“2016 Reading Challenge” Update This year I set a challenge to read 38 books in 2016 by reading at least 25 pages a day (Fast Company’s Stephanie Vozza thinks I should Read 50 Books this Year. Maybe next year.) So far I’ve read 15 books.  Some Young Adult fiction. (Yes I’m a YA fan along with the likes of Gretchen Rubin, the author of “The Happiness Project”.) I re-read “The Remains of...

If there were a 12-step program for weaning someone off of her reading addiction, you’d turn blue in the face if you held your breath waiting for me to enroll in it. In fact, I’ve taken my compulsion one step further from “recovery.” Lately, I’ve been reading a good deal about reading. Here are some highlights. Why You Should Read 50 Books This Year (And How To Do It) (Fast Company’s...

As we mentioned in a recent post, Taking a Twitter Tonic,  it’s important to be selective about the financial news you choose to peruse. That said, there are islands of sensible advice out there as well. We try to share as many of them as we can in our own blog and social media posts. We also are honored when we are invited to participate in useful forums like Fund...

Didn’t we have enough of this last year? If there’s a silver lining to another winter’s worth of wild weather, it’s that it might be taking our minds off the market’s current squalls. That’s good, because studies have shown that our brains react to scary financial news as if our very lives are at stake, which is usually an ill-advised overreaction. Fortunately, I’ve got some advice on how to remain informed...

Good news! Since I achieved my 25-book 2015 Reading Challenge with time to spare, I’ve upped the ante, setting my Goodreads 2016 Reading Challenge at 38 books. Gulp. Fortunately, I’ve got a great source of SAGEbroadview inspiration to help me achieve my lofty goal. Larry’s son and Chris’ younger brother Jeff Annello recently joined Shane Parish at Farnam Street. This is an enviable position indeed, but it’s no doubt a time-consuming...

We briefly interrupt our regularly scheduled programing (Investment Basics Series) for a special edition of “What Sheri’s Been Reading." How have you been feeling the past few days?  Hopefully you've ignored the gyrations of the stock markets and kept your eye on the long view but if you have not, you might be feeling a little agitated, anxious, panicky even? Are you wondering if you should be doing anything?  Answer:  As long as...

Can your portfolio survive rising interest rates? (Fortune) It’s the question that everyone has been asking. Here’s a guide to whether your portfolio will be able to withstand the coming rate hike cycle, whether it begins this fall or sometime in early 2016. (Hint: You should be fine as long as you are properly diversified.)  The 5 Rules of Personal Finance That Everyone Should Memorize (themuse) “Most people spend their 20s...

I will be in Austin, TX this week attending a Dimensional Fund Advisors Conference. Speakers include their Co-Chief Investment Officers, Eduardo Repetto and Gerard O-Reilly (both rocket scientists, really!) as well as Portfolio Managers and other brilliant people. While I’m away, I wanted to leave you with some suggested reading in case the return of volatility to the stock market has you frazzled, or you are worrying that we are...

In my June 19th blog post, “An Admirable Addiction,” I described the benefits of being a devoted reader. While I shamelessly let stacks of books vie for my attention all at once, you may prefer to save yourself for one good read at a time. For you, I’ve got just the book for your summer reading: The Investment Answer by Dan Goldie and Gordon Murray. We’ve been sharing The Investment Answer...

Warren Buffett has admitted to it, as has his business partner Charlie Munger. Others reportedly under the influence include presidents Obama and Clinton; Madonna; Jay Leno and Conan O’Brien; and, of course, Oprah.[1] I too am hooked. We can’t help ourselves. We can’t stop reading. Thankfully, there is plenty of evidence that the more you read, the better you get. (If only chocolate worked that way too!) In his Farnam Street...