Capital Ideas Evolving
by Peter L. Bernstein
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Book Summary Information
Author: Peter L. BernsteinEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2009-05-04
ISBN: 0470452498
Number of pages: 312
Publisher: Wiley
Book Reviews of Capital Ideas Evolving
Book Review: Comment on comment: mean-variance optimization is not the problem.
Summary: 5 Stars
The book is great, very well written and is an enlightening discussion about the evolution of modern finance. I usually recommend the book to my students, so they can put all what I am teaching in a historical perspective, as well as grasp the core intuition on the subjects. The book is perfect for that.
But what motivated my comment was another comment by Michael Emmett Brady. I think it is important to point out the mean-variance problem, but I beg to fundamentally differ from Mr. Brady. Mean-variance IS NOT, AT ALL, a foundation of neoclassical finance. Rationality is. Markowitz himself recognized that he was doing a simplification, because the math gets messy in a more general case (i.e. when you take into account higher moments as asymmetry and kurtosis). There is a well established body of literature, and neoclassical literature, that discusses modern portfolio theory when the distributions of asset returns are not jointly elliptical (they do not need to be multivariate normal for mean-variance to hold, they need to be jointly elliptical). The problem is that this literature has not made into most colleges' benches yet. As an example, you may refer to "Multi-moment Asset Allocation and Pricing Models (The Wiley Finance Series)", by Emmanuel Jurczenko (Editor), Bertrand Maillet (Editor), Mark Rubinstein (Foreword). In the first chapters it is possible to see how complicated things get by considering higher moments. But the Capital Ideas (as Bernstein like to call neoclassical finance) are all there.
Bernstein went to the core of the question when he chose to discuss rationality, bounded rationality and behavioral finance. Higher moments portfolio optimization may be well embedded in neoclassical finance, and the inclusion of the discussion about mean-variance approach limitations is a fair suggestion in its own right, but it does not diminishes the value of Bernstein's discussion in any way.
Summary of Capital Ideas Evolving
"A lot has happened in the financial markets since 1992, when Peter Bernstein wrote his seminal Capital Ideas. Happily, Peter has taken up his facile pen again to describe these changes, a virtual revolution in the practice of investing that relies heavily on complex mathematics, derivatives, hedging, and hyperactive trading. This fine and eminently readable book is unlikely to be surpassed as the definitive chronicle of a truly historic era."?John C. Bogle, founder of The Vanguard Group and author, The Little Book of Common Sense Investing
"Just as Dante could not have understood or survived the perils of the Inferno without Virgil to guide him, investors today need Peter Bernstein to help find their way across dark and shifting ground. No one alive understands Wall Street's intellectual history better, and that makes Bernstein our best and wisest guide to the future. He is the only person who could have written this book; thank goodness he did."
?Jason Zweig, Investing Columnist, Money magazine
"Another must-read from Peter Bernstein! This well-written and thought-provoking book provides valuable insights on how key finance theories have evolved from their ivory tower formulation to profitable application by portfolio managers. This book will certainly be read with keen interest by, and undoubtedly influence, a wide range of participants in international finance."
?Dr. Mohamed A. El-Erian, President and CEO of Harvard Management Company, Deputy Treasurer of Harvard University, and member of the faculty of the Harvard Business School
"Reading Capital Ideas Evolving is an experience not to be missed. Peter Bernstein's knowledge of the principal characters-the giants in the development of investment theory and practice-brings this subject to life."
?Linda B. Strumpf, Vice President and Chief Investment Officer, The Ford Foundation
"With great clarity, Peter Bernstein introduces us to the insights of investment giants, and explains how they transformed financial theory into portfolio practice. This is not just a tale of money and models; it is a fascinating and contemporary story about people and the power of their ideas."
?Elroy Dimson, BGI Professor of Investment Management, London Business School
"Capital Ideas Evolving provides us with a unique appreciation for the pervasive impact that the theory of modern finance has had on the development of our capital markets. Peter Bernstein once again has produced a masterpiece that is must reading for practitioners, educators and students of finance."
?André F. Perold, Professor of Finance, Harvard Business School
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