From Nathan Unger, Australia - posting on StockMeetingplace.com October 2004:

"... thank you for sharing.

Your comments on this subject are very insightful, and rightfully so considering your near trading death experience, per se. Failure is always such a difficult moniker to be branded with, for it involves us having to acknowledge that we were wrong. Of course, acknowledging our mistakes means that we must swallow our pride – an admittedly difficult feat for many traders. Grappling with our own motives amidst the psychological matrix that is the share market is, to say the least, a bewildering struggle.

In an almost paradoxical fashion the share market can create whelps out of us through both our losses as well as our victories. We are unnerved when we lose and must somehow muster the courage to tentatively re-enter the markets. Yet, potentially even more dangerous are the unbridled successes that often distort a trader’s perception about their ability to regulate further success – successes that work to chide the future admission of failure.

Who would have thought that winning could actually become a setup for losing – a conundrum of the worst kind? I know of no other occupation that has the ability to masquerade as both friend and foe and then make you think that you can tell the difference.

Your experience is, I believe, a treasure worth perhaps more than the sum of your losses. It reminds me of how the most seaworthy vessels have typically been known to be the ones that have weathered the most devastating storms. Yours is a stellar effort, my friend. I will most certainly be purchasing your book.

Thanks also to Daryl and Alan for their assistance and encouragement in helping to mould John’s encounter into the best trading tool of all – practical experience.

Best regards,

Nathan
_____________________________________________________________________________

 
After John Atkinson's ebook was released,  Nathan posted on the stock market forum www.stockmeetingplace.com on 4 Jan 2005:

"Most of you will probably know that John Atkinson has just released a new e-book, entitled “The Atkinson – Guppy Articles”. I recently purchased this book and would like to submit a brief review for those who may be interested in its content.

In his pilot trading book, Atkinson has selected a number of self-authored Guppy newsletter articles and recompiled them by means of an easy to follow topical structure. The result is a discerning synthesis between elementary and notional technical analysis that provides a brief purview into how to make these methods work in contemporary markets. This latter point is most notable when the author discusses often ill understood topics such as rights issues, share purchase plans and company take-overs with a view to establishing the conventional impact that these have within any trading scheme. Nevertheless, this is not a book solely on technical analysis. Rather, it aims to provide information on strategies that incorporate technical analysis methods. For instance, how should a trader manage a rights issue, or a company take-over? Topics such as these are addressed and scrutinised under the author’s preferred technical method. Moreover, meticulous attention is directed toward managing open positions and how stop losses play an integral part in this. Every trader will want to know what avalanche selling is and how it might otherwise destroy a profitable trade. It is for good reason, therefore, why the author chooses to devote more time to analysing exit strategies than any other topic.

Atkinson and his associates keep the aforementioned subjects informative without succumbing to excessive or redundant information that might lose or otherwise hinder a reader’s interest. These are important points for consideration, as many are no doubt aware of the frustration incumbent in a book that either has too much or too little to say. Thankfully, the author balances this situation by combining pointed instruction with brevity whenever possible. The book is likewise modest in its length, 155 pages in all, and can be read selectively in short time due to its topical rather than thematic composition. It is thus not an encyclopaedia, nor does it purport to be, so a reader should not expect an exhaustive coverage of select topics. Still, enough material is presented, along with source references, to satisfy the most curious reader looking to further their trading education. As a result, Atkinson has done an excellent job in selecting highly relevant material for the contemporary share market and should be commended for his fresh and undemanding approach.
 
For those who have been long time subscribers of Daryl’s newsletter, this book will come as a handy reminder and a quick reference tool. On the other hand, new subscribers or beginning traders will find the information of inestimable value, as nowhere else is such a broad range of pertinent subjects covered in a single book of similar length. Yet, whatever your level of experience, The Atkinson-Guppy Articles is sure to be an enjoyable and informative read for any trading enthusiast. If you like to be involved in what you read, then this book will no doubt make a welcome addition to your library. Herein lies perhaps the books most notable strength, namely its ease of understanding. Difficult subjects are presented in layman’s terms without much of the protracted or convoluted jargon routinely associated within professional circles. All too often specialist books do a disservice to their readers by alienating the very audience that they are attempting to keep. Really, this is where Atkinson’s book shines the most. You won’t need an education to understand his book – but you may just walk away with a better one......* I am not commercially affiliated with the author in any way."

To which another reader, Jason replied:

"What a great book...No flowery wording - straight to the point and most importantly it is NEW INFORMATION and not a re-hash of things we've already read in other books.

Topics such as how to use Share Purchase Plans and trading rights issues are explained in nice simple terms and immediately give strategies that can be used by anyone to help improve their performance.

The section on how directors buying and selling affects share prices and strategies that may be built around this is also a great section - there are just too many good sections to mention them all including trading triangle patterns and a comparison study of different exit strategies.

The book is easy to read and the information easy to apply.... I am sure my investment in this book will have paid for itself quite promptly..."

Another reader Keith wrote on 28 March 2005:

i
"Thanks John for the E-Book.

Chapter 14 on "Exit Strategies " has to be the best collection of options available to us at the moment. It is the first time I have seen so much useful information on a topic that interests all of us.

It really is a must read for anyone who wants more information about exits and is more important now than it has been as the market looks like it is going sour.

K D Roth
Financial Accountant " 

John wrote on 1 August 2005:

"Delighted with your e book. The first few books I ever bought did not have one line about EXITS.    I vowed never to buy a book unless exits were displayed in the index.  Browse first then buy.

However to the contrary, your book gave me some clever ideas of how short term traders exit, something I could never quite get my head around previously, even though I do not have any real difficulty in trading longer term to make a living.  You also tackle what I believe to be the most difficult part of trading, that is to know when to take profits and how to do it."  John Clipsham

_____________________________________________________________

j

On the new Home Study courses, in March 2005 Sharestrader wrote at Stockmeetingplace.com:

j

" Recently I have had the opportunity to review the 4th training module, aptly termed Stock Market Trading Skills, by the very candid new author John Atkinson. I would like to briefly share a few comments with you below.

In keeping with his recently published e-Book, Atkinson has crystallized much of his work on trading paradigms into an easy to follow and visually rich digital experience. Those who prefer a step by step learning curve will appreciate the gradual introduction of new topics that build upon the last, and will no doubt enjoy the process of learning through graphical representations as opposed to just plain text. This comes as a welcome addition to learning technical analysis for the beginning trader, as memory retention invariably increases by means of a visual cue. That being said, however, you will need Microsoft Powerpoint, or a Powerpoint viewing application, to examine this course.

The reader must know that there is detail sufficient for only an introductory analysis of each topic presented. Yet, far from deflating the educational potential of the course, this has enabled the author to lead his readers through a broad array of trading subjects; ranging from personal and market psychology, chart patterns and strategies, risk management and even conditional orders. Noteworthy also is that the author readily draws upon a wealth of experience in highlighting subject matter pioneered or facilitated by trading specialists such as Daryl Guppy, Dr. Van Tharp and Louise Bedford, among others. Atkinson has no qualms in recognising his indebtedness to such people, which in turn will no doubt assist his audience in learning from these individuals also.

All of this makes for a nicely compact and undemanding thoroughfare into the basics of successful trading. Perhaps the greatest upshot of an increased subject spectrum is that this will inevitably open up the fledgling trader to what will be expected of them should they pursue a trading career. Such a career move is never a small walk, but Atkinson has done a great job here in helping his readers take the first few steps."