Bulls v Bears.Book: Bulls v Bears Author: George G Blakey Publisher: Management Books 2000 Ltd ISBN ISBN abbr. International Standard Book Number ISBN International Standard Book Number ISBN n abbr (= International Standard Book Number) → ISBN m : 185252 3131 Price: 14.99 [pounds sterling] This book is in its fourth edition -- which must mean that it is the only one of its kind. I've seen nothing else like it and the author himself expresses surprise at this, which I share. Apart from recognising that it would have been a difficult book write, I can find few kind words to say of it. The author states his target reader to be either a student of politics or of the stock market, but he doesn't appear to consider how the book should be used. If it is to be read in full, then the many complex strands are woven A woven is a cloth formed by weaving. It only stretches in the Bias directions (between the warp and weft directions), unless the threads are elastic. Woven cloth usually frays at the edges, unless measures are taken to counter this, such as the use of pinking shears or hemming. together so ineffectively that it is impossible to reach any sort of conclusion. If it is intended as a reference book, then the statistical information and background political data needs a far better index. Blakey states that he seeks "to do no more than present the facts together with the comment of the day". This he does, but without the background detail that would have explained events to people at the time. There are statistics in nearly every line. Many sentences are fantastically long and convoluted convoluted /con·vo·lut·ed/ (kon?vo-lldbomact´ed) rolled together or coiled. . The background information is often intriguing in·trigue n. 1. a. A secret or underhand scheme; a plot. b. The practice of or involvement in such schemes. 2. A clandestine love affair. v. but, because it isn't followed up, it leads nowhere. By saying "In the absence of a crystal ball, a history book is the next best thing", the foreword fore·word n. A preface or an introductory note, as for a book, especially by a person other than the author. foreword Noun an introductory statement to a book Noun 1. implied that the book could give me a picture of the circumstances CIRCUMSTANCES, evidence. The particulars which accompany a fact. 2. The facts proved are either possible or impossible, ordinary and probable, or extraordinary and improbable, recent or ancient; they may have happened near us, or afar off; they are public or likely to result in a market crash, but an onslaught of data alone cannot achieve this. Blakey has gone to great pains to offer as wide a coverage as possible, in huge detail. In so doing, he has completely diluted di·lute tr.v. di·lut·ed, di·lut·ing, di·lutes 1. To make thinner or less concentrated by adding a liquid such as water. 2. To lessen the force, strength, purity, or brilliance of, especially by admixture. the potency potency /po·ten·cy/ (po´ten-se) 1. the ability of the male to perform coitus. 2. the relationship between the therapeutic effect of a drug and the dose necessary to achieve that effect. 3. of his offering. Perhaps focusing on the fortunes of just 20 or 30 companies would have allowed him to describe the events unfolding at the time. For example, he makes sudden, unprefaced references to a secondary banking crisis -- what secondary banking crisis? What is secondary banking? Perhaps I should know, but since I don't, this whole section was lost on me. There are many occasions when the reader is told of an event, but not told why it happened. The author is also fond of the word "controversial", but too rarely explains why this is true of any particular occasion. I can see how this would have made his research interesting, but a book needs context to be credible. Blakey knows his subject very well indeed. It is regrettable that one would need to share this knowledge to appreciate his book. Such a book should be essential reading for anyone involved in the stock market. I look forward to another edition with explanations. |
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