James Picerno

time was a little-known experiment in bringing Internet-based publishing to the masses. Along the way, CapitalSpectator.com has built a loyal following of sophisticated and affluent readers. So, who am I? And why am I here? Let's start with a full confession: I'm a career journalist who's been crunching the numbers and reporting on the dismal science, business, money management and the like since the late-1980s. Otherwise, I lead a fairly unassuming life in the suburbs of New Jersey as a husband, father and the sometimes perplexed owner of three cats, one house and two cars in varying states of disrepair. As a writer I've worked for Dow Jones, Bloomberg L.P., and some lesser-known media groups over the years. Most of my journalistic efforts since the early 1990s have focused on portfolio strategy issues, personal finance, economics, the financial-planning industry and philanthropy. Most of these articles have been published in three trade magazines: Investment Advisor, Wealth Manager and the now-defunct Dow Jones Asset Manager. In late-2008, in a fit of entrepreneurial fever, I departed the "day job" and transformed into a full-time freelance editor/writer, consultant/analyst and all-around nice guy.

integrates the developments in modern portfolio theory: from the efficient-market hypothesis and indexing of decades past to strategies for building winning portfolios today. The book is filled with practical, hands-on advice for investors, including guidance on approaching investment as a risk-management task.