The Portable MBA in Finance and Accounting (ISBN 0471061859)

I liked it:
I liked the way the book didn't get bogged down in too much math. The capital budgeting chapters were clear, much more to the point than the textbooks I tried to read.

Ok for what it is..:
I think if you are using this book as the sole basis for "pre-studying" for an MBA program, you are going to be pretty shocked in a descent biz grad school program. It isn't a bad book, but as one other commenter mentioned it uses pretty broad strokes on theory without explaining the underlying detail (i.e. practical formulas, analysis, in depth case studies). So it is sort of half way between a real text book and one of the typical broad stroke popular business books. After reading it, get a reading list for an MBA managerial finance course, go to your university bookstore and have a little read - I think you will see the difference in audience and expectations. To be more effective it really needs an accompanying workbook and CD with questions and answers based on the content - aimed at a graduate level. Expectations regarding analysis are generally pretty high in most MBA programs and understanding the level of analysis you should be capable of providing (fairly rapidly) to case studies/problems is important. Not a bad book for a refresher if you already have done a number of business courses. Especially if you have texts still that fill in the blanks. I rate it...ok.

Balanced and packed:
This book has what you will need in a portable MBA. It is selective, has scope and completeness and is fast paced. You will need to be very focused to read it but that is only expected.

A good overview of key concepts:
As an undergraduate, I studied political science; as a graduate student, I studied history (among other things) - however, few if any of my classes ever dealt with the actual mechanics of business, despite dealing with business in a more general sense (as it would fit in the context of history and politics). I decided that it was important to learn some of the basic concepts of business administration, and the Portable MBA series by John Wiley & Sons publishers fit the bill. This book on finance and accounting is a tricky read at times - it tries to present what is in essence a numerical enterprise in language that a liberal arts graduate would understand, with a minimum of mathematics. Despite my liberal arts background, I am actually also well trained in math, so I found this occasionally frustrating. However, I can see the purpose in it. The first section deals with understanding such basics as financial statements, cost-profit-volume analysis, activity-based costing, budgetary issues, and how computers work (generally speaking) in the area of accounting and finance. The second section looks at planning and forecasting - this is a real help in understanding the financial pages of the newspaper, and also provides some insight for understanding what the government statistics that are released on financial and budgetary matters mean. The third section looks at issues of finance more narrowly, at things such as mergers and acquisitions (sometimes big in the news), public offerings of stock, just what a board of governors/directors does, and what bankruptcy means (how can major corporations go bankrupt and still be flying, for example?). The authors who contributed to this volume have both academic and professional experience, and tend to do a good job at explaining things in terms that the non-professional can understanding. Anyone with a basic undergraduate background should find this volume accessible. However, accounting is a world of its own, and takes some effort to understand, so I will not make the assertion that this book is an easy one to read. While I am far from being able to help anyone with their accounting homework, I am pleased that I am able to understand the terminology and concepts as accounting instructors at my college discuss their lesson plans and instructional issues. This book is in large part responsible for that.

Want a simple starting point before your MBA experience begins?:
Business Basics Bestseller 1: The Easy, Interesting, Open-book Look at the Game of Business Numbers! 2nd Edition I have an MBA, so I can look at this from two angles - before and after. When you start MBA school you will quickly find yourself in the many trees of the forest of accounting and finance class without the benefit of having a view of the forest. This is no fun, let me assure you. I sat beside many a fellow student who groaned and strained through accounting 101 (many MBA's are not business majors first). I wish I had the book I am recommending before I ever set foot in class. "Business Basics Bestseller 1" introduces you to the basics of business including the jargon behind the numbers and where all the formulas come from before you plow into a true "finance and accounting text." Search for "Business Basics Bestseller 1" and add it to your consideration. If you have never had this stuff 'splained' to you before, you will like it. This is not a suggestion that you substitute it for this text, just that you check it out as well. It's a tad bit more expensive than other paperback F & A books, but the ROI is great because of the time it saves in learning. When you finish your MBA, line up all your books beside this one and see which one you really liked -- it'll be BBB #1.