The McGraw-Hill 36-Hour Course in Finance for Nonfinancial Managers (book)

This book starts teaching before chapter one even gets under way by setting the expectation that you really can learn (and better, apply) finance no matter what you're trying to do.

The sample situation that follows all the way through the book really helps focus on the concepts being taught. Some of the examples are humorous and some make you want to share what you're reading with a loved one.

I bought this book because I'm just starting to deal with the budget aspects of network management, and needed to figure out how to lay out what I want to do technically to non-technical folks who have the company checkbook. I already know what I want to do, how much it will cost - demonstrating benefits and describing it in language the "C" team - CEO, CFO - speaks really helps.

One of the best discoveries for me while reading this book is that in addition to helping me achieve the goal above, I found the concepts are applicable to budgeting for the home as well.

It's definitely worth a read!

I'd definately recommend this book to anyone who feels phased by finance. Either as a refresher course to revamp finance skills long gone or for newcomers to the subject. The material is very relevant and extremely readable which makes an otherwise droll subject quite lively and interesting. I would have given this book 5 stars but being the pedantic reader that I am, I discovered that some of the calculations were actually inaccurate and, even worse, the answers to the review questions were wrong too. This doesn't help when you're not a natural number cruncher and need solid accuracy to assist in the learning process. Needless to say, its still a fundamentally good book and I know I'll be referring to it over again to make sure the basic concepts stick.

OK. You're reading about this book because some brilliant mind at your company decided you should head up the financial decision-making department of your company. Never mind that you majored in Italian and never studied finance! Or, you are new to business and want to start your own company, and you know you need to know a bit about bookkeeping and financial management. Congratulations! You've found the right book.

"The McGraw-Hill 36-Hour Course In Finance For Nonfinancial Managers" is a great little book. Every small business owner who hasn't formally studied finance should read it.

Robert A. Cooke covers it all-- sales, cost of sales, expenses, buying, leasing or doing without, the balance sheet and income statement, and much more. This is not a bookkeeping text per se. "The McGraw-Hill 36-Hour Course In Finance For Nonfinancial Managers" teaches finance which is a broader topic. A strategic topic needed for successful growth of a company.

Unlike many introductory small business books, "The McGraw-Hill 36-Hour Course In Finance For Nonfinancial Managers" does a really good job discussing budgeting and long-range planning. Using the numbers to plan rather than just recording them for the sake of tax-reporting purposes is what finance and financial decision-making is all about.

Further, Cooke makes financial business planning, which is considered by many to be a boring topic, rather fun to read. He follows the new fictional start-up company, The Spouse House Company. The company makes little sheds, Spouse Houses, for spouses who are in the dog house and who need a little shed in the backyard to hang out in until trouble blows over and domestic tranquility is restored.

The book ends with a short self-test you can take to see if you have retained the information covered in the book. But, hey, this is real life and not school. You don't have to take the short little test if you don't want to. Nor do you have to work out the short review questions. But, I'd recommend you do.

"The McGraw-Hill 36-Hour Course In Finance For Nonfinancial Managers" is not only very readable, but reads quickly at only about 270 pages. That means you will be able to read it twice.

In addition to "The McGraw-Hill 36-Hour Course In Finance For Nonfinancial Managers," if you are starting your own business, you should also pick up a copy of "Small Time Operator," which covers taxation dates and issues, and a copy of my own "Thinking Like An Entrepreneur." These three books will give you a strong tripod base upon which to build your small business and entrepreneurial finance knowledge.

Peter Hupalo, Author of "Thinking Like An Entrepreneur."

Robert Cooke use humor throughout the book to help nonfinancial manager understand financial reports. The use of the Spouse House Firm throughout the book allows you to see the develop of financial reports as they apply to a small growing firm. Robert writes as he is right in front of you talking to someone he has known for a long time. He uses humor to help you understand the difficult concepts of the book. If you are looking to learn financial statements or just refresh your skills this is the book I recommend.