"By
providing smart guidance during the financial crisis,
the nation’s best advisors proved their mettle."
Barron's 2010
In 2010, 2011 and 2012 Barron's Magazine lists David Mallach as one of
the top one thousand advisors in the United States. On
this site you can purchase his books. “A
courtroom drama that indicts the dominant strategies of the
financial planning industry, telling an enjoyable story at the
same time.”Kirkus Reviews (click for
full review)
Now available as an
MP3 Audio Book Audio
books have become very popular and you can now purchase
David Mallach's novels on CD in MP3 format. CDR's with
MP3 (music or audio books) have been a popular format
for some time now and will play on the majority of CD
Players at home and in your car. You can also copy the
MP3 files to your memory card or directly to your
portable device.
All of the books are narrated by Dave Giorgio. Dave is an audio producer,
voice over talent and musician. He has performed live at
more than one thousand events, has written hundreds of
original songs, and has produced more than 200 audio
books and has earned two Gold records.
►From
Reviewer, R. Ebbs (NetGalley Review)
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars “Myth”-a
compelling court drama based on an investment conundrum January
23, 2014 by
rbsprods-top 500 reviewer & amazon.com vine voice (click for
full review)
►“Mallach’s
writing is sharp and compelling. His characters are well
crafted. A simple tap on the lip, for example, speaks volumes
about Brown. Stains on Marat’s clothes reveal that he is as
sloppy as he is brilliant.”Diane
Gardner – ForeWord Reviews (click
for full review)
►“Myth
is a must-read for any investor. Through its entertaining short
story,
Myth lucidly explains David Mallach’s highly successful growth
of income strategy and dispels the myth of the bond market’s
safety. Through Myth, David Mallach again distinguishes himself
by demonstrating his passion for educating investors in his use
of analysts in determining what to buy, when to sell, and how to
re-invest. Myth provides an illuminating guide through the
forest of issues that stand between investors who seek to
protect principal and safely generate meaningful income.”
Joseph D. – Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania.
►“Investment Strategy Made Clear, March 1, 2014”
By Gabby Hayze "Mo Addams"(click
for full review)
Johnny
Long is back and better than ever as he takes on the most
challenging crisis to hit the financial-services industry in
decades. In Myth, we have a harrowing tale involving a retired
couple in dire distress. Their income has been decimated, the
result of depending on fixed income over years of declining
interest rates. Their options are few and their future bleak.
How will they survive?
They turn to Lucien Marat for
help. Armed with a passion to help others, Lucien Marat takes on
Wall Street in a trial that he hopes can save millions of
retirees from certain ruin. What unfolds is a shocking account
about “business as usual” on Wall Street as well as a probing
look at consumer accountability. Along the way, we learn that
there is cause for hope, that there is another way!
In this, his fourth novel, David
Mallach triumphs. His handling of controversial material is both
insightful and fair-minded. Myth is the kind of book that can
rock the foundations of Wall Street. Myth is far more than a
novel; it is a startling expose wrapped masterfully within a
narrative that grips the reader from the start and refuses to
let go. In a world where everybody thinks they are right and
where being wrong can cost billions, Mr. Mallach reminds us that
our perception of “right” and “wrong” can itself be a myth.
“Myth is
a game changer – both from an investor and financial
professional’s point of view. In the world of the new
normal, what seemed logical can actually turn out
differently. With the cost of everyday living going up,
and more baby boomers retiring, we need a strategy to
keep up with the changing times. This book should be
mandatory reading for not only the investing public but
for financial professionals everywhere. Highly
recommended!”
Mike R. – Farmington, Michigan.
“In
broadcasting I adhered to the principle of ‘KISS’ – Keep It
Simple Stupid. Myth is so beautiful in its simplicity, that
it’s remarkable that not every advisor follows it.”
Steve L. – Six Peaks Ranch,
Colorado.
“Myth
fascinates me for two reasons. First, it provides an inside look
at the arbitration process that provides remedy for individual
investors. You see the thought processes and anxieties of both
sides in the case and, especially, of the panel who must decide
a complex issue. In the end, we see all these people in a
sympathetic light. Second, it exposes the widely held
misconception that a portfolio of fixed-income securities is
safe. And it points out the importance of focusing on income
growth rather than just on safety.”
Julie and Keith S. – Germantown,
Tennessee.
“Myth
reveals the simple truth about the risk associated with fixed
income. By witnessing the events that unfold in Myth, the
reader learns how a fixed income portfolio built with the best
intentions and backed by the financial industry can fail.
Through the reappearance of Dancing With The Analysts character,
Johnny Long, a serious discourse unfolds and illuminates a
strategy for growth of income.”
Leona S. – Alexandria, Virigina.
“Unless
your assets are large enough that you don’t need to worry about
rising interest rates, this book is essential reading. I have
read all of David Mallach’s books. Each one presents an
interesting, easily read discussion of fairly complex material.
Myth is no exception. Don’t wait to read it until interest
rates have gone up and your bond portfolio is way down.” Doug
D. – Kingston, Tennessee.
“A
courtroom drama that indicts the dominant strategies of the
financial planning industry, telling an enjoyable story at the
same time.
In his
latest novel drawing on his years of financial industry
experience, Mallach (Walking with the Analysts, 2008) turns a
Financial Industry Regulatory Authority hearing into a
tension-filled analysis of the shortcomings of fixed-income
investment strategies. Blue-collar workers Henry and Norma
Thompson file a complaint against their financial adviser,
Valerie Brown, after her investments on their behalf lead to the
loss of a significant portion of their retirement savings.
Feisty but schlubby lawyer Lucien Marat represents the Thompsons
at the FINRA hearing, but his real mission is to bring about
systemic change in the financial industry, one lawsuit at a
time. Mallach keeps the intricacies of investment strategy at a
level the average reader can understand, using his characters,
rather than infodumps, to explain concepts through fast-paced
dialogue. What at first seems to be a clear-cut case of
professional negligence turns out to be more complicated as the
opposing lawyers reveal one twist after another, and Mallach
keeps readers guessing until the hearing’s conclusion. The book
ends by following up on several of the characters two years
after the hearing, particularly the ever-more-litigious Marat
and the chastened Brown; the Thompsons, however, do not appear
again—an odd choice given their importance to the book’s central
conflict. Mallach succeeds in keeping the story moving, despite
the relatively dry subject matter, thanks to multidimensional
characters who can’t make it to the end of the page without
arguing with each other. The highly descriptive style of
writing, though occasionally overstuffed with colorful turns of
phrase—“irritating enough to make the Dalai Lama curse like a
character in Goodfellas”; “people like you can sell birthday
cakes and party hats to a Jehovah’s Witness”—continues to keep
the pages turning and the conflict crackling.
Proof that
even the mechanics of low-risk investment strategies can be the
basis of a thoughtful, dynamic novel.”
Kirkus Reviews
“David A.
Mallach gets readers invested in a surprisingly captivating
fictional story about
what’s wrong in today’s investment world.
When their
supposedly safe investments fall apart, a retired couple begins
to go broke … fast. To save themselves, they hire a lawyer and
spark a legal proceeding that could shatter the financial world.
With this, David A. Mallach launches a surprisingly captivating
fictional story about what’s wrong in today’s investment world,
why once safe retirement investments may be risky, and who is
responsible for the personal financial crises many people face
today.
Mallach
manages to clearly define some issues impacting retired and
near-retired people’s nest eggs today. Through fiction, he
questions the strategies used to safeguard people’s life savings
and suggests that a better way might be needed. It’s a call to
action and discussion for investment professionals. It’s an
insightful story that gives everyday investors some issues to
consider as they work with their own financial advisers. And
it’s an engrossing tale of the behind-the-scenes legal and
political maneuvers that impact Wall Street today.
When Henry
and Norma Thompson’s retirement dreams begin to disappear with
their life savings, they hire attorney Lucien Marat to represent
them at an arbitration hearing. Their claim? Their investment
adviser, Valerie Brown, is responsible. As the case progresses,
it focuses on concerns about the investments chosen and
processes used to choose them. It could not only cost Brown her
job, it could also open the entire industry up to lawsuits. As
each side makes its case, it becomes clear that everything
hinges on the evidence of one important witness. And what he
says proves explosive. The arbitrators’ job won’t be easy, Marat
has ulterior motives that could impede his own case, and Brown,
who could be a scapegoat, could lose everything. And the
Thompsons? The arbitrators must decide who is the real killer of
their dreams.
Mallach’s
writing is sharp and compelling. His characters are well
crafted. A simple tap on the lip, for example, speaks volumes
about Brown. Stains on Marat’s clothes reveal that he is as
sloppy as he is brilliant.
But the
true strength is Mallach’s ability to make complicated financial
issues clear. And to make them unexpectedly interesting. The
format of an arbitration hearing allows for drama, even though,
in many ways, the book’s underlying purpose appears to be to
question current investment practices. Yet the plot is well
paced. And the cliffhangers are effective, as when the
arbitrators first realize the significance of the case: “‘This
is a watershed moment.’ ‘Yes, I know.’ The door bursts open …
‘Folks, you ain’t heard nothing yet.’”
Readers
should be aware that this book is not intended to suggest any
particular investment strategy, though one is prominent. And
they should expect a more subtle kind of legal drama than an
author like John Grisham might present. However, anyone
interested in the issues facing Wall Street today, in
understanding personal financial risks they might not have
considered, or in a really juicy courtroom drama, will find this
book to be a worthwhile investment.” Diane Gardner – ForeWord
Reviews
From Reviewer, R. Ebbs (NetGalley
Review for “Myth”.
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
“MYTH”-A COMPELLING COURT
DRAMA BASED ON AN INVESTMENT CONUNDRUM January 23, 2014 By
RBSProds-TOP 500 REVIEWER & Amazon.com VINE VOICE
"Four and a half ABSORBING Stars! A timely, enjoyable reflection
on different facets in the current risk-reward environment of
the financial investment world. “Myth", stressed by the author
as a fictional story of change that should not necessarily be
used for financial planning in the real world, is the fourth
book by author, investment guru, and educator David A. Mallach,
who wraps real world investment topics into his works. It
centers around the investments of a retired middle class couple,
both of whom worked for decades in the same plant and were
planning a comfortable retirement based on a ‘safe' financial
underpinning. Everything changes when they meet American
National Finance star investment broker Valerie Brown who takes
command of their life savings and invests in supposedly safe
fixed-income, short-term, high-quality investments. Over 7
years, the couple goes from a good beginning in investment
returns, to treading water, to partially going under. It all
ends up in this revealing loss litigation court drama, with
possible Wall Street investment compliance consequences within
the universe of this novel. The author presents some memorable
characters, deepening revelations of the intricacies of the
initial investment, the court proceedings, the surprising
outcome, and the aftermath.
Along the way we meet Ms Brown, Henry and Norma Thompson, Lucien
Marat and Jack Elias, the three FINRA Arbitration committee
members, the “Icarus Flaw”, the ‘driving to California’ gambit,
the myth of “safe” investments, the 'growth of income' approach,
and money manager Johnny Long from Mallach’s “Analysts” novels.
It should be remembered, the plaintiffs had two other active
income streams available. While most of the characters physical
characteristics are not too developed, it’s their psychological
makeup that makes this an enjoyable read by this skillful
author. This fictional book has some minor repetition and is
more targeted towards those interested in the intricacies and
vagaries of the world of finance and investment, whose tentacles
can potentially reach down and affect any ordinary investor. But
it also takes into account the human condition of the characters
and the effects the world of finance can have on lives,
especially during and after arbitration hearings. It also
features a nice ‘coda’ although some plot questions are
unanswered. The title “Myth" permeates the posturing characters
and the high stakes circumstances found within this novel which
is Highly
Recommended. Four and a half ENGAGING Stars! (260 pages.
Reviewed in both Kindle text and text-to-speech formats. David
Mallach is author of "Dancing with the Analysts", "Walking with
the Analysts", and "Running with the Analysts”."
From Reviewer, R. Ebbs (NetGalley
Review for “Myth”.
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
(I received an ARC of this
book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.) When the
Bernie Madoff scandal broke in the news, I wondered how someone
could get away for so long with a Ponzi scheme without anyone
catching on to what he was up to. The answer seemed to be that
when people are realizing gains on their investments, they don't
question why they're getting richer. They just accept it as
their due. But then came the realization that people who trusted
Bernie Madoff with their retirement funds and many other sources
of revenue were completely wiped out. THEN people wanted
answers, and it wasn't much of a stretch to say they wanted
Madoff's head on a silver platter. That's when I wondered if all
those investors bore no responsibility at all for what happened
to their money. All was peachy when they increased their nest
eggs, but now that all was in jeopardy and people lost every
cent they'd saved, NOW they wanted blood. Enter David Mallach,
author of Myth, a wonderfully informative book in the form of a
story about one such couple who wanted to invest their money
into vehicles that would support them financially during their
retirement years.
The
story begins with Henry and Norma Thompson who have brought a
case against their financial advisor, Valerie Brown. Along with
their respective attorneys, the Thompsons and Ms Brown are in an
arbitration meeting that will decide what is to be done about
the $400,000 they lost since handing over management of their
money to Brown. There are 3 members on the panel deciding the
outcome of this case. The Thompson's attorney, Lucien Marat,
believes he has built a rock solid case against both Valerie
Brown, and also against her employer, American National Finance.
He believes he can recover all the money lost for the Thompsons
as well as hefty punitive damages. The rest of the book details
how Marat prepared to do that.
This could have
been the kind of book that makes people's eyes glaze over as
they explain they don't understand how the investment business
works. I've heard others say that they just can't process the
information; it's all too complicated for anyone not directly
tied to the investment process. Obviously none of those people
tried reading David Mallach because not only can he explain what
we need to know in terms easy to follow, but he provides
examples of his points especially concerning what people should
be looking for and what they can expect to get from financial
advisors. The Thompson's case is not an unusual one, and it
appears that Valerie Brown did serve them as well as she was
able. But it wasn't good enough to keep the Thompsons from
losing a substantial amount of money. Money that did not have to
be lost if the correct strategy had been used in planning the
future of the investments the Thompsons intended on making. I
was fascinated with this story because of the way in which it
was written and because Mallach himself has worked in this field
and has a tried and true record to back up what he says.
I highly
recommend Myth to anyone interested in how financial planning
should work. It also is a well written, easy to understand look
at the investment culture and how it does or does not operate to
serve its clients best interests. For that reason, I think this
novel is not only a good read; it's an important book as well.
By Gabby Hayze "Mo Addams"
This book is a work
of fiction. Therefore, it should not be assumed by any reader
that any specific investment or investment strategy made
reference to in this book will be either profitable or equal
historical or anticipated performance levels. It should also not
be assumed that the performance of any specific investment style
or sector will be either profitable or equal its corresponding
historical index benchmark. Finally, different types of
investments involve varying degrees of risk, and there can be no
assurance that any specific investment or investment strategy
made reference to in this book will be suitable or otherwise
appropriate for an individual’s investment portfolio. To the
extent that readers have any questions regarding the suitability
of any specific investment or investment strategy made reference
to in this book for their individual investment(s) or financial
situation, they are encouraged to consult with the investment
professional of their choosing.
"By
providing smart guidance during the financial crisis,
the nation’s best advisors proved their mettle."
Barron's 2010
Audio
books have become very popular and you can now purchase
David Mallach's novels on CD in MP3 format. CDR's with
MP3 (music or audio books) have been a popular format
for some time now and will play on the majority of CD
Players at home and in your car. You can also copy the
MP3 files to your memory card or directly to your
portable device.
►From
Reviewer, R. Ebbs (NetGalley Review)
