Technical Analysis for Dummies

I want to like this book more than I do. I appreciate the author's friendly and no-nonsense tone. Although I'm a beginner, she seems to know what she's talking about. But I strongly object to how the book is organized. For the first 70 pages, she hints at indicators and approaches, constantly saying "I'll explain this in Chapter 4, I'll explain that in Chapter 11." So, you learn very little, but have high hopes for chapters ahead.Then, she jumps deep into the vagaries of backtesting, without having shown you how to do something a little more elementary, like draw a support line. Like I said, I'm a beginner; I'd never even heard of backtesting, and I really didn't want to wallow within a mysterious and unidentified piece of software before the author showed me how to recognize a resistance line. Hello? Plus, some of the charts could use quite a bit more labeling, and one so far seems to be missing.Hopefully, if I read this book two or three times, I'll squeeze out of it what she put in, but the organization is frankly infuriating.

This is a great, informative book.It is clearly written and approaches the subject of technical analysis in a concise, clear and comprehensive ways. The sections on chart reading and analysis I found to be particularly invaluable and highly informative. This book talks in detail about the major candlestick indicators (which I didn't know about before) and I found the sections on candlestick indicators to be very valuable. This book also goes into detail about all major technical indicators and how to use them and their pros and cons(MACD, RSI, Fast and Slow Stochastic Oscillators, Bollinger Bands, DMI indicator, etc...).It talked in a clear and informative way about identifying trends and identify trend reversal signals using technical indicators like the MACD as well as with chart reading and candlestick indicators.With what I've learned through this book I almost find myself wondering why people think stock trading is so hard and how could an educated person not make good money on the stock market? There are so many indicators of market changes, so many guiding indicators like the MACD, Stochastic indicators, etc...This book has taught me invaluable and significant information that have already greatly influenced my ability, confididence and profitability as a trader. If your a beginner or intermediate trader, get this book!!The personality of the author did turn me off. However the clarity, value and informativeness of the book absolutely overrode any dislike I had of the author. This is a great book.

This book has exactly what I expected and what I was looking for. Although I studied and work in Finance, I have never done any trading beyond the most basic fundamental analysis. I had heard of technical analysis but was completely scared off from learning it by the charts and graphs and technical terms that were really foreign to me. Through much research on my own, I decided that if I ever want to be truly successful in trading that I really needed to get a handle on Technical Analysis, so I bought several dummies books on trading, including this one. I have started to read all of them at once as much of the information overlaps and complements each other, but this is the one I seem to be going back to more and more, and it is the one I am furthest along.For me, this book has been a source of immense knowledge. I chose this book because I wanted to scratch the surface before jumping in with both feet first. I am completely green and needed a blank canvas approach. I like the Dummies books because they are an easy read, but are written by experts on the subject. This book is no exception. I feel like I am getting a very well-rounded overall understanding of technical analysis without being overly whacked with technical jargon and complicated mathematics.This has been great because I now have a big picture view of TA. From here, I can really narrow in on specific forms of analysis that I have learned about in this book. I have learned that most traders use 3-5 different analysis techniques out of the dozens or possibly hundreds that are available. This book has allowed me to uncover the 3 or 4 different forms that I am most interested in and would like to read about further. Of course that will require additional book purchases, however, that was the whole purpose of getting this book - was so I could figure out what works for me.If you're looking to get a big picture overview of technical analysis, as well as get helpful hints and techniques that I see as invaluable insider input, then this is a great book for your collection. And because it is sprnkled with so much helpful information, I'm sure it will be a reference on my shelf that I will refer back to for years to come.

I am not new to investing but am a beginner in day trading, technical analysis and the forex market. Now I've read several books on those subjects. I read Day Trading for Dummies which was OK, basic, and kind of what I expected. TA for Dummies was more than I expected for a Dummies book. It covers loads of the important indicators, is well-written and easy to follow, and offers lots of clear, understandable charts that illustrate the point well. I know these technical indicators are complicated and there is much more to each of them, but I agree with other reviewers - if you are a beginner trying to learn technical analysis, this is an excellent place to start!

Delivery was fast.The book was in brand new condition and exactly what I needed.

Although a few years old (and American) this book is still more than beneficial to the UK trader (beginner or otherwise); and costing less than the average dealer fee for a trade - hardly expensive.Plenty of very good information in it, no magic formulas or false promises, just a good insight into technical analysis - what it is, why you should use it and the commonly used techniques.I'd already been using a bit of TA, but this made it clearer, explained it and gave better understanding of how to use it - trends, momentum, understanding market sentiment etc... well worth the money and easy to read as well (although take your time with it, there is plenty of information to absorb)If you're new to trading, i'd recommend some other books first (Naked Trader 2nd ed by Robbie Burns for example), then use this to add on as technical analysis is about human nature: when to buy, not what or how to buy.... also a bit of economic research helps (The little book of bull moves in a bear market by Peter Schiff is very informative, yet understandable).Overall, I give 4*, it's certainly helping me improve - and you've got to be constantly improving (remember to make money, someone has to be losing it!). It doesn't quite get 5* as there are a couple of things I'd like to have seen (elliot waves for example).

this is a really good introduction to technical analysis. if you are interested in learning to trade; this book will give you a good start in to the basics so that you don't lose money hand over fist. i would like to warn the potential purchasers of this book that by reading its content you wont go out and make 'trillions', it is literally a good primer - you will learn a bit, but it will set the foundation to build on... good luck to making huge sums of cash!!

Informative, very good book for beginners. Covers a broad base. I love this book.

I've read many trading books and this is one of the best if you are starting out. It's a fabulous primer. A great foundation from which to build your knowledge. Wish I'd read this before I'd read many others. As others have mentioned, Barbara manages to cut through the fluff and exagerated claims surrounding TA and give a realistic assessment of its philosophy, strengths and weaknesses.

The books starts off slowly with the first 5 chapters dedicated to general market indicators and managing yourself as a trader. All pretty obvious stuff but then from Chapter 6 onward it really comes alive with very clear explanations of all the major indicators and charting techniques. This book is a lot better than you might expect of a 'dummies' book. Highly recommended.