What do you think?
Rate this book
Understanding Investments
Listening Length 11 hours and 45 minutes
Understanding Investments introduces the fundamentals of investing to those new to the subject while broadening and deepening the knowledge of more experienced investors. Taught by Professor Connel Fullenkamp, an award-winning educator from Duke University, these lectures clearly explain the various kinds of financial markets, the different kinds of investments available to you, and the pros and cons of each. Even more important: The course shows you how to evaluate each of these in terms of your own financial situation.
Understanding Investments introduces the fundamentals of investing to those new to the subject while broadening and deepening the knowledge of more experienced investors. Taught by Professor Connel Fullenkamp, an award-winning educator from Duke University, these lectures clearly explain the various kinds of financial markets, the different kinds of investments available to you, and the pros and cons of each. Even more important: The course shows you how to evaluate each of these in terms of your own financial situation.
12 pages, Audible Audio
Published February 27, 2019
18 people are currently reading
100 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
March 1, 2019
24 DVD Lectures on Investments for Dummies
These were great for Dummies like me who find numbers scary and the thought of investing terribly mystifying. I know next to nothing about any of this stuff. My brother bought me this course a couple of years ago and it has been sitting around making me feel guilty so I made it one of my 2019 New Year's Resolutions to watch it.
It is a good course, and Professor Fullenkamp is delightfully nerdy and as clear as anyone can be about this stuff.
My only criticism is of me, not the course and it is this: I am going to have to listen to some of these lectures more than once. There is simply too much to absorb for someone as lacking in financial acumen as myself. I'm like the Absolutely Fabulous Character who slammed her head into the table and started moaning and whining when her accountant said the word "Fiscal."
DR. Fullenkamp is very engaging and uses good examples.
Warning: There is math and algebra and reference to Spreadsheets.
The good news is: I know a LOT more than I did. The bad news is: that ain't saying much.
At least now I have enough knowledge not to appear totally clueless.
Recommend this for anyone who wants or needs to invest their money or at least understand what stocks, bonds, exchange-traded funds, mutual funds, 401k, compounding and other terms mean.
These were great for Dummies like me who find numbers scary and the thought of investing terribly mystifying. I know next to nothing about any of this stuff. My brother bought me this course a couple of years ago and it has been sitting around making me feel guilty so I made it one of my 2019 New Year's Resolutions to watch it.
It is a good course, and Professor Fullenkamp is delightfully nerdy and as clear as anyone can be about this stuff.
My only criticism is of me, not the course and it is this: I am going to have to listen to some of these lectures more than once. There is simply too much to absorb for someone as lacking in financial acumen as myself. I'm like the Absolutely Fabulous Character who slammed her head into the table and started moaning and whining when her accountant said the word "Fiscal."
DR. Fullenkamp is very engaging and uses good examples.
Warning: There is math and algebra and reference to Spreadsheets.
The good news is: I know a LOT more than I did. The bad news is: that ain't saying much.
At least now I have enough knowledge not to appear totally clueless.
Recommend this for anyone who wants or needs to invest their money or at least understand what stocks, bonds, exchange-traded funds, mutual funds, 401k, compounding and other terms mean.
October 22, 2019
Excellent overview of investment options: neither too basic nor too complicated.
August 29, 2024
As someone who loves to invest and is fascinated by the markets, this was a great book for me. My love of investing started in high school with my first classes about economics and investing (I went to a great HS that taught these topics). This is the most complete and totally unbiased book about investing I have read to date, and I have read a lot.
Since this is a Great Courses book, there is a lot of parts where the PDF is needed to really follow along but for the most part, you will get a complete understanding and can refer back to the formulas later too. Being well read, I was surprised at how much I was able to expand my knowledge but also note that the material is designed to take someone from the start of their investing journey too.
Overall, highly recommended and you will be hard pressed to find a more complete, more detailed book on this topic.
Since this is a Great Courses book, there is a lot of parts where the PDF is needed to really follow along but for the most part, you will get a complete understanding and can refer back to the formulas later too. Being well read, I was surprised at how much I was able to expand my knowledge but also note that the material is designed to take someone from the start of their investing journey too.
Overall, highly recommended and you will be hard pressed to find a more complete, more detailed book on this topic.
April 10, 2022
I still feel I was a bit limited when it comes to being knowledgeable on investments. I did like that the book had 20 lessons, broken into sections, and then definitions with questions at the end of each lesson or section. However, I still fell not knowing much more about investments...
After reading the book, I have watched part of one of the DVDs, and hope to finish them and see if I can get more out of it. It seems a bit dry for my liking, and sadly, I get bored and not in tune easily. I will have to work on my focus and clarity.
This was a gift, purchased for me from a relative, and definitely wanted to learn more about investments. This person knew and bought me a few DVDs and courses on different topics. I had this about over a year ago and finally finished the booklet.
After reading the book, I have watched part of one of the DVDs, and hope to finish them and see if I can get more out of it. It seems a bit dry for my liking, and sadly, I get bored and not in tune easily. I will have to work on my focus and clarity.
This was a gift, purchased for me from a relative, and definitely wanted to learn more about investments. This person knew and bought me a few DVDs and courses on different topics. I had this about over a year ago and finally finished the booklet.
October 4, 2025
It took me three or four tries to get through this, but I finally did. I wish I had sooner.
It's a broad treatment of investing in the stock market, with lessons on different types of investments as well as ways to judge and plan investments. I thought he did a pretty good job of teaching the various concepts.
It's a broad treatment of investing in the stock market, with lessons on different types of investments as well as ways to judge and plan investments. I thought he did a pretty good job of teaching the various concepts.
September 10, 2022
Enjoyed Connel’s introduction to investment options in today’s economy and look forward to reading more from him.
I feel more knowledgeable in monitoring and managing our portfolio and enjoying a more financially sound retirement. Thank you.
I feel more knowledgeable in monitoring and managing our portfolio and enjoying a more financially sound retirement. Thank you.
August 6, 2019
Listened to this book: too much time on annuities; too little on 'when to sell'. Good lecturer; would enjoy taking a class from him.
Read
April 26, 2020Not the most exciting read but boy do I feel more informed. 😎
June 19, 2021
This book helped me understand a lot about different investments with simple language and clear and detailed examples. Definitely would recommend
April 2, 2022
Good primer. Learned enough to validate my decision to hire a financial advisor.
June 23, 2022
would have been better as a paperbook, I do not recommend the audio version
July 5, 2022
Very good overview for the novice- altho slightly overwhelming. I listened to the course via Kanopy and my local library's free account, which unfortunately meant that I had to take notes on everything and couldn't take advantage of copy/paste for some of the MS Excel formulas.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews