Across the nation, bookstore shelves are groaning under the weight of heavy investment tomes packed with dubious advice, incomprehensible jargon, and financial platitudes.On telephone lines from coast to coast, investment brokers are crooning seductively to their clients: "It's a sure thing. It can't miss. Trust me."Now comes a smart, savvy, irreverent book that takes deadly aim at these and other financial prophets. As refreshing as it is informative, this no-nonsense, commonsense guide shows you how Wall Street and the markets really work, and how to decipher the often confusing or misleading predictions of "experts." Written by a wise, witty, seasoned Wall Street observer and featuring a wealth of devastatingly clever and satiric cartoons by renowned New Yorker cartoonist Henry Martin, "It's a Sure Thing" puts you, the investor, squarely inside the Wall Street "loop." Not only will you be entertained and amused - you'll also be taught the sophisticated, wary, and profitable approaches to playing the markets that you need to be a successful investor today. Among the subjects explored: how to choose a trustworthy broker ... and when even trustworthy brokers cannot be trusted; why stock market averages can be misleading, and what you should really look for in analyzing market performance; how to tell if your money is really working; why you should beware of companies that overpromote; how to balance investment risks against investment opportunity and figure out how much risk is too much for you; why investment charts have a way of appearing most convincing just as they are about to change direction; how to quickly spot misleading Wall Street euphemisms and sweeping Wall Street generalities, and avoid being taken in by either; how to stop focusing on stock market minutiae and concentrate on the "big picture"; plus advice on the ins and outs of portfolio turnover and diversification ... the "fine print" in annual reports ... stock splits ... mergers and acquisitions ... the laws of supply and demand ... and much more.Featuring the perfect blend of wit and wisdom as well as a 10-page stock selection guide, "It's a Sure Thing" sounds a welcome call for a much-needed return to plain common sense in equity investing. Read Less