'Markets. They go up. They go down. How difficult can it be'? Sally Nicoll begins her spread betting journey with magnificently misplaced optimism. Join her on this rollercoaster ride to hardened pessimist - and wised-up realist. Funny, frank, factual Should we be afraid that in the digital era, anyone with a broadband connection and a few hundred pounds can gatecrash the elite world of City traders - even if, like Sally Nicoll, they are numerically dyslexic? Sally is looking for a source of extra cash to fund a sabbatical while she writes a novel, and decides spread betting is the answer. She tries to open an account with Finspreads - 'their web site has the best colour scheme' - only to discover she's been credit blacklisted. Instead of being thankful for divine intervention, she complains to the marketing department and is hired to write an online trading blog. "Bets and the City" is based on Sally's enormously popular column for Finspreads. In between the funny bits, there's some really useful information: never take a holiday in Cornwall when you're speculating on sterling against the dollar; why you should resist the temptation to be kind to your mother; sensible advice from the man who lost $10 million in a single trading session; why women make better traders than men; and, the simple trade that enables you to turn your computer into a cash register. Sally's romp through the City, combined with her anecdotes of hanging out in celebrity-studded Primrose Hill, will appeal to investors, gamblers, and anyone who enjoys playing with money. And prepare to be entertained by Sally's spread betting accomplice, a Jack Russell called Dow Jones...