We're all familiar with "choice overload," whether on a trip to the grocery store, or while flipping through satellite TV channels. And while it's human to want all of the options, the surprising truth is that the more choice we have, the less satisfied we are. And nowhere is this more true - or more dangerous - than in our investments. Despite the troubled global economy, there are tens of thousands of mutual funds, hedge funds, exchange-traded funds, and other vehicles waiting to take your money. For help, individual and institutional investors alike turn to financial managers, though they are often no better equipped than the average person to assess and manage risk. In "The Investor's Paradox," hedge fund expert Brian Portnoy explains how to sift through today's diverse investment choices and solve even the most daunting portfolio problems. Drawing on cutting-edge research in behavioral economics, social psychology and choice theory, Portnoy lays bare the biases that interfere with good decision-making, and gives readers a set of basic tools they can use to tell the good from the bad. Along the way, he demystifies hedge funds, cuts through the labyrinth of the modern financial supermarket, and debunks popular myths, including the idea that mutual funds can "beat the market."

The world of investing normally sees experts telling us the "right" way to manage our money. How often do these experts pull back the curtain and tell us how they invest their own money? Never. How I Invest My Money changes that. In this unprecedented collection, 25 financial experts share how they navigate markets with their own capital. In this honest rendering of how they invest, save, spend, give, and borrow, this group of portfolio managers, financial advisors, venture capitalists and other experts detail the "how" and the "why" of their investments. They share stories about their childhood, their families, the struggles they face and the aspirations they hold. Sometimes raw, always revealing, these stories detail the indelible relationship between our money and our values. Taken as a whole, these essays powerfully demonstrate that there is no single "right" way to save, spend, and invest. We see a kaleidoscope of perspectives on stocks, bonds, real assets, funds, charity, and other means of achieving the life one desires. With engaging illustrations throughout by Carl Richards, How I Invest My Money inspires readers to think creatively about their financial decisions and how money figures in the broader quest for a contented life.

How does money figure into a happy life? In The Geometry of Wealth, behavioral finance expert Brian Portnoy delivers an inspired answer, building on the critical distinction between being rich and being wealthy. While one is an unsatisfying treadmill, the other is the ability to underwrite a meaningful life, however one chooses to define that. Truly viewed, wealth is funded contentment. At the heart of this groundbreaking perspective, Portnoy takes readers on a journey toward wealth, informed by disciplines ranging from ancient history to modern neuroscience. He contends that tackling the big questions about a joyful life and tending to financial decisions are complementary, not separate, tasks. These big questions include: - How is the human brain wired for two distinct experiences of happiness? And why can money "buy" one but not the other? - What are the touchstones of a meaningful life, and are they affordable? - Why is market savvy among the least important sources of wealth but self-awareness is among the most? - How does one strike a balance between striving for more while being content with enough? This journey memorably contours along three basic shapes: A circle, triangle and square help us to visualize how we adapt to evolving circumstances, set clear priorities, and find empowerment in simplicity. In this accessible and entertaining book, Portnoy reveals that true wealth is achievable for many - including those who despair it is out of reach - but only in the context of a life in which purpose and practice are thoughtfully calibrated.