Morningstar Mercredi was born and lived in the north – Fort Chipewayan and Fort McMurray in Alberta, Uranium City in Saskatchewan, and a number of small communities. Sexually abused from an early age, by family members and the boyfriends she turned to for consolation, she was promiscuous, alcoholic and a drug user by the time she was thirteen. She married when she was sixteen and had a son two years later. Everything was a struggle. Days and weeks of sobriety were followed by weeks and months of drinking and self-­abuse. Then, when her son was four, things began to change. Morningstar found support, from the community, from her son, and from within herself, to be a good mother, find employment, keep relationships and reconnect with her family. Today, she is a strong and creative member of her community, and eager to tell her story of defeat and ultimate ­triumph. Sadly, the first part of this story is all too common, while the second is all too rare. But Morningstar is a shining example that it can be done. She is honest and ­self-­critical in her descriptions of many attempts and repeated failures. She gives enormous credit to her son, for his constant love, his determination to be honest with her, and his unfailing confidence in her ability to ­succeed.

Praise for Morningstar Guide to Mutual Funds "Picking actively managed mutual funds is no mean challenge. And as the recent era underscores, past performance is of little help. The Morningstar Guide to Mutual Funds helps cut through the fog with a solid volume of constructive advice. The central message-'truly diversify, keep it simple, focus on costs, and stick with it'-is not only timeless, it is priceless." -John C. Bogle, founder and former CEO, The Vanguard Group "There's nothing Morningstar doesn't know about mutual funds. And at last, for ready reference, there's a book. You'll find everything here you need to know about managing fund investments, inside or outside a 401(k)." -Jane Bryant Quinn, Newsweek columnist and author of Making the Most of Your Money "All serious mutual fund investors know that Morningstar is the source of impeccable data and sound investment advice. This book is the culmination of nearly two decades of research, analysis, and good old commonsense wisdom." -Tyler Mathisen, financial journalist, CNBC "Momentum investing, the hype in NASDAQ, the dot-com mania are mostly behind us. Now, we must navigate through the market debris. We need a compass as we look to allocate our financial resources in a way best suited to maintain purchasing power and fully fund retirement. The Morningstar Guide will help investors find true north and steer a course to reach their long-term financial goals." -Mario J. Gabelli, Chief Investment Officer Gabelli Asset Management, a publicly traded company "A generation of investors who took the stock market for granted now know how important it is to understand-and control-their own investments. The Morningstar Guide should be their most important resource." -Terry Savage, Chicago Sun-Times financial columnist and author of The Savage Truth on Money

The Five Rules for Successful Stock Investing "By resisting both the popular tendency to use gimmicks that oversimplify securities analysis and the academic tendency to use jargon that obfuscates common sense, Pat Dorsey has written a substantial and useful book. His methodology is sound, his examples clear, and his approach timeless." --Christopher C. Davis Portfolio Manager and Chairman, Davis Advisors Over the years, people from around the world have turned to Morningstar for strong, independent, and reliable advice. The Five Rules for Successful Stock Investing provides the kind of savvy financial guidance only a company like Morningstar could offer. Based on the philosophy that "investing should be fun, but not a game," this comprehensive guide will put even the most cautious investors back on the right track by helping them pick the right stocks, find great companies, and understand the driving forces behind different industries--without paying too much for their investments. Written by Morningstar's Director of Stock Analysis, Pat Dorsey, The Five Rules for Successful Stock Investing includes unparalleled stock research and investment strategies covering a wide range of stock-related topics. Investors will profit from such tips as: * How to dig into a financial statement and find hidden gold . . . and deception * How to find great companies that will create shareholder wealth * How to analyze every corner of the market, from banks to health care Informative and highly accessible, The Five Rules for Successful Stock Investing should be required reading for anyone looking for the right investment opportunities in today's ever-changing market.

The quick and easy way to manage money and achieve financial goals The recent economic meltdown has left people in terrible financial shape with little idea of how to turn things around. Using Morningstar's time-tested strategies and sensible approach to money management, Morningstar's 30-Minute Money Solutions: A Step-by-Step Guide to Managing Your Finances breaks down important financial tasks into do-able chunks, each of which can be accomplished in 30 minutes or less. The practical, no-nonsense book Lays out the tools to get organized, including how to create a filing and bill paying system Details how to find the best uses for one's money, as well as how to properly invest for savings, college, and retirement Other titles by Benz: Morningstar® Guide to Mutual Funds: Five Star Strategies for Success These are uncertain times. Morningstar's 30-Minute Money Solutions provides expert guidance on all aspects of personal money management, and it does so in quick, easily digestible steps.

With its hip style and cutting-edge techniques, The Morningstar Company has positioned itself as the nation's leading authority on fund performance, and this book, aimed at the dynamic Baby Boomer and Generation X crowds that made Motley Fool's Guide to Investing a major success, reveals its secrets for the very first time to show how anyone can win the mutual fund game. National targeted ads/media.

Author Russel Kinnel walks readers through the handful of key factors they need to pick winning funds. Armed with the quantitative data and qualitative research, they will gain the confidence to pick great funds for the long-term. This book will be accompanied by a web-based tool created by Morningstar, which will enable readers to evaluate their own funds using Kinnel's criteria. Written in a fun and accessible manner, The Fund Spy offers Kinnel's unique insight as a 14-year Morningstar fund analyst. He speaks plainly about the conflicts that can go against investors' interests, explaining how to avoid traps and push out the slick sales pitches facing today's investors. He also offers several "10 lists," which provide quick answers to investors' most common questions (e.g., the Top 10 Funds to Recommend to Relatives, the 10 Best Contrarian Managers, the 10 Most Overrated Managers).

Today's investment environment is filled with more choices than ever before. But with so many choices and so much information available for each one, investors face an uphill battle when attempting to make important investment decisions. Now, in a single volume for the first time, Morningstar, Inc. looks to improve this situation with Morningstar Complete Investor.Divided into two comprehensive parts, Morningstar Complete Investor focuses on two of the most important investment vehicles currently available-mutual funds and stocks. It offers straightforward and accessible advice on understanding the essential features of these investments and illustrates how to integrate them into your own personal portfolio.In the first part of the book, Morningstar mutual fund expert Christine Benz will put you on the right path to building a sound, satisfying, and profitable mutual fund portfolio. She walks you through the often-intimidating mutual fund selection process, helps you choose the right funds to meet your goals, and shows you how to protect your assets in any market environment. Benz also discusses how to:* Minimize mutual fund costs by understanding expense ratios, loads, and other fund charges* Keep your portfolio on the right track with quarterly and annual reviews* Assess the quality of a fund's manager, and next steps should a fund manager leaveIn the second part of the book, Pat Dorsey, the Director of Stock Analysis for Morningstar, Inc., will help you understand how stocks operate, how to avoid the common pitfalls of stock investing, and how to build a strong portfolio of stocks. Filled with unparalleled stock research and investment strategies, this section covers a wide range of stock-related topics, including:* How to find great companies that will create shareholder wealth* How to dig into a financial statement and find hidden gold . . . and deception* How to recognize red flags that can cause blowups in a portfolioYou don't need an MBA to be a successful investor. What you do need is accurate information and the knowledge and self-confidence to act on that information. Brought to you by Morningstar, Inc., Morningstar Complete Investor will give you the information you need to succeed and help you build and maintain a profitable portfolio today, and for years to come.