Financial Literacy: Finding Your Way in the Financial Markets

By: Connel Fullenkamp, The Great Courses

Narrated by: Connel Fullenkamp

Length: 11 hrs and 35 mins

Publisher's Summary

With record-breaking highs one minute and economy-rocking lows the next, it can seem as if there's no way to feel truly comfortable in the mysterious world of finance. But there is, and it's more accessible than you might think.

Financial Literacy: Finding Your Way in the Financial Markets is an essential primer on this domain, from its functions, strengths, and possibilities to its weaknesses and vulnerabilities. In 24 eye-opening lectures, an award-winning Duke University professor reveals the interconnected workings of the financial markets and how society's financial strength -and your own - depend on money flowing through these channels.

You'll not only gain a new appreciation for the variety of financial products and services available to you, but also for how crucial we as individuals are to the functioning of the entire system.

You'll clearly see how these markets affect you - and vice versa - any time you're involved in a financial transaction, whether you're

• financing a car;
• Applying for a mortgage
• Receiving a preapproved credit card offer
• Participating in your company's 401K plan or
• Making a deposit at your local bank.

This course provides the concepts and tools you need to draw connections between headlines made globally and what's happening to your bottom line locally. By the final lecture, you'll understand just how interdependent the world's markets have become; feel newly at ease in the realm of stocks, bonds, derivatives, and credit; and be better able to make informed decisions for your financial future.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.

©2013 The Great Courses (P)2013 The Teaching Company, LLC

Clear, Concise and Easy Listening

Where does Financial Literacy: Finding Your Way in the Financial Markets rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

One of the best

Any additional comments?

This was a very nice course/audiobook. The prof. is pleasant to listen to and he makes his points quite clearly. I highly recommend this to anyone than wants an understanding of money and the economy.
In listening, he has another course called "Understanding Investments" unfortunately, to date, it is not available as an audiobook. If it comes out I would order it immediately based on the quality of this audiobook.

19 of 20 people found this review helpful

Clear and Engaging Finance Overview

What was the most compelling aspect of this narrative?

Hearing lots of complicated ideas finally broken down in an easily digestible way. I especially enjoyed his explanation about Fed policy. I also enjoyed how he came up with important rationale for all the financing mechanisms out there.

What does Professor Connel Fullenkamp bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

He speaks well and clearly and his enthusiasm comes through

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Don't make movies about educational finance books

7 of 7 people found this review helpful

I Learned alot but Potential for Improvement

Would you try another book from The Great Courses and/or Professor Connel Fullenkamp?

Pluses:
• The professor opened my eyes to the various, creative, and sometimes complex ways institutions lend and borrow money; The professor explained the various instruments starting with loans and then building up to other vehicles such as bonds, stocks, money markets, foreign exchanges, mutual funds, and mortgage-backed securities
• The professor did a good job of illustrating how the financial activities of borrowing, lending, trading are all interconnected in driving the health of the economy and impacting individuals’ daily and long-term financial needs

Minuses:
• The professor alternated between spending more time than probably was necessary explaining simple topics to not spending enough time explaining complex topics; What was slightly off-putting was the way he’d ask questions that he guessed we would think to ask, in a way that somewhat came off as him trying to appear down-to earth and a common-man, but then not following through and truly explaining the answers well enough or providing enough examples; There were times when a topic begged for further explanation but he inexplicably just moved on to the next discussion
• A few more examples when explaining items like bond prices/yields could’ve made the world of difference in understanding some of the complex topics
• The middle lectures were insightful but the beginning and ending lectures were somewhat hard to get though

6 of 6 people found this review helpful

Excellent Introduction!

This is a series of 24 lectures, each building upon the others. Professor Fullenkamp spoke with clarity and detailed seemingly complex ideas into layman's terms that were easy to both follow and understand.

After this series I find myself actually listening to stock market updates, reading financial articles, and asking questions about my own savings, mortgage, 401k, and investments.

4 of 4 people found this review helpful

Great all around primer on the finanacial markets!

Any additional comments?

This book was a great listen. I feel much more informed and understating of the general principles that make our financial markets work. Highly recommended for anyone interested in that understanding.

9 of 10 people found this review helpful

Exceptional overview of Financial Systems!

I don't know how you could dislike this course and the objectivity with which presents the course though much of the material could easily have been politicized. Fullenkamp is a true economist and I've like to hear many more lectures from him. Less important to me ease of listening, I'd give the Professor 5 stars there also!

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

Lots of information

It is the fundamentals like these that should be the first stepping blocks taught in our high schools.

I work in the financial industry and these basic concepts tend to be lost of a majority of people I interact with.

I imagine for someone who isn't in this field it may take some endurance to complete this course, but I also think this doesn't need to be one you try to digest in just a few weeks. It should represent a handy reference for economic learning perhaps over the course of maybe even a year for best comprehension. I'm sure even I will revisit the program again in the future.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

No more intimidation over financial matters

Changing times are forcing people at every income level and stage of life to take charge of the financial well being of their future. A fundamental knowledge of securities and how money works is essential to get started. This series will get you going so you can confidently talk to bankers and financial planners without looking ignorant. Most of the content was precisely what I was looking for. The rest was exactly what I needed only I didn't know it. The professor made it and kept it interesting. Kudos and appreciation to the professor, Great Courses and audible.com for your work and partnership. Thank you!

5 of 6 people found this review helpful

Great Primer or Brush Up

Would you listen to Financial Literacy: Finding Your Way in the Financial Markets again? Why?

Yes; it is the type of information that behooves you to refresh.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Financial Literacy: Finding Your Way in the Financial Markets?

The explanation of adverse selection.

Which character – as performed by Professor Connel Fullenkamp – was your favorite?

Himself.

What’s the most interesting tidbit you’ve picked up from this book?

This book is nothing if not one interesting tidbit after another.

Any additional comments?

Professor B. mistakenly describes Bernie Madoff's Ponzi scheme as a Pyramid scheme. Not a huge deal as his definition was right, he just called it the wrong term.

6 of 8 people found this review helpful

Solid content: a fine walk-through of the topic

I think Professor Fullenkamp has presented other Great Courses lectures not yet available on audible, and wish these to be available here. His presentations are clear, crisp, listenable, in plain language, and very comprehensive. The chapters format is easy to use to segment listening sessions.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Not great

There were several fallacies in this course that one hears a lot in finance. For example, counting stock volatility as a risk is nonsense from a buy and hold perspective. The role of central banks is an inherently political topic, and presenting it as a purely financial one adds more confusion that it clears. More examples would have helped make the subject less dry. Good effort at objective presentation, but not a very compelling outcome in my opinion.

4 of 4 people found this review helpful

comprehensive explanation of the financial markets

a basic course in financial literacy very good for beginners who wants to know how the financial markets work

Really engaging

Broken down in to manageable chunks. Jargon broken down so that I understand the financial market better.

Great courses...

This is the second I have completed and I am really satisfied with them all round. They are really well structured, very professionally delivered and most importantly accessible.

Great course

The great courses please STOP THE CLAPPING. Same very irritating irrelevant clapping at the beginning and end of each course.

Great series of lectures

Excellent introduction in plain English. The author draws your attention to the relevance to ones own circumstances very well indeed

Informative intro to varied aspects of finance

Very good! Insightful and enjoyable learning the mechanism of the financial markets; their structure and operations. Met my expectations and sparked a further interest in the subject.