Rating: 
Summary: Read this book first
Review: This is the best book I have read on the subject to date. The book clearly outlines not only the technical aspects of trading but the mental preparation required for consistently profitable trades. The book presents a solid foundation for those inquiring about a day trading career, and goes beyond establishing the foundation with technical insight and strategy.
Rating:
Summary: Written like a classic
Review: This one reads like a traders bible. Covering every aspect of Day Trading, from computer and communications setups, to specific strategies that can be traded right now. Also covers psychological aspects faced by day traders and strategies to use to break free from mental traps. Includes little known Market Maker strategies and how to profit when you see the subtle clues. If you believe in being prepard, having an edge and if you believe that your mind influences your trading then this book will be essential to you. This book is for people that are interested in trading as a business, which is covered in it's own chapter.
Rating: 
Summary: The best on stock day trading I have read.
Review: Van Tharp has done an excellent job of keeping the book conceptually focused, particularly in the areas of expectation and money management as it relates to trading. He also spends a good deal of time on how to set up your trading operation as a soundly managed business, as opposed to a hobby or gambling adventure. My critisism starts with the fact that tharp seems to think "high multiple R" trading is a good way to day trade. This approach is great for long term traders, but the compressed time frame which limits intra day trend possibilities would make this approach hell to day trade and very difficult to be profitable with. Next, Tharp seems to overlook another crucial fact: day trading is best left to the true professionals: Market makers and
specialists. There is a high probability you would make a lot more working for one of these organizations that you would on your own. and without your own cash on the line. Day traders are loved and day trading is promoted because it makes a lot of money for brokers. When it comes to day trading, you are better off being on the team with the built in advantages rather than toiling on your own.
Rating:
Summary: Good, but a disappointment compared to Tharp's classic
Review: Van Tharp's earlier book, Trade Your Way to Financial Freedom, ranks with Market Wizards as a trading classic. Like Market Wizards, Tharp showed how the true "Holy Grail" of trading is to develop your *own* system, one which is perfectly suited to your own goals and needs. (I know it sounds wishy-washy... but believe me it's anything but.) Not only that but, unlike Market Wizards, Tharp showed you step-by-step how to actually do this! The result was, while far from perfect, one of the most amazing and probably the single most useful book on how to become a successful trader. I was hugely excited when I (a day trader) found out that Tharp's next book would be about day trading. Alas, it turns out to be a disappointment. It's not bad as such, only nowhere near the same level. Specifically, this book consists of: (1) material by Tharp that covers the same ground as before, only in less detail; (2) an overview of the basics of day trading, such as how to read Level II screens; (3) occasional insights and ideas which you might not find elsewhere. So here's what I would recommend. If you don't already know (1), run (don't walk!) to get Tharp's earlier book; don't even think about buying this one instead. If you don't already know (2), this book is a pretty good introduction to day trading, better than most that are out there. Lastly, is the book worth buying for (3)? It sort of depends. If, like me, you love to devour books about the markets, and believe that they more than pay for themselves if you get even one new tradeable idea -- then sure, buy it, just don't expect too much. If, on the other hand, you only want to spend your time and money on the very best books, well, this is no must-have. I like both authors, and they do know what they are talking about, but this book is far from the best that either is capable of. It shows all the signs of having been put together hastily.
Rating:
Summary: Good, but a disappointment compared to Tharp's classic
Review: Van Tharp's earlier book, Trade Your Way to Financial Freedom, ranks with Market Wizards as a trading classic. Like Market Wizards, Tharp showed how the true "Holy Grail" of trading is to develop your *own* system, one which is perfectly suited to your own goals and needs. (I know it sounds wishy-washy... but believe me it's anything but.) Not only that but, unlike Market Wizards, Tharp showed you step-by-step how to actually do this! The result was, while far from perfect, one of the most amazing and probably the single most useful book on how to become a successful trader. I was hugely excited when I (a day trader) found out that Tharp's next book would be about day trading. Alas, it turns out to be a disappointment. It's not bad as such, only nowhere near the same level. Specifically, this book consists of: (1) material by Tharp that covers the same ground as before, only in less detail; (2) an overview of the basics of day trading, such as how to read Level II screens; (3) occasional insights and ideas which you might not find elsewhere. So here's what I would recommend. If you don't already know (1), run (don't walk!) to get Tharp's earlier book; don't even think about buying this one instead. If you don't already know (2), this book is a pretty good introduction to day trading, better than most that are out there. Lastly, is the book worth buying for (3)? It sort of depends. If, like me, you love to devour books about the markets, and believe that they more than pay for themselves if you get even one new tradeable idea -- then sure, buy it, just don't expect too much. If, on the other hand, you only want to spend your time and money on the very best books, well, this is no must-have. I like both authors, and they do know what they are talking about, but this book is far from the best that either is capable of. It shows all the signs of having been put together hastily.
Rating: 
Summary: A Rehash, without much meaningful addition
Review: Van Tharp's first book, Trade Your Way to Financial Freedom, is outstanding, and highly recommended. This follow-up book, however, is not. The author spends the first portion of it reintroducing the topics of his first work. He then goes in to a discussion of day trading in Level II stocks (and the like). This was clearly an effort to take advantage of the market environment at the time. In doing that, however, Van Tharp made the fatal mistake of creating a limited lifespan for this work. Don't waste your money here. If you haven't already read Trade Your Way to Financial Freedom, do so. If you have, read it again. This follow-up book won't tell you anything new and the first has much more substance.
Rating:
Summary: There's Better Books Out There !
Review: Well I have to say I was expecting the book to have more substence. The first few chapters and ending chapters had some great information that was extremly helpfull. I also felt that the authors main audience was towards people with loads of money and it felt by the way he has written the book that if you don't have loads of money you should forget about Day Trading as you will fail. Which is incorrect from my own experiences
Rating:
Summary: Highly recommended
Review: Yea yea I thought, as this book sat on my shelf for a couple of months. Another one of those "daytrading books" I thought. Boy was I wrong! For those of you who don't know, Dr. Tharp was included in the original Market Wizards classic. He has modeled many top traders and figured out the common denominators they all shared. He says that you can't duplicate their success unless you can duplicate their thinking. In this book he and Brian June go into these concepts, step by step, to help you develop a solid game plan for success in the markets. There are methods to develop discipline, self control, money management and risk control, to name a few. These are the concepts most daytraders overlook, which probably contributes to the high failure rate(90%). Definitely technical and fundamental analysis, sentiment, etc. are important, but this stuff is equally if not more important. He also gets into helping you think of daytrading as a business, not a hobby, as well as guiding you through creating your own trading plan. Daytrading is certainly not easy, and you need all the help you can get. This is one of those books, that you should not only read, but use. Bring the concepts to life and you will undoubtly be rewarded. Hopefully this book will be just an introduction for you into Dr. Tharp's world.
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