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It Taught me the questions to ask 
Let's face it, I'm a 30 something Stay At Home Mother with two kids, a husband, a mortgage and a dog.
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br /I heard the book referenced on NPR and thought it would be a worthwhile read. Now I'm asking better questions.
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br /Mostly though I found it frighting.
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br /If you'll excuse me I'm going to resume my ostrich pose.
excellent for the intellectually-oriented investor
Swensen provides a excellent analysis of different asset classes and the roles they play (or fail to play) in diversifying portfolios. For example, he clarifies the different diversifying roles of conventional Treasury bonds and TIPS, and explains why corporate, municipal and foreign bonds cannot be substituted. He also demonstrates the advantages of periodic portfolio rebalancing for the disciplined investor.
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br /In what almost amounts to a book within a book, Swensen forcefully chronicles the failure of the mutual fund industry and its regulators to serve the interests of individual investors. This discussion is a must-read for anyone concerned about the implications of the shift towards investor managed defined contribution pension plans as the primary vehicle for retirement savings.
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br /Swensen has not written a practical how-to guide to personal investing or asset allocation; rather, he argues for an approach to personal investing built around core principles. Intellectually-oriented investors will be well served by this book as preparation for developing a personalized investment program.
Unconventional Success: A Fundamental Approach to Investing 
Swensen's text is well developed and demonstrates a reasonable and rational approach to investing. Though not a text for the novice, I found it accessible to the average reader, as I gained familiarity with the language of investing, and intend to follow his advice.
Good Practical Advice
Unconventional Success is well written with logical explantions, good examples and practical advice. The book goes step-by-step through a discussion of recommended types of investments and popular investments that are not receommended, active vs passive investments and market timing. I recommend it for anyone who is interested in investing. It is one of the best investment books I have read.
Fantastic!
Unconventional Success: A Fundamental Approach to Personal Investment This book is a must-read for anyone who is planning to do their own investing whether in a 401k, IRA or taxable account. It gives you a simple but sophisticated approach to allocating your investments among equities (U.S. and foreign), U.S. Treasuries (regular and inflation-protected) and real estate. He shows you how to invest in index mutual funds without paying exorbitant (and unnecessary) investment advisory management fees. He gives a blisteringly negative review of the mutual fund industry which, based on credible, academic research has failed to beat the market after taking into account the fees charged. The author's "creds" are impeccable as a star investor of one of the largest endowment funds in the U.S. I believe this book is essential reading for any investor.
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