Common Sense on Mutual Funds

Fully Updated 10th Anniversary Edition

By: John C Bogle

Narrated by: Scott Peterson

Length: 20 hrs and 49 mins

Publisher's summary

John Bogle - founder of the Vanguard Mutual Fund Group and creator of the first index mutual fund - is an industry pioneer. Over the years, he has single-handedly transformed the mutual fund business, and today, his vision continues to inspire investors .It has been over a decade since the original edition of Common Sense on Mutual Funds was first published. While much has changed during this time, the importance of investing and the issues addressed in the original edition of this book have not. Now, in the Fully Updated 10th Anniversary Edition of Common Sense on Mutual Funds, Bogle returns to update his in-depth look at mutual funds and the business of investing - helping you navigate through the staggering array of investment options found in today's evolving investment landscape.

Timely and timeless, this important audiobook examines the fundamentals of mutual fund investing in turbulent market environments and offers valuable guidance for building an investment portfolio. Along the way, Bogle shows you that simplicity and common sense still trump costly complexity, and that a low cost, broadly diversified portfolio continues to be the best way to build wealth at the lowest cost and risk - and will almost always outperform more expensive, actively managed mutual funds.Throughout, Bogle skillfully presents a platform for intelligent investing as he analyzes costs, exposes tax inefficiencies, and warns of the mutual fund industry's conflicting interests.

Emphasizing long-term investing and asset allocation, Bogle offers sensible solutions to the fund selection process and reveals what it will take to make it in today's chaotic market. Securing your financial future has never seemed more difficult, but after listening to this revised and updated edition of Common Sense on Mutual Funds, you will become a better investor. From stock and bond funds to global investing and index funds, this audiobook will help you regain your financial footing and make more informed investment decisions.

©2010 John C. Bogle (P)2012 Gildan Media, LLC

Critic reviews

"The only thing better than Bogle's original book is its improved revision. Bon appetit!" (Paul A. Samuelson, Nobel Laureate, Economics)

"Were I allowed to recommend only one investment volume to friends and family, the updated edition of Common Sense on Mutual Funds would be it - it is even better than the first edition was ten years ago." (William J. Bernstein, author of The Investor's Manifesto, A Splendid Exchange, The Birth of Plenty, and The Four Pillars of Investing)

Does what it says on the tin

A bit repetitive, but really drives the point home. The average mutual fund is the market less fees, therefore it will underperform the market by the amount of the fees.

Must read on investing!

It's a bit long and heavy but the words are wise and true. Index funds are the best. Vanguard

Good but redundant

Any additional comments?

The book offers great advice, especially toward the beginning. But the second half seems to just go off into too many different reasons why high fees are bad for mutual funds. It would have sufficed to just say, "stay away from funds with high fees", instead of going into all the details about fees and looking at it from every angle.

make some money buy this book.

Can be a bit technical, but stick with it... it is worth the knowledge.

Wisdom

A great book that makes a convincing case to invest wisely and filter out the noise of hot funds and hot fund managers. I highly recommend it.

Excellent Book, Jackass of a narrator in Ch 6

Some annoying little chump narrates in ch 6. Otherwise, the book is outstanding and Jack is a genius.

"A Classic Book on Investing"

Would you listen to Common Sense on Mutual Funds again? Why?

Yes. It may be the best practical book on equity investing ever written. Simple and precise, it lays out the case for passive investing in a way that will change your thinking about mutual funds forever.

What other book might you compare Common Sense on Mutual Funds to and why?

No other books really compare in content. Although there are parallels in "Fooled by Randomness", and many of Warren Buffet's books espouse the benefits of Indexing.

Any additional comments?

John Bogle may be the most influential and honest voice in the investment world. His creation of the world's first Index Fund (Vanguard Index 500) and the subsequent rejection of it by almost everyone, is a great example of how many new ideas are not initially seen for their greatness or truth. Standing the test of time, Bogle's Vanguard Index Funds have beaten the majority of professional (active) money managers. My biggest take-aways from this book are "don't look for the needle, buy the haystack", "reversion to the mean", "most untrained investors can beat well-trained investment professionals by investing in a low-cost index fund" and "active equity mutual funds take a significant portion of an investor's risk premium through fees and expenses, created by excessive portfolio turnover, taxes and 12-b1 fees". This book is a "must read" for anyone trying to build an investment portolio.

Even more perfect with the book

Where does Common Sense on Mutual Funds rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

The is very insightful & informative, highly recommended for both whom want to understand the financial markets & general trading wisdom, or those whom want to learn how the mutual funds business works. Moreover, you will sure learn how to invest in the best funds.
The only thing I faced difficulties with, is unseen charts in audiobook, which is solved by buying the book.

Common Sense Is Not Common

A very important book, especially in the modern day of heavily marketed and grossly expensive investment options. Some key insights into the relationships between management companies and the mutual funds they manage and how the structure of the whole business rarely puts the investor's interests first. This book is candid, inspiring, hopeful, and probably most importantly, helpful to the average investor. There are principles in here that are part of my lifetime investment philosophy. Here is a well-earned "Thank you" to Jack Bogle for what he has done for the American people through the propagation of simple common sense.

a hard listen

i missed a lot and didnt feel like i missed anything. the points were hammered home like an overzealous sales pitch or a republican platform. good for financial health, but glad im done.