Rating: - Encyclopedia of Chart Patterns
I have searched for quite some time for a definitive text on the subject of charting...most of the books show general patterns that are bland regarding your ability to translate the chart pattern into trading profits...And here is the distinctive difference with Thomas Bulkowski' book...he has well researched statistical behavorial patterns and expectations for these charts...so not only are they described...but their behavior patterns are tracked giving great insight on what to anticipate for future stock pattern trading performance...I recomend this book...

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Rating: - Regarding inaccurate statistics
I don't even know Mr. Bulkowski, but I felt compelled to write this review. One particular reviewer points out a few apparent discrepancies in this 672 page volume of research. It does not matter whether you are an author or have been published in trading-related magazines.

The reviewer sarcastically poses that since the "rectangle bottom" stats on page 659 portray a zero faulure rate, that traders can get rich and never lose money!

If you truly read the entire text, including Mr. Bulkowski's opening remarks that define his fresh statistical-analysis approach, then everything falls into place.

Furthermore, the author addresses the "zero loss stat" for the rectangle formation on pages 440 and 444. He states that the "sample size" was small for this pattern and said: "Let me emphasize that because I did not find any failures of rectangle patterns with upside breakouts does not mean there are none."

This is a good and comprehensive book with a very fresh statistical approach for analyzing classic (and newer) bar chart formations. There is a wealth of information addressing each of the many patterns. It is offered up to the reader as copious amounts of quantified data that any trader/investor can draw from to incorporate into his or her own trading.

I too am an author, and I trade stocks full-time for a living. This book is a great resource and fits in the top 15 T.A. books of which I own roughly 300.

Yeah, he called a "dogi" a "hanging man." To me that doesn't detract from the other 671 pages.

Buy it, read it and use it!

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Rating: - Statistics are not accurate in my opinion
I am an author on TA. I have articles published by Technical Analysis of Stocks and Commodites. Mr. Bulkowski on page 659 says that Rectangle Bottoms, up breakout failure rate is zero!!! Now here is a formation you can't go wrong with, right!? Just trade this formation and you will never lose money! He also states that Rectangles, Wedges, Triangles, Double Bottoms, Broadening formations and so forth have a failure rate of 2%!! Excellant!! We are all going to get rich trading these formation! In chapter 17, page 252, he calls Dogi a Hanging Man! Don't you think he ought to know the difference!! Judge for yourself.

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Rating: - A must have for every traders.
Great! I have used it to trade stocks in Hong Kong and make profit by identifing any chart patterns. Although the book is too wordy, the patterns identification rlue is helpful.

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Rating: - Good but need revision
Technically, this is a very useful book in that it presents hard to find statistics on the patterns like the price expectation, failure rate, very detailed. For example, the author even included a statistic on the volume behavior for the 'head and shoulder' pattern, which is very helpful. -You may not find those facts in any other book. The approach the author took is certainly a step forward towards 'scientific' technical analysis.

However, the presentation is poor and too wordy which makes it uneasy to follow, especially when you compare it with the classics like John Murphy ans Steve Nison's. There are too many uneccary words and most of the 'trading examples' are nothing more than stories (it is also not clear if those stories are fabricated or real). They do not contribute to the technical merit of the book but occupy a considerable portion of the book.

I'll keep it but do expect a revised version.