Investment Strategies: How to Create Your Own and Make It Work For You

Kathleen H. Brown, formerly an associate professor at the University of
Guelph, is a financial consultant.

Two experienced financial experts have put together a most useful guide
for serious readers who want to increase their expertise in investing.
They begin by pointing out that the usual route to riches is first not
spending all you earn, then investing your savings skillfully. They
review such basics as making a budget, understanding the financial
press, minimizing income tax, and clarifying your investment objectives.

Careful attention is given to explaining the criteria for choosing
financial advisers and brokerage firms, topics that some authors mention
only briefly. The long experience that Friedland and Kelman have had in
the financial world is evident in their treatment of various types of
investments. They provide a clear and basic explanation of deposits,
treasury bills, various types of bonds, and preferred and common stocks.
They offer reasons for choosing mutual funds and briefly discuss
investing in real estate, options, commodities, futures, metals, and
art.

Armed with this information, the novice investor will be able to gain
more knowledge from the financial press and financial institutions.
Often, potential investors are overwhelmed by the unfamiliar vocabulary
of the investment world and somewhat in awe of salespersons, who seem so
knowledgeable. Once the investor knows the right questions to ask, much
can be learned.

This is a useful reference for any but the most experienced investors.