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September 09, 2002 at 08:00 PM
If you want better understanding of the technology you’ll be using soon, and perhaps the kind of tech company stocks that will be leaders in the years to come, read these books. After all, while the idea of reading up on the technology field may seem daunting, the truth is that it can be fun, too.
For instance, what’s the first known instance of a commercially viable use of nanotechnology? For that matter, what is nanotechnology? The answers to these and other fascinating questions can be found in The Investor’s Guide to Nanotechnology & Micromachines, by Glenn Fishbine (Wiley, 2002). In this thoroughly entertaining and educational book, Fishbine not only deals with the realities of defining opportunities for investing in nanotechnology, he explains what it is, gives a brief history of various facets of the field, and explores several applications in which commercial opportunities may be found. Whether he’s discussing imaging systems, control systems, or the real nitty-gritty of quantum mechanics (quoting the famous Schroedinger: “I don’t like it, and I’m sorry I ever had anything to do with it” or Richard Feynmann, a “significant contributor to the theory”: “I think that I can safely say that nobody understands quantum mechanics”), Fishbine does so with humor, understanding, and a style of explanation that neither intimidates nor obfuscates.
The first part of the book offers ways of sniffing out investing opportunities in the field of nanotechnologyaeone of the best ways is to check on what’s being done at colleges, universities, and government agenciesae and to an explanation of how the research and investing system works. While you might think that this section is the main area of interest to investors, you’d be much in error to skip the rest of the book, with its discussions on the development of all sorts of technological advances and how these relate to or segue into modern technologies. Fishbine shines throughout the book, and you’ll find yourself reluctant to put it down.
