How I Trade and Invest In Bonds and Stocks by Richard D. Wyckoff

"There are men who will take no initiative on their own responsibility, who will undertake nothing without consulting others as to the feasibility of the schemes and plans they have in view. When a man puts more confidence in another than in himself he is bound to lose all will power and become a mere dependent, awaiting orders as to the course of action. It is impossible for such a man to get along in the world and make a success of his own life. When opportunity comes along he is afraid to seize it without asking his neighbor's opinion."

Certainly one of my favorite teachers, any book written by Wyckoff is a must read. His teachings are based on a simple law of supply and demand. Every piece of market knowledge you absorb from him is pure market information. Originally published in 1924, his trading wisdom still holds till this day. There are a couple reasons why I love reading about stock market operators back in the early 1900's, but one biggest reason is that they are the original market philosophers. Every modern day teachings contains influences from all our past teachers.

This book is not about trading strategies or setups. What Wyckoff does is explain good common sense that can help save the amateur trader/investor thousands of dollars. His teachings are truely an inspiration for many traders today.