Investment Biker: Around the World with Jim Rogers

Great investment classic. The one I love the most because it reads like a travel adventure with economics lessons sprinkled throughout the story. Jim and Tabitha go on a round the world motorcycle trip and Jim advises that people should open a foreign bank account to invest in a country's stock market although it is easier now since the book was written in 1990 to invest overseas without a bank account. A great business school lesson-and don't go to business school! warns Jim Rogers.

This book is amazing. Jim Rogers can really tell a story in an entertaining and informative way. On the surface, it's a millionaire's journey around the world on a BMW bike with his girlfriend, but the REAL significance of this tale is world history, the drama (and trauma) of African border crossings, fall of Soviet Union, and finding investment opportunities in third-world nations. This trip took place in early-90s, but he writes "Adventure Capitalist" in 2003 when he takes a similar trip in a souped-up one-off Mercedes, with equally great shenanigans. Then he writes "Street Smarts" in 2013 after he's settled in China with his family. Jim Rogers is my new favorite author. The book itself is in brand new condition. Paperback published in 1993, and given as a gift to someone in 2006 (who wrote his name on title page) but evidently never read it because the spine isn't broken and there are no dogeared pages. And I got it for 70 cents. Jim Roger's book "Hot Commodities" cost me only a penny. Amazon rocks!

Jim Rogers' recounting of his around the world motorcycle trip with his girlfriend "Tabitha" (I use quotation marks because I'm guessing that is not her actual name) is a great read. The author tells about most of the countries through which they traveled. His focus is on these key items: - Road conditions and interesting sites along the way (e.g., Great Wall, Sahara Desert, Trans-Siberian Railroad, Red Square, Congo River, Victoria Falls, etc.); - Investment climate in most countries; - World history and politics (his bachelor's degrees in these subjects - Yale and Oxford - are quite apparent and his tales are enlightening); - Motorcycle maintenance issues he and "Tabitha" encounter - A very healthy dose of his philosophy of economics: his distaste for socialist or communist (statist) governments and affection for market-based economies; - Many tales of the challenges of crossing international borders, especially in Asia, Africa, and South America; - Small amounts of insight into his relationship with "Tabitha." It is pretty clear to me that their relationship is sexual, but it is totally unclear to me if she is Paige Parker to whom he is currently married and who travels with him on a later, more extensive trip around the world (1999-2002); - The black market for all sorts of purposes, chiefly for currency exchange, but also for gasoline and other expendables. If you are catching my drift, I felt he tried to cover too much material. Clearly, he is a man of superior intellect, and I suspect he has a great deal to share and he doesn't feel inclined to hold back. The problem for me was just when I was focused on the road conditions in Siberia (or lack of roads), this theme does not carry forward. When you're biking around the world, road conditions would seem to be an imperative topic anywhere that they are problematic. But suddenly, he doesn't mention the roads for quite some time (distance) and you are learning about historic sites, war zones, "Tabitha's" pondering if she should continue the trip, or many other topics. I do recommend the book (purchased through Amazon--paperback), because I learned so much about so many varied topics. It is also a credit to Rogers that his economic predictions are often spot-on, even viewed with benefit of hindsight some twenty years after he wrote the book.

This is a great read, and interesting to review after 20+ years of history to determine whether Jim gets it right or wrong with some of his conclusions and recommendations. As an Australian, I found it interesting that he rode straight past (without mention) the world's largest iron ore province, I suppose because the price at the time barely covered extraction costs and China wasn't yet booming. His descriptions of many of his adventures don't make you wish you had been there with him, but all in all it is an informative and well narrated adventure story. I was fortunate enough to be able to launch straight into the sequel, Adventure Capitalist, for his updates on the experiences in this book. Generally, Jim writes easily and freely and at no point was there cause to nod off mid-page, and editing is excellent.

An excellent read. I found it a little difficult to get into for the first few pages but after that I found myself almost rationing myself to a single chapter or two at a time so as to prolong the enjoyment and ensure I got full value from Jim's observations. JR actually published the book in 1994 but the economic truths he tells are every bit as relevant today. He also makes some startling predictions too, several of which in the intervening period, are already taking shape __ I won't spoil JR's thunder by revealing them here but I can assure you that you will never think of national borders in the same away again. I immediately ordered JR's follow-up volume on the basis on Investment Biker. Enjoy!

Quando lessi Market Wizards: Interviews with Top Traders, ormai vari anni fa, il personaggio che più mi colpì e attrasse fu Jim Rogers, per me il più interessante fra i guru della finanza. In particolare quando diceva "Non capisco come si possa investire nell'acciaio americano senza capire cosa succede all'olio di palma malese. È tutto parte di un grande puzzle 3D in continuo cambiamento". In seguito mi è sempre piaciuto per i suoi commenti arguti su commodities e sui mercati, ma non immaginavo che fosse anche un eccellente scrittore e una persona così interessata ai viaggi. Trovo meravigliosa la sua apertura mentale in questo senso. Non sono sempre d’accordo con la visione di Rogers, ciò non toglie che la sua opinione non sia mai banale e certamente non allineata al mainstream, comunque stimolante da conoscere. Detto questo, il libro è godibilissimo a vale la pena di leggerlo, sia per le impressioni di viaggio sia per le considerazioni economiche e finanziarie. Lo stesso dicasi per Adventure Capitalist.

Jim Rogers is an Investor in International Stock Markets. He started his career as an Investment Banker along with the equally legendary George Soros, with whom he later founded the Quantum Fund. Investment Biker, his first book, is an account of his World Record holding 100,000 mile Motorcycle ride along with his friend Tabitha Estabrook through Six continents, in a span of 22 months. Along with a commentary on his journey, he gives us golden nuggets on International Investment, Local Cultures, Politics, Economics and The Art of Travel. The Whole Journey comprises of 4 Legs. The First leg is from Western Europe to Japan through China and back to Europe through Russia. The Second Leg is in Africa from Tunisia to Cape Town. The Third Leg is across Australia and New Zealand. The Final leg is from Tierra del Fuego, the Southern Tip of Argentina, to home in USA. The Riders Jim and Tabitha each have their own Motorcycles to cover this long journey. It is Tabitha’s maiden journey riding the motorcycle by herself. You have to imagine that when this journey took place (1990 to 1992), World was not that Travel Friendly. China was socialist, USSR was communist and there were no roads in these countries, except for in few cities. Africa was predominantly ruled by Dictators and Religious Extremists. There was, of course, no Mobile phone or internet or even GPS. Apart from this, the journey was a race against time and climate. They had to avoid winter in Siberia, summer in Sahara, rains in the Congo, winter in Argentina etc. In the travelogue part of the book, Jim Rogers gives us a detailed account of three aspects of each country, namely, Its Economy, Its people and The Infrastructure. As he is an active investor in these countries, we get a first hand account of the trails and tribulations of setting up trading accounts in these countries. He also talks about the Governments actions affecting the nation’s economy and currency, may it be through corruption or sheer lack of understanding of running a country. He further talks about the enterprising nature of people from various countries. Finally he gives us the sights that he sees during the journey which include the roads and buildings etc. or the lack of them. This book is important from an investor’s perspective because now a days, even when you are investing in a single stock market, companies themselves are going global. Especially in today’s times, the emerging markets are playing a much larger role in both production and consumption. Having a clear idea about various economies is an imperative. With this book, Jim Rogers cautions us with providing the finer things (which the numbers don’t show) that go into Researching a country for investment. This book should be read in the same spirit one would read, Intelligent Investor by Benjamin Graham. This book does serve as an eye opener to International Markets.

No llego en las condiciones esperadas, en vez de nuevo llego un libro usado y maltratado Muy mala experiencia

Décrit au début des années 90 son tour du monde à moto remarquable à une époque où ce n'était pas encore à la mode mais c'est aussi un voyage dans le temps juste après la chute de l'URSS et Jim se manifeste comme un capitaliste dur qui adhère aux lois du marché comme des canons de l'église. On sait depuis que ce n'est pas aussi simple qu'il le fait paraître mais ça fait réfléchir quand-même. Je suis intéressé à lire ses autres livres pour voir si depuis il adapté ses opinions et de savoir ce qu'il pense des excès de notre temps.