What do you think?
Rate this book
Zero Hour: Turn the Greatest Political and Financial Upheaval in Modern History to Your Advantage
Harry S. Dent Jr., bestselling author of The Demographic Cliff and The Sale of a Lifetime, predicted the populist wave that has driven the Brexit vote, the election of Donald Trump, and other recent shocks around the world. Now he returns with the definitive guide to protect your investments and prosper in the age of the anti-globalist backlash.
The turn of the 2020s will mark an extremely rare convergence of low points for multiple political, economic, and demographic cycles. The result will be a major financial crash and global upheaval that will dwarf the Great Recession of the 2000s--and maybe even the Great Depression of the 1930s. We're facing the onset of what Dent calls "Economic Winter."
In Zero Hour, he and Andrew Pancholi (author of The Market Timing Report newsletter) explain all of these cycles, which influence everything from currency valuations to election returns, from economic growth rates in Asia to birthrates in Europe. You'll learn, for instance:
- Why the most-hyped technologies of recent years (self-driving cars, artificial intelligence, virtual reality, blockchain) won't pay off until the 2030s.
- Why China may be the biggest bubble in the global economy (and you'd be a fool to invest there).
- Why you should invest in the healthcare and pharmaceutical industries, and pull out of real estate and automotive.
- Why putting your faith in gold is a bad idea.
Fortunately, Zero Hour includes a range of practical strategies to help you turn the upheaval ahead to your advantage, so your family can be prepared and protected.
The turn of the 2020s will mark an extremely rare convergence of low points for multiple political, economic, and demographic cycles. The result will be a major financial crash and global upheaval that will dwarf the Great Recession of the 2000s--and maybe even the Great Depression of the 1930s. We're facing the onset of what Dent calls "Economic Winter."
In Zero Hour, he and Andrew Pancholi (author of The Market Timing Report newsletter) explain all of these cycles, which influence everything from currency valuations to election returns, from economic growth rates in Asia to birthrates in Europe. You'll learn, for instance:
- Why the most-hyped technologies of recent years (self-driving cars, artificial intelligence, virtual reality, blockchain) won't pay off until the 2030s.
- Why China may be the biggest bubble in the global economy (and you'd be a fool to invest there).
- Why you should invest in the healthcare and pharmaceutical industries, and pull out of real estate and automotive.
- Why putting your faith in gold is a bad idea.
Fortunately, Zero Hour includes a range of practical strategies to help you turn the upheaval ahead to your advantage, so your family can be prepared and protected.
336 pages, Hardcover
Published November 14, 2017
132 people are currently reading
193 people want to read
About the author
Harry S. Dent Jr.
36 books76 followersHarry S. Dent, Jr. (born 1950) is an American financial newsletter writer.
Dent writes an economic newsletter that reviews the economy in the US and around the world through demographic trends focusing on predictable consumer spending patterns, as well as financial markets, and has written several books.
Dent writes an economic newsletter that reviews the economy in the US and around the world through demographic trends focusing on predictable consumer spending patterns, as well as financial markets, and has written several books.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
July 5, 2018
I’ve come across my interest in waves honestly. In high school, my first big research paper was about biorhythms, using sine waves to predict mental, physical, and emotional peaks and valleys. I couldn’t tell if there was something really there, but I liked that patterns could be observed. And I’ve read earlier books and papers on using waves to predict markets, from Dent and Robert Prechter. I never found these totally convincing, but thought there might be something there. As I’ve been reading more books on all-too-human thinking, I have learned that people go out of their way to find patterns, even in randomness. As I read through Dent’s “Zero Hour,” I have that last thought in mind. Unfortunately, most of what Dent presents here looks to me to be perceived patterns instead of real patterns. Why would I say that? When one periodicity of a wave doesn’t fit some historic event, Dent adds another wave to the pantheon. Say you notice there are 72 years between the great crash of ’29 and the blowoff of the early 2000s. Dent then goes back another 72 years before the 1929 crash and sees a financial catastrophe had occurred. But there are other catastrophes that don’t occur in those times, so other “waves” that cause financial issues are posited. You end up with a good dozen or so waves of different periods – different lengths between lowpoints. Dent then presumes these all add up, so different waves hitting their low points at the same time mean something majorly bad happens or will happen in the future. Roughly 2/3 of this book is along these lines, pointing out time periods in the past or future where bad things could happen. One wave that is focused on is the periodicity of sunspots, and the authors take a stab at how changes in sunspots could impact events in finance, albeit not very convincingly. Much of the book, which appears to be written in early 2017, point to August of 2017 as being the start of a large decline in the markets. This didn’t happen. I kept looking to see if Dent was wishy-washy in this date, but he stuck to it throughout the book, although by the end he was giving a range of years, from 2017 through 2020, as being the bad years for finance, but always with a start date of August 2017. This miss in the main prediction really hurt the appeal this book originally had for me.
In addition, Dent writes quite a few anti-Trump comments. It appears he made the assumption that Trump would destroy the market soon after starting his presidency, and it appears that this book was Dent’s way to profit, pointing people to his newsletter for additional buy and sell signals and the like. Once again, this didn’t come true in the timeframe he suggested.
The wave parts of the book are written in a style I have seen in two places – emails from people trying to sell market advice and conspiracy books. The story becomes so convoluted, with different historic financial events brought up as supposed evidence of different cycles, then later discounted and described differently. And while I am not a historian, I have read quite a bit, and there are so many odd financial events mentioned that I have to wonder if any are made up, or were actually minor events, not of value as evidence. The goal here seems to be to confuse the reader. That worked! The prose is mostly that breathless, I-gotta-tell-you-about-this-way-to-make-money kind of speech that you hear on a financial network when someone is selling something. There are a lot of short teases of what’s coming up, like a mention of Jack Stack three or four times before actually telling a story about him. And there are plenty of mentions of Dent’s newsletter along the way. If you are looking for science, look elsewhere.
There were parts of the book that didn't lean on waves. Dent talks about suggestions of things that needs to be changed in the US to avoid financial catastrophy. Not a bad list. The last third of the book I liked, although I didn’t spend the time to look at the research. Here, Dent mostly drops the cycle theories he’s talked about earlier in the book and has written comparing countries in urbanization rates and GDP, estimating future growth in countries to invest in. He also talks about commodities, suggesting specific ones to invest in. The commodity discussion seems more related to waves again… I was disheartened to see in the country evaluations that there were multiple obvious editorial errors, like calling Indonesia India at one point and quoting a very different number from a referenced chart that called out the correct number. Proofreading was needed here, and the lack of attention to detail makes me discount the “evidence” and “logic” displayed here even more. I had a hard time deciding if I would give this a single star or two on Goodread's scale. I found parts interesting, so I settled on two. Although I really want to see those wave patterns in financial charts, I think this will be the last Dent book I read.
In addition, Dent writes quite a few anti-Trump comments. It appears he made the assumption that Trump would destroy the market soon after starting his presidency, and it appears that this book was Dent’s way to profit, pointing people to his newsletter for additional buy and sell signals and the like. Once again, this didn’t come true in the timeframe he suggested.
The wave parts of the book are written in a style I have seen in two places – emails from people trying to sell market advice and conspiracy books. The story becomes so convoluted, with different historic financial events brought up as supposed evidence of different cycles, then later discounted and described differently. And while I am not a historian, I have read quite a bit, and there are so many odd financial events mentioned that I have to wonder if any are made up, or were actually minor events, not of value as evidence. The goal here seems to be to confuse the reader. That worked! The prose is mostly that breathless, I-gotta-tell-you-about-this-way-to-make-money kind of speech that you hear on a financial network when someone is selling something. There are a lot of short teases of what’s coming up, like a mention of Jack Stack three or four times before actually telling a story about him. And there are plenty of mentions of Dent’s newsletter along the way. If you are looking for science, look elsewhere.
There were parts of the book that didn't lean on waves. Dent talks about suggestions of things that needs to be changed in the US to avoid financial catastrophy. Not a bad list. The last third of the book I liked, although I didn’t spend the time to look at the research. Here, Dent mostly drops the cycle theories he’s talked about earlier in the book and has written comparing countries in urbanization rates and GDP, estimating future growth in countries to invest in. He also talks about commodities, suggesting specific ones to invest in. The commodity discussion seems more related to waves again… I was disheartened to see in the country evaluations that there were multiple obvious editorial errors, like calling Indonesia India at one point and quoting a very different number from a referenced chart that called out the correct number. Proofreading was needed here, and the lack of attention to detail makes me discount the “evidence” and “logic” displayed here even more. I had a hard time deciding if I would give this a single star or two on Goodread's scale. I found parts interesting, so I settled on two. Although I really want to see those wave patterns in financial charts, I think this will be the last Dent book I read.
November 25, 2017
I wonder what possessed me to order this book. I must have read the description of another and somehow wound up with this. It may somehow mean something to brokers and professionals in the business, but I doubt it. I thought it was a mass of nonsense. Good luck to anyone who thinks this book will help then invest. My opinion, rubbish. Just a waste of time. Trends back a thousand years. Really? Get serious.
March 22, 2021
This book was absolutely fascinating. I've said for years that history always repeats itself. This book actually shows you exactly how and when.
It is clear that the authors have done their homework on cycles. Thank you for taking the time to put it all together for everyone to see.
This book explains the future economic upheaval heading our way. Most importantly, you'll understand how and when. There is still time to get ready. I highly recommend this book to everyone.
Well done gentleman. 👍
It is clear that the authors have done their homework on cycles. Thank you for taking the time to put it all together for everyone to see.
This book explains the future economic upheaval heading our way. Most importantly, you'll understand how and when. There is still time to get ready. I highly recommend this book to everyone.
Well done gentleman. 👍
April 26, 2023
I can't help but ask if Mr. Dent is familiar with the Texas sharpshooter fallacy? Basically, his book is a glaring example of such a fallacy. His examples and historical perspectives are cherry-picked data points to convince you that he knows what he is doing. For someone who is so prescient as he claims, I'd imagine his net worth would be much higher. At least he's not a gold bug, though.
June 11, 2021
This book is very poor. The culmination of saying This is a bubble, this is a bubble, this a bubble God **** it used as proof and justification. I really regret spending my audible money on this. It was a struggle to go through, full of pseudoscience, but mama raised no quitter, so here I am.
April 8, 2020
Lots of cycles. They were early it wasn't 2017. It is early 2020 (now) that things are going cray cray.
June 21, 2021
Just because it's a conspiracy theory doesn't make it false.
January 16, 2022
Cycles are amazing and helps us learn how history repeats itself. There were some interesting points but mainly Harry ranting.
April 29, 2025
I mean, I learned something but the content of this book is very repetitive and subjective
October 13, 2018
90% of the book is useless. Sunspots 500 years cycles (gimme a break). Unrelated to anything is Dent’s distaste for Trump tossed into the book. This isn’t supposed to be an anti Trump political book but that is what it turns out to be. Dent makes DIRECT comparisons of Hitler to Trump then says “but i’m not comparing trump to Hitler” then he does it more than once! USELESS book that is a backward looking view of history and Dent claiming it was a predictable cycle. What Dent doesn't tell you is how OFTEN he’s wrong; like that precient call in 1998 calling for the DOW to hit 38,000 by the year 2000. He was close at least…. Pointless book that is neither history or economics. I suggest you read this review from a legitimate financial journal to get a better sense on the source of this book. If you listened to Dent since 2009 you would have missed the biggest stock and housing run-up in history (Dent neglects to say this). In 2001 Dent called for the Dow to hit 3800. Its 25,500 today. Proof is in the pudding. Dent promotes his “Tactical” (it’s very “tactical!”) ETF product to the S&P. Well it turns out its an abysmal loser, probably the worst performance in history. How much more WRONG can this guy be? You want to read a book from this wrong way corrigan?
“Hitler wanted to make Germany great again” Hitler NEVER said that. “Trump wants to make American Great again. But I’m not comparing Trump to Hitler”. Dent is a liar and idiot.
https://www.barrons.com/articles/SB50...
He talks about number cycles. He's a numerologist! 20 years ago Dent noted the significance of demographics and spending. That is legit. So read his old book not this trying to come up with something new from old ideas awful rehash. 84 year and 1000 year cycles lmao. What about the dinosaurs consuming baby brontosauruses cycle? “500 year mega inflation cycle”. Yeah follow that one for investment riches. He's getting absurd. He's fresh out of ideas. Next will be the 10,000,000 year big bang to dinosaur cycle and its effect on cavemen economics.
Dent goes on full retard mode when he talks about the Sunspots and SUNSPOTS influence on the stock market. He mentions SUNSPOTS relevance to the stock market more than twice. USELESS. He quotes a fund manager on sunspots. How many Money managers rely on sunsport do you think? That alone makes this book useless.
Starts to improve for a few sentences only when he discusses demographics (5% of the book). Then he goes on personal anti trump rants and stupid crap that advertising should be regulated. Thought you were a free market guy Harry? If you are stupid enough to believe what advertisers tell you in their lies then you deserve to be duped. That is advertising. What do you think advertising does? Dent is advocating CENSORSHIP and regulating speech. There is enough regulation, you don't need a new government anti-advertising agency to be overpaid government watch dogs. This is what ads do: they lie and tell you buy this product you life will change! Duh! So what. Only morons and millenials buy into advertising. No need to regulate madison avenue. Need more on wall street, not midtown.
Take a hard pass on this waste of time.
August 2, 2020
Not a bad read, although I ended up skimming at least 1/3 of it because I just couldn’t wrap my head around all the cycles and events the author covers.
The best part of Zero Hour was the list of things that need to change in our society to avoid financial catastrophe. His point about “bottom up” governance and references to Jack Stack sent me to reading Stack’s book, Great Game of Business, which I’m hoping proves more useful that Zero Hour in making sound decisions in times of uncertainty.
Dent was convinced that August 2017 would be the tipping point into a Great Recession of the 21st century. While that didn’t happen then, the COVID-19 pandemic certainly sets the stage for some of Dent’s projections to happen.
About his writing style — yes, it is very sales-y and read-this-until-the-very-last-page-and-I’ll-let-you-in-on-the-secret type of marketing-heavy text. *But* it was somewhat entertaining and a bit of a relief after having read other more dry, mundane books about investing. I don’t want to fault Dent for the way he writes (which, if you listen to some of the podcasts he appears on, is also the way he speaks), but I wonder if his other books are written in similar fashion. If yes, I might not be so inclined to read them.
The best part of Zero Hour was the list of things that need to change in our society to avoid financial catastrophe. His point about “bottom up” governance and references to Jack Stack sent me to reading Stack’s book, Great Game of Business, which I’m hoping proves more useful that Zero Hour in making sound decisions in times of uncertainty.
Dent was convinced that August 2017 would be the tipping point into a Great Recession of the 21st century. While that didn’t happen then, the COVID-19 pandemic certainly sets the stage for some of Dent’s projections to happen.
About his writing style — yes, it is very sales-y and read-this-until-the-very-last-page-and-I’ll-let-you-in-on-the-secret type of marketing-heavy text. *But* it was somewhat entertaining and a bit of a relief after having read other more dry, mundane books about investing. I don’t want to fault Dent for the way he writes (which, if you listen to some of the podcasts he appears on, is also the way he speaks), but I wonder if his other books are written in similar fashion. If yes, I might not be so inclined to read them.
September 24, 2018
I take these types of books with a grain of salt. Don't use it for the dates, even though Harry Dent tries to be very exact on the dates with his models. The whole book is talking about a crash he predicted in 2017 - 2020...that hasn't happened yet. The core of the book should be taken as understanding various cycles. He should just be a bit more vague with dates and time frames because I can see people taking what he says as just straight truth.
November 5, 2018
it was interesting and full of facts. However some are redundant.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews