Barron's Guide to Making Investment Decisions

Published in association with Barron's National Business and Financial Weekly, a publication of Dow Jones and Company, this outstanding investment sourcebook provides sample profiles and illustrated examples that show readers how to assess their tolerance for risk as well as the costs of investing.

The focus is narrow: investments, pure and simple. Starting off with the traditional "set your objectives," these two journalists move on to cogent explanations of asset allocation, or spreading the wealth, then examine all the different vehicles, from stocks to contemporary art. Their somewhat conservative bent is tempered with pros and cons on every issue. In addition, each chapter concludes with an outlined summary and further sources to investigate. Barbara Jacobs