The First Trading Manual

I read The First Trading Manual by Tom Hougaard in just a couple of days. Lately, I’ve been diving into high-frequency trading and exploring algorithmic trading, and this book provides the essential knowledge needed to start trading these instruments. While much of the content was familiar to me, I found it valuable as a practical guide—helping to connect the dots, reinforce key principles, and, most importantly, remind me of what to do and why.

If you’re looking for an introduction to trading Forex or CFD instruments, this book serves as a solid starting point. It offers the bare minimum foundation upon which you can build and explore more advanced topics. I was already familiar with some candlestick patterns, but I had never successfully applied them in trading. This book, alongside Bulkowski’s Chart Patterns , has significantly impacted my trading approach, and I’ve already noticed improvements in my results.

While it may not be the most comprehensive trading book, The First Trading Manual does exactly what the title suggests—it provides a structured, no-nonsense introduction to trading, making it a great reference for beginners and a useful refresher for those refining their strategies.