Soros: Other Books and Biographies

Trader's Library #11 · Speculation classics and biographies. For traders: the book-length interview and the book on 2008. The rest is politics.

Author: George Soros, Robert Slater · Original: incl. Soros on Soros, The Crisis of Global Capitalism, The New Paradigm for Financial Markets · Year: 1995 · Usefulness for traders: ★★★☆☆

What it's about

I cover “Soros on Soros” (a book-length interview), “The Crisis of Global Capitalism”, “The Bubble of American Supremacy”, “The New Paradigm for Financial Markets” (on the 2008 crisis) and “In Defense of Open Society”. Plus two books about Soros: Robert Slater's biography “Soros: The Life, Times and Trading Secrets of the World's Greatest Investor” and “The Investment Secrets of George Soros” (24 secrets).

What it gives a trader

For a trader the most important are “Soros on Soros” (how he thinks about risk and mistakes) and “The New Paradigm” (reflexivity applied to the 2008 crisis). Slater's books show Soros from the outside, including the attack on the pound. The other titles are mainly politics and social philosophy.

Lessons for traders

• survival matters more than being right: Soros was quick to admit mistakes
• a conviction not tested by the market is just an opinion
• theories about the world are only useful if you can test them against the market

What to watch out for

Most of these books are political commentary, and Soros provokes extreme emotions. Separate the speculator from the political figure.

Discussion

The discussion takes place in Hetman Capital Club (in Polish). Join the discussion in the Club →

Navigation

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Educational content, not investment advice. The book description is my own summary and assessment, not quotations. Edition details were checked in catalogues and bookshops, and where there was doubt I said so plainly.