America's Bubble Economy: Profit When It Pops [Hardcover]

It's a quick read -- big type, cartoons and relatively simple concepts cut it down to one or two evenings -- and not too brain-bending ones at that. The authors feel quite confident about their points, and present them swiftly, without delving deeply into statistics or high-level economics (most points take a common-sense, "when x people do y with z, z goes up or down" approach...often with heavily simplified charts and graphs to illustrate).

If they were trying to sell me on a massive investment plan to get-rich-quick right now, I wouldn't feel sufficiently convinced by their approach. But they're not -- this is a practical guide to a possible future scenario: if the Dollar tanks, and tanks big (and the first half discusses the reasons why that's likely sometime in the coming years), they present sound advice as to what to do with your investments; and, in light of that, what you may want to do with some percentage of them now, as a hedge.

While this isn't Eric Janszen's (of predicting-the-internet-bubble-burst fame) book (he only provided one chapter), the authors' philosophy mirrors that of his "iTulip" Web site -- if you find it intriguing, this will provide background and practical applications. If they're right, and you play it well, things will go very well for you. If not -- even if their reasoning is wrong, their recommendations belong in a well-balanced portfolio at times, anyway.

In-a-nutshell contents:

1) Active bubbles (overinvested sectors, most especially the American currency itself) at play in the American/world economies -- how they formed, how big they are, and what happens if they deflate in tandem

2) What sectors would survive or thrive in the several-year global recession that would result

3) A somewhat tangential last-chapter on the likelihood of the global electronic markets someday evolving out of the current bubble-generating multi-currency morass into global monetary unit

Rather annoyingly, the hyperlinks referenced by the book (most sections have at least one "see x on our site for more information") are all dead at the moment -- but it's a new release, so hopefully they'll finish the site soon.

You can give this book a pass. There's really nothing to it, so save your money. While one might agree wholeheartedly with its premise and conclusions, the exposition here is not the best. For comparison, take a look at Stephen Leeb's Chapter 5 in his "Oil Factor" of 2004 and you will see a much cleaner more informative discussion of just about everything in the "Bubble" book. Leeb is far more succinct and authoritative and manages to avoid what is becoming the most overused word in the language -- "bubble." And he does it in 11 pages.

The investment advice in this book, once you get past all the padding, is to buy gold and euros. The advice on gold at least comes with a cursory analysis of the supply and demand situation, but the advice on the euro is given without support. There's no discussion whatsoever of the economic realities facing the European Union and how they might impact the dollar/euro exchange rates. I'm not saying there isn't a good reason to run to euros, just that it appears nowhere in this book.

One of the other reviewers was as annoyed as I was about the poor editing in this book. In addition to misspelling Warren Buffett's name numerous times, including in the index, there is a general carelessness that made reading each chapter a hunt for mistakes. I expect more from Wiley.

If this is your first exposure to discussion of the multiple problems facing our economy from housing prices, government debt, consumer debt, and foreign exchange risks, it may serve as a readable introduction. However, don't expect too much depth and be prepared for typos and misspellings. A two star rating is pretty generous.

The authors' thesis is correct. Yes, the real estate market, the stock market, and the dollar are part of one big bubble, and America will have gum on its face when it pops.

But the book is a repetitive, unimaginative bore. Points are repeated again and again, ad nauseum. After a couple of chapters, I concluded that the authors, motivated perhaps by fast money, slapped this project together, stretching what could have been a one-page magazine piece into a book. "America's Bubble Economy" is largely bereft of original ideas. The statistics and charts are simple-minded, the writing uninspired. Several times, exasperated, I threw the book down and went to sleep. But, almost certain that their thesis (though hardly original) is correct, I plodded on and finished it, like someone forced to take his medicine.

The only bright spot is Eric Janszen's engaging chapter on gold. Recognizing that gold's value will be as a hedge against inflation, Janszen, slyly placing the words in quotes, says that investors can "make money" on gold. That is, until, at some distant time, gold itself becomes a bubble and pops.

And so the book earns a single gold star, rather than none.