I want to like this book more than I do. I appreciate the author's friendly and no-nonsense tone. Although I'm a beginner, she seems to know what she's talking about. But I strongly object to how the book is organized. For the first 70 pages, she hints at indicators and approaches, constantly saying "I'll explain this in Chapter 4, I'll explain that in Chapter 11." So, you learn very little, but have high hopes for chapters ahead.

Then, she jumps deep into the vagaries of backtesting, without having shown you how to do something a little more elementary, like draw a support line. Like I said, I'm a beginner; I'd never even heard of backtesting, and I really didn't want to wallow within a mysterious and unidentified piece of software before the author showed me how to recognize a resistance line. Hello? Plus, some of the charts could use quite a bit more labeling, and one so far seems to be missing.

Hopefully, if I read this book two or three times, I'll squeeze out of it what she put in, but the organization is frankly infuriating.

This book has exactly what I expected and what I was looking for. Although I studied and work in Finance, I have never done any trading beyond the most basic fundamental analysis. I had heard of technical analysis but was completely scared off from learning it by the charts and graphs and technical terms that were really foreign to me. Through much research on my own, I decided that if I ever want to be truly successful in trading that I really needed to get a handle on Technical Analysis, so I bought several dummies books on trading, including this one. I have started to read all of them at once as much of the information overlaps and complements each other, but this is the one I seem to be going back to more and more, and it is the one I am furthest along.

For me, this book has been a source of immense knowledge. I chose this book because I wanted to scratch the surface before jumping in with both feet first. I am completely green and needed a blank canvas approach. I like the Dummies books because they are an easy read, but are written by experts on the subject. This book is no exception. I feel like I am getting a very well-rounded overall understanding of technical analysis without being overly whacked with technical jargon and complicated mathematics.

This has been great because I now have a big picture view of TA. From here, I can really narrow in on specific forms of analysis that I have learned about in this book. I have learned that most traders use 3-5 different analysis techniques out of the dozens or possibly hundreds that are available. This book has allowed me to uncover the 3 or 4 different forms that I am most interested in and would like to read about further. Of course that will require additional book purchases, however, that was the whole purpose of getting this book - was so I could figure out what works for me.

If you're looking to get a big picture overview of technical analysis, as well as get helpful hints and techniques that I see as invaluable insider input, then this is a great book for your collection. And because it is sprnkled with so much helpful information, I'm sure it will be a reference on my shelf that I will refer back to for years to come.

I am not new to investing but am a beginner in day trading, technical analysis and the forex market. Now I've read several books on those subjects. I read Day Trading for Dummies which was OK, basic, and kind of what I expected. TA for Dummies was more than I expected for a Dummies book. It covers loads of the important indicators, is well-written and easy to follow, and offers lots of clear, understandable charts that illustrate the point well. I know these technical indicators are complicated and there is much more to each of them, but I agree with other reviewers - if you are a beginner trying to learn technical analysis, this is an excellent place to start!

This is a great, informative book.
It is clearly written and approaches the subject of technical analysis in a concise, clear and comprehensive ways. The sections on chart reading and analysis I found to be particularly invaluable and highly informative. This book talks in detail about the major candlestick indicators (which I didn't know about before) and I found the sections on candlestick indicators to be very valuable. This book also goes into detail about all major technical indicators and how to use them and their pros and cons(MACD, RSI, Fast and Slow Stochastic Oscillators, Bollinger Bands, DMI indicator, etc...).

It talked in a clear and informative way about identifying trends and identify trend reversal signals using technical indicators like the MACD as well as with chart reading and candlestick indicators.
With what I've learned through this book I almost find myself wondering why people think stock trading is so hard and how could an educated person not make good money on the stock market? There are so many indicators of market changes, so many guiding indicators like the MACD, Stochastic indicators, etc...

This book has taught me invaluable and significant information that have already greatly influenced my ability, confididence and profitability as a trader. If your a beginner or intermediate trader, get this book!!

The personality of the author did turn me off. However the clarity, value and informativeness of the book absolutely overrode any dislike I had of the author. This is a great book.

I've learned one thing after reading the first six chapters of this book: I need to stop trying to trade until I understand what I'm doing. I really didn't know what I was doing. Now that I know that, I'm going to finish reading this book, and I've already ordered another book listed in the appendix of this one.

Without knowing much about technical analysis yet, I'd say that this book seems to be opening a door to a whole new world for me. As far as the quality of this book goes, it seems to be touching on all kinds of topics that can be further investigated.

If you have an interest in the stock market and want to trade (not invest -- that's different), (and as someone who doesn't know much about it yet), I HIGHLY recommend this book as a starting point.

Like all dummies books, this is an excellent start to learn some basic concepts about technical analysis. The author writes about the most common TA studies. Good for those who want to invest in the stock market or foreign exchange. It's an initiate's book; you'll want to read other books on the subject to get the whole picture.

this book does not tell you what happened in =1929= 1930= 1987 =1990=it tells you what technical analysis is now==and where you are with your education and how far you need to go to to finish = you do need to have some knowledge of technical analysis = this book is about learning technical analysis

This book offers a good theoretical introduction to the basics of technical analysis.The problem that is not addressed in this book is the probability of failure of even the strongest technical signals in real market trades.This is why it is critical that actual examples form real stock trades be included to stress to the reader that not all setups will be profitable and excercising money management and risk control are important.This is where this book fails.
If you are an absolute beginner and want to start with learnings the basics of technical analysis then this book is a reasonable good start for the price and for this reason my actual rating is 3.5 starts. However you will need to read other more practical books that reinforce the theory you learned by using combinations of technical indicators and demonstrating how they are applied in real trading.

This was one of the first books I read that introduced me to Technical Analysis. I had 'studied' the subject extensively on the web, but this book helped solidify my foundation that I needed.
I would highly recommend this book.

In my opinion this book brings everything down to the practical level. So many books that I have studied on this subject have a hard time bringing things down to the simplistic level (which is fine in many contexts). This book gives very practical advice.

Paul
http://www.vesticator.com

Anyone brand new to learning forex - Read These Two Books:

*1) "Currency Trading For Dummies" - Written by the founder of Forex.com (Gain Capital), and
*2) This book...(In fact, the first book recommends this as the next one to read.)

Both are easy-to-absorb primers on forex, and trading in general - knowing what you're looking at when seeing those charts & numbers - gives you all the basics for an effective start.

Also, start a free demo account with an online broker while reading these books - it greatly improves the learning experience.

This book was extremely helpful in giving the fundamentals and the rationale of technical analysis. Although, it may lack in depth to the more savvy of investors, it is enlightening enough for beginners and curious readers looking to understand what chartists do. A warning, however, it is highly recommended that you have the means and tools to monitor historical price movements. A Bloomberg terminal isn't exactly affordable for an individual, but if you do have a way to track security price movements, outside of an office setting, then go ahead and read it. Actually, even if you don't have the means to monitor security price movements, the book will orient you on the basics of TA. If you don't use it, just like any concept taught in school, you're bound to forget it!

This isn't a complete garbage since it does tell you a little about technical analysis. But even for dummies, they can still go online and learn a lot from sites like Investopedia, EliteTrader, and Mish's economic analysis. Some of the stuff that the author talks about is complete garbage since it is not feasible. Save yourself some money and please do not buy this book. You deserve better than this.

This isn't a complete garbage since it does tell you a little about technical analysis. But even for dummies, they can still go online and learn a lot from sites like Investopedia, EliteTrader, and others. Some of the stuff that the author talks about is complete garbage since it is not practically feasible. Please do not buy this book people. You deserve better than this.

A sound advice from more experienced trader

MINUSES:
1. First 2-3 chapters are useless.
2. Weak chapter about Japanese Candlesticks.
3. Useless 15. chapter about Point-Figure Charting.
4. Sometimes- chaotic writing style.

PLUSES:
1. Simple English with excellent grammar.
Therefore you can quickly read the whole book! Pleasure to read!
2. Many valuable indicators.
3. Many trading setups.
4. This book converts you from dummy to almost pro immediately after reading.


Yes, some chapters are really useless, but the rest chapters are exhaustive and fully compensate bad ones. Therefore I can tell- this is the best financial book, what I have read!

So- I highly recommend this book to all technical analysis dummies!

At no other time have I ever bought a book that paid for itself. Having utilized the techniques discussed in Technical Analysis for Dummies, I actually earned well over the $20.00 needed to pay for the book. This is a great book for beginners because it discusses MACD and Stochastics, as well as combining criteria in order to create stock screeners. I have also read Mutual Funds for Dummies and Stock Investing for Dummies. This one is the best written and by far the most useful so. I highly recommend this book if you are new to the world of stock investing.

I want to be honest for this book. I'm a daily trader and want to learn more about technical analysis. After I read this book I notice that this book does not have any examples to make it understandable for readers. It just has explanations that make it boring to read. In my opinion find a book that has examples about real situation during trading stocks. YOU CAN NOT LEARN ONLY WITH EXPLENATIN. My suggestion is read other technical analysis books reviews to find out which one have both explanations follow by examples. Good luck

This book is a nice synopsis of technical indicators and is written in common understandable English. There are big tomes written on this subject but this is all you will need to get a good grasp of the subject. It is not a recipe book that will tell you how to make a bundle of money in the stock market, but you are unlikely to make a bundle without mastering the analytic techniques discussed in this book. You will develop your own favorite indicators and combination of indicators to help you invest, but without understanding the basics of the technical analysis, you will be lost. And this book is a good source of learning just that.

I found this book to be not too heavy, not too light in dealing with technical analysis. I wanted something that would expand upon the various indicators, etc. a bit more than I would find with a wiki search, and the book hits the target. I'm pleased and I think that others who are looking for something that's more than an "entry-level" book will be pleased as well.

I have read more than a dozen books on forex, some good and some bad. I'm afraid this book is somewhere at the bottom. The author kept babbling about self-proclaimed experts in technical analysis all throughout the book it became pathetic. Discussions on most technical indicators was blurry, not the english, but the material simply was not good enough. Very flimsy in many cases and as a result gives you a feeling the author is far from being an authority on the subject. The only reason I gave a generous 2 stars is the discussion on momentum indicators where there was a little bit of substance. Example charts also were poorly selected. After reading the book I felt I really did not pick up anything new.

I bought this book secure in the knowledge of what I didn't know, so the choice of a Dummies book was perfect. When I say that the book was honest, I mean that it made no extravagant claims as to what Technical Analysis (TA) could do for me as an investor. Instead, it consistently qualified any statements it made about the predictive nature of TA. If anything, the book erred on the side of caution; statements along the lines of "The trend is your friend--until it isn't." were common. Some might find this to be overly cautious; I found it reassuring. I didn't want a book on TA with the word "Rich" in the title.

I give the book four stars instead of five, because it could be a bit difficult in explaining more obscure points. Rarely, a paragraph which referred to a chart to make a point would be difficult to follow. This might have been avoided with better annotated illustrations. All in all, the book does a good job of defining the key concepts in each chapter. It is profusely illustrated, and doesn't run the risk of information overload.

Lastly, this is a book for beginners. It does give a good idea of the scope of all that is included in TA, but it isn't an exhaustive look at any specific topic. I often found myself wanting to read more on certain subjects. While this is perfect for an introductory book, those who already have a passing acquaintance with the subject matter might best look elsewhere, say Alexander Elder's Trading for a Living: Psychology, Trading Tactics, Money Management.

I'm new to individual stock investing, and wanted a good introductory book on TA. I've found the "Dummies" series of books quite good. This book is no exception.

Before reading this book, I wouldn't know trending, momentum, or volume indicators if they bit me. After reading the book, they're my good friends.

When initially "putting my toe in the water", TA seemed quite daunting. After carefully reading the book while pouring over TA charts on various financial websites, I'm now fairly comfortable with the fundamentals of TA and ready to dive in.

This book gave me the basics and the confidence I need to start. Experience and additional learning will just make me better...

Let's hear it for the 3-way crossover!

This book saved me a $250 worth training, i recommend it for anyone interested in TA. It is staight forward, understandable, a very good deal. Got it in 3 weeks. Worth waiting:-) from Budapest, Hungary

There was a modest amount of good info embedded in a lot of fluff and useless verbiage which is typical of these dummy books. I found myself having to carefully review and sometimes reread sections to parse out the important bits. I think what I really needed was just a book of pictures of chart patterns with short explanations for each one. Anyway I got enough out of this to get me started but it was more work on my part than it needed to be.

There was a modest amount of good info embedded in a lot of fluff and useless verbiage which is typical of these dummy books. I found myself having to carefully review and sometimes reread sections to parse out the important bits. I think what I really needed was just a book of pictures of chart patterns with short explanations for each one. Anyway I got enough out of this to get me started but it was more work on my part than it needed to be.

The author attempts a very difficult subject and falls flat on her face.
Very unclear. Sentences an English professor couldn't diagram. Most any other book on Technical Analysis would be better

My investment friend was surprise when I told him that this book help me a lot. I keep this book by me at all times if I need to go back and review something. You should have this in your library.

This book is pretty good for a reference, it covers all the basic issues and ideas that one should know when dealing with technical analysis.

My disappointment is that it lacks the prctical section. OK, so I know the basics, I open the chart at any charts system, and now what??
It doesnt give any methods of analysis, it just gives the tools.

Bottom line, as I see it, after reading the book you can't just go and start working...

God help the "dummies" who like to learn from this book. Don't get this book if you are new to technical analysis, which will NOT make you money either. It will just confuse you. I recommend Martin Pring to start out with.

I've checked out lots of books on Technical Analysis and I've found this far and away the best, both for its understandability and its breadth. It's not a simple read, because technical analysis isn't a simple subject. But if you dedicate yourself to understanding it (with more than one reading), it will pay you back every step of the way.

This is definitely the book to start with (and maybe end with too) if you're serious about learning the discipline of technical analysis, rather than just dabbling in it. It's like being taught by a friend who's "in the business."

I've checked out lots of books on Technical Analysis and I've found this far and away the best, both for its understandability and its breadth. It's not a simple read, because technical analysis isn't a simple subject. But if you dedicate yourself to understanding it (with more than one reading), it will pay you back every step of the way.

This is definitely the book to start with (and maybe end with too) if you're serious about learning the discipline of technical analysis, rather than just dabbling in it. It's like being taught by a friend who's "in the business."

This is an excellent book for investors wishing to understand the theory of technical analysis trading, while acquiring tools to translate the theories into one's own trading strategies. The author's explanations are clear, her practical examples thorough and easy to follow, and her disclosures regarding the built-in limitations of any mathematical approach necessary. Ms. Rockefeller's Resources appendix suggest follow-up websites and texts from which to build on her text. I've read more theoretical approaches to this subject, but prefer her balanced text, setting forth the theories, but moving on quickly to practical considerations. The author is very honest about her own limitations but always points readers to the correct resources to resolve lingering questions. I recommend this book to traders of all levels as a resource to which they will enjoy returning.

This is an excellent book for investors wishing to understand the theory of technical analysis trading, while acquiring tools to translate the theories into one's own trading strategies. The author's explanations are clear, her practical examples thorough and easy to follow, and her disclosures regarding the built-in limitations of any mathematical approach necessary. Ms. Rockefeller's Resources appendix suggest follow-up websites and texts from which to build on her text. I've read more theoretical approaches to this subject, but prefer her balanced text, setting forth the theories, but moving on quickly to practical considerations. The author is very honest about her own limitations but always points readers to the correct resources to resolve lingering questions. I recommend this book to traders of all levels as a resource to which they will enjoy returning.

I can't say I read this whole book, because, I started to read it and found from a markets perspective I couldn't agree with much of what it said. That probably applies to T/A in general, mind, not just this book. However, it does confirm that this book isn't really managing to sell T/A. There are too many qualifications about indicators and rules which if you take on, rather than ignore, make some of these systems no better than a crack-pot lottery system. Also, having dipped into various chapters there seem to be cases of things only being glossed over, such as candlesticks.

Much cases, of may, might, probable, etc. If you want to get rich quick, first learn how to do the DD and value analysis. Then use T/A if you must to provide some support to your entry and exits into investments, but do not invest on the basis of charts alone. You may win some, and then lose some, and win some, and lose some, and lose some, and over time, unless lucky, you'll probably lose some more than you win some. Of course, there are lucky people. Don't take these people as being statistically representative of whether T/A works or not!

Sorry; the book doesn't do it for me, though I'm quite positive there will be more succint books produced by sharper traders which will act as better guides.

I can't say I read this whole book, because, I started to read it and found from a markets perspective I couldn't agree with much of what it said. That probably applies to T/A in general, mind, not just this book. However, it does confirm that this book isn't really managing to sell T/A. There are too many qualifications about indicators and rules which if you take on, rather than ignore, make some of these systems no better than a crack-pot lottery system. Also, having dipped into various chapters there seem to be cases of things only being glossed over, such as candlesticks.

Much cases, of may, might, probable, etc. If you want to get rich quick, first learn how to do the DD and value analysis. Then use T/A if you must to provide some support to your entry and exits into investments, but do not invest on the basis of charts alone. You may win some, and then lose some, and win some, and lose some, and lose some, and over time, unless lucky, you'll probably lose some more than you win some. Of course, there are lucky people. Don't take these people as being statistically representative of whether T/A works or not!

Sorry; the book doesn't do it for me, though I'm quite positive there will be more succint books produced by sharper traders which will act as better guides.

For an introduction to technical analysis, read this book first. You won't need to read others. It is the most comprehensive, and easy to understand, book on technical analysis that I've read. Surprisingly, it isn't dry, either.

Fortunately for me, this was one of the first books that I bought when I began learning technical analysis. This is probably the best book I own which touches on virtually every aspect of the subject. It is clearly written, and you can certainly read it even if you know nothing. Beleive me, we have all been there. And technical analysis can seem overwhelming when you begin.
My copy of this book is worn, is thoroughly underlined, and I have marked the most important pages. I still refer to it. If you want to get your money's worth, believe me, you should buy this book!

For a beginner or experienced treader,you can learn from this book.Don't under estimate this book it has great advice to add to your knowledge base.Its to the point.If you don't understand it the first time read it again.This is the first book you need to read.

Ms Rockefeller has accomplished a difficult task. Take a broad topic and cover it in a comprehensive and concise manner. The author is a true professional and it shines through out her book from cover to cover. I have a small library of books on technical analysis. However, this is one book I pick up to re-read again and again. She gives a sense of realistic expectations one can rely upon technical analysis for and how to integrate the discipline into one's trading plan. The pros and con's of each aspect of technical analysis is discussed and highlighted. The material flows logically in clear easy to understand manner. This is an indication of an author who truly understands and has practiced the craft and communicates it effectively. I whole heartedly recommend this book.

I was surprised with how informative this book really is. I was expecting to get a very broad overview of TA, but this book really has a lot of useful information that can help you make money in the markets. Well worth the money if you ask me.

I am new to "technical analysis". I wanted to see what the fuss was all about, and this books was very helpful towards that goal ... it is about numerology, astrology and palmistry. Not literally of course, but the feel is the same. There are two opposing schools of thought on the subject of market investing, the "efficient market" theorists, whose ranks include numerous Nobel Prize winners and university professors writing on the subject. They basically all say that while you can trade off risk versus potential return, etc. you can't "beat" the market and that "market timing" just plain doesn't work. The other school, "technical analysis", says that merely by analyzing price fluctuations over time, and nothing more, you can. Its advocates include various authors of books and software programs who have no other qualifications than the recommendations of other authors on technical analysis. To get a sense of how funny "Technical Analysis for Dummies" truly is, you need read no further than the section "Magic Numbers: 'The Secret of the Universe'" on how to determine when a market "dip" has occurred. Sometimes it is after a drop equal to the ratio of two Fibonacci numbers such as 62% or 38%, but then other times it might be 50%, or 25% or 12.5%. And of course even this shotgun scattering of numbers won't always work, because as the book itself says "even in the absence of the occasional historic event like 1929, in regular trading even the best indicator fails to work all the time. In fact, some of the best indicators work less than 50% of the time, and that's when conditions are normal! Critics use this awful statistic to say that technical analysis is a waste of time.". Say what?? For a great laugh, I cannot recommend this book strongly enough.

This book is like a Ford pickup truck. It is functional. No extras. If that is what you are looking for then great. I would have prefered some strategies.

After reading(or trying to read)a few books on technical analysis I really found myself either not understanding the material or worse yet, just bored. Barbara Rockfeller's TA for dummies puts some extremely hard information to grasp and puts in a way that is understandable and enjoyable to read. I found the book not overly simple however and I believe it could be used by technical analysists at various levels. I rarely read a book cover to cover, but this one I did. If you've been struggling with TA-I recommend giving this book a try.