and the like. Hey, given the alternatives he paints in the first half of the book, it is probably worth considering.

So, who should read this book? Well, if you want a decent way of understanding what SOX means to a public business, then the first half is worth reading. The use of the case study makes it a little HBR like and I enjoyed that. If you are a software development professional like me, well, the first half is worth knowing and you can skim the second half. If you are a business professional, you better know the first half. The second half? You can read it but this is what my friends and I would call "beer discussion" topics. There is no "right" answer, only answers that are better given the situation. Maybe bring your favorite IT person along for the beer.

A useful overview5
How can you resist a book with a title like "The Joy of SOX"? I liked the book - it was the first intelligible or helpful summary of Sarbanes-Oxley I have come across. Using an imaginary scenario it laid out both a plausible current state and accurately described the way in which business change might put the company's IT systems, and SOX compliance, at risk because they could not be changed quickly or accurately enough to respond. The book goes on to lay out how SOA is a key ingredient to building a profitable business that is also highly controlled and where processes are visible both to management and to regulators.

Most of the chapters are very readable, even some dealing with an alphabet soup of standards and standards bodies. A couple were heavier going and a few seemed like they needed to be longer - there was a certain amount of "and then magic occurs" that I am sure Hugh could have addressed in a longer book.

These complaints are, however, minor. For those of you interested in Sarbanes-Oxley or COBIT but not willing to wade through a lot of material, this book is a nice introduction.

Product Description

In recent years, the subject of genes and their influence on human behavior has become increasingly controversial as concerns about the racist use of genetics, discriminatory eugenics, and neurogenetic determinism have grown. In this major new book, eminent scientist Professor Sir Michael Rutter gets behind the hype to provide a balanced and authoritative overview of the genetic revolution and its implications for understanding human behavior.

Rutter sets out in layman's terms what genetic science has discovered to date, explaining exactly what genes do, how much is nature and how much is nurture. He argues that nature and nurture are not truly separate, giving powerful illustrations of how the two interact to determine our behavior. He also considers the implications of genetic findings for policy and practice. This thought-provoking account will inform public debate about the implications of the Human Genome Project and, more broadly, the field of genetic science.
Product Details

* Amazon Sales Rank: #1840981 in Books
* Published on: 2006-04-08
* Original language: English
* Number of items: 1
* Binding: Hardcover
* 280 pages

Editorial Reviews

Review
"In this highly readable and intellectually honest book, the latest advances in molecular and behavior genetics are brought to bear on our knowledge of psychology and psychiatry. The end product is an eloquent exposition of "genetic realism" in the context of behavior, and will surely be of interest to all who are curious about the forces that give rise to human behavior, both normal and abnormal." Charles A. Nelson III, Harvard Medical School

"Genes and Behavior: Nature-Nurture Interplay Explained manages to be comprehensive, lucid, and clear, without oversimplifying what is an inherently complex subject. It enables a clinician to understand the fundamentals of genetics as they apply to medicine and a geneticist to understand the environmental determinants of the phenotype. What makes it entirely remarkable is that it is comprehensible to generalists and yet has much to teach specialists." Leon Eisenberg, Harvard Medical School

"No one but Michael Rutter could have written this remarkable, compelling book. At last we have a clear and balanced treatment of the role genes play in the variations among individuals in behavioral traits and psychosocial pathologies. Rutter rescues the reader from the excesses of both the "evangelical" geneticists and the environmental extremists. He draws on his vast knowledge of the pertinent theories and empirical work, and takes the reader beyond the limited scope of statistical twin and adoption studies into the recent work of molecular geneticists, illuminating some of the complex biological processes that govern the ways in which genetic factors can work or fail to work in influencing behavioral outcomes, and how their effects can be modified by experience. Rutter presents a carefully reasoned case for co-action of genetic and environmental factors at all stages of development. A must-read for anyone seriously interested in nature/nurture issues." Eleanor E. Maccoby, Stanford Center on Adolescence

"Rutter offers a highly critical and extremely clear and well-written review of the current state of the nature/nurture argument as it relates to human behaviour and psychiatric illness......it is written in a way that should be easily accessible to the general reader as well as to the specialist. And, since its subject matter affects all of us, it should be read widely." Times Higher Education Supplement

"The question of how genes and the environment interact should be an area of interest to all social and physical science; it should not remain solely the domain of geneticists. For anyone interested in developing a greater understanding of the mechanics of this interaction, this book would make an excellent choice." Jonathan Wells, Young Minds Magazine, July/August 2006

"Michael Rutter, the United Kingdom's gift to world psychiatric excellence deals with this issue head-on in an amazingly readable and highly accurate book about genes and behaviour....This book is a gem." Myrna M. Weissman, Psychological Medicine, 36

"If you want an inspiring contribution to the debate in this highly topical area or research and also want to learn about the most up-to-date approaches to genetic research, then this is the book to choose." Svenn Torgersen, Nature, Volume 442

"The author deftly deals with the extreme arguments of genetic and environmental evangelists. It is a lucid, balanced tour de force. Highly recommended."
Journal of Clinical Psychiatry

Review
"In this highly readable and intellectually honest book, the latest advances in molecular and behavior genetics are brought to bear on our knowledge of psychology and psychiatry. The end product is an eloquent exposition of “genetic realism” in the context of behavior, and will surely be of interest to all who are curious about the forces that give rise to human behavior, both normal and abnormal." Charles A. Nelson III, Harvard Medical School


“Genes and Behavior: Nature–Nurture Interplay Explained manages to be comprehensive, lucid, and clear, without oversimplifying what is an inherently complex subject. It enables a clinician to understand the fundamentals of genetics as they apply to medicine and a geneticist to understand the environmental determinants of the phenotype. What makes it entirely remarkable is that it is comprehensible to generalists and yet has much to teach specialists.” Leon Eisenberg, Harvard Medical School


"No one but Michael Rutter could have written this remarkable, compelling book. At last we have a clear and balanced treatment of the role genes play in the variations among individuals in behavioral traits and psychosocial pathologies. Rutter rescues the reader from the excesses of both the "evangelical" geneticists and the environmental extremists. He draws on his vast knowledge of the pertinent theories and empirical work, and takes the reader beyond the limited scope of statistical twin and adoption studies into the recent work of molecular geneticists, illuminating some of the complex biological processes that govern the ways in which genetic factors can work or fail to work in influencing behavioral outcomes, and how their effects can be modified by experience. Rutter presents a carefully reasoned case for co-action of genetic and environmental factors at all stages of development. A must-read for anyone seriously interested in nature/nurture issues." Eleanor E. Maccoby, Stanford Center on Adolescence

"Rutter offers a highly critical and extremely clear and well-written review of the current state of the nature/nurture argument as it relates to human behaviour and psychiatric illness......it is written in a way that should be easily accessible to the general reader as well as to the specialist. And, since its subject matter affects all of us, it should be read widely." Times Higher Education Supplement

"The question of how genes and the environment interact should be an area of interest to all social and physical science; it should not remain solely the domain of geneticists. For anyone interested in developing a greater understanding of the mechanics of this interaction, this book would make an excellent choice." Jonathan Wells, Young Minds Magazine, July/August 2006

"Michael Rutter, the United Kingdom's gift to world psychiatric excellence deals with this issue head-on in an amazingly readable and highly accurate book about genes and behaviour....This book is a gem." Myrna M. Weissman, Psychological Medicine, 36

"If you want an inspiring contribution to the debate in this highly topical area or research and also want to learn about the most up-to-date approaches to genetic research, then this is the book to choose." Svenn Torgersen, Nature, Volume 442

"The author deftly deals with the extreme arguments of genetic and environmental evangelists. It is a lucid, balanced tour de force. Highly recommended."
Journal of Clinical Psychiatry

From the Back Cover
In recent years, the subject of genes and their influence on human behavior has become increasingly controversial as concerns about the racist use of genetics, discriminatory eugenics, and neurogenetic determinism have grown. In this major new book, eminent scientist Professor Sir Michael Rutter gets behind the hype to provide a balanced and authoritative overview of the genetic revolution and its implications for understanding human behavior.

Rutter sets out in layman's terms what genetic science has discovered to date, explaining exactly what genes do, how much is nature and how much is nurture. He argues that nature and nurture are not truly separate, giving powerful illustrations of how the two interact to determine our behavior. He also considers the implications of genetic findings for policy and practice. This thought-provoking account will inform public debate about the implications of the Human Genome Project and, more broadly, the field of genetic science.
Customer Reviews

Best Introduction5
This is arguably the best introduction to the complex world of how genes affect human personality and behavior. It is far from an easy "read" and doesn't shy from the use of technical terms (an advantage for those who wish to go further but an impediment to more casual readers). The prose is somewhat leaden. Still -- it is a remarkable achievement. Rutter is a distinguished psychiatrist who has made major contributions to our understanding of psychiatric disorders and is well respected across the psychology-psychiatry divide.
The book accomplishes several goals. First, it provides a limited but useful survey of what is presently known about the genetic basis of mental disorders and personality/intelligence. Second (and more usefully) it discusses the logic of genetic causality and surveys the various methods used to uncover same. Third (and most importantly), it provides a balanced and nuanced discussion of all the ways that genes and environmental factors interact to produce human psychology. As such it provides a useful corrective to those who believe that genes are destiny and that there is a "gene (or genes)" for most human characteristics. The human genome project and associated research has now made it clear that the various ways genes affect humans are far more complex than anyone realized even 20 years ago. Unfortunately this has not become part of the popular wisdom, and so this book becomes essential reading for those interested in this fascinating and important topic. The study of psychology will increasingly be dominated by genetic science (and its sister discipline of neurobiology) and lay people as well as professionals will need a book such as this to help them on their way to a more complete understanding of how this is likely to play out. There are many books on the genetic underpinnings of psychological processes, but most are either simplistic or too technical for general consumption. An exception would be the books by Matt Ridley. The Rutter book is less accessible that the Ridley books, but more technically accomplished.

A Brilliant Book by a Brilliant Individual5
I was once in the cafeteria having lunch with some friends, when Sir Michael Rutter came in for a moment to get a sandwich. One of our group leaned over and said, "That man's written more books than I've read. See, he doesn't even have time to sit down for lunch!"

It was said in jest, but my friend had a point: Mike has been re-creating several fields of psychology and psychiatry since the 1960s. Although best known as a child psychiatrist, he has made enormous contributions to the study of child development and the interactions between genes and the environment.

This book is a superb summary of some of the enormous changes that have transformed our understanding of genetics over the last two decades by someone who has been in the thick of it, as an investigator, mentor and teacher.

One of the biggest problems in psychology has been the polarization between the proponents of Nature and Nurture. Most folk psychology is driven by the notion that human behavior can be explained by a combination of learning and the environment, and largely neglects the role of genetics. So in that view, an alcoholic develops the illness because he observed alcohol abuse in the family, and genetics have nothing to do with it. The other extreme view is that the whole of human behavior can be reduced to sets of interacting genes. Both positions are unhelpful. The tension between psychosocial researchers and behavior geneticists has been sustained by the different theoretical perspectives that the two use to describe similar concepts. Most experts now understand that the key to understanding problems like the susceptibility and resilience to mental illness is to understand the interaction of genes and the environment over the lifespan of an individual. This book shows exactly how we can do that.

What this book does, and what makes it unique, is that it presents in

Product Description

Cambridge IELTS 5 contains 4 authentic IELTS papers from Cambridge ESOL, providing the most authentic exam practice available. The audio cassettes accompanying this fifth volume of practice IELTS papers contain all the recorded material required for students to practise the tasks in the Listening papers.
Product Details

* Amazon Sales Rank: #1931134 in Books
* Published on: 2006-07-10
* Formats: Abridged, Audiobook
* Original language: English
* Number of items: 2
* Binding: Audio Cassette

Product Description

Provides students with an excellent opportunity to familiarise themselves with IELTS and to practise examination techniques using authentic test material prepared by Cambridge ESOL. Each collection contains four complete tests for Academic candidates, plus extra Reading and Writing modules for General Training candidates. An introduction to these different modules is included in each book, together with an explanation of the scoring system used by Cambridge ESOL. A comprehensive section of answers and tapescripts makes the material ideal for self-study.
Product Details

* Amazon Sales Rank: #163785 in Books
* Published on: 2007-07-23
* Format: Student Edition
* Original language: English
* Number of items: 1
* Binding: Paperback
* 176 pages

Customer Reviews

IELTS 63
The IELTS 6 is very useful for our aspiring professional nurses here in the Philippines who plans to go to work in the UK, Canada or the US. This will give them prior knowledge and mental preparation prior to the IELTS test proper.

Wonderful 5
This book is perfect for students who desire to know how the IELTS test is works, though dont expect to find grammar rules or tips, nothing like that, if more, its aimed to people who already have a level. The one i got came with two cds, which have the listening (obviously) tests. It must come with them if you purchase it, cos its part of the SELFSTUDY pack (make sure its the version you are getting) cds do not come with stdents book with answers.

One of the Best IELTS Products5
This is far better than IELTS 4 and 5. Especially,the reading section is tough and very time consuming. This is a must, if you try IELTS academic. Better to purchase with all listening CD's. I'm sure the careful completion of this book will increase your band up to 7 or more.

The product Detail Product Details

* Amazon Sales Rank: #5704596 in Books
* Published on: 1996
* Original language: English
* Binding: Paperback
* 182 pages

Product Description

A properly executed strength or weight lifting regimen can lower your blood pressure and cholesterol levels, stabilize your blood sugar, reduce the risk of heart disease, increase your strength, and more. Weight Training For Dummies, Third Edition, is packed with all the information you need to start your own personalized weight training program and get yourself into peak condition fast. You’ll find out about:

* Circuit and resistance training
* 20-minute weight training routines
* The newest and best weight training equipment
* Combining weight training with other exercise
* Gender differences in weight training goals and routines
* Specific approaches for baby boomers and seniors just starting out
* Using weight training to address specific health conditions
* Preventing injuries
* Weight training for children and teens

If you’re getting pumped about weight training, don’t delay. Buy Weight Training for Dummies, Third Edition today, and you’ll be in shape in no time!
Product Details

* Amazon Sales Rank: #58709 in Books
* Published on: 2006-03-06
* Original language: English
* Number of items: 1
* Binding: Paperback
* 408 pages

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
Any large bookstore has a few shelves of books about exercise and fitness. Usually they fall into one of two categories: basic books meant for people who've never exercised before, and bodybuilding manuals meant for people who do nothing but. Weight Training for Dummies is just about the only book that spans the knowledge gap between the two groups. It has plenty of easy-to-understand instruction for complete beginners, but there's also a lot of information for those who've been training a while. In fact, some veteran gym rats may be startled by the authors' extreme skepticism about nutritional supplements and some popular classes offered in many gyms.

Review
One of the easiest-to-understand, best-illustrated guides to important strength exercises we've ever seen. -- Men's Fitness

Solid, comprehensive, and fun...Photos illustrate more than 150 pages of exercises. -- Seattle Post-Intelligencer

From the Publisher
Discover how to:

Customize a program to suit your lifestyle Use free weights, fitness bands, and more Build strength with Pilates and yoga Improve your balance and coordination Track your progress with handy fitness logs
Customer Reviews

Great resource for beginners and those who have "strayed"5
Liz Neporent does a splendid job providing guidance for those new to weight training; the book describes strength training with weights from top to bottom. I especially think the emphasis on safety the book promotes is a worthwhile feature; weight training done wrong can be hazardous. I've been throwing barbells and dumbbells around for over 30 years, and I still picked up some good info from this title, mainly in the form of reminders. Even experienced fitness enthusiasts can get set in their ways; this book provides a good back-to-basics guide for seasoned jocks as well as an effective intro for those just getting started.

An excellent resource for complete beginners5
This is the perfect book for someone who has never lifted weights before and is looking to start from the very beginning. It is never assumed that you know anything, which is perfect for the complete beginner. The book covers the most basic exercises for each muscle group, and provides basic information on these muscle groups, so that the beginner can become accustomed to putting together a basic program for the entire body. Once the beginner masters this, they will have all the building blocks needed to move on to more advanced programs, such as working on different groups on different days or doing supersets. If you are already familiar with the basics and are looking for more intermediate and advanced exercises and programs, try The Body Sculpting Bible for Women, Revised Edition: The Way to Physical Perfection (Body Sculpting Bible) or The Body Sculpting Bible for Men, Revised Edition: The Way to Physical Perfection (Body Sculpting Bible). However, if you are looking to start with the very basics - nothing wrong with that - then start with this one to get your basics down and your confidence up before moving on to the Body Sculpting series or other more advanced books.

Really, really basic3
I did learn some useful technique tidbits from this book, and it has some amusing anecdotes, but this book is really for someone who is a true beginner. So I can only really recommend for those who have NO idea what is in a typical gym weightroom.

Product Description

This book demystifies the foreign exchange market by focusing on the people who comprise it. Drawing on the expertise of the very professionals whose decisions help shape the market, Thomas Oberlechner describes the highly interdependent relationship between financial decision makers and news providers, showing that the assumption that the foreign exchange market is purely economic and rational has to be replaced by a more complex market psychology.
Product Details

* Amazon Sales Rank: #478859 in Books
* Published on: 2004-12-07
* Original language: English
* Number of items: 1
* Binding: Hardcover
* 278 pages

Editorial Reviews

Review
“…there are enough gems in there to keep you reading on.” (The Technical Analyst, March/April, 30th March 2005)

"...a fascinating and entertaining read..." (Economic Issues, June 2006)

From the Inside Flap
The Psychology of the Foreign Exchange Market.

This book offers a fascinating understanding of the decisions that determine exchange rates. It sheds light on the psychology behind spectacular market phenomena as well as on subliminal processes in daily trading decisions.

In an understandable and engaging analysis of his research with many of the world's leading market participants, Thomas Oberlechner draws on the first-hand expertise of the professionals whose decisions shape the market. Expanding the field of behavioral finance, The Psychology of the Foreign Exchange Market incorporates new insights from a variety of psychological perspectives - ranging from social market dynamics; the role of affects and intuition in trading decisions; cognitive biases of traders; psychological risk-taking phenomena; subjective attitudes in market expectations; the interdependent relationship between trading institutions and the financial news media; the dynamics of market rumors, and personality characteristics of successful traders; to the role of metaphors in the decisions of participants and the nature of the market.

From the Back Cover
This book offers a fascinating understanding of the decisions that determine exchange rates. It sheds light on the psychology behind spectacular market phenomena as well as on subliminal processes in daily trading decisions.

In an understandable and engaging analysis of his research with many of the world’s leading market participants, Thomas Oberlechner draws on the first-hand expertise of the professionals whose decisions shape the market. Expanding the field of behavioral finance, The Psychology of the Foreign Exchange Market incorporates new insights from a variety of psychological perspectives - ranging from social market dynamics; the role of affects and intuition in trading decisions; cognitive biases of traders; psychological risk-taking phenomena; subjective attitudes in market expectations; the interdependent relationship between trading institutions and the financial news media; the dynamics of market rumors, and personality characteristics of successful traders; to the role of metaphors in the decisions of participants and the nature of the market.

"Economists propose elegant theories and sophisticated models to explain exchange rates, but to no avail. Traders, however, enjoy uncommon success in these markets. The difference is psychology. Economists deny it. Traders exploit it. And Thomas Oberlechner explains it – very skilfully. Whether you want to be a better economist or a better trader, read this outstanding book!"
—Mark Kritzman, Windham Capital Management Boston, LLC

"Finally, a book that helps us to understand the dynamics of the largest market in the world. As petrodollars and financial trade foreign exchange transactions gave way to pure trading for profit and speculation, it was often difficult to ascertain the dynamics of trading. Thomas Oberlechner has provided an excellent understanding in this book."
—Marshall N. Carter, Chairman/CEO (retired), State Street Bank and Trust Co., Boston

"Financial markets, with their interaction of economic and psychological mechanisms, increasingly attract researchers’ and practitioners’ interests. Thomas Oberlechner brilliantly examines financial markets by taking a psychological perspective. This splendid book impresses by its detailed research and provides a thorough understanding of the complex yet attractive mechanisms of financial markets."
—Professor Erich Kirchler, Institute for Psychology, University of Vienna

"Thomas Oberlechner has pulled together an astonishing array of first-rate research on how financial markets are shaped and shifted through all-too-human interaction and decision. Moreover, he has contributed a good deal of highly original research into the workings of the foreign exchange market and on the people who build and sustain this market. The Psychology of the Foreign Exchange Market summarizes in a most readable way what we know about the people - traders, analysts and journalists - who make markets and whose everyday decision making has, to say the least, far ranging social consequences. A ‘must read’ for anyone who wonders about the seemingly unfathomable mysteries of exchange rates and the making of markets."
—John Van Maanen, Erwin Schell Professor of Organization Studies, MIT
Customer Reviews

Essentail reading for Forex Dealers5
I am a veteran forex dealer and in-house trainer of our dealers; this book is required reading. From the opening quote in the introduction of the book you are introduced to the concept that "psychology" is everything in dealing. Believe it! Though the book provides no canned solutions to dealing, it does give you the essential foundations to begin to build your own dealing models.

A good dissertation may be, but not a good trading book for sure2
If you are interested in the result of a survey done through over 300 FX traders in 5 countries or over 200 bibliographies for your own thesis, you will be absolutely delighted. If you want to sharpen your trading edge or simply to have fun (like what Fiasco, Pit Bull, Liar's Poker and Wall Street Meat do), you will be very disappointed.

I would like to give you an example. In page 154 the author listed a table of importance ratings of successful trader characteristics (n=291, 1=unimportant, 4=very important) of 23 items ranging from Quick Reaction Time (mean=3.71, sd=0.50) & Discipline (mean=3.65, sd=0.55) to Computer Literacy (mean=2.54, sd=0.78) & Social Skills (mean=2.52, sd=0.74). Some might find it helpful. As a veteran pro FX trader and trading book lover who read to sharpen my edge in one of the most competitive market, I dont.

Perhaps the author had just tried too hard to post the findings of his survey into a book that the chapters and thus content are quite disoriented (I strongly suggest you to take a look of the content page available on Amazon). Sorry to say that there are plenty of much better trading psychology books in the market (though not dedicated to FX, but still relevant and applicable). IMHO, "Beyond Greed and Fear: Understanding Behavioral Finance and the Psychology of Investing" by Hersh Shefrin and "The psychology of Finance by Lars Tvede" should be better choices.

p.s. I had overlooked the fact that the two five star reviews (this should be the third review of this book) were written by two one-review-only readers. Shame on me!

A Must Read for Any Trader or Investor5
This book is valuable to any person trading any market. It enforces the thought that you bring yourself to the market, be it currencies, futures, stocks, or bonds. A person is the product of their environment, culture, parents, education and experiences which influences their perception of the markets. It is very difficult to observe what the market is doing without observing what it is doing to you. All markets are a mind game.