Wealth, War, and Wisdom

By: Barton Biggs

Narrated by: Erik Synnestvedt

In Wealth, War, and Wisdom, legendary Wall Street investor Barton Biggs reveals how the turning points of World War II intersected with market performance. Biggs will help the 21st-century investor comprehend our own perilous times as well as choose the best strategies for the modern market economy.

"The wisdom of the markets" prevails, even in the most turbulent of eras: the British stock market bottomed out just before the Battle of Britain; the U.S. market turned at the epic Battle of Midway; and the German market peaked at the high-water mark of Germany's attack on Russia. Those events turned out to be the three great turning points of World War II - although at the time, no one and no instrument except the stock markets recognized them.

Biggs skillfully discusses the performance of equities in both victorious and defeated countries, reveals how individuals preserved their wealth despite the ongoing battles, and explores whether or not public equities were able to increase in value and serve as a wealth preserver.

Biggs also looks at how other assets, including real estate and gold, fared during this dynamic and devastating period, and offers valuable insights on preserving one's wealth for future generations.

©2008 Barton Biggs (P)2008 Gildan Media Corp

Critic reviews

"[Biggs'] air of scholarly detachment and lucid prose make Wealth, War and Wisdom worthy as both an economic primer and history seminar." ( Trader Monthly)

Captivating

A captivating history, lesson of a very pertinent time in history that most people today are too young to know much about, however, may indeed have to repeat!

Entertaining and somewhat useful

It turned out to be about 20% asset allocation through times of strife and 80% world war 2 vingets, but did both jobs well. useful in terms of asset allocation and interesting in terms of war stories.

History or economics

Tales about the war are riveting and make this audiobook an enjoyable experience. However, the refences to the stock market are tenuous and contrived. Better if he had stuck to what he is really interested in - history.

A Must For Every Serious Investor

This brilliant, knowledeable man of finance offers important lessons for us today. I really enjoyed the historical quips along with Winston Churchill's impressive wit. It was interesting to hear about the personal side of the warring leaders from both sides.

It was fascinating to learn the lessons of the Japanese real estate market post war as well as the information regarding the stock markets during that time.

Biggs offers advice on portfolio and currency diversification. He also analyzes what worked and didn't work for survivors of World War II.

This is an audio book every serious investor should hear. It is an absorbing and thought-provoking primer on wealth creation.

Great History Lesson, Average Market Insights

Read this book if you want to know details of some of the most important battles of WW2 and how it impacted the wealth of families in different parts of the globe (from the US, France, Germany to Japan and Korea). Do not expect brilliant investments insights. This is more of a history book than investments’.