They broke the book down into hundreds of scenes, copied them onto colored index cards, and spread the cards on the floor, with each color representing a different character or time period.

NEWYORKER: Beyond the Matrix

Now in a new book Malkiel moves on to extol the virtues of global portfolio diversification--in index funds and actively managed funds -- at a time when many investors are licking their wounds from Southeast Asia, Russia and, not so long ago, Latin America.

FORBES: About Burton Malkiel

See my latest book, The Power of Passive Investing, for all the facts and figures on index fund investing.

FORBES: Any Monkey Can Beat the Market

And then finally, the other thing I've always been a big believer in, and Forbes magazine has been a great supporter from the very beginning of my Random Walk book, and that is put your money in low-cost index funds.

FORBES: Intelligent Investing Briefing Book

My latest book, The Power of Passive Investing, documented a 90 percent probability that an all index fund portfolio, holding 10 funds in different categories, will outperform a portfolio holding 10 comparable randomly selected active funds over a 5-year period.

FORBES: Index Fund Buyers are Skilled Investors

They include Serious Money, All About Index Funds, Protecting Your Wealth, All About Asset Allocation, The ETF Book and The Power of Passive Investing.

FORBES: The More Things Change, the More...