Keith’s List of Recommended Books

Technical Analysis of the Financial Markets: A Comprehensive Guide to Trading Methods and Applications (New York Institute of Finance)

John J. Murphy has now updated his landmark bestseller Technical Analysis of the Futures Markets, to include all of the financial markets.

“If one could read only one book on technical analysis, this should be the one.” –Knight-Ridder Financial Products and News (on the first edition, Technical Analysis of the Futures Markets, 0-13-898008-X)

This outstanding reference has already taught thousands of traders the concepts of technical analysis and their application in the futures and stock markets. Covering the latest developments in computer technology, technical tools, and indicators, the second edition features new material on candlestick charting, intermarket relationships, stocks and stock rotation, plus state-of-the-art examples and figures. From how to read charts to understanding indicators and the crucial role technical analysis plays in investing, readers gain a thorough and accessible overview of the field of technical analysis, with a special emphasis on futures markets. Revised and expanded for the demands of today’s financial world, this book is essential reading for anyone interested in tracking and analyzing market behavior.

“One way to get started in technical analysis is to read a good book on the subject. One of my favorites is Technical Analysis of the Financial Markets: A Comprehensive Guide to Trading Methods and Applications by John J. Murphy. It’s an easy read.” Ralph J. Acampora, CMT, Managing Director, Prudential Securities Inc.

Twilight in the Desert: The Coming Saudi Oil Shock and the World Economy

Investment banker Simmons offers a detailed description of the relationship between Saudi Arabia and the U.S and our long-standing dependence upon Saudi oil. With a field-by-field assessment of its key oilfields, he highlights many discrepancies between Saudi Arabia’s actual production potential and its seemingly extravagant resource claims. Parts 1 and 2 of the book offer background and context for understanding the technical discussion of Saudi oil fields and the world’s energy supplies. Parts 3 and 4 contain analysis of Saudi Arabia’s oil and gas industry based on the technical papers published by the Society of Petroleum Engineers. Simmons suggests that when Saudi Arabia and other Middle East producers can no longer meet the world’s enormous demand, world leaders and energy specialists must be prepared for the consequences of increased scarcity and higher costs of oil that support our modern society. Without authentication of the Saudi’s production sustainability claims, the author recommends review of this critical situation by an international forum. A thought-provoking book. Mary Whaley

Nontechnical Guide to Petroleum Geology, Exploration, Drilling and Production (2nd Edition)

Used by corporate training departments and colleges worldwide, this is the most complete upstream guide available. Contents: The nature of gas and oil The Earth’s crust – where we find time Deformation of sedimentary rocks Sandstone reservoir rocks Carbonate reservoir rocks Sedimentary rock distribution Mapping Ocean environment and plate tectonics Source rocks, generation, migration, and accumilation of petroleum Petroleum traps Petroleum exploration – geological and geochemical Petroleum exploration – geophysical Drilling preliminaries Drilling a well – the mechanics Drilling problems Drilling techniques Evaluating a well Completing a well Surface treatment and storage Offshore drilling and production Reservoir mechanics Petroleum production Reserves Improved oil recovery.

Crude World: The Violent Twilight of Oil


Maass (Love Thy Neighbor) brings fresh detail to a familiar topic in this worrying but never sensationalistic look at the murky world of oil. Supplies of the resource may already have entered a period of rapid decline, with Saudi Arabia, long the world’s largest oil producer, possibly passing the peak point of production just as demand from China surges. Maass exposes the staggering destruction oil has wrought in countries less well-known as energy suppliers. The author recounts how the greed of Western oil companies, governments and consumers have propped up such vicious and corrupt dictatorships as that in Equatorial Guinea, where flights run nonstop from the destitute capital to Texas. The author’s Toxic Tour of Ecuador uncovers more cause for concern, like the fact that more oil has been spilled into that country’s rain forests and stretch of Amazon than were spilled by the Exxon Valdez in Alaska. Reported from countries ranging from Russia to Nigeria, Maass’s heartfelt and beautifully crafted book reveals how one of oil’s darkly magical properties is that it erases inconvenient memories.

The Prize: The Epic Quest for Oil, Money & Power

Now with a new epilogue that speaks directly to the current energy crisis, The Prize recounts the panoramic history of the world’s most important resource: oil. Daniel Yergin’s timeless book chronicles the struggle for wealth and power that has surrounded oil for decades and that continues to fuel global rivalries, shake the world economy, and transform the destiny of men and nations. This updated edition categorically proves the unwavering significance of oil throughout the twentieth century and into the twenty-first by tracing economic and political clashes over precious “black gold.”

With his far-reaching insight and in-depth research, Yergin is uniquely positioned to address the present battle over energy, which undoubtedly ranks as one of the most vital issues of our time. The canvas of his narrative history is enormous — from the drilling of the first well in Pennsylvania through two great world wars to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait, Operation Desert Storm, and now both the Iraq War and climate change. The definitive work on the subject of oil, The Prize is a book of extraordinary breadth, riveting excitement, and great value — crucial to our understanding of world politics and the economy today — and tomorrow.

The Wisdom of Crowds

While our culture generally trusts experts and distrusts the wisdom of the masses, New Yorker business columnist Surowiecki argues that “under the right circumstances, groups are remarkably intelligent, and are often smarter than the smartest people in them.” To support this almost counterintuitive proposition, Surowiecki explores problems involving cognition (we’re all trying to identify a correct answer), coordination (we need to synchronize our individual activities with others) and cooperation (we have to act together despite our self-interest). His rubric, then, covers a range of problems, including driving in traffic, competing on TV game shows, maximizing stock market performance, voting for political candidates, navigating busy sidewalks, tracking SARS and designing Internet search engines like Google. If four basic conditions are met, a crowd’s “collective intelligence” will produce better outcomes than a small group of experts, Surowiecki says, even if members of the crowd don’t know all the facts or choose, individually, to act irrationally. “Wise crowds” need (1) diversity of opinion; (2) independence of members from one another; (3) decentralization; and (4) a good method for aggregating opinions. The diversity brings in different information; independence keeps people from being swayed by a single opinion leader; people’s errors balance each other out; and including all opinions guarantees that the results are “smarter” than if a single expert had been in charge. Surowiecki’s style is pleasantly informal, a tactical disguise for what might otherwise be rather dense material. He offers a great introduction to applied behavioral economics and game theory.