Every once in a while, I notice a book with one of these "how-to" titles. This one, by Tod Barnhart, is like all the rest.

The author, a successful investor, looks back and finds things he thinks led to his success, then simplifies, categorizes, organizes, and exhorts, "you can do this!"

Alas, you CAN'T do this: just as Peter Lynch's memoir/investment guide will tell you a lot about how it feels to be a successful investor, applying Lynch's lessons will not make you anywhere near as successful as Peter Lynch, any more than wearing Bret Favre's #4 Packer jersey will make you a great quarterback.

I mean, you can buy his authentic jersey from the NFL shop, but all it will do is keep you warm while you watch him take Philadelphia apart this weekend. You GO Brett and the Pack!

The first clue this book will be useless is that Anthony Robbins not only wrote the foreward, he's also the recipient of the book's dedication, and the only person two of whose books are mentioned in "Suggested Reading." But wait, there's more.

Robbins is also cited in the acknowledgements, and again in the Author's Note. Ugh.

Then the usual suspects chime in: Marsha Sinetar's book, "Do What You Love, The Money Will Follow" (totally untrue), and George S. Clason's "The Richest Man in Babylon," with its "Five Laws of Gold."

Memo to file: a description is not a perscription. All this book does is describe, then say do it and all will be well. You can go to church, temple, or the mosque and find that out, and save yourself the price of this book.