In 1990-1992 Jim Rogers rode his motorcycle 65,065 miles to the ends of the earth. The Investment Biker is a chronicle of that journey and more importantly a book of investing wisdom from one of America's greatest intellectual investors.

Jim Rogers has been a columnist for Worth magazine, a professor of finance at Columbia University, and a member of Barron's Roundtable panel. His fourth book titled A Bull in China will be released next month.

Jim Rogers made the big bucks as co-manager with George Soros of the Quantum Hedge Fund. Those who invest only in U.S. equities miss out on half of the world's investment opportunities. Join in the discussion of The Investment Biker by Jim Rogers beginning Monday, December 10.

Sheryl Sostarich

Ssostar@comcast.net

Welcome back to the After Hours Book Forum. Today we begin our discussion of The Investment Biker by Jim Rogers, tracking in Jim's groove across six continents. Jim Rogers, who started out as an ordinary guy from Demopolis, Alabama, is a modern day prophet who teaches us that we can earn our way to multi-millionaire status through ambitious goals and hard work.

Jim Rogers is truly an independent thinker who favors fundamental research over technical analysis. He dislikes traditional business schools. The best way to learn is through first-hand observations and real life experiences. He prefers getting into a foreign market ahead of the crowd, when everything is distressed, when equities are on sale, when there is a pervasive mood of doom and gloom.

Yes, you will learn about investing in the international markets; you will also come away with more than you knew about the history, politics, and economics of foreign countries. In chapter eleven titled First Class in the World, what does he teach you about currency risk?

Sheryl Sostarich

Ssostar@comcast.net

On page seventeen of The Investment Biker, Jim Rogers introduces us to the term statism or the political risk of investing outside the United States. Statism is defined as the concentration of economic controls and planning in the hands of a highly centralized government. That implies that the state is best suited to ensuring the good health and well being of society.

Jim Rogers refers to statism as the great political disease of the twentieth century. He avoids investing in foreign countries with any form of statism. He likes to be one of the first to invest but, in additon to the gains, he wants the assurance that he will see the return of his capital investment. Capitalism and a free-market economy, he feels is still the best path toward prosperity. How does Jim Rogers feel about investing in Ireland, Germany or Austria?

Sheryl Sostarich

Ssostar@comcast.net

A new book by Jim Rogers titled A Bull in China: investing profitably in the world's greatest market was published on December 4th.  The book will give you a good insight to the historical, political, and investing climate in China. You will undoubtedly learn about some companies you've never heard of. China is hosting the Olympic games in 2008 and is actively engaged in presenting a view of the country that will attract not only tourists but foreign investors as well. If you've not read much about China, let Jim Rogers introduce you to the new Chinese revolution.

Sheryl Sostarich

Ssostar@comcast.net