Index Mutual Funds: Profiting from an Investment Revolution By IndexFunds.com Staff 1999

Are you an indexer?  According to the new book Index Mutual Funds: Profiting from an Investment Revolution, it takes more than just owning an index fund to qualify.  Indexers have a good understanding of the many advantages that index funds offer.  This knowledge enables them to remain committed to their long-term investment plans.

This book will certainly help you to become an indexer.  It thoroughly reviews the many advantages of index funds, and the disadvantages of actively managed mutual funds.  Many of the standard arguments are presented--the cost advantage of index funds, the difficulty in picking a superior actively managed mutual fund in advance, etc.  But, the author has managed to add a few wrinkles here and there.  Did you know that investing in index funds can reduce your stress?  Well, according to this book that is one of the more important advantages.

The book is well documented (as you would expect from a former tax lawyer).  Of note is a chapter devoted to the "nuts and bolts" of index funds which gives thorough details about the operations of index mutual funds.  The appendix also contains good descriptions of the major indexes.

The one disappointment with the book is that it has little in the way of advice on how to set up an investment plan with index funds.  But, if you are looking for information on the advantages of index funds and how they work, this book definitely fits the bill.

Excerpts Excerpts from the book:

Foreword John C. Bogle, Chairman, The Vanguard Group of Investment Companies

Will Active Mutual Funds Continue To Underperform The Market In The Future?

Testimonials To Indexing From Leading Investment Experts

All excerpts copyright, ©, 1998 by Wendell Scott Simon.
Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.