Read & Discuss – The Four Pillars of Investing by William Bernstein

During this meetup, we will discuss The Four Pillars of Investing: Lessons for Building a Winning Portfolio by William Bernstein.

"This down-to-earth book lays out in easy-to-understand prose the four essential topics that every investor must master: the relationship of risk and reward, the history of the market, the psychology of the investor and the market, and the folly of taking financial advice from investment salespeople.

Bernstein pulls back the curtain to reveal what really goes on in today’s financial industry as he outlines a simple program for building wealth while controlling risk. Straightforward in its presentation and generous in its real-life examples, The Four Pillars of Investing presents a no-nonsense discussion of:

• The art and science of mixing different asset classes into an effective blend
• The dangers of actively picking stocks, as opposed to investing in the whole market
• Behavioral finance and how state of mind can adversely affect decision making
• Reasons the mutual fund and brokerage industries, rather than your partners, are often your most direct competitors
• Strategies for managing all of your assets―savings, 401(k)s, home equity―as one portfolio

Investing is not a destination. It is a journey, and along the way are stockbrokers, journalists, and mutual fund companies whose interests are diametrically opposed to yours.

More relevant today than ever, The Four Pillars of Investing shows you how to determine your own financial direction and assemble an investment program with the sole goal of building long-term wealth for you and your family."

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Some more general notes about the book club:

• We rotate through different types of books, with some covering historical or current events and others more along the lines of practical advice about how to do something.
• No specific ideas are necessarily endorsed – we try to read a variety of topics to expose ourselves to new ideas and ways of thinking.
• We try to grab the room to the back-right of Fortnight Brewing Company's main inside seating area (coming in the door on the front of the building, facing Maynard Road), but will get a table nearby if the room isn't available.
• No worries about coming in mid-discussion ― we usually manage to get off-topic anyways ― and feel free to come even if you didn't manage to finish the book. Also, no shame if you listen to it on Audible!