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Learn to Earn: A Beginner's Guide to the Basics of Investing and Business by Peter Lynch
My rating: 4 of 5 stars Let's talk about some late night reading. Just before bed I happened to stumble upon a free audio book of Lynch's "Learn to Earn: A Beginner's Guide to the Basics of Investing and Business." I knew this was a book that I had to read, so I was more then willing to stay up all night to listen to the audio book. Peter Lynch's most renown book is "One Up On Wall Street," a book that is still coveted and placed upon my top TBR finance list. After reading "Learn to Earn," it is clear that I need to invest my time and hard earned money on other works by Lynch. The author writes in layman's terms, simple for the everyday man or woman to understand. The target market for "Learn to Earn," is young folks, specifically those in their late teens or twenties. He breaks down the complicated world of economics, explaining the jargon so that people can better understand the system. Lynch states the different avenues of investments, and more importantly stresses the importance of learning about the business that you would like to invest in. Therefore, here are the top four key themes of this book: 1) Invest early. As soon as you are of legal age, now is the time to set aside some money and invest it into the stock market. 2) Place most of your money into stocks. You can place it in mutual funds/bonds, but if you want the biggest return for your money it is better to make a much riskier move and dabble in the stock market. 3) Anyone can learn the stock market! The goal of Lynch's novel is to make it accessible for all. He even points out different ways to trade in stocks without the use of a broker. 4) Put America first! A great emphasis on American citizens reinvesting in the companies that were built and remain in the United States of America. Lynch liked to trump up big businesses like Coco Cola, Nike, Microsoft, and other popular fast food joints. I was leaning towards a 3.5 to 4 stars because of the nauseating effect of American nationalism penetrating the pages. I know Americans like to state that they are "THE GREATEST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD," and Lynch is just one of many to proclaim it. All in all, it was a bit off putting for a Canadian, but perhaps it is because of the differences in our culture. I appreciated the historical background when it comes to Wall Street and the early settlement of banks. Personally, history lessons are always a joy to read, but could we take out the highly nationalist views that completely ignore the people that were settled there first (i.e. Indigenous people) or the people that helped make production more effective for the early settlers (i.e. black slaves)? The complete omission of the "other people" was hard to stomach when Lynch went through the history of Capitalism and its laws during the early formation of the United States of America. Sorry for being the Debbie Downer, but that is simply my own point of view. Anyways, this book is a good read for those that know very little about trading and how to read the stock charts. The author breaks it down into terms that are easy to understand. If I ever I have children, it will be a recommended read in their mid-teens or whenever they are old enough to legally buy and trade their stocks. View all my reviews
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,McVeigh is the first character that I have created where the origin story is kept from the reader. What do we know about him? Not much. "Far from Home: Book One" reveals some tiny antidotes about the character but not enough to shed light on this elusive man. He is like a shadow that stalks the night, which makes it harder for the main narrator of this story, Detective Varon, to locate him in the seedy districts of London. The reader is informed that McVeigh encountered Victoria Reeds on a rainy day, and that they spoke to each other for the first time at Brownhurst Park. We know that he was exceptionally polite to Victoria, enough for her to lower her guard around him. Victoria found his manners pleasing, and even though he was not part of London's high society, he was the necessary break that she needed to get away from all the drama and lavish lifestyle that she never truly loved- only inherited. Victoria was destined to marry a man that she did not care for, and then suddenly this stranger appears before her with a pleasant looking face and an Irish brogue that allures her from the start. The reader knows through Victoria's diary entries that the pair of them met in secret after that fateful day, and that her heart grew attached to a man that she hardly knew. Was it witchcraft or true love? Was her affections sincere for him, or did she see McVeigh as a way out? A chance to finally run away from home? And what happens now to this young woman that is entirely ignorant of the real world, or the great horrors that lie beyond the edges of her own imagination? When I wrote the character of Aodhan McVeigh, I did two things consistently. I replayed a recording of "Annabelle Lee" by Edgar Allan Poe in the background whenever it was time to write "Far from Home,", and I would binge watch the BBC television show "Penny Dreadful" after completing a few chapters. For those of you that don't know the show, it centers around the main character, Vanessa Ives, as she battles with her darkest demons. The demon being herself, since she knows that the Devil desires her, and she must do everything in her power to fight the dark forces that are unleashed to obtain her soul. This show has vampires, werewolves, and other haunting creatures. A lover of classic Gothic literature and other dark tales, it was an easy sale for me.
Anyways, back to the central character of the "Far from Home" book series; it is Aodhan McVeigh that brings out the monster that lies inside of Victoria. He is the corrupted influence, the dark force that tempts her to her doom. Sometimes a person can be attracted to the darkness, just as much as the light. I sincerely believe that is the case for Victoria Reeds. Whatever power he has over the poor girl, she willingly steps into it, but what will happen to her now that she is disarmed and easily influenced by the seductive power of Aodhan McVeigh? "Far from Home" is a trilogy of a marginally short stories, since each of them is considered to be a novella. When I hold the physical book in my hand I can feel the lightness of the novella, but the shortness of this text does not detract the true elements of mystery or danger that lies between the text. Victoria Reeds life is in danger! She is unaware of the true nature of McVeigh, and even more so when it comes to his reputation. Will she be able to escape such horrors or will it be too late? To uncover these secrets you can grab a copy of "Far from Home: Book One" on Amazon by clicking the link here. Interested in a free copy? Why not try out a different format by downloading it straight from the Google Play store by clicking on this link. Happy reading everyone!
Damian is a tough nut to crack.
From the very beginning he takes on a defensive position, adamant that this rowdy group of twenty-year olds head back to their fancy sedan and high-tail it out of there. He has no patience for them, and refuses to let them stay the night. He almost wins, but then Sara begins to work her charm and he reluctantly lets them stay. So, why did his will power crack after a two minute conversation alone with Sara? Bright blue eyes, long red hair, and Damian unintentionally finds himself lost at the beauty of her. He doesn't know it yet... not until he hands over the keys to their cabins and is forced to drive them to the designated campsite. The only problem is Sara is a good ten to fifteen years younger than him, and he knows for certain that a girl with that much beauty must already be taken by another man. Just when he is about to lose hope, he finds out that both Sara and her bratty friend, Ashley, are single. A tiny glimmer of hope is all he needs to subtly flirt with Sara in the hopes of gagging her interest. Similar to the main character, Sara, I believe that Damian is a little misunderstood. He is not exactly the ideal romantic lead, maybe because everything goes against him. Damian is reserved, he is not sociable unless he is in Sara's presence, and he has a lot of secrets that he keeps to himself. His behaviour is eccentric too, I mean, who keeps that many weapons in the backseat of their car? Who is paranoid about the front door breaking in, so much so, that he has multiple locks to the door? Who takes it upon their self to have a lot of raw meat stashed in their fridge? Or anxiously fearful of night? Ashley described Sara's potential love interest as a "nutter," and quite frankly I agree with her. There is something off about Damian, almost too unsettling. What secrets is he hiding from the four of them? You will have to read "Cursed" to discover this strange mystery. |
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