the way this book was written is terrible and cant keep my attention for more than 10 seconds, the CD has many many errors on it.

This book definately helped me pass the A+ exams but there were several questions that I found were not covered in the book. I would definately recomend using a second source just to make sure you pass!

I got a lot out of this book. I passed both the hardware and the software portion of the A+ exam the first time.

This book is proof that, during the sort of financial mania that occurs about every three generations (when the folks who suffered through the aftermath of the last one [Great Depression] are gone or in retirement homes), ingenious rationalizations are created to perpetuate the optimism. We're now about six months from the 3-year anniversary of the beginning of the Millennium Bear Market, and we haven't even gotten to the point of private Dow investor panic; so far, it's mostly just institutional investors who have been selling. When the post-bubble (yes, it was a bubble a la Tulipomania) consequences are fully realized over the next few years, many people will be compelled to sell regardless of their desire to "buy and hold" because they'll need the money to pay their bills. Study history and you can pretty clearly see what's coming (although no one can predict the timing or exact chain of events)...an epidemic of personal and corporate bankruptcies, skyrocketing inflation as the government prints money like mad to combat deflation ,and massive unemployment and general hardship. One aftermath effect that can almost absolutely be counted on (because it has happened after all other paper asset bubbles throughout history) is a flight from paper assets to tangibles. Real estate has already been in a bubble of its own, but the commodities market is just getting warmed up. Gold has started a bull market, and gold mining stocks (those of companies who do not sell their unmined gold in the futures market, aka "hedging") have done spectacularly well since 1/1/2002. They are the hottest sector in the stock market, but the popular media (e.g., CNBC) pretty much ignores them. Look at articles about "what sectors performed best over the last year" and mining stocks aren't discussed. Oops, was a 40% rise in less than one year worth mentioning? If your bread-and-butter advertising dollars are from the likes of Merrill Lynch and Goldman Sachs (which is the case with all mass financial media now), you know not to write about precious metals; it will tick off your advertisers. When gold shoots past unhedged mining stocks are up tenfold or more, even the blue chip stock pushers will find it difficult to pretend precious metals don't exist. As always, those that buy metals now, while they're still derided by the mainstream media, will reap riches while the trusting masses are once again fleeced. In my opinion, anyone who doesn't have at least ten percent of their pot in gold, silver, and platinum at this historical juncture is extremely imprudent. Metals are still so cheap they can barely be mined for what they're presently selling for...you cannot lose much on such an undervalued investment, and you stand a good chance of becoming rich. The financial professionals advise against it, of course. Just as they were advising against it when gold was in 1970. Instead, they wrote books like this one.

That remains to be seen. If you are a fan of Glassman, then buy this book, it is an extension of his writing genius as well as his understanding of the fundamental forces that guide the market. Before you assume that I advocate the DOW 36,000 theory let me just state: according to the book, the theories, and the math, it is an entirely plausible conclusion to reach, however, my personal view is that yes the equity premium is diminishing, but I don't think that it will ever equalize with the bond market. Equity consumers (i.e. investors) are very caught up in the short-term environment, no matter how well a company is project to do, if there is a strong rumor or stumble along the way, the price is going to tank.

That being said, I think DOW 36,000 is a fabulous book that has stirred up a hornets nest of protest by suggesting that the "fundamentals" are based on some assumptions, that over the history of time, have proven to be erroneous. Glassman and Hassett spell this out and show a "new way" to value companies. Outstanding work gentlemen.

The point of this book is to revolutionize investing. By the debate it has caused in the "intellectual" communities, I think it has done just that. People such as Burton Malakeil (sorry for the misspelling) and Paul Kruger have addressed the DOW 36,000 theory, and while they did not support it, they still have opened the doors to discussion. When barriers are knocked down and a new inquiry begins one of two things can happen: 1. The old way is proven to be inferior. Or 2. The old way is proven to be superior. I am not claiming that the old way is inferior or superior, I am just looking forward to the debate.

Fool on (to those who understand what I mean!)

I had ordered this book from Amazon some time before it was published. In the interim, I have read countless reviews indicating how irresponsible, outlandish, and sensational this book was. Alas, instead of a blood-curdling thriller guaranteed to make you tear out your hair, this book has turned out to be a simple, straightforward, and CONSERVATIVE treatise on the strong likelihood of continued robust growth in the U.S. equity market during the next few years. Granted, the book's claim of Dow 36,000 sooner rather than later depends heavily on the key assumption that investors will continue to reduce the risk premium demanded from equities (currently about 2.5%). Nonetheless, as the authors point out, the evidence that this reduction is likely to occur is striking.

As a CFA, I must point out--as the authors do themselves in the book--that the scenario they lay out is by no means guaranteed to be realized in the next half decade or so. Nonetheless, anyone who needs to feel more comfortable about investing in equities for the long haul should definitely read this book. (The example of individual investors BUYING stocks after last year's mini-crash is particularly notable.)