Trade Like 'The Turtles'

When publisher McGraw-Hill called last year to ask if I was interested in writing a book on my experience as a member of the legendary trading group later known as "The Turtles," I was a bit surprised, but pleased.

It had been more than two decades since I was among 23 people chosen by two trading geniuses, Richard Dennis and William Eckhardt, to help settle a bet: Are great traders born or groomed? We applied to newspaper advertisements from all walks of life, were chosen after interviews and trained. And we went on to great success -- over the course of four-and-a-half years, the Turtles earned an average rate of return of more than 80% a year.

Way of the Turtle is my story about that time, but it is not a comprehensive account. I was only 19 when I started, and I hope one of the other Turtles who was more in tune with the social interaction of the group can write that story. Instead, my book is about what I learned as a Turtle. I thought about what I could say that would be new, interesting, and innovative. ...