Bernard Baruch is one of the most successful stock operators in American history. Starting from scratch in the late 1800s, he built a fortune by navigating the frequent booms and busts that pervaded the stock market more than a century ago. While it's true that Baruch was a speculator -- not an investor -- and has long since passed away, neither of these facts erode the value of his insights for investors today. In the first volume of his autobiography, Baruch: My Own Story, the then 87-year-old financier dissects the madness of crowds, delves into what is now called behavioral finance, excoriates readers to make ... (full story)