David F. Swensen
Unconventional Success
A Fundamental Approach to Personal Investment
Free Press, 2005
What's inside?
A seasoned, institutional portfolio manager explains what investments might work for ordinary investors.
Recommendation
Although for many investors, the stock market is the only game in town, author David F. Swensen, the experienced manager of Yale University’s endowment, suggests investing in logical low-cost, fair, nonprofit index funds that track the market closely. He advocates building a carefully balanced portfolio, and strongly recommends regular rebalancing. He comes to these conclusions based on his rigorous analysis of the returns achieved by a host of other investment media, especially mutual funds. In fact, he builds his investment guidebook around a scathing scolding of the mutual-fund industry, even though mutual funds also have strong supporters. getAbstract believes Swensen’s counsel will be useful for individual investors who face a bewildering array of choices. In fact, if you had a rich uncle on Wall Street to advise you, he would probably echo much of Swensen’s logical advice.
Summary
About the Author
David F. Swensen is the chief investment officer for Yale University. He was an innovator of new high-tech investments on Wall Street for several years. He is the author of Pioneering Portfolio Management.
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