Bonds Books

The Predators' Ball: The Inside Story of Drexel Burnham and the Rise of the Junk Bond Raiders

Connie Bruck

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 42 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

A Piece That Has What Others Don't. 4 out of 5 stars.
1 of 2 people found this review helpful.

Highly regarded as one of the finest pieces of business investigative journalism written, Connie Bruck's groundbreaking work on the subject of junk bonds and corporate financing was written during a time when the business press universally admired Drexel Burnham for their ability to turn junk into gold.

You will find this book quite entertaining and comprehensible. A smooth read not filled with too much industry jargon, its nomenclature friendly enough even for the beginner. It highlights the bright sides as well as the dark sides of the critically acclaimed Junk-bond king Michael Milken and allows each of us to have his or her own view on Milken and Drexel Burnham's underlying philosophy.

Although the book does lean heavily towards Milken having a me first attitude, it does manage to pin down a few important business lessons underscored by him that cannot be overlooked. You will not waste any time reading this piece. You will definitely be on the winning side by reading this book.

This book will definitely generate scores of topics to discuss and debate about the philosophies of American business that dominated Wall Street in the 1980s. This future classic highlights many corporate raiders that are still vehemently visible today. Just to name a few: players like Carl Icahn, Nelson Peltz, Ron Perelman, T. Boone Pickens and a host of others.

A definite must read for those interested in banking, financial history, and especially for business students.

Editorial Review:

During the '80s, Michael Milken at Drexel Burnham created the corporate raiders. He was the billionaire Junk Bond King. But, in the corner stood the U.S. District Attorney waiting to file criminal and racketeering charges.

The Bond Book: Everything Investors Need to Know About Treasuries, Municipals, GNMAs, Corporates, Zeros, Bond Funds, Money Market Funds, and More

Annette Thau

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 22 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Primer on Fixed Income Products 5 out of 5 stars.
9 of 9 people found this review helpful.

Am nearly finished reading the 2nd printing of this excellent tutorial. Although I have been an avid buyer & seller of fixed income products for many years, the author did a superb job of furthering my mid-level expertise especially in the area of municipal bonds. Her plain language explanations were most welcome as opposed to the plethora of financial techno-babble tomes that share the bookshelf. 5 Stars without reservation.

Editorial Review:

In today’s volatile financial environment, growing numbers of investors are looking to flee the stock market in search of safer ground. While the bond market has often been a “safe haven,” confusing new bonds and bond funds make it increasingly difficult for unfamiliar investors to choose the correct fixed income investments. The Bond Book provides investors with the information and tools they need to make bonds a comforting, important, and profitable component of their portfolios. Thoroughly revised, updated, and expanded from its bestselling first edition, this all-in-one sourcebook includes: *A new section on using the Internet to research, buy, and sell bonds *A new chapter devoted to increasingly popular foreign bonds *Detailed information on the inflation-linked Treasury bonds *Explanation of the new categories of bond funds *Tips on how to evaluate and buy bond funds

Bonds: The Unbeaten Path to Secure Investment Growth

Hildy Richelson, Stan Richelson

Amazon Price: $16.47 List Price: $24.95 By: Bloomberg Press Amazon Marketplace: 33 new & used starting at $15.41

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 23 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

In "Bonds: The Unbeaten Path to Secure Investment Growth", two veteran investors expose the myth of stocks' superior investment returns and propose an all-bond portfolio as a sure-footed strategy that can ensure results. The book, an expanded and updated version of "The Money-Making Guide to Bonds", is designed to educate novice and sophisticated investors alike and serve as a tool for financial advisers as well. It explains why bonds can be the right choice and how to use them to achieve financial goals. It presents a broad spectrum of bond-investment options, describes how to purchase bonds at the best price, and, most important, shows how to make money with bonds.

The wealthiest investors and financial advisers use the bond strategies outlined in this book to maximize the the return on their portfolios while providing security of principal. The strategies can help you determine how to use bonds in your portfolio and take control of your financial destiny. You'll be playing it smart while playing it safe.

Earn 15 hours of credit toward your CFP Board requirement.

The Only Guide to a Winning Bond Strategy You'll Ever Need: The Way Smart Money Preserves Wealth Today

Larry E. Swedroe, Joseph H. Hempen

Amazon Price: $17.13 List Price: $25.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Truman Talley Books Amazon Marketplace: 37 new & used starting at $7.35

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 20 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

A Must Read For Every Investor 5 out of 5 stars.
7 of 7 people found this review helpful.

Larry Swedroe and Joseph Hempen explain the misunderstood asset class of fixed income most clearly and advise the implementation of bonds into your investment portfolio in accordance with your objectives. Clearly and concisely, the authors tell you the pros and cons of various security types and familiarize you with "bondspeak", the insider language of the bond market. Read and digest this book. Then you'll know what to do with fixed income securities in your investment strategy just like a pro.

Joel

Editorial Review:

Larry Swedroe, the author of The Only Guide to a Winning Investment Strategy You'll Ever Need, has collaborated with Joe H. Hempen to create an up-to-date book on how to invest in today's bond market that covers a range of issues pertinent to any bond investor today including: bond-speak, the risks of fixed income investing, mortgage-backed securities, and municipal bonds. The Only Guide to a Winning Bond Strategy You'll Ever Need is a no-nonsense handbook with all the information necessary to design and construct your fixed income portfolio. In this day and age of shaky stocks and economic unpredictability, The Only Guide to a Winning Bond Strategy You'll Ever Need is a crucial tool for any investor looking to safeguard their money.

Naked Guide to Bonds: What You Need to Know--Stripped Down to the Bare Essentials

Michael V. Brandes

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 8 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Professional investors have long understood the importance of bonds in a successful portfolio strategy. Now you can too.

That's because Wall Street bond expert Michael Brandes takes a unique approach to this complex subject—he makes it simple. In Naked Guide to Bonds: What You Need to Know, Stripped Down to the Bare Essentials, technical jargon and complicated subject matter are translated into a straightforward, easy-to-read style with plenty of examples. What's more, rather than writing an all-inclusive book on the bond market, Brandes uses his expertise to eliminate the information that is not relevant to individual investors. The result is a practical and succinct guide that empowers you to make informed investment decisions.

Naked Guide to Bonds is written so that each chapter builds upon the information that precedes it. That way you'll never be thrown for a loop. It begins with basic questions such as: Who issues bonds, and why? And how are bonds bought and sold? Then you'll learn about the structure of these securities and the characteristics that distinguish them from stocks.

Once you're armed with the fundamentals, you'll discover how inflation, interest rates, and changes in the economy impact bond prices. Naked Guide to Bonds also provides insights about different types of bonds, including those issued by the U.S. government and its agencies, municipalities, corporations, and international issuers. Most importantly, you'll understand how to identify the bonds that are most appropriate for you.

In the final sections, you'll determine how to:

• Assess your risk profile and set goals
• Construct a portfolio to meet your objectives
• Implement a customized strategy
• Evaluate individual bonds and mutual funds
• Monitor and maintain your portfolio
• Avoid the most common mistakes

Filled with helpful charts and informative "Bare Essentials" summary points at the beginning of each chapter, Naked Guide to Bonds provides an effective way to become a smart and successful bond investor. Take a look for yourself and you'll see how enjoyable and rewarding learning about bonds can be.

Mortgage-Backed Securities: Products, Structuring, and Analytical Techniques (Frank J. Fabozzi Series)

Frank J. Fabozzi, Anand K. Bhattacharya, William S. Berliner

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 4 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

understand some innovative instruments 4 out of 5 stars.
6 of 8 people found this review helpful.

If you are a securities analyst wanting to understand recent innovations in financial instruments, Fabozii's topic can be very germane. He describes the myriad ways that bundling together mortgages can produce, in terms of cash flow and risk. Naturally, the book delves heavily into how well both can be modelled.

Specifically, there is a key section on how to measure prepayments and defaults. Both act against the "ideal" nature of a given instrument. Where ideal means that all debtholders will repay the debts in full and on the regular predicated schedule. We see different measures of delinquency - for example - current, 30 days delinquent, 60 days delinquent, and 90+ days delinquent. This is one very common classification, used by the US Office of Thrift Supervision. Other groups has similar measures.

Much other space in the book explains how the cash flow can be divided into tranches. Different ones based on differing yields and risk.

A cynical reader might surmise that the implementation of ideas like those in the book have contributed to the recent turmoil in the mortgage industry. Aiding and abetting.

Editorial Review:

An in-depth look at the latest innovations in mortgage-backed securities

The largest sector of the fixed-income market is the mortgage market. Understanding this market is critical for portfolio managers, as well as issuers who must be familiar with how these securities are structured. Mortgage-Backed Securities is a timely guide to the investment characteristics, creation, and analysis of residential real estate-backed securities. Each chapter contains cutting-edge information for investors, traders, and other professionals involved in this market, including discussions of structuring mortgage products-such as agency CMOs and new types of mortgages-and an in-depth explanation of the concept of option-adjusted spreads and other analytical concepts used to assess relative value.

The Handbook of Municipal Bonds (Frank J. Fabozzi Series)

Sylvan G. Feldstein, Frank J. Fabozzi

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Total reviews: 1 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

A Great Reference on Municipal Bonds 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 3 people found this review helpful.

This is a comprehensive book on bond insurance and hits all the hot topics for the municipal bond investor. Well worth the price. There is no other book like this.

Editorial Review:

In The Handbook of Municipal Bonds, editors Sylvan Feldstein and Frank Fabozzi provide traders, bankers, and advisors—among other industry participants—with a well-rounded look at the industry of tax-exempt municipal bonds. Chapter by chapter, a diverse group of experienced contributors provide detailed explanations and a variety of relevant examples that illuminate essential elements of this area. With this book as your guide, you’ll quickly become familiar with both buy side and sell side issues as well as important innovations in this field.

The Strategic Bond Investor : Strategies and Tools to Unlock the Power of the Bond Market

Anthony Crescenzi

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 8 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

A dynamic, equity-style approach to investing in today's bond market

"Tony Crescenzi knows bonds and his book proves it. From 'Fedspeak' to Treasury buybacks, The Strategic Bond Investor helps to explain the mysteries of the bond market and even offers tips on how to forecast interest rates. Sign me up—I can always learn something new!"—Bill Gross, Managing Director at Pacific Investment Management Company

Bond investing can be every bit as exciting and profitable as "playing the stock market." The Strategic Bond Investor is the first book to approach fixed-income investing from an equity-style perspective. This fast-paced book provides readers with helpful tips, tools, and strategies for tracking market sentiment, spotting market extremes, analyzing volume and liquidity, and dozens of other techniques that were­­up until now­­limited primarily to the equity markets.

The Strategic Bond Investor reveals a dramatic new approach for using bonds to balance portfolios while grabbing profit opportunities as they present themselves. It represents a new style of bond investing, bold yet risk-conscious, that is long overdue for today's transformed market environment. Investors looking to diversify their portfolios will discover:

• Key economic releases and how they influence bond prices
• Popular fixed-income portfolio management strategies
• Best-performing bonds in a variety of economic circumstances

Bond Markets, Analysis and Strategies (6th Edition)

Frank J Fabozzi

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 8 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Excellent introduction to Bond Markets - VERY well written 5 out of 5 stars.
13 of 14 people found this review helpful.

If you think of this as an introductory book to the world of Bonds rather than a field manual for professionals you will find this to be a wonderful book. I find it to be engagingly written (yes, engaging!) with well-chosen examples. It is very nice to be able to read a book about Bonds and find it stimulating. It would have been easy to write a book that could act as a sleep-aid. Instead, this book provides learning objectives for each chapter and the prose is so inviting that I felt the book to be a page-turner.

The math used is not complicated and is chosen to help understanding rather than demonstrate the sophisticated math used in the actual world of bond trading. If you want that kind of material this isn't the book for you.

I don't know if there is a solutions manual available, but I couldn't find it. If there isn't, there should be. I have never had a college course that used the problems in the book for actual coursework and yet, no matter how simple the problems seem, it is nice for the student to be able to confirm that he or she has indeed found the right answer.

There are also many helpful footnotes that point to materials for further and deeper reading on the subjects introduced in this fine book.

Editorial Review:

Target Market: Fixed Income Securities Courses or Bond Markets Courses

Fabozzi's, Bond Markets, prepares students to analyze the the bond market and use the tools for managing bond portfolios.

Many texts on the market are far too theoretical, Fabozzi is quite the opposite. This text covers Bonds, analytical techniques for valuing bonds and quantifying their exposure to changes in interest rates, and portfolio strategies for achieving a client’s objectives.

The Fundamentals of Municipal Bonds, 5th Edition

The Bond Market Association, Judy Wesalo Temel

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Total reviews: 3 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Praise for the Classic Guide to the Bond Market

"This is simply the most comprehensive, useful look-it-up book on municipal bonds I've ever read (said with all due respect to The ABC of Municipal Bonds my dad wrote in 1937 when I was nine). Read Fundamentals cover to cover. I'm keeping mine in my briefcase, under my arm, at my fingertips. No accountant, financial advisor, attorney, new bond salesman, reporter, regulator, test-writer, cautious, suspicious first-time investor in municipal bonds, or dinner guest is ever going to catch me again with a question about municipal bonds I can't answer."-Jim Lebenthal, Chairman, Lebenthal & Co.

"Judy Wesalo Temel gives us the Rosetta stone of the municipal bond market, the key to unraveling the many mysteries of 'muni's.' Her book, a fresh take on the old standard Fundamentals of Municipal Bonds, updates chapter and verse on everything from investing to underwriting, from over-the-counter to over-the-Internet. The style is clean, crisp, and as simple as this complex subject can be. Are you a novice who wonders how to invest in bonds? She lays out the basics. Examples are easy to follow-even the mathematical ones that are critical to explaining how municipal bonds work. At the same time, there is plenty of meat for the pros. Whether you need to start from square one and learn all about municipal bonds and how they work, or need a ready reference for specific technical questions you run across as a market professional, this book is for you."-Kathleen Hays, Economics Editor, Credit Markets Reporter, and "Bond Belle" CNBC

"This is a must-read for every scholar, banker, and public official concerned with local government finance in the United States. Judy Wesalo Temel has done the impossible: she has clearly and insightfully explained how we finance the development of the nation's vital public infrastructure. This is an important book, one that will be required reading for professionals responsible for planning, designing, and evaluating publicly financed projects-the health care, transportation, and educational facilities that all citizens rely upon. The bond market is an essential element in the life of local and state government, and this book makes it understandable to all Americans."-Mitchell Moss, Henry Hart Rice Professor of Urban Planning and Director, Taub Urban Research Center, Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service, New York University