The Alternative Answer: The Nontraditional Investments That Drive the World's Best-Performing Portfolios
In these hard economic times, in which savings-account yields are at an all-time low, stock-market volatility is a major concern, and real-estate appreciation is a thing of the past, Americans looking for alternatives to preserve or grow wealth may find this book to be a real eye-opener. Rice maintains that the key to long term wealth creation is loss avoidance, and he discusses options for building portfolios with built-in risk protection. The average consumer may not be aware that there are many other viable investment options besides traditional stocks and bonds, including private equity, venture capital, and more. Although hedge funds may have gotten a black eye during the Madoff era, he shows how active risk management using hedging strategies and a panoramic portfolio can help offset potential losses during times when stocks and bonds lose value. The writing is basic enough for novice investors, and ­financial-concept examples are easy to follow. In this fresh look at the old investment rules, the alternatives presented are convincing enough for readers to consider. --Cindy Kryszak