Option trading and day trading for beginners. ?

I'm 16 and looking to learn about day trading and option trading. I'm looking for a book that goes through the basics of day trading and option trading and gives me the base knowledge to begin trading and would provide a jumping off point so to speak by providing basic knowledge which would enable me to understand more advanced methods of day trading.

Can anyone recommend me a book, or more than one books that I should begin with? Much appreciated! Also if there are any professional day traders here that I could get in contact with to ask some questions about day trading or purpose get some short tips and lessons. If you have time for this feel free to email me at JacksonAK92@hotmail.com

Thanks again.
Please for the love of god don't recommend "day trading for kids" or anything like that. I'm young but I'm not stupid and I don't think such books would be helpful to me.

Public Comments

1. As for books about options I'd suggest two and suggest that you read them in the order mentioned.

First, start with "Options as a Strategic Investment". It will cover the basics of options, uses, option spreads and combinations and it covers options on individual equities as well as indexes.

Second, "Option Volatility and Pricing" by Sheldon Natenberg is the bible for beginning proprietary option traders. It will give you the depth of information necessary to be a serious trader.

Good luck.

2. If you have wishes to lose huge amounts of money go for it. I day trade every now and then and I used to with ptions. Not anymore though. There's juat too much premium priced in the options now with the vix being so high.

3. You said -
"Please for the love of god don't recommend "day trading for kids" or anything like that. I'm young but I'm not stupid and I don't think such books would be helpful to me."

Well the first thing you have to get past is your resistance to learning. I can learn from almost anything, even if it is just a review of fundamentals and one new nugget. Asking for help and then telling people how to help you and what you will not read seems to me like you would be a difficult student. The best traders don't let their preconcieved notions interfere with their trading or learning. Trading is counter-intuitive.

FWIW, I use options a bit, but they do not suit my personality as a short term trading vehicle. I prefer simple directional trades. Stocks are okay, but you need some significant capital to make money and shorting can be a problem. Forex has its own issues. I mostly trade futures on a daily basis.

4. This is the worst time to even think about messing about with the stock markets.

Professional stock brokers are losing a fortune what makes you think you can out perform them.

Reading books alone is not enough you need experience and a constant source of up to date information in order to make the right decisions.

Good luck!

5. You won't find a book "day trading for kids" because you must be at least 18 or older to open a brokerage account.

To tell you the truth if all you know is stock market basics you would wish they had a book called "Day & Option Trading for Kids."

Read "The characteristics and risks of standardized options" should be free.

6. The Compleat Guide To Day Trading Stocks
Written by Jake Bernstein

The Day Trader's Survival Guide
Written by Christopher A. Farrell

Good websites:

www.optiontradingpedia.com
www.sec.gov/answers/options.htm
www.optionseducation.org
www.optionetics.com

7. The beginners' book I have seen recommended most is in the bibliography I gave you earlier:

Thomsett, Michael C.: Getting Started In Options, New York, New York, John Wiley & Sons, 1993. Very good, very basic treatment of options.

http://www.cboe.com/Institutional/Bibliography.aspx

I have also seen good reviews for "Options Made Easy" by Guy Cohen. I have not read the book, but I have glanced through it and it seemed reasonable from what I saw.

One other book I will recommend is "The Rookie's Guide to Options: The Beginner's Handbook of Trading Equity Options" by Mark Wolfinger.

http://www.mdwoptions.com/RookiesGuide.html

Although I have not read it, I can recommend the book based upon the posts the author has made on the message board at

http://messages.yahoo.com/Business_%26_Finance/Investments/forumview?bn=4686677

as "dagnyt". Since he responds to questions that means if you had any questions about the book you could ask him directly on that board.

I don't know enough about books on daytrading to give an intelligent response to that part of your question.