Standard text book that has stood the test of time , 16 Nov 2008
This is a thorough introduction to accounting and this and the second volume have been standard textbooks for as long as I can remember. I used the earlier editions more than 25 years for my examinations.

A GODSEND!! Recommended!!!, 14 Apr 2005
I have just begun my first year studying Accounting and Finance at university and have found the subject of Financial Accounting extremely difficult. Thanks to this book I am finding my own learning and revision periods are much easier and I am now understanding concepts which I hadnt a clue about in lectures! Thank you to the authors! One tiny issue with the book is that sometimes the double entry questions and examples used are not complex enough for what is needed at my level. Apart from that I recommend this book highly!

GREAT BOOK!!!!, 01 Dec 2002
I have just started studying account this year. I was really, really scared about how the subject was going to be. As it was, I found the subject really hard, but on top of that our teacher was really bad as well! But thank God, that our school had prescribed this book for the Year 10s! It has really helped. This book contains detailed explanations, plus multiple choice questions and loads of activities review questions. The answers of activities are written at the end of each chapter respectively.

Also, answers of alternative review questions are written at the back of the book. For me, one termed has passed, and I have studied wholly out of the book, and scored high marks! Three cheers for Frnk Wood and Alan Spanster!!!

Standard text book that has stood the test of time , 16 Nov 2008
This is a thorough introduction to accounting and this and the second volume have been standard textbooks for as long as I can remember. I used the earlier editions more than 25 years for my examinations.

A GODSEND!! Recommended!!!, 14 Apr 2005
I have just begun my first year studying Accounting and Finance at university and have found the subject of Financial Accounting extremely difficult. Thanks to this book I am finding my own learning and revision periods are much easier and I am now understanding concepts which I hadnt a clue about in lectures! Thank you to the authors! One tiny issue with the book is that sometimes the double entry questions and examples used are not complex enough for what is needed at my level. Apart from that I recommend this book highly!

GREAT BOOK!!!!, 01 Dec 2002
I have just started studying account this year. I was really, really scared about how the subject was going to be. As it was, I found the subject really hard, but on top of that our teacher was really bad as well! But thank God, that our school had prescribed this book for the Year 10s! It has really helped. This book contains detailed explanations, plus multiple choice questions and loads of activities review questions. The answers of activities are written at the end of each chapter respectively.

Also, answers of alternative review questions are written at the back of the book. For me, one termed has passed, and I have studied wholly out of the book, and scored high marks! Three cheers for Frnk Wood and Alan Spanster!!!

Good text for the average student, 26 Dec 2007
This book is well written and fairly easy to understand, so it is a rather useful text to help the university student through the exams.

Standard text book that has stood the test of time , 16 Nov 2008
This is a thorough introduction to accounting and this and the second volume have been standard textbooks for as long as I can remember. I used the earlier editions more than 25 years for my examinations.

A GODSEND!! Recommended!!!, 14 Apr 2005
I have just begun my first year studying Accounting and Finance at university and have found the subject of Financial Accounting extremely difficult. Thanks to this book I am finding my own learning and revision periods are much easier and I am now understanding concepts which I hadnt a clue about in lectures! Thank you to the authors! One tiny issue with the book is that sometimes the double entry questions and examples used are not complex enough for what is needed at my level. Apart from that I recommend this book highly!

GREAT BOOK!!!!, 01 Dec 2002
I have just started studying account this year. I was really, really scared about how the subject was going to be. As it was, I found the subject really hard, but on top of that our teacher was really bad as well! But thank God, that our school had prescribed this book for the Year 10s! It has really helped. This book contains detailed explanations, plus multiple choice questions and loads of activities review questions. The answers of activities are written at the end of each chapter respectively.

Also, answers of alternative review questions are written at the back of the book. For me, one termed has passed, and I have studied wholly out of the book, and scored high marks! Three cheers for Frnk Wood and Alan Spanster!!!

Good text for the average student, 26 Dec 2007
This book is well written and fairly easy to understand, so it is a rather useful text to help the university student through the exams.

Great for beginniers, 21 Nov 2008
Definitely recommend buying this book. I bought it recently for my Business course because my Accounting teacher recommend that we all buy it and she was RIGHT! Very straight forward, and easy to follow especially for someone who doesn't really know accounting very well but want to read a book that wouldnt give you strong accounting words.

A MUST for Business student who are doing Accountings as one of thier modules.

Great for a new accounting student., 08 May 2007
I purchased this book on the recommendation of a co-worker (fully qualified accountant) who used the third edition while at uni. She was spot on when she told me that it is a great help to those students who come from a non-accounting background. (i.e. no A levels in accounting).

The layout is easy to follow, great self tests along the way, case studies, real world relevent news articles and even an online site with further tests.



Brilliant from a Student at University, 13 Feb 2004
This book is easy to read yet engages the reader in financial accounting. This provides all essential information without overload and gives a firm understanding and grasp of all concepts. the book is colourful and easy to read.

simple, but often insufficient, 30 Apr 2003
The book has been chosen to be our coursebook and was a great help when I did the very basics of accounting. When it came to the second year however, the number of examples was insufficient to help students understand the topics. The explanations are good but sometimes too long. It's a good book to use as a core text but not enough to understand topics well.

simple, but often insufficient, 30 Apr 2003
The book has been chosen to be our coursebook and was a great help when I did the very basics of accounting. When it came to the second year however, the number of examples was insufficient to help students understand the topics. The explanations are good but sometimes too long. It's a good book to use as a core text but not enough to understand topics well.

Standard text book that has stood the test of time , 16 Nov 2008
This is a thorough introduction to accounting and this and the second volume have been standard textbooks for as long as I can remember. I used the earlier editions more than 25 years for my examinations.

A GODSEND!! Recommended!!!, 14 Apr 2005
I have just begun my first year studying Accounting and Finance at university and have found the subject of Financial Accounting extremely difficult. Thanks to this book I am finding my own learning and revision periods are much easier and I am now understanding concepts which I hadnt a clue about in lectures! Thank you to the authors! One tiny issue with the book is that sometimes the double entry questions and examples used are not complex enough for what is needed at my level. Apart from that I recommend this book highly!

GREAT BOOK!!!!, 01 Dec 2002
I have just started studying account this year. I was really, really scared about how the subject was going to be. As it was, I found the subject really hard, but on top of that our teacher was really bad as well! But thank God, that our school had prescribed this book for the Year 10s! It has really helped. This book contains detailed explanations, plus multiple choice questions and loads of activities review questions. The answers of activities are written at the end of each chapter respectively.

Also, answers of alternative review questions are written at the back of the book. For me, one termed has passed, and I have studied wholly out of the book, and scored high marks! Three cheers for Frnk Wood and Alan Spanster!!!

Good text for the average student, 26 Dec 2007
This book is well written and fairly easy to understand, so it is a rather useful text to help the university student through the exams.

Great for beginniers, 21 Nov 2008
Definitely recommend buying this book. I bought it recently for my Business course because my Accounting teacher recommend that we all buy it and she was RIGHT! Very straight forward, and easy to follow especially for someone who doesn't really know accounting very well but want to read a book that wouldnt give you strong accounting words.

A MUST for Business student who are doing Accountings as one of thier modules.

Great for a new accounting student., 08 May 2007
I purchased this book on the recommendation of a co-worker (fully qualified accountant) who used the third edition while at uni. She was spot on when she told me that it is a great help to those students who come from a non-accounting background. (i.e. no A levels in accounting).

The layout is easy to follow, great self tests along the way, case studies, real world relevent news articles and even an online site with further tests.



Brilliant from a Student at University, 13 Feb 2004
This book is easy to read yet engages the reader in financial accounting. This provides all essential information without overload and gives a firm understanding and grasp of all concepts. the book is colourful and easy to read.

simple, but often insufficient, 30 Apr 2003
The book has been chosen to be our coursebook and was a great help when I did the very basics of accounting. When it came to the second year however, the number of examples was insufficient to help students understand the topics. The explanations are good but sometimes too long. It's a good book to use as a core text but not enough to understand topics well.

simple, but often insufficient, 30 Apr 2003
The book has been chosen to be our coursebook and was a great help when I did the very basics of accounting. When it came to the second year however, the number of examples was insufficient to help students understand the topics. The explanations are good but sometimes too long. It's a good book to use as a core text but not enough to understand topics well.

Very Good, 03 Feb 2008
I disagree with the other reviews. It's title says it all. The book covered a four week segment of an on-line course I am doing. To me it covers all of the areas in an informative and understandable way. It is not intended to be a bookeepers bible therefore does not go into detail of "T" accounts. Combined with good teaching, research and discussion it will certainly enable non-accountants to get a grasp of the subjects of accounting and finance.

Brilliant for the purpose, 16 Sep 2007
Ignore everything everyone else has said about this book. The title says that the target audience are non-specialists and as a non-specialist this book gave me a fantastic introduction to accounting and finance. The authors live up perfectly to their task and give enough detail for a beginner like me to get a good grounding in accounting and finance. Their writing style is uncomplicated (very easy to follow). At the end of each section I felt that I have gained in understanding the subject. Other books which I will acquire afterwards will give more detail and be more in-depth. This book can be judged by its cover and I recommend it highly to non-specialists, especially beginners.

Poor Attempt, 23 May 2005
Would not recommend this book to non-specialists looking for an overview of Accounting & Finance. It is a tedious read and the examples are unclear, split across pages and jump from one stage to the next without proper explanation. Not a very helpful book at all.

Only the very basics, 03 Mar 2004
Having recently completed a six month accountancy course, with this book as the primary text I can only recommend it to those with no prior grounding in the subject and studying at a very basic level.

It provides the very basics required to compile cash flows, profit and loss accounts and vertical balance sheets but is not sufficiently in depth to be of major use in the analysis of real world company financial statements or indeed to create ones own.

It would benefit greatly by expanding into the use of T-accounts, double entries and more thorough consideration of the horizontal balance sheet method.

That said it is saved from being a two star book by merit of a good chapter on the basics of investment appraisal and some excellent worked examples.

Overall rather dry and recommended only to those with no prior experience.

Not the most entertaining text-book...., 16 Feb 2000
This book is a good text book for the student who is new to Financial systems. As a non-specialist, I need all the help I can get! However, this book is a little dry and some of the explanations are not clear. Good for the basics, but very boring.

Standard text book that has stood the test of time , 16 Nov 2008
This is a thorough introduction to accounting and this and the second volume have been standard textbooks for as long as I can remember. I used the earlier editions more than 25 years for my examinations.

A GODSEND!! Recommended!!!, 14 Apr 2005
I have just begun my first year studying Accounting and Finance at university and have found the subject of Financial Accounting extremely difficult. Thanks to this book I am finding my own learning and revision periods are much easier and I am now understanding concepts which I hadnt a clue about in lectures! Thank you to the authors! One tiny issue with the book is that sometimes the double entry questions and examples used are not complex enough for what is needed at my level. Apart from that I recommend this book highly!

GREAT BOOK!!!!, 01 Dec 2002
I have just started studying account this year. I was really, really scared about how the subject was going to be. As it was, I found the subject really hard, but on top of that our teacher was really bad as well! But thank God, that our school had prescribed this book for the Year 10s! It has really helped. This book contains detailed explanations, plus multiple choice questions and loads of activities review questions. The answers of activities are written at the end of each chapter respectively.

Also, answers of alternative review questions are written at the back of the book. For me, one termed has passed, and I have studied wholly out of the book, and scored high marks! Three cheers for Frnk Wood and Alan Spanster!!!

Good text for the average student, 26 Dec 2007
This book is well written and fairly easy to understand, so it is a rather useful text to help the university student through the exams.

Great for beginniers, 21 Nov 2008
Definitely recommend buying this book. I bought it recently for my Business course because my Accounting teacher recommend that we all buy it and she was RIGHT! Very straight forward, and easy to follow especially for someone who doesn't really know accounting very well but want to read a book that wouldnt give you strong accounting words.

A MUST for Business student who are doing Accountings as one of thier modules.

Great for a new accounting student., 08 May 2007
I purchased this book on the recommendation of a co-worker (fully qualified accountant) who used the third edition while at uni. She was spot on when she told me that it is a great help to those students who come from a non-accounting background. (i.e. no A levels in accounting).

The layout is easy to follow, great self tests along the way, case studies, real world relevent news articles and even an online site with further tests.



Brilliant from a Student at University, 13 Feb 2004
This book is easy to read yet engages the reader in financial accounting. This provides all essential information without overload and gives a firm understanding and grasp of all concepts. the book is colourful and easy to read.

simple, but often insufficient, 30 Apr 2003
The book has been chosen to be our coursebook and was a great help when I did the very basics of accounting. When it came to the second year however, the number of examples was insufficient to help students understand the topics. The explanations are good but sometimes too long. It's a good book to use as a core text but not enough to understand topics well.

simple, but often insufficient, 30 Apr 2003
The book has been chosen to be our coursebook and was a great help when I did the very basics of accounting. When it came to the second year however, the number of examples was insufficient to help students understand the topics. The explanations are good but sometimes too long. It's a good book to use as a core text but not enough to understand topics well.

Very Good, 03 Feb 2008
I disagree with the other reviews. It's title says it all. The book covered a four week segment of an on-line course I am doing. To me it covers all of the areas in an informative and understandable way. It is not intended to be a bookeepers bible therefore does not go into detail of "T" accounts. Combined with good teaching, research and discussion it will certainly enable non-accountants to get a grasp of the subjects of accounting and finance.

Brilliant for the purpose, 16 Sep 2007
Ignore everything everyone else has said about this book. The title says that the target audience are non-specialists and as a non-specialist this book gave me a fantastic introduction to accounting and finance. The authors live up perfectly to their task and give enough detail for a beginner like me to get a good grounding in accounting and finance. Their writing style is uncomplicated (very easy to follow). At the end of each section I felt that I have gained in understanding the subject. Other books which I will acquire afterwards will give more detail and be more in-depth. This book can be judged by its cover and I recommend it highly to non-specialists, especially beginners.

Poor Attempt, 23 May 2005
Would not recommend this book to non-specialists looking for an overview of Accounting & Finance. It is a tedious read and the examples are unclear, split across pages and jump from one stage to the next without proper explanation. Not a very helpful book at all.

Only the very basics, 03 Mar 2004
Having recently completed a six month accountancy course, with this book as the primary text I can only recommend it to those with no prior grounding in the subject and studying at a very basic level.

It provides the very basics required to compile cash flows, profit and loss accounts and vertical balance sheets but is not sufficiently in depth to be of major use in the analysis of real world company financial statements or indeed to create ones own.

It would benefit greatly by expanding into the use of T-accounts, double entries and more thorough consideration of the horizontal balance sheet method.

That said it is saved from being a two star book by merit of a good chapter on the basics of investment appraisal and some excellent worked examples.

Overall rather dry and recommended only to those with no prior experience.

Not the most entertaining text-book...., 16 Feb 2000
This book is a good text book for the student who is new to Financial systems. As a non-specialist, I need all the help I can get! However, this book is a little dry and some of the explanations are not clear. Good for the basics, but very boring.

Unleashing the power of Excel in Corporate Finance!!, 22 Sep 2007
In 2001, I was working for an investment bank in London where I was trying to come up with a consistent framework for my Excel models as applied to everyday corporate finance issues. My boss showed me this book he'd recently purchased in the High Street that set out a standardised methodology for developing models and unleashing the power of Excel. This book was Day's first edition and I had to have it but for some reason it slipped off my book purchase list. Try as I might, I was unable to find a copy these last six years (mainly because I'd forgotten the title & author!!).

Anyhow, I finally tracked the book down (completely by accident) together with its counterpart "Mastering Financial Mathematics" recently on a trip back to London. This book is great for those seeking to develop intuitive models that are likely to endure and serve the needs of the business. The corporate finance theory is kept (deliberately) a bare minimum as the focus is on structuring a consistent framework that maximises the presentational aspects of modelling and at the same time minimises the potential for errors. The model templates serve as a springboard for in-house customization and the techniques used are both simple and intuitive.

Although there may be superior Excel modelling books out there, I believe Day has truely laid out the stage for the common or accidental modelling analyst to deliver high impact corporate finance presentations using Excel.

Highly recommended!!

Standard text book that has stood the test of time , 16 Nov 2008
This is a thorough introduction to accounting and this and the second volume have been standard textbooks for as long as I can remember. I used the earlier editions more than 25 years for my examinations.

A GODSEND!! Recommended!!!, 14 Apr 2005
I have just begun my first year studying Accounting and Finance at university and have found the subject of Financial Accounting extremely difficult. Thanks to this book I am finding my own learning and revision periods are much easier and I am now understanding concepts which I hadnt a clue about in lectures! Thank you to the authors! One tiny issue with the book is that sometimes the double entry questions and examples used are not complex enough for what is needed at my level. Apart from that I recommend this book highly!

GREAT BOOK!!!!, 01 Dec 2002
I have just started studying account this year. I was really, really scared about how the subject was going to be. As it was, I found the subject really hard, but on top of that our teacher was really bad as well! But thank God, that our school had prescribed this book for the Year 10s! It has really helped. This book contains detailed explanations, plus multiple choice questions and loads of activities review questions. The answers of activities are written at the end of each chapter respectively.

Also, answers of alternative review questions are written at the back of the book. For me, one termed has passed, and I have studied wholly out of the book, and scored high marks! Three cheers for Frnk Wood and Alan Spanster!!!

Good text for the average student, 26 Dec 2007
This book is well written and fairly easy to understand, so it is a rather useful text to help the university student through the exams.

Great for beginniers, 21 Nov 2008
Definitely recommend buying this book. I bought it recently for my Business course because my Accounting teacher recommend that we all buy it and she was RIGHT! Very straight forward, and easy to follow especially for someone who doesn't really know accounting very well but want to read a book that wouldnt give you strong accounting words.

A MUST for Business student who are doing Accountings as one of thier modules.

Great for a new accounting student., 08 May 2007
I purchased this book on the recommendation of a co-worker (fully qualified accountant) who used the third edition while at uni. She was spot on when she told me that it is a great help to those students who come from a non-accounting background. (i.e. no A levels in accounting).

The layout is easy to follow, great self tests along the way, case studies, real world relevent news articles and even an online site with further tests.



Brilliant from a Student at University, 13 Feb 2004
This book is easy to read yet engages the reader in financial accounting. This provides all essential information without overload and gives a firm understanding and grasp of all concepts. the book is colourful and easy to read.

simple, but often insufficient, 30 Apr 2003
The book has been chosen to be our coursebook and was a great help when I did the very basics of accounting. When it came to the second year however, the number of examples was insufficient to help students understand the topics. The explanations are good but sometimes too long. It's a good book to use as a core text but not enough to understand topics well.

simple, but often insufficient, 30 Apr 2003
The book has been chosen to be our coursebook and was a great help when I did the very basics of accounting. When it came to the second year however, the number of examples was insufficient to help students understand the topics. The explanations are good but sometimes too long. It's a good book to use as a core text but not enough to understand topics well.

Very Good, 03 Feb 2008
I disagree with the other reviews. It's title says it all. The book covered a four week segment of an on-line course I am doing. To me it covers all of the areas in an informative and understandable way. It is not intended to be a bookeepers bible therefore does not go into detail of "T" accounts. Combined with good teaching, research and discussion it will certainly enable non-accountants to get a grasp of the subjects of accounting and finance.

Brilliant for the purpose, 16 Sep 2007
Ignore everything everyone else has said about this book. The title says that the target audience are non-specialists and as a non-specialist this book gave me a fantastic introduction to accounting and finance. The authors live up perfectly to their task and give enough detail for a beginner like me to get a good grounding in accounting and finance. Their writing style is uncomplicated (very easy to follow). At the end of each section I felt that I have gained in understanding the subject. Other books which I will acquire afterwards will give more detail and be more in-depth. This book can be judged by its cover and I recommend it highly to non-specialists, especially beginners.

Poor Attempt, 23 May 2005
Would not recommend this book to non-specialists looking for an overview of Accounting & Finance. It is a tedious read and the examples are unclear, split across pages and jump from one stage to the next without proper explanation. Not a very helpful book at all.

Only the very basics, 03 Mar 2004
Having recently completed a six month accountancy course, with this book as the primary text I can only recommend it to those with no prior grounding in the subject and studying at a very basic level.

It provides the very basics required to compile cash flows, profit and loss accounts and vertical balance sheets but is not sufficiently in depth to be of major use in the analysis of real world company financial statements or indeed to create ones own.

It would benefit greatly by expanding into the use of T-accounts, double entries and more thorough consideration of the horizontal balance sheet method.

That said it is saved from being a two star book by merit of a good chapter on the basics of investment appraisal and some excellent worked examples.

Overall rather dry and recommended only to those with no prior experience.

Not the most entertaining text-book...., 16 Feb 2000
This book is a good text book for the student who is new to Financial systems. As a non-specialist, I need all the help I can get! However, this book is a little dry and some of the explanations are not clear. Good for the basics, but very boring.

Unleashing the power of Excel in Corporate Finance!!, 22 Sep 2007
In 2001, I was working for an investment bank in London where I was trying to come up with a consistent framework for my Excel models as applied to everyday corporate finance issues. My boss showed me this book he'd recently purchased in the High Street that set out a standardised methodology for developing models and unleashing the power of Excel. This book was Day's first edition and I had to have it but for some reason it slipped off my book purchase list. Try as I might, I was unable to find a copy these last six years (mainly because I'd forgotten the title & author!!).

Anyhow, I finally tracked the book down (completely by accident) together with its counterpart "Mastering Financial Mathematics" recently on a trip back to London. This book is great for those seeking to develop intuitive models that are likely to endure and serve the needs of the business. The corporate finance theory is kept (deliberately) a bare minimum as the focus is on structuring a consistent framework that maximises the presentational aspects of modelling and at the same time minimises the potential for errors. The model templates serve as a springboard for in-house customization and the techniques used are both simple and intuitive.

Although there may be superior Excel modelling books out there, I believe Day has truely laid out the stage for the common or accidental modelling analyst to deliver high impact corporate finance presentations using Excel.

Highly recommended!!

fred's being proved right, 01 Sep 2008
With UK house prices now crashing and many experts now foreseeing falls of up to 40% it looks like Fred Harrison is spot on with his predictions so far. He seems to be one of the few who have got the timing of the bubble bursting just right.

High on opinions, Low on substance - buy something else, 09 Mar 2008
hmmm. not an impressive read. The Author alleges to build a case to 'prove' his 18 year economic cycle theory. The 'proof' offered is poor and not convincing. I had hoped for much more than the repeated Mantra of the 18 year cycle, I get the feeling that if he states it enough as fact, then it must be true. Having recently read "The Black Swan" by Taleb, then 2010 was a real disappointment.

I suppose I should have submitted this review after reselling my copy on Amazon. oops.

My Very Own Crystal Ball, 26 Dec 2007
A very interesting read. I purchased this book in mid 2006 and so far everything that was predicted has come true. According to Harrison we are in for two tough years in the property market. 2008 and 2009 will see a downturn, however, come 2010 the market will once again turn. Currently I would love to move into a larger house but believe you me until January 2010 I'm staying put.

Scarily accurate so far, 17 Oct 2007
I read this book 6 months ago, and in the past few months have started to see signs that suggest the author is correct in his suppositions. An essential read for anyone considering buying a property in 2007-2008.

The coming depression - how low will he go ?, 21 Aug 2006
As a prominent proponent of the Land Value Tax it is intriguing to find that Fred Harrison comes down on the side of both private ownership and economic growth. For him the value of the land is essentially as a material resource and this distinction forms the basis of his thorough analysis of the housing market in the context of a modern capitalist economy. Alan Greenspan and Gordon Brown are criticised for their failure to acknowledge the effect of land speculation on modern predicitve methods. For all his detailed analysis of the cyclical trends of boom and bust he nevertheless maintains that economics is not an exact science.

Standard text book that has stood the test of time , 16 Nov 2008
This is a thorough introduction to accounting and this and the second volume have been standard textbooks for as long as I can remember. I used the earlier editions more than 25 years for my examinations.

A GODSEND!! Recommended!!!, 14 Apr 2005
I have just begun my first year studying Accounting and Finance at university and have found the subject of Financial Accounting extremely difficult. Thanks to this book I am finding my own learning and revision periods are much easier and I am now understanding concepts which I hadnt a clue about in lectures! Thank you to the authors! One tiny issue with the book is that sometimes the double entry questions and examples used are not complex enough for what is needed at my level. Apart from that I recommend this book highly!

GREAT BOOK!!!!, 01 Dec 2002
I have just started studying account this year. I was really, really scared about how the subject was going to be. As it was, I found the subject really hard, but on top of that our teacher was really bad as well! But thank God, that our school had prescribed this book for the Year 10s! It has really helped. This book contains detailed explanations, plus multiple choice questions and loads of activities review questions. The answers of activities are written at the end of each chapter respectively.

Also, answers of alternative review questions are written at the back of the book. For me, one termed has passed, and I have studied wholly out of the book, and scored high marks! Three cheers for Frnk Wood and Alan Spanster!!!

Good text for the average student, 26 Dec 2007
This book is well written and fairly easy to understand, so it is a rather useful text to help the university student through the exams.

Great for beginniers, 21 Nov 2008
Definitely recommend buying this book. I bought it recently for my Business course because my Accounting teacher recommend that we all buy it and she was RIGHT! Very straight forward, and easy to follow especially for someone who doesn't really know accounting very well but want to read a book that wouldnt give you strong accounting words.

A MUST for Business student who are doing Accountings as one of thier modules.

Great for a new accounting student., 08 May 2007
I purchased this book on the recommendation of a co-worker (fully qualified accountant) who used the third edition while at uni. She was spot on when she told me that it is a great help to those students who come from a non-accounting background. (i.e. no A levels in accounting).

The layout is easy to follow, great self tests along the way, case studies, real world relevent news articles and even an online site with further tests.



Brilliant from a Student at University, 13 Feb 2004
This book is easy to read yet engages the reader in financial accounting. This provides all essential information without overload and gives a firm understanding and grasp of all concepts. the book is colourful and easy to read.

simple, but often insufficient, 30 Apr 2003
The book has been chosen to be our coursebook and was a great help when I did the very basics of accounting. When it came to the second year however, the number of examples was insufficient to help students understand the topics. The explanations are good but sometimes too long. It's a good book to use as a core text but not enough to understand topics well.

simple, but often insufficient, 30 Apr 2003
The book has been chosen to be our coursebook and was a great help when I did the very basics of accounting. When it came to the second year however, the number of examples was insufficient to help students understand the topics. The explanations are good but sometimes too long. It's a good book to use as a core text but not enough to understand topics well.

Very Good, 03 Feb 2008
I disagree with the other reviews. It's title says it all. The book covered a four week segment of an on-line course I am doing. To me it covers all of the areas in an informative and understandable way. It is not intended to be a bookeepers bible therefore does not go into detail of "T" accounts. Combined with good teaching, research and discussion it will certainly enable non-accountants to get a grasp of the subjects of accounting and finance.

Brilliant for the purpose, 16 Sep 2007
Ignore everything everyone else has said about this book. The title says that the target audience are non-specialists and as a non-specialist this book gave me a fantastic introduction to accounting and finance. The authors live up perfectly to their task and give enough detail for a beginner like me to get a good grounding in accounting and finance. Their writing style is uncomplicated (very easy to follow). At the end of each section I felt that I have gained in understanding the subject. Other books which I will acquire afterwards will give more detail and be more in-depth. This book can be judged by its cover and I recommend it highly to non-specialists, especially beginners.

Poor Attempt, 23 May 2005
Would not recommend this book to non-specialists looking for an overview of Accounting & Finance. It is a tedious read and the examples are unclear, split across pages and jump from one stage to the next without proper explanation. Not a very helpful book at all.

Only the very basics, 03 Mar 2004
Having recently completed a six month accountancy course, with this book as the primary text I can only recommend it to those with no prior grounding in the subject and studying at a very basic level.

It provides the very basics required to compile cash flows, profit and loss accounts and vertical balance sheets but is not sufficiently in depth to be of major use in the analysis of real world company financial statements or indeed to create ones own.

It would benefit greatly by expanding into the use of T-accounts, double entries and more thorough consideration of the horizontal balance sheet method.

That said it is saved from being a two star book by merit of a good chapter on the basics of investment appraisal and some excellent worked examples.

Overall rather dry and recommended only to those with no prior experience.

Not the most entertaining text-book...., 16 Feb 2000
This book is a good text book for the student who is new to Financial systems. As a non-specialist, I need all the help I can get! However, this book is a little dry and some of the explanations are not clear. Good for the basics, but very boring.

Unleashing the power of Excel in Corporate Finance!!, 22 Sep 2007
In 2001, I was working for an investment bank in London where I was trying to come up with a consistent framework for my Excel models as applied to everyday corporate finance issues. My boss showed me this book he'd recently purchased in the High Street that set out a standardised methodology for developing models and unleashing the power of Excel. This book was Day's first edition and I had to have it but for some reason it slipped off my book purchase list. Try as I might, I was unable to find a copy these last six years (mainly because I'd forgotten the title & author!!).

Anyhow, I finally tracked the book down (completely by accident) together with its counterpart "Mastering Financial Mathematics" recently on a trip back to London. This book is great for those seeking to develop intuitive models that are likely to endure and serve the needs of the business. The corporate finance theory is kept (deliberately) a bare minimum as the focus is on structuring a consistent framework that maximises the presentational aspects of modelling and at the same time minimises the potential for errors. The model templates serve as a springboard for in-house customization and the techniques used are both simple and intuitive.

Although there may be superior Excel modelling books out there, I believe Day has truely laid out the stage for the common or accidental modelling analyst to deliver high impact corporate finance presentations using Excel.

Highly recommended!!

fred's being proved right, 01 Sep 2008
With UK house prices now crashing and many experts now foreseeing falls of up to 40% it looks like Fred Harrison is spot on with his predictions so far. He seems to be one of the few who have got the timing of the bubble bursting just right.

High on opinions, Low on substance - buy something else, 09 Mar 2008
hmmm. not an impressive read. The Author alleges to build a case to 'prove' his 18 year economic cycle theory. The 'proof' offered is poor and not convincing. I had hoped for much more than the repeated Mantra of the 18 year cycle, I get the feeling that if he states it enough as fact, then it must be true. Having recently read "The Black Swan" by Taleb, then 2010 was a real disappointment.

I suppose I should have submitted this review after reselling my copy on Amazon. oops.

My Very Own Crystal Ball, 26 Dec 2007
A very interesting read. I purchased this book in mid 2006 and so far everything that was predicted has come true. According to Harrison we are in for two tough years in the property market. 2008 and 2009 will see a downturn, however, come 2010 the market will once again turn. Currently I would love to move into a larger house but believe you me until January 2010 I'm staying put.

Scarily accurate so far, 17 Oct 2007
I read this book 6 months ago, and in the past few months have started to see signs that suggest the author is correct in his suppositions. An essential read for anyone considering buying a property in 2007-2008.

The coming depression - how low will he go ?, 21 Aug 2006
As a prominent proponent of the Land Value Tax it is intriguing to find that Fred Harrison comes down on the side of both private ownership and economic growth. For him the value of the land is essentially as a material resource and this distinction forms the basis of his thorough analysis of the housing market in the context of a modern capitalist economy. Alan Greenspan and Gordon Brown are criticised for their failure to acknowledge the effect of land speculation on modern predicitve methods. For all his detailed analysis of the cyclical trends of boom and bust he nevertheless maintains that economics is not an exact science.

Very Good, 03 Feb 2008
I disagree with the other reviews. It's title says it all. The book covered a four week segment of an on-line course I am doing. To me it covers all of the areas in an informative and understandable way. It is not intended to be a bookeepers bible therefore does not go into detail of "T" accounts. Combined with good teaching, research and discussion it will certainly enable non-accountants to get a grasp of the subjects of accounting and finance.

Brilliant for the purpose, 16 Sep 2007
Ignore everything everyone else has said about this book. The title says that the target audience are non-specialists and as a non-specialist this book gave me a fantastic introduction to accounting and finance. The authors live up perfectly to their task and give enough detail for a beginner like me to get a good grounding in accounting and finance. Their writing style is uncomplicated (very easy to follow). At the end of each section I felt that I have gained in understanding the subject. Other books which I will acquire afterwards will give more detail and be more in-depth. This book can be judged by its cover and I recommend it highly to non-specialists, especially beginners.

Poor Attempt, 23 May 2005
Would not recommend this book to non-specialists looking for an overview of Accounting & Finance. It is a tedious read and the examples are unclear, split across pages and jump from one stage to the next without proper explanation. Not a very helpful book at all.

Only the very basics, 03 Mar 2004
Having recently completed a six month accountancy course, with this book as the primary text I can only recommend it to those with no prior grounding in the subject and studying at a very basic level.

It provides the very basics required to compile cash flows, profit and loss accounts and vertical balance sheets but is not sufficiently in depth to be of major use in the analysis of real world company financial statements or indeed to create ones own.

It would benefit greatly by expanding into the use of T-accounts, double entries and more thorough consideration of the horizontal balance sheet method.

That said it is saved from being a two star book by merit of a good chapter on the basics of investment appraisal and some excellent worked examples.

Overall rather dry and recommended only to those with no prior experience.

Not the most entertaining text-book...., 16 Feb 2000
This book is a good text book for the student who is new to Financial systems. As a non-specialist, I need all the help I can get! However, this book is a little dry and some of the explanations are not clear. Good for the basics, but very boring.

Standard text book that has stood the test of time , 16 Nov 2008
This is a thorough introduction to accounting and this and the second volume have been standard textbooks for as long as I can remember. I used the earlier editions more than 25 years for my examinations.

A GODSEND!! Recommended!!!, 14 Apr 2005
I have just begun my first year studying Accounting and Finance at university and have found the subject of Financial Accounting extremely difficult. Thanks to this book I am finding my own learning and revision periods are much easier and I am now understanding concepts which I hadnt a clue about in lectures! Thank you to the authors! One tiny issue with the book is that sometimes the double entry questions and examples used are not complex enough for what is needed at my level. Apart from that I recommend this book highly!

GREAT BOOK!!!!, 01 Dec 2002
I have just started studying account this year. I was really, really scared about how the subject was going to be. As it was, I found the subject really hard, but on top of that our teacher was really bad as well! But thank God, that our school had prescribed this book for the Year 10s! It has really helped. This book contains detailed explanations, plus multiple choice questions and loads of activities review questions. The answers of activities are written at the end of each chapter respectively.

Also, answers of alternative review questions are written at the back of the book. For me, one termed has passed, and I have studied wholly out of the book, and scored high marks! Three cheers for Frnk Wood and Alan Spanster!!!

Good text for the average student, 26 Dec 2007
This book is well written and fairly easy to understand, so it is a rather useful text to help the university student through the exams.

Great for beginniers, 21 Nov 2008
Definitely recommend buying this book. I bought it recently for my Business course because my Accounting teacher recommend that we all buy it and she was RIGHT! Very straight forward, and easy to follow especially for someone who doesn't really know accounting very well but want to read a book that wouldnt give you strong accounting words.

A MUST for Business student who are doing Accountings as one of thier modules.

Great for a new accounting student., 08 May 2007
I purchased this book on the recommendation of a co-worker (fully qualified accountant) who used the third edition while at uni. She was spot on when she told me that it is a great help to those students who come from a non-accounting background. (i.e. no A levels in accounting).

The layout is easy to follow, great self tests along the way, case studies, real world relevent news articles and even an online site with further tests.



Brilliant from a Student at University, 13 Feb 2004
This book is easy to read yet engages the reader in financial accounting. This provides all essential information without overload and gives a firm understanding and grasp of all concepts. the book is colourful and easy to read.

simple, but often insufficient, 30 Apr 2003
The book has been chosen to be our coursebook and was a great help when I did the very basics of accounting. When it came to the second year however, the number of examples was insufficient to help students understand the topics. The explanations are good but sometimes too long. It's a good book to use as a core text but not enough to understand topics well.

simple, but often insufficient, 30 Apr 2003
The book has been chosen to be our coursebook and was a great help when I did the very basics of accounting. When it came to the second year however, the number of examples was insufficient to help students understand the topics. The explanations are good but sometimes too long. It's a good book to use as a core text but not enough to understand topics well.

Very Good, 03 Feb 2008
I disagree with the other reviews. It's title says it all. The book covered a four week segment of an on-line course I am doing. To me it covers all of the areas in an informative and understandable way. It is not intended to be a bookeepers bible therefore does not go into detail of "T" accounts. Combined with good teaching, research and discussion it will certainly enable non-accountants to get a grasp of the subjects of accounting and finance.

Brilliant for the purpose, 16 Sep 2007
Ignore everything everyone else has said about this book. The title says that the target audience are non-specialists and as a non-specialist this book gave me a fantastic introduction to accounting and finance. The authors live up perfectly to their task and give enough detail for a beginner like me to get a good grounding in accounting and finance. Their writing style is uncomplicated (very easy to follow). At the end of each section I felt that I have gained in understanding the subject. Other books which I will acquire afterwards will give more detail and be more in-depth. This book can be judged by its cover and I recommend it highly to non-specialists, especially beginners.

Poor Attempt, 23 May 2005
Would not recommend this book to non-specialists looking for an overview of Accounting & Finance. It is a tedious read and the examples are unclear, split across pages and jump from one stage to the next without proper explanation. Not a very helpful book at all.

Only the very basics, 03 Mar 2004
Having recently completed a six month accountancy course, with this book as the primary text I can only recommend it to those with no prior grounding in the subject and studying at a very basic level.

It provides the very basics required to compile cash flows, profit and loss accounts and vertical balance sheets but is not sufficiently in depth to be of major use in the analysis of real world company financial statements or indeed to create ones own.

It would benefit greatly by expanding into the use of T-accounts, double entries and more thorough consideration of the horizontal balance sheet method.

That said it is saved from being a two star book by merit of a good chapter on the basics of investment appraisal and some excellent worked examples.

Overall rather dry and recommended only to those with no prior experience.

Not the most entertaining text-book...., 16 Feb 2000
This book is a good text book for the student who is new to Financial systems. As a non-specialist, I need all the help I can get! However, this book is a little dry and some of the explanations are not clear. Good for the basics, but very boring.

Unleashing the power of Excel in Corporate Finance!!, 22 Sep 2007
In 2001, I was working for an investment bank in London where I was trying to come up with a consistent framework for my Excel models as applied to everyday corporate finance issues. My boss showed me this book he'd recently purchased in the High Street that set out a standardised methodology for developing models and unleashing the power of Excel. This book was Day's first edition and I had to have it but for some reason it slipped off my book purchase list. Try as I might, I was unable to find a copy these last six years (mainly because I'd forgotten the title & author!!).

Anyhow, I finally tracked the book down (completely by accident) together with its counterpart "Mastering Financial Mathematics" recently on a trip back to London. This book is great for those seeking to develop intuitive models that are likely to endure and serve the needs of the business. The corporate finance theory is kept (deliberately) a bare minimum as the focus is on structuring a consistent framework that maximises the presentational aspects of modelling and at the same time minimises the potential for errors. The model templates serve as a springboard for in-house customization and the techniques used are both simple and intuitive.

Although there may be superior Excel modelling books out there, I believe Day has truely laid out the stage for the common or accidental modelling analyst to deliver high impact corporate finance presentations using Excel.

Highly recommended!!

fred's being proved right, 01 Sep 2008
With UK house prices now crashing and many experts now foreseeing falls of up to 40% it looks like Fred Harrison is spot on with his predictions so far. He seems to be one of the few who have got the timing of the bubble bursting just right.

High on opinions, Low on substance - buy something else, 09 Mar 2008
hmmm. not an impressive read. The Author alleges to build a case to 'prove' his 18 year economic cycle theory. The 'proof' offered is poor and not convincing. I had hoped for much more than the repeated Mantra of the 18 year cycle, I get the feeling that if he states it enough as fact, then it must be true. Having recently read "The Black Swan" by Taleb, then 2010 was a real disappointment.

I suppose I should have submitted this review after reselling my copy on Amazon. oops.

My Very Own Crystal Ball, 26 Dec 2007
A very interesting read. I purchased this book in mid 2006 and so far everything that was predicted has come true. According to Harrison we are in for two tough years in the property market. 2008 and 2009 will see a downturn, however, come 2010 the market will once again turn. Currently I would love to move into a larger house but believe you me until January 2010 I'm staying put.

Scarily accurate so far, 17 Oct 2007
I read this book 6 months ago, and in the past few months have started to see signs that suggest the author is correct in his suppositions. An essential read for anyone considering buying a property in 2007-2008.

The coming depression - how low will he go ?, 21 Aug 2006
As a prominent proponent of the Land Value Tax it is intriguing to find that Fred Harrison comes down on the side of both private ownership and economic growth. For him the value of the land is essentially as a material resource and this distinction forms the basis of his thorough analysis of the housing market in the context of a modern capitalist economy. Alan Greenspan and Gordon Brown are criticised for their failure to acknowledge the effect of land speculation on modern predicitve methods. For all his detailed analysis of the cyclical trends of boom and bust he nevertheless maintains that economics is not an exact science.

Very Good, 03 Feb 2008
I disagree with the other reviews. It's title says it all. The book covered a four week segment of an on-line course I am doing. To me it covers all of the areas in an informative and understandable way. It is not intended to be a bookeepers bible therefore does not go into detail of "T" accounts. Combined with good teaching, research and discussion it will certainly enable non-accountants to get a grasp of the subjects of accounting and finance.

Brilliant for the purpose, 16 Sep 2007
Ignore everything everyone else has said about this book. The title says that the target audience are non-specialists and as a non-specialist this book gave me a fantastic introduction to accounting and finance. The authors live up perfectly to their task and give enough detail for a beginner like me to get a good grounding in accounting and finance. Their writing style is uncomplicated (very easy to follow). At the end of each section I felt that I have gained in understanding the subject. Other books which I will acquire afterwards will give more detail and be more in-depth. This book can be judged by its cover and I recommend it highly to non-specialists, especially beginners.

Poor Attempt, 23 May 2005
Would not recommend this book to non-specialists looking for an overview of Accounting & Finance. It is a tedious read and the examples are unclear, split across pages and jump from one stage to the next without proper explanation. Not a very helpful book at all.

Only the very basics, 03 Mar 2004
Having recently completed a six month accountancy course, with this book as the primary text I can only recommend it to those with no prior grounding in the subject and studying at a very basic level.

It provides the very basics required to compile cash flows, profit and loss accounts and vertical balance sheets but is not sufficiently in depth to be of major use in the analysis of real world company financial statements or indeed to create ones own.

It would benefit greatly by expanding into the use of T-accounts, double entries and more thorough consideration of the horizontal balance sheet method.

That said it is saved from being a two star book by merit of a good chapter on the basics of investment appraisal and some excellent worked examples.

Overall rather dry and recommended only to those with no prior experience.

Not the most entertaining text-book...., 16 Feb 2000
This book is a good text book for the student who is new to Financial systems. As a non-specialist, I need all the help I can get! However, this book is a little dry and some of the explanations are not clear. Good for the basics, but very boring.

Prophetic economic analysis, 12 Nov 2008
Subsequent events have proven this book to be somewhat prophetic. Richard Duncan offers a very good, although somewhat dry, exposition of the international financial structures that emerged in the wake of the failure of the Bretton Woods system. The author is reasonably evenhanded in his assessment of these structures, noting that they made extremely rapid development possible, but at the great risk of economic crisis. In the wake of the subprime mortgage setbacks of 2007 and 2008, few well-informed people would argue with the author's indictment of excessive credit expansion. Still, many might argue with his conclusions, especially with his support of a global central bank and a global minimum wage. For those seeking a clear, informed exposition of the systemic vulnerabilities that culminated in the global credit crisis of 2008, getAbstract suggests this book as an excellent starting point.

compelling, enjoyable and brilliantly analysed, 22 Mar 2004
Every day we are barraged by so much raw data on GDP, borrowing, exchange rates and trade deficits etc. The 'facts' we see on business news TV and in learned economic journals are plentiful. Sadly, long lists of facts aren't particularly useful if, like most people, you don't know how to analyse them usefully. This book makes sense of the economic forces that underpin the dollar and the US stock market, putting today's precarious situation into historical perspective and explaining why the dollar must fall. Lucid explanations abound along with plenty of charts and recaps of all the important points exactly when you were about to let something slip from the front of your mind. Brilliant on the qualitative arguments but even more impressive on the quantitative stuff. This is a far more serious work than most of its competition like "Financial Reckoning Day" which I read on the same day. If you're into having your thoughts and opinions backed up with meaningful fact based analysis then this is the book for you.

Standard text book that has stood the test of time , 16 Nov 2008
This is a thorough introduction to accounting and this and the second volume have been standard textbooks for as long as I can remember. I used the earlier editions more than 25 years for my examinations.

A GODSEND!! Recommended!!!, 14 Apr 2005
I have just begun my first year studying Accounting and Finance at university and have found the subject of Financial Accounting extremely difficult. Thanks to this book I am finding my own learning and revision periods are much easier and I am now understanding concepts which I hadnt a clue about in lectures! Thank you to the authors! One tiny issue with the book is that sometimes the double entry questions and examples used are not complex enough for what is needed at my level. Apart from that I recommend this book highly!

GREAT BOOK!!!!, 01 Dec 2002
I have just started studying account this year. I was really, really scared about how the subject was going to be. As it was, I found the subject really hard, but on top of that our teacher was really bad as well! But thank God, that our school had prescribed this book for the Year 10s! It has really helped. This book contains detailed explanations, plus multiple choice questions and loads of activities review questions. The answers of activities are written at the end of each chapter respectively.

Also, answers of alternative review questions are written at the back of the book. For me, one termed has passed, and I have studied wholly out of the book, and scored high marks! Three cheers for Frnk Wood and Alan Spanster!!!

Good text for the average student, 26 Dec 2007
This book is well written and fairly easy to understand, so it is a rather useful text to help the university student through the exams.

Great for beginniers, 21 Nov 2008
Definitely recommend buying this book. I bought it recently for my Business course because my Accounting teacher recommend that we all buy it and she was RIGHT! Very straight forward, and easy to follow especially for someone who doesn't really know accounting very well but want to read a book that wouldnt give you strong accounting words.

A MUST for Business student who are doing Accountings as one of thier modules.

Great for a new accounting student., 08 May 2007
I purchased this book on the recommendation of a co-worker (fully qualified accountant) who used the third edition while at uni. She was spot on when she told me that it is a great help to those students who come from a non-accounting background. (i.e. no A levels in accounting).

The layout is easy to follow, great self tests along the way, case studies, real world relevent news articles and even an online site with further tests.



Brilliant from a Student at University, 13 Feb 2004
This book is easy to read yet engages the reader in financial accounting. This provides all essential information without overload and gives a firm understanding and grasp of all concepts. the book is colourful and easy to read.

simple, but often insufficient, 30 Apr 2003
The book has been chosen to be our coursebook and was a great help when I did the very basics of accounting. When it came to the second year however, the number of examples was insufficient to help students understand the topics. The explanations are good but sometimes too long. It's a good book to use as a core text but not enough to understand topics well.

simple, but often insufficient, 30 Apr 2003
The book has been chosen to be our coursebook and was a great help when I did the very basics of accounting. When it came to the second year however, the number of examples was insufficient to help students understand the topics. The explanations are good but sometimes too long. It's a good book to use as a core text but not enough to understand topics well.

Very Good, 03 Feb 2008
I disagree with the other reviews. It's title says it all. The book covered a four week segment of an on-line course I am doing. To me it covers all of the areas in an informative and understandable way. It is not intended to be a bookeepers bible therefore does not go into detail of "T" accounts. Combined with good teaching, research and discussion it will certainly enable non-accountants to get a grasp of the subjects of accounting and finance.

Brilliant for the purpose, 16 Sep 2007
Ignore everything everyone else has said about this book. The title says that the target audience are non-specialists and as a non-specialist this book gave me a fantastic introduction to accounting and finance. The authors live up perfectly to their task and give enough detail for a beginner like me to get a good grounding in accounting and finance. Their writing style is uncomplicated (very easy to follow). At the end of each section I felt that I have gained in understanding the subject. Other books which I will acquire afterwards will give more detail and be more in-depth. This book can be judged by its cover and I recommend it highly to non-specialists, especially beginners.

Poor Attempt, 23 May 2005
Would not recommend this book to non-specialists looking for an overview of Accounting & Finance. It is a tedious read and the examples are unclear, split across pages and jump from one stage to the next without proper explanation. Not a very helpful book at all.

Only the very basics, 03 Mar 2004
Having recently completed a six month accountancy course, with this book as the primary text I can only recommend it to those with no prior grounding in the subject and studying at a very basic level.

It provides the very basics required to compile cash flows, profit and loss accounts and vertical balance sheets but is not sufficiently in depth to be of major use in the analysis of real world company financial statements or indeed to create ones own.

It would benefit greatly by expanding into the use of T-accounts, double entries and more thorough consideration of the horizontal balance sheet method.

That said it is saved from being a two star book by merit of a good chapter on the basics of investment appraisal and some excellent worked examples.

Overall rather dry and recommended only to those with no prior experience.

Not the most entertaining text-book...., 16 Feb 2000
This book is a good text book for the student who is new to Financial systems. As a non-specialist, I need all the help I can get! However, this book is a little dry and some of the explanations are not clear. Good for the basics, but very boring.

Unleashing the power of Excel in Corporate Finance!!, 22 Sep 2007
In 2001, I was working for an investment bank in London where I was trying to come up with a consistent framework for my Excel models as applied to everyday corporate finance issues. My boss showed me this book he'd recently purchased in the High Street that set out a standardised methodology for developing models and unleashing the power of Excel. This book was Day's first edition and I had to have it but for some reason it slipped off my book purchase list. Try as I might, I was unable to find a copy these last six years (mainly because I'd forgotten the title & author!!).

Anyhow, I finally tracked the book down (completely by accident) together with its counterpart "Mastering Financial Mathematics" recently on a trip back to London. This book is great for those seeking to develop intuitive models that are likely to endure and serve the needs of the business. The corporate finance theory is kept (deliberately) a bare minimum as the focus is on structuring a consistent framework that maximises the presentational aspects of modelling and at the same time minimises the potential for errors. The model templates serve as a springboard for in-house customization and the techniques used are both simple and intuitive.

Although there may be superior Excel modelling books out there, I believe Day has truely laid out the stage for the common or accidental modelling analyst to deliver high impact corporate finance presentations using Excel.

Highly recommended!!

fred's being proved right, 01 Sep 2008
With UK house prices now crashing and many experts now foreseeing falls of up to 40% it looks like Fred Harrison is spot on with his predictions so far. He seems to be one of the few who have got the timing of the bubble bursting just right.

High on opinions, Low on substance - buy something else, 09 Mar 2008
hmmm. not an impressive read. The Author alleges to build a case to 'prove' his 18 year economic cycle theory. The 'proof' offered is poor and not convincing. I had hoped for much more than the repeated Mantra of the 18 year cycle, I get the feeling that if he states it enough as fact, then it must be true. Having recently read "The Black Swan" by Taleb, then 2010 was a real disappointment.

I suppose I should have submitted this review after reselling my copy on Amazon. oops.

My Very Own Crystal Ball, 26 Dec 2007
A very interesting read. I purchased this book in mid 2006 and so far everything that was predicted has come true. According to Harrison we are in for two tough years in the property market. 2008 and 2009 will see a downturn, however, come 2010 the market will once again turn. Currently I would love to move into a larger house but believe you me until January 2010 I'm staying put.

Scarily accurate so far, 17 Oct 2007
I read this book 6 months ago, and in the past few months have started to see signs that suggest the author is correct in his suppositions. An essential read for anyone considering buying a property in 2007-2008.

The coming depression - how low will he go ?, 21 Aug 2006
As a prominent proponent of the Land Value Tax it is intriguing to find that Fred Harrison comes down on the side of both private ownership and economic growth. For him the value of the land is essentially as a material resource and this distinction forms the basis of his thorough analysis of the housing market in the context of a modern capitalist economy. Alan Greenspan and Gordon Brown are criticised for their failure to acknowledge the effect of land speculation on modern predicitve methods. For all his detailed analysis of the cyclical trends of boom and bust he nevertheless maintains that economics is not an exact science.

Very Good, 03 Feb 2008
I disagree with the other reviews. It's title says it all. The book covered a four week segment of an on-line course I am doing. To me it covers all of the areas in an informative and understandable way. It is not intended to be a bookeepers bible therefore does not go into detail of "T" accounts. Combined with good teaching, research and discussion it will certainly enable non-accountants to get a grasp of the subjects of accounting and finance.

Brilliant for the purpose, 16 Sep 2007
Ignore everything everyone else has said about this book. The title says that the target audience are non-specialists and as a non-specialist this book gave me a fantastic introduction to accounting and finance. The authors live up perfectly to their task and give enough detail for a beginner like me to get a good grounding in accounting and finance. Their writing style is uncomplicated (very easy to follow). At the end of each section I felt that I have gained in understanding the subject. Other books which I will acquire afterwards will give more detail and be more in-depth. This book can be judged by its cover and I recommend it highly to non-specialists, especially beginners.

Poor Attempt, 23 May 2005
Would not recommend this book to non-specialists looking for an overview of Accounting & Finance. It is a tedious read and the examples are unclear, split across pages and jump from one stage to the next without proper explanation. Not a very helpful book at all.

Only the very basics, 03 Mar 2004
Having recently completed a six month accountancy course, with this book as the primary text I can only recommend it to those with no prior grounding in the subject and studying at a very basic level.

It provides the very basics required to compile cash flows, profit and loss accounts and vertical balance sheets but is not sufficiently in depth to be of major use in the analysis of real world company financial statements or indeed to create ones own.

It would benefit greatly by expanding into the use of T-accounts, double entries and more thorough consideration of the horizontal balance sheet method.

That said it is saved from being a two star book by merit of a good chapter on the basics of investment appraisal and some excellent worked examples.

Overall rather dry and recommended only to those with no prior experience.

Not the most entertaining text-book...., 16 Feb 2000
This book is a good text book for the student who is new to Financial systems. As a non-specialist, I need all the help I can get! However, this book is a little dry and some of the explanations are not clear. Good for the basics, but very boring.

Prophetic economic analysis, 12 Nov 2008
Subsequent events have proven this book to be somewhat prophetic. Richard Duncan offers a very good, although somewhat dry, exposition of the international financial structures that emerged in the wake of the failure of the Bretton Woods system. The author is reasonably evenhanded in his assessment of these structures, noting that they made extremely rapid development possible, but at the great risk of economic crisis. In the wake of the subprime mortgage setbacks of 2007 and 2008, few well-informed people would argue with the author's indictment of excessive credit expansion. Still, many might argue with his conclusions, especially with his support of a global central bank and a global minimum wage. For those seeking a clear, informed exposition of the systemic vulnerabilities that culminated in the global credit crisis of 2008, getAbstract suggests this book as an excellent starting point.

compelling, enjoyable and brilliantly analysed, 22 Mar 2004
Every day we are barraged by so much raw data on GDP, borrowing, exchange rates and trade deficits etc. The 'facts' we see on business news TV and in learned economic journals are plentiful. Sadly, long lists of facts aren't particularly useful if, like most people, you don't know how to analyse them usefully. This book makes sense of the economic forces that underpin the dollar and the US stock market, putting today's precarious situation into historical perspective and explaining why the dollar must fall. Lucid explanations abound along with plenty of charts and recaps of all the important points exactly when you were about to let something slip from the front of your mind. Brilliant on the qualitative arguments but even more impressive on the quantitative stuff. This is a far more serious work than most of its competition like "Financial Reckoning Day" which I read on the same day. If you're into having your thoughts and opinions backed up with meaningful fact based analysis then this is the book for you.

Excellent standard textbook , 16 Nov 2008
Frank Wood's Business Accounting volumes 1 and 2 have stood the test of time.

I used these books to help me with my early and intermediate examinations in financial accountancy more than 25 years ago.

Thorough and well explained with plenty of worked examples these textbooks have stood the test of time.

Standard text book that has stood the test of time , 16 Nov 2008
This is a thorough introduction to accounting and this and the second volume have been standard textbooks for as long as I can remember. I used the earlier editions more than 25 years for my examinations.

A GODSEND!! Recommended!!!, 14 Apr 2005
I have just begun my first year studying Accounting and Finance at university and have found the subject of Financial Accounting extremely difficult. Thanks to this book I am finding my own learning and revision periods are much easier and I am now understanding concepts which I hadnt a clue about in lectures! Thank you to the authors! One tiny issue with the book is that sometimes the double entry questions and examples used are not complex enough for what is needed at my level. Apart from that I recommend this book highly!

GREAT BOOK!!!!, 01 Dec 2002
I have just started studying account this year. I was really, really scared about how the subject was going to be. As it was, I found the subject really hard, but on top of that our teacher was really bad as well! But thank God, that our school had prescribed this book for the Year 10s! It has really helped. This book contains detailed explanations, plus multiple choice questions and loads of activities review questions. The answers of activities are written at the end of each chapter respectively.

Also, answers of alternative review questions are written at the back of the book. For me, one termed has passed, and I have studied wholly out of the book, and scored high marks! Three cheers for Frnk Wood and Alan Spanster!!!

Good text for the average student, 26 Dec 2007
This book is well written and fairly easy to understand, so it is a rather useful text to help the university student through the exams.

Great for beginniers, 21 Nov 2008
Definitely recommend buying this book. I bought it recently for my Business course because my Accounting teacher recommend that we all buy it and she was RIGHT! Very straight forward, and easy to follow especially for someone who doesn't really know accounting very well but want to read a book that wouldnt give you strong accounting words.

A MUST for Business student who are doing Accountings as one of thier modules.

Great for a new accounting student., 08 May 2007
I purchased this book on the recommendation of a co-worker (fully qualified accountant) who used the third edition while at uni. She was spot on when she told me that it is a great help to those students who come from a non-accounting background. (i.e. no A levels in accounting).

The layout is easy to follow, great self tests along the way, case studies, real world relevent news articles and even an online site with further tests.



Brilliant from a Student at University, 13 Feb 2004
This book is easy to read yet engages the reader in financial accounting. This provides all essential information without overload and gives a firm understanding and grasp of all concepts. the book is colourful and easy to read.

simple, but often insufficient, 30 Apr 2003
The book has been chosen to be our coursebook and was a great help when I did the very basics of accounting. When it came to the second year however, the number of examples was insufficient to help students understand th