Imagine getting a week-long lesson on investing from someone with the common sense of Benjamin Franklin, the academic and institutional knowledge of Milton Friedman and the practical experience of Warren Buffett. That's about what awaits you in the latest edition of this must-read by Burton Malkiel.

Many have read this masterwork in earlier versions. Originally published in 1973, A Random Walk Down Wall Street has sold more than 1.5 million copies, likely a record for a non-textbook by a college teacher.

The 78-year-old Malkiel, a Princeton professor, Vanguard Group director for 28 years and former Smith Barney broker, could plausibly claim 72 years of investment experience, having started at age six in his father's wholesale jewelry business.