Jack Sutherland, author of two previous books on personal finance, shares solid, sensible advice in Investing 1.0.1 With Purpose, focusing on the ins and outs of investing money, short- and long-term.
Except for changes in tax or estate laws, most basics of personal finance stay the same every year, so a useful book on investing is not so much about new ideas but about presenting the best proven methods in a clear, compelling way. This book largely fulfills that expectation.
Sutherland shines in his selection of subjects, wisely spending his words describing how average investors can improve their results: by focusing on keeping fees low, diversifying and avoiding the day-to-day distractions of the stock market. The author makes excellent points throughout the book and offers charts, facts and figures and personal anecdotes to support his narrative.
Some missteps detract from the power of his message. Editing errors appear, such as when Sutherland misspells the name of the famous Vanguard founder and proponent of low-cost investing John C. Bogle.
Additionally, although “101” is often used as shorthand for an introductory course in a subject, Sutherland explains in the introduction that the book’s title was inspired by the numbering system used by software releases, and that “each number delineated by a period represents a single, separate component of a plan,” but it’s unclear how or why a 0 or 1 might represent these subjects. The title also would seem less awkward as “Investing With Purpose 1.0.1,” rather than Investing 1.0.1 With Purpose,
Most students of investing will be able to put aside such imperfections, as the book succeeds in explaining best practices developed by individual investors. Despite the abovementioned flaws, Investing 1.0.1 With Purpose contains all a would-be investor needs to get started building wealth.
Also available as an ebook.
