Author: Guy Cohen

Publisher: Pearson Education/Financial Times Prentice Hall (Upper Saddle River, NJ)

ISBN: 0-13-187135-8

Options Made Easy is a 335 page, hardbound book, with a U.S. suggested retail price of less than $28.  This is likely to less than the cost of a single round-trip option trade.  It is comprised of twelve chapters, followed by 2 appendices (strategy table and glossary), and includes a references and recommended readings section.  The target audience is clearly stated by the author in the preface as “novice” and “intermediate” level traders.

The author, Guy Cohen, is the creator and originator of OptionEasy and TrendSearcher.  The writing style is very palatable and the design is very structured and rich with content.  After reading the Preface, I was eager to continue to read, despite the lateness of the hour.

            This book is more comprehensive than most on the topic, with greater emphasis on the basics.  For example, chapter 3 covers The Basics of Fundamental Analysis and includes topical coverage likely to benefit those who do not already know basic financial ratios or how to read financial statements.  This material is likely to have been already mastered by those with a 4-year degree in accounting or finance and, to a lesser degree, by those with a 4-year degree in business administration.

            As previously noted, this book is very structured.  If you like structured formats or systematic approaches to a topic, you will benefit by selecting this book as your choice to “tool up” on stock option trading basics and strategies.

            Furthermore, this book is quick to introduce technical terminology or jargon and use it in context.  Therefore, those who enjoy technical topics (as is the case with options trading) and technical coverage, this book will represent an excellent selection.

            Finally, this book is quite thorough or complete in its coverage of the basics.  Therefore, few presumptions are made with respect to the reader’s background.  This makes this book a superior selection, not only as a training tool, but as a permanent addition to the reader’s reference library.  However, this book is not an “afternoon read.”  Those selecting this book will find that it is necessary to “study” its content.  The organization and content suggest, to me, that those with above average levels of “self-discipline” are likely to enjoy their purchase decision and benefit from this selection on the topic of stock options.

I liked this book and recommend it to those interested in learning more about trading stock options, both as an introductory vehicle to “tool up” on the topic and, for the intermediate level or more advanced trader, as a permanent addition to their reference library.  It is rich with content.  However, having recommended this book, I must note that it is not likely to be the last book that the serious stock option trader is likely to purchase on this topic.

The above review was contributed by: Anthony (A.J.) Cataldo II.    Dr. Cataldo holds a PhD from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University , MAc ( University of Arizona)  unofficial minor in Marketing , BSBA  (University of Arizona). He is a Certified Management Accountant and a Certified Public Accountant:  Click Here to view Anthony's Reviews