The Layman's Guide to Trading Stocks

Dave Landry has delivered the definitive text on profiting in the financial markets. In this book, he debunks market myths, reveals market truths, and teaches you to think and act like a trader. Mr. Landry also identifies what it takes to level the playing field, and shows you how you can regularly earn money from the markets like a professional. This book offers a refreshing perspective and a new approach to Wall Street, whether you are entirely new to investing and trading or have been around the markets all your life. Everything you need to know to consistently profit in the market is covered in this comprehensive work. Learn how Wall Street really works and what it takes to succeed in one of the most savage market environments we have ever known.

I think the essence of the book can best be summed up with an excerpt from the Preface:

In early 2008, I was inspired to write this book after seeing a good friend needlessly lose a lot of money.  Initially, it was only intended to change the way the average Joe thought about Wall Street. My goal was to help investors avoid the common pitfalls of following conventional wisdom and to protect them from counterproductive urges of human nature itself.
As the year progressed, I watched other friends and acquaintances buy "good companies," claim to be "in it for the long haul," increase position size because the market was "undervalued" or because a guru said that it had bottomed.  What was worse, others simply followed trained professionals who assured them that "the market always goes up longer term."
As I watched more and more people lose money in one of the greatest bear markets in history, I felt compelled to add more and more information.  The basic book that I had envisioned soon ballooned into much more.  It dawned on me that in order for the average person to survive the markets they must learn to think more and more like a trader.  What started out as a very basic beginner's book developed over two years into a complete guide for trading.  If that makes you wonder whether this is an overly complicated text, you can put your concerns aside.  My approach is a very simple one.
 Even if you consider yourself a longer-term "investor," as you will soon see, it pays to think more like a trader.  Doing this isn't difficult provided that you are willing to let go of your ego and let the market, and only the market, tell you what to do.
Dave Landry