Kalpesh AsharResenhas

A really good information source. I was a bit overwhelmed at all the terms initially but thought they were explained well. A great primer on financial accounting.

I think for the most part, the book is straightforward. Accounting can be like learning another language. I think those with familiarity with accounting and economics will find the author reviews at a high level much of what they learned in school. I think people new to the subject or looking for help will not find it helpful.

Since this is an accounting topic, I would have preferred seeing illustrations of actual financial statements (Balance Sheet and Income Statement) rather than a reference to them. I don’t know if the e-copy I received would be different from a paper version of the book. Given the number of examples, having a visual like the Balance Sheet or Income Statement would reinforce learning. There are several diagrams in the book so I think a few more would be helpful.
I personally am used to seeing footnotes or references. I don’t see that in this work. I think that would be helpful for the assertions made in the book. It shouldn’t be too hard as the author gives Case Studies in the book – but I didn’t see a referencing source. There is a glossary. That’s probably small but since actual businesses were brought up…

Overall, this was a straightforward easy read which can be done in a relatively short time. No complicated subjects in my opinion.

Although it covers a bunch of material, it doesn't do a good job of it. The definitions contain words that are part of the word. The descriptions are brief and kind of unclear. This is basically a dictionary of terms.

I'm new to reading financial books. The author gave definitions to the terms he would be using. That was very helpful to me. Each chapter built upon the other so that it goes step by step. The information is useful and put in a concise way to understand it better. I believe that this book will continue to be useful to me in the future.

Straightforward answers to questions like:

- When analyzing Financial Statement, how to conduct Ratio Analysis und Common Sizing?
- Ho to estimate Cash Flows and calculate their Net Present Values?
- What are the levers that can optimize Working Capital?
- What is the optimal Capital Structure?

Only the numerous graphically displayed balances are presented unhelpfully in the Kindle version. In print, however, the book is definitely recommended!

Financial Accounting Essentials You Always Wanted to Know provides a “set of bare minimum skills that you need in order to understand financial numbers,” and it does a beautiful job!

I have been considering a career in accounting for awhile and what better way to see if it’s a good fit then by learning some basic accounting skills.

The accounting concepts are put in a simple, and easy to understand format, even for someone like me who has little to no accounting experience. The chapters are very short, with all of the information to the point, as well as a few examples to help bring said points home.

Because of its simplicity, I can see this being a great resource for accounting students and anyone who would like more bookkeeping knowledge.

*I have voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book which I received from the author/publisher through LibraryThing Early Reviewers. All views and opinions expressed are completely honest, and my own.

This book definitely is not one to read in one sitting. It's highly academic in nature and the language used reflects that. It's also not one to read in bed before turning out the light; it requires actual study for the material to sink in, as befits a textbook.

That said, the content is good. There is a definite feeling of "this is the *proper* way to do it and no variations will be accepted," but of course that's not the way of the real world. As stated in the preface it's based on global best practices as described by the Project Management Institute, but many of us maintain there is no such thing as "global best practices". Best practices are what work best for you in your specific situation and are by no means global.

My only other quibble is that the book is highly focused on the Waterfall method of project management, with exactly one chapter covering Agile methods at a very high level. This may be suitable for someone bidding on a government project, but my experience is that the optimum is a hybrid of the two methods (a term not to be confused with "methodologies"). Waterfall is too inflexible, Agile can be too unfocused if not done properly.

To summarize into a book jacket-length blurb: this book does cover the essentials of project management, but all essentials are not presented equally and reality tends to be glossed over.

After a bit of difficulty with finding a program to read this, I was successful. It is a well-written source with easy to read language and thought-provoking questions.
My two biggest complaints: typos/bad formatting and the online answers are for a different edition so I wasn't able to check my work.
Other than that, it's a decent source and one I will keep around.

I won this book on LibraryThing but the publisher could not provide a format that I could open, let alone read. I tried using my cell phone, two desktops, and a laptop; as well as adding extensions to my browser, downloading other apps, using alternate apps that I already had, downloading programs... Nothing worked so I just quit trying.

Finance and Financial Management are not the same. “Financial Management is a part of the world of finance that helps us understand our finances and make important decisions, like when to make a new investment in a new product line or when to buy a new home. Traditionally, this skill has been restricted to individuals in the finance department or those who studied the subject in school. “

Everybody should have this key skill. Financial Management Essentials You Always Wanted to Know helps by presenting some of the skills needed to make good financial decisions.

“The objective of the book is not to teach you everything in finance, but to equip you with enough information to be more productive and accurate in your decision-making, with the financial perspective in mind. “

It jumps right in with many useful equations and clear explanations on how and when to apply them.
The book also includes case assignments to practice what you have learned. It is very straightforward and a good reference to keep on hand even after you have read it.
A solid 4.5 stars

I received an ARC through the LibraryThing Early Reviewers program½

I’ve recently felt the need to learn more about finance, so I was pleased when this book was offered through the LibraryThing Early Reviewers Programme. I thank the publishers for a free electronic copy of this book. This is my honest review. Since I have no financial background, I cannot vouch for the accuracy of the contents, but nothing struck me as out of place.

The book is fairly short, which is fine and not intimidating as an introductory text. The layout and order of topics seems logical. I liked that there is mention of professional standards: with United States bodies being cited (clearly the authors can’t cover everywhere).

The prose is very comprehensible. I noticed just a few typos. In one area (section 2.2), the formatting of example entries seemed misaligned, making it difficult to read. But this was a small exception to the overall clear appearance.

Each chapter ends with examples, practice exercises and then a summary. The answers to the exercises are available online. At the time of writing this review, it looks as if the answers are for the previous edition of this book, but presumably they will be updated.

I expect I will keep this book to hand for future reference.

I received this book for free in exchange for an review.
This is a very interesting and helpful book. With comprehensive topics, concise writing, and helpful templates.

I read the 5th edition but for some reason cannot add it to my library so I am adding the 4th edition as it should be very similar. As a project management professional that has recently retired, I found this book to be a terrific guide for new and existing PMs.

I really enjoyed reading this Book. Full of helpful facts. Guides you in the right direction. I am definitely going to read the prior editions. Its simple and easy to understand. I highly recommend this book. Accounting made easy to understand. 5 star review.

Of course, the content of this book is basic and condensed. But that is already in the title: 'essentials'.
For students and freshmen, it is a exercise book. For seasoned managers it is a book, to have at hand-reach. Of course we know it all, but we tend to forget... At such moments, a book as this one is more than helpfull.

Disclosure: I was provided this book for free in exchange for my honest review. This review is based on the forthcoming 5th edition.

I've recently begun the process of studying for my PMP certification, and wanted a small book that would lay out the basics of Project Management to serve as a refresher/reference guide as a study. This book delivers very well on its promise of outlining the essentials of project management without a lot of extra fluff. I especially liked the case studies and exercises at the end of the chapters to help apply the information that had just been presented and (hopefully) cement it in the reader's brain.

The writing in this book is clear and concise. I would recommend it mostly for beginners or individuals who have largely experienced informal project management, though, as I think most with experience in formal project management would find this book too into-level to be particularly useful.

A good comprehensive guide to project management. The templates are a great extra that comes with the book.