Review of How I Found Buddha On The Trading Floor

[Patty Allread]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "How I Found Buddha On The Trading Floor" by Rob Kovell.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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When I think of Buddhism, I think of quiet meditation and chanting in a temple, a monastery, or before a shrine. But, as in any religion, prayer and contemplation are not all that comprise its practice. What about the practical application of vital religious teachings that guide one through daily life?

In his book, How I Found Buddha on the Trading Floor, Rob Kovell shows us how he applied Buddhist principles within a setting that is anything but quiet or serene. Kovell writes about how his practice of Buddhism helped him thrive and succeed as an options trader and a market maker on the floor of the Pacific Stock Exchange. He tells the story of how he began his profession, achieved tremendous success, and dealt with the intense pressure and the stress of his work.

In Part I, Kovell introduces the Buddhist creation story of how Siddhartha Gautama began his noble path to enlightenment. Then he tells us about his own path growing up in Sacramento, California, attending U.C. Davis, and eventually moving to San Fransisco to pursue his career. In Part II, Kovell takes us through the core teachings of Buddhism, known as the noble truths and the noble eightfold path. Each chapter begins with a quote from Buddhist teaching, followed by stories from Kovell's life as a market maker in the stock exchange.

There were unique aspects of this book that I liked a lot. Kovell was very intentional when he chose stories for his book. There was no run-on "story of my life" stream of thought. Instead, he described incidents that moved his story along and demonstrated essential points. One such story was when young Rob was in grade school at St. Michaels, and he announced to his parents and Father Paul that he didn't want to attend morning chapel because he doubted the Bible stories and didn't believe in "H-E-double toothpicks anymore." Another is the story of floor broker Tim and how the typically aggressive banter and hot-tempered vitriol on the trading floor got out of hand but led Kovell to understand the precept, "wise speech," better.

The fast-paced action of options trading is a big part of this book, and Kovell explains the terminology and the processes well. It's good that he did because he uses these trade floor stories to demonstrate how he applied Buddhist teachings. The teachings are subtle but influential. But if you don't understand the not-so-subtle activity of high-risk decisions around market making and the ups and downs of the stock market, you could be distracted, and the point could be lost. I began this book knowing only a little about the stock market, but I was able to grasp the basic activities of trading.

Another unique aspect of this book is the author's style. First of all, Kovell's writing is sincere and genuine. I thought he probably writes the way he speaks; he is unpretentious. Second, Kovell's approach to the subject matter is gentle and invites curiosity. He shares the precepts of his religious beliefs and demonstrates his way of practicing them without proselytizing.

I had two slight disappointments. One was that Kovell doesn't tell us how he became a Buddhist. He mentions his college football coach was a Buddhist, but the rest is left unsaid. Another disappointment was that all but one of the quotes at the beginning of each chapter were unreferenced. I supposed they were from Buddhist teachings, and I wished Kovell had referenced them so I could find them and read further.

I gave the book three out of four stars. I did not deduct a star because of the minor disappointments I mentioned. I did, however, remove a star because there were too many errors, primarily typographical. Another round of proofreading would remedy this, and the book would deserve all four stars. Kovell expresses keen insight into the living, ever-evolving path of Buddhist practice, making this a fascinating book.

I recommend How I Found Buddha on the Trading Floor to readers interested in the practical application of Buddhist teachings or who have a general interest in Eastern religion. I also recommend the book to those interested in the stock market.

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How I Found Buddha On The Trading Floor
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[Francis Omotayo Aderogbin]

This book seems like a genuine account of how religions can improve our spirituality. The author uses the principles he learnt as a Buddhist to make his environment and people in his life better. I love his opinion as he become intentional about his religion.

[Sumto Nii]

I believe every religion has good intentions for humanity. People would rather hypocritically pursue doctrines and neglect the practices that advocates for the good of humanity. I love the fact that the author saw beyond just religious rituals.

[Odala J Phiri]

Recently, I read a book explaining Buddhism. It did not include more practical experiences. I hope this book will advance my knowledge on Buddhism.