TOP DRAWER BOOK REVIEW
by
HL Carpenter

 

Just One Thing
by John Mauldin, Editor
ISBN 0-471-73873-5
262 pages; hardcover; $24.95
John Wiley & Sons, Hoboken, New Jersey, 2006

 

What’s the best way to make investing decisions?

Author, speaker and investor John Mauldin put that question to eleven well-known investors. Just One Thing is a collection of the answers he received, along with his own take on the topic. As you might expect, each response is as different as the investor who presents it, a result that seems to run counter to the title.

Taken as a whole, however, the advice in the twelve essay-articles is interrelated. Though each chapter stands alone, one response builds on the next, and there’s quite a bit of overlapping. For instance, being open and flexible in the face of change is a common theme. Look to the future instead of the past is another shared perspective.

Guidance offered by successful folks is usually worth considering, though the value of Just One Thing suffers a bit from political bias and vigorous egos. As you read the book, you may want to remember just one other thing: A little skepticism is healthy when it comes to investments – and investment advice.

 

Review originally published December 2006.