Comments on: An Interview with Tim Sykes http://thecuriousinvestor.com/2007/10/08/an-interview-with-tim-sykes/ Learn to invest in the stock market. Thu, 07 Aug 2008 23:31:49 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 By: Ben Storey http://thecuriousinvestor.com/2007/10/08/an-interview-with-tim-sykes/#comment-6525 Ben Storey Sat, 01 Dec 2007 17:08:54 +0000 http://thecuriousinvestor.com/2007/10/08/an-interview-with-tim-sykes/#comment-6525 Re: Sykes amateurish hedge fund book: Is it more sad or amusing when someone's young ego spurs them to write a book when they possess neither literary skill nor talent? Sykes has commented elsewhere that his goal to become "a great teacher, not a great investor" but in this sad excuse for a tutorial he proves to be neither as his amateurish errors practically drive him from the market, credibility (what little he had) completely shredded. Perhaps, however, it's not truly his fault: let's face it, when it comes to imparting wisdom from Wall Street it is simply not possible that a raw twenty-something simply has much to say. Not that Sykes doesn't try however. In perusing the "comments" portion of Amazon book reviews, he's certainly not reluctant to chime in and offer a defense at nearly every turn. Find me ONE other author at Amazon that feels so compelled to argue his own incompetence. Tim Sykes should end his determined quest to become a media personality as his grating manner and decidedly non-telegenic looks suit him far better to shine shoes. Re: Sykes amateurish hedge fund book:

Is it more sad or amusing when someone’s young ego spurs them to write a book when they possess neither literary skill nor talent? Sykes has commented elsewhere that his goal to become “a great teacher, not a great investor” but in this sad excuse for a tutorial he proves to be neither as his amateurish errors practically drive him from the market, credibility (what little he had) completely shredded. Perhaps, however, it’s not truly his fault: let’s face it, when it comes to imparting wisdom from Wall Street it is simply not possible that a raw twenty-something simply has much to say.

Not that Sykes doesn’t try however. In perusing the “comments” portion of Amazon book reviews, he’s certainly not reluctant to chime in and offer a defense at nearly every turn. Find me ONE other author at Amazon that feels so compelled to argue his own incompetence.

Tim Sykes should end his determined quest to become a media personality as his grating manner and decidedly non-telegenic looks suit him far better to shine shoes.

]]> By: Dan Hung http://thecuriousinvestor.com/2007/10/08/an-interview-with-tim-sykes/#comment-6158 Dan Hung Sun, 28 Oct 2007 19:33:20 +0000 http://thecuriousinvestor.com/2007/10/08/an-interview-with-tim-sykes/#comment-6158 I've got to say that I'm surprised about the backlash against Tim. I would say that it may not have necessarily been his luck running out more so than a very ill-advised investment in a stock with no liquidity and eventually no real investment methods. This hamstrung his hedge fund and left him looking for another line of business. It shows that traders are not necessarily good investors and that Tim suffered from the particularly fatal flaw of not knowing his strengths AND his weaknesses and not being disciplined enough to stick with what worked. I don't think I ever personally said the book is a classic and did mention that I believed it could have been edited better. That being said, it is not without merit. To some, the flaws in writing may make the book not worth its price tag, but it is a story which I believe merits being told though it is more cautionary than inspiring. I’ve got to say that I’m surprised about the backlash against Tim. I would say that it may not have necessarily been his luck running out more so than a very ill-advised investment in a stock with no liquidity and eventually no real investment methods. This hamstrung his hedge fund and left him looking for another line of business. It shows that traders are not necessarily good investors and that Tim suffered from the particularly fatal flaw of not knowing his strengths AND his weaknesses and not being disciplined enough to stick with what worked.

I don’t think I ever personally said the book is a classic and did mention that I believed it could have been edited better. That being said, it is not without merit. To some, the flaws in writing may make the book not worth its price tag, but it is a story which I believe merits being told though it is more cautionary than inspiring.

]]> By: AJ http://thecuriousinvestor.com/2007/10/08/an-interview-with-tim-sykes/#comment-6157 AJ Sun, 28 Oct 2007 18:04:15 +0000 http://thecuriousinvestor.com/2007/10/08/an-interview-with-tim-sykes/#comment-6157 I also read Tim Sykes book, and it was not worth $20. It is basically about a guy who was very lucky while gambling with stocks, then his luck ran out.. ..now he needs to make money by being a book/dvd salesman… I also read Tim Sykes book, and it was not worth $20. It is basically about a guy who was very lucky while gambling with stocks, then his luck ran out..

..now he needs to make money by being a book/dvd salesman…

]]> By: Mike Green http://thecuriousinvestor.com/2007/10/08/an-interview-with-tim-sykes/#comment-6154 Mike Green Sun, 28 Oct 2007 17:15:01 +0000 http://thecuriousinvestor.com/2007/10/08/an-interview-with-tim-sykes/#comment-6154 I read Sykes mediocre hedge fund book since I knew him at Tulane, and like him as a person. However, the book is an empty and uninspiring story about how Sykes became a self-absorbed irresponsible stock trader. This book is NOT a “classic” and story is NOT “Rocky-like”(as author Sykes claims). This book is basically like a blog of an average person who got lucky trading stocks and then his luck ran out (which it really should be - blog and nothing more). Beware of all the phony glowing reviews for Sykes Book. Its the good ole boy network in high gear where authors/investment advisers use the buddy system to give fake good reviews to each other. Sykes put the term “stock operator” in title in order to confuse all future book searches for Jesse Livermore’s excellent story (Reminiscences of a Stock Operator, by Edwin Lefèvre (1923)). This cheesy trick might help book sales, but needless to say, Sykes has nothing in common with the great trader Livermore. Sykes comes across like a hyper/immature/video game player-type Trader, which worked for him for a few years; then the law of averages caught up with him. His “return to the mean” continues during the past two years; and his very poor investment strategies are DOWN -37% since Jan 2006. His continuous bad performance throughout 2007 shows that he does not learn from his mistakes; and readers can only cringe while watching Sykes slow motion demise. I read Sykes mediocre hedge fund book since I knew him at Tulane, and like him as a person. However, the book is an empty and uninspiring story about how Sykes became a self-absorbed irresponsible stock trader. This book is NOT a “classic” and story is NOT “Rocky-like”(as author Sykes claims). This book is basically like a blog of an average person who got lucky trading stocks and then his luck ran out (which it really should be - blog and nothing more).

Beware of all the phony glowing reviews for Sykes Book. Its the good ole boy network in high gear where authors/investment advisers use the buddy system to give fake good reviews to each other.

Sykes put the term “stock operator” in title in order to confuse all future book searches for Jesse Livermore’s excellent story (Reminiscences of a Stock Operator, by Edwin Lefèvre (1923)). This cheesy trick might help book sales, but needless to say, Sykes has nothing in common with the great trader Livermore.

Sykes comes across like a hyper/immature/video game player-type Trader, which worked for him for a few years; then the law of averages caught up with him. His “return to the mean” continues during the past two years; and his very poor investment strategies are DOWN -37% since Jan 2006. His continuous bad performance throughout 2007 shows that he does not learn from his mistakes; and readers can only cringe while watching Sykes slow motion demise.

]]> By: Dan Hung http://thecuriousinvestor.com/2007/10/08/an-interview-with-tim-sykes/#comment-6128 Dan Hung Fri, 26 Oct 2007 05:07:54 +0000 http://thecuriousinvestor.com/2007/10/08/an-interview-with-tim-sykes/#comment-6128 I would agree with many of the criticisms of Tim as far as his trading strategy amounting to little more than gambling and that his returns may have been very lucky due to the 99-02 NASDAQ bubble. Now that he's closed his fund after 5 years of truly disturbing performance, I wonder if he's really cut out to be educating those on investing. That being said, he bills his work as "financial speculation" and, in that case, he's completely on the money. Can you be consistently successful? Probably not. But, you might win the lottery. I wouldn't drop the money on his penny stock DVDs but reading his book will give you all the info you need to know about him if you're curious. I would agree with many of the criticisms of Tim as far as his trading strategy amounting to little more than gambling and that his returns may have been very lucky due to the 99-02 NASDAQ bubble. Now that he’s closed his fund after 5 years of truly disturbing performance, I wonder if he’s really cut out to be educating those on investing. That being said, he bills his work as “financial speculation” and, in that case, he’s completely on the money. Can you be consistently successful? Probably not. But, you might win the lottery. I wouldn’t drop the money on his penny stock DVDs but reading his book will give you all the info you need to know about him if you’re curious.

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