Book Endorsers for the new Permanent Portfolio book.

[craigr]

The book is being finalized by the publisher for release the first week of October. Part of this process for us now is to find relevant people to read the manuscript and offer endorsements or at least favorable quotes to be used to market the book. MediumTex and I have been brainstorming on ideas but would also like to engage your help because we appreciate the wisdom of the forum.  

Here is your chance to help us find people that can review the manuscript and say something about the book that could be used in the description or even jacket cover. In general:

1) It needs to be a recognizable name that could add credibility to the book.
2) It can be a media personality, podcaster, news columnist, etc. Anyone you think would be interested in this material and could add value in helping us promote it.
3) Even if you think it's a long-shot, don't be bashful about recommending it. Also don't be bashful offering names of people that are outside of the mainstream financial press/authorship realms. Diversity of opinion is a good thing.
4) Please don't debate the merits of endorsers here. I know people have opinions on this and I'll start a separate thread (http://gyroscopicinvesting.com/forum/ht ... ic.php?t=1). Just understand that this is something the publisher desires so please keep this particular thread focused on this.

If you do not want to post any names publicly, please PM me with your ideas.

Any and all ideas are appreciated! Thanks!

[KevinW]

Brainstorm:

William Bernstein
Paul Boyer
Pamela Browne
Terry Coxon
Ron Paul
Thomas Sowell
John Stossel

[Gumby]

Richard Russell was a good friend of Harry Browne and he had great respect for the Permanent Portfolio from what I understand. I believe Mark Hulbert has shown appreciation for PRPFX and Harry Browne in the past as well.

[smurff]

Since we're brainstorming (with no forum criticism), here's my list:

My favorite nominee is Richard Maybury ("The Early Warning Report," the one who coined 'Chaostan') recommends the PP as his primary portfolio to his newsletter readers, which are international.  In addition to his newsletter, he also is a speaker.

Marc Faber,
Jesse Ventura,
Art Cashin,
Gerald Celente,
Eric Sprott,
Peter Schiff,
Thomas Stanley ("The Millionnaire Next Door"),
Alexandra Penney ("The Bag Lady Papers"--lost all her money to Madoff)
Rick Rule,
Jim Sinclair,
Jim Rickards,
Ron Paul,
Rick Santelli,
Gail Vaz-Oxlade ("Princess," "Till Debt do Us Part"),
Muriel "Mickie" Siebert,
Peter Lynch.

A positive endorsement from Harry Browne's widow (Pamela Lanier Wolf Browne) or daughter (Autumn Lee Browne) helps with continuity.

For big names, consider Suze Orman, Jim Cramer, Warren Buffett, Carlos Slim, Mohamed El-Erian.  Even if they don't agree 100% (you may be surprised, however) they may endorse the book.  You only need a couple of words ("A masterpiece!").

[MachineGhost]

I would avoid those endorsers that have a reputation for being perma-bears or doom porners.  Endorserments set a "flavor" for a book.

[rhymenocerous]

I'm thinking purely from a marketing perspective, but maybe John Bogle.  Also perhaps people who write opinion pieces for newspapers that see a lot of traffic like NYT, WSJ or FT (although I only really know David Brooks and Paul Krugman).  I think that on occasion they might devote an entire piece to reviewing a book.  I like Ron Paul as well, and I'm pretty sure he knew Harry Browne (http://www.lewrockwell.com/paul/paul313.html).

[clacy]

Mebane Faber has talked about the PP a fair amount.  He is young and somewhat flashy.

Kyle Bass might be another option.  

[Khisanth]

John/Jack Bogle?

[clacy]

Surely Julian Rubinstein from American Asset Management would review it for you.  He is not well know obviously, but he's an RIA and PP advocate.

[craigr]

Great input everyone. Keep them coming!

[HB Reader]

Maybe:

Richard Band (fairly mainstream)
Doug Casey
Michael Cuggino

[smurff]

David Einhorn,
Bill Gross,
Mellody Hobson,
Dave Ramsey,
Ramit Sethi,
Clark Howard,
David Bach,
Oprah Winfrey,
Tim Ferriss ("The Four Hour Workweek"),
Chris Christie,
Farnoosh Torabi,
The Dalai Lama,
Sharon Epperson,
Jean Chatzky,
Jane Bryant Quinn

[smurff]

Just brainstorming.

[MediumTex]

Just brainstorming.

I was talking with Craig yesterday and I mentioned Wayne Newton.

Seriously, though, there are some great suggestions above.

Does anyone know of a local personal finance AM radio show host who might be interested in doing a segment about the book and strategy?  Sort of like a farm league Dave Ramsey-type.

[craigr]

Just brainstorming.

I was talking with Craig yesterday and I mentioned Wayne Newton.

Seriously, though, there are some great suggestions above.

Does anyone know of a local personal finance AM radio show host who might be interested in doing a segment about the book and strategy?  Sort of like a farm league Dave Ramsey-type.

In the same vein, any podcasters you like that discuss investing/finance topics!

[Bean]

Neal Boortz

[smurff]

I was talking with Craig yesterday and I mentioned Wayne Newton.

Mr. Las Vegas has an estimated net worth these days of about $100 million (despite a 1992 bankruptcy).

Magic Johnson,
Michael Jordan,
Shaquille O'Neall.

[Ad Orientem]

Well this just sucks. I had a long list of names all but two of which have already been thrown out by all these very smart people who posted before me. My remaining two are...

Jim Grant
Larry Kudlow

I agree with an earlier poster that you want to avoid people with a reputation for fringe views or permabears. That said people with known libertarian sympathies (many of whose names are already listed) are a good idea. Hardcore gold bears should likely be avoided. For publicity I would send copies of the book to everyone you can think of at CNBC, Bloomberg, The WSJ, Barrons, The Financial Times, and FOX Business. You might give Dave Ramsey a shot too.

One other name that is a long shot, but you might try Jim Cramer. His modus operandi is pretty different from the PP but I recall he wrote a very favorable review for one of Jack Bogle's books that advocated indexing.

[clacy]

Dave Ramsey is a big time anti-gold guy.  He advocates 100% growth stock mutual funds from what I can tell and touts a 12% annual return, which is clearly easier said than done.

[Ad Orientem]

Dave Ramsey is a big time anti-gold guy.  He advocates 100% growth stock mutual funds from what I can tell and touts a 12% annual return, which is clearly easier said than done.

I did not know he was so anti-gold. I did know that he had some rather pie in the sky investment ideas. My main attraction is his anti-debt stand which I am largely in agreement with. But yes, I'd scratch his name.

[clacy]

Dave Ramsey is a big time anti-gold guy.  He advocates 100% growth stock mutual funds from what I can tell and touts a 12% annual return, which is clearly easier said than done.

I did not know he was so anti-gold. I did know that he had some rather pie in the sky investment ideas. My main attraction is his anti-debt stand which I am largely in agreement with. But yes, I'd scratch his name.

It's funny how polarizing gold is.  You have a small handful of investors that are huge gold-bugs and are completely certain that massive hyper-inflation is happening as we speak.  Then you have 80% of the mainstreamers that are anti-gold or at least have no clue that it can be productive. 

[moda0306]

Dave Ramsey is a big time anti-gold guy.  He advocates 100% growth stock mutual funds from what I can tell and touts a 12% annual return, which is clearly easier said than done.

I did not know he was so anti-gold. I did know that he had some rather pie in the sky investment ideas. My main attraction is his anti-debt stand which I am largely in agreement with. But yes, I'd scratch his name.

It's funny how polarizing gold is.  You have a small handful of investors that are huge gold-bugs and are completely certain that massive hyper-inflation is happening as we speak.  Then you have 80% of the mainstreamers that are anti-gold or at least have no clue that it can be productive. 

^That... it's really depressing. 

[MediumTex]

Dave Ramsey is a big time anti-gold guy.  He advocates 100% growth stock mutual funds from what I can tell and touts a 12% annual return, which is clearly easier said than done.

I did not know he was so anti-gold. I did know that he had some rather pie in the sky investment ideas. My main attraction is his anti-debt stand which I am largely in agreement with. But yes, I'd scratch his name.

Thanks for passing that along.  I was also thinking that Dave Ramsey might be good for the short list.

It's funny how many people are so knee-jerk anti-gold.  If you don't understand how it can work in a diversified portfolio, though, I can see how you might be very skeptical of it ("sceptical" if you're British).

[clacy]

Dave Ramsey is a big time anti-gold guy.  He advocates 100% growth stock mutual funds from what I can tell and touts a 12% annual return, which is clearly easier said than done.

I did not know he was so anti-gold. I did know that he had some rather pie in the sky investment ideas. My main attraction is his anti-debt stand which I am largely in agreement with. But yes, I'd scratch his name.

Thanks for passing that along.  I was also thinking that Dave Ramsey might be good for the short list.

It's funny how many people are so knee-jerk anti-gold.  If you don't understand how it can work in a diversified portfolio, though, I can see how you might be very skeptical of it ("sceptical" if you're British).

Yes, I've heard him bag on gold multiple times, usually in response to questions from callers.  His view is actually very similar to what I thought of gold (an overpriced piece of metal, that theoretically should have no significant value).  Until I viewed it as a store of wealth that is used to keep fiat currencies honest, I felt similar.

I really think 90% of the issue is that most people have not really looked in depth at gold.  The uses of gold, central bank's stores of gold, historical records of fiat currencies, etc.

Many people just think "if it ever gets so bad that gold is used as a currency", guns, ammo and bottled water will be far more important.  Which completely leaves out the in between area, where gold fluctuates up and down depending on real interest rates, currencies, etc.

My opinion on gold now, is it's simply a tool that can be used to whether certain economic conditions that are inevitable with fiat currencies. I try not to love it or hate it.

[clacy]

For the record, I am a big Dave Ramsey fan.  I think he's largely useful for the masses who are completely economically clueless and in debt up to their eyeballs.