He grew up in the Soviet Union when it was an "evil empire".
He hated the Soviet system and wanted to get out, but emigration was forbidden. He was brave and bright and was willing to take the greatest risk of his life.
He had entered college at sixteen, graduated from the medical school at 22 and took a job as a ship's doctor.
When the Soviet ship landed at Abidjan, Ivory Coast, he jumped the ship.
He ran to go to the US Embassy through the clogged dusty streets, hotly chased by his ex-crew mates and guards armed with machine guns.
He managed to get inside the safe havens of the US Embassy gates.
The CIA whisked him away, put him in a "safe house" and then on a plane to New York.
He landed at Kennedy Airport in February 1974, arriving from Africa with just the clothes on his back and $25 in hs pocket.
He spoke some English but did not know a soul in the USA.
He later got a position as a psychiatrist in St Luke's hospital and then established his own practice.
He also started trading in Stocks and options.
Psychiatry gave him insight into trading.
He learned by trial and error and became very very successful as a trader, trainer and a speaker at international trading conferences.
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No, I am not writing a James Bond type spy novel ( though it would make a great novel and movie) This is the real life story of Dr. Alexander Elder.
I was lucky to meet the good doctor a few years ago at New York Trading Expo, where he is a regular speaker.
He is a very nice person to meet, simple, down to earth.
I have an old dog - eared much used copy of his famous book "Trading for a Living"
He explains trading in a very simple manner without confusing people with arcane terms. He tells of his own story of how he failed so many times at trading and how again and again he picked himself up, learned what was wrong with his trading and improved himself.
This book explains about technical indicators and the trading systems he had developed. But the most important thing I learnt from this book is about risk control, money management and trading psychology.
Do read this book by getting it from your library or browsing from Barnes and Noble when you get a chance. You will LOVE it !!
It is a TRADING CLASSIC.
If you like to vist his site, it is located at http://www.elder.com
Note:
I and DreamTai.com inc. are not affliated nor have any finacial arrangement with Dr. Elder or his company.
Dr. Elder is a person I am inspired by and for whom I have great respect.
