One reader said, this book is for consumers who work in the field of financial risk management. Well, I work as a professional risk management consultant and derivatives lecturer. So, I can use this book as a simple dictionary. It doesn't add anything. I prefer Risk Management by Michel Crouhy as a better professional handbook on risk management. With respect to VaR, Jorion's Value at Risk is tremendously and immensely much better.
The second theme: Measuring volatility, ARCH models and GARCH specifically are terribly bad developed, pitiable and vague. There is no useful application. A great, objective, practical discussion on GARCH, estimating volatility and correlations are discussed in Options, Futures & other derivatives by John C. Hull. Believe it or not.!! Every book must have a balance between a theoretical and practical content, let's say 50-50. Borodovsky's Financial risk management has a 90% conceptual (not theoretical) and 10% practical. When I say practical, I mean effortless and unclear exercises, not professional solved cases and applications of the real world. Back testing and stress testing themes present a deficient, incomplete and poor development. A Montecarlo simulation very unsatisfactory and pathetic.
The professional's handbook of Financial risk management is a rip-off. Definitely a rip-off!!!. This book should cost $40.00 dollars. It's just a dictionary. It deserves 2 star.
The reference books i work with aren't as comprehensive, upto-date or as well researched as this book. If you want great examples, useful figures and information this is where you should look.
If you're a student and have alot of spare cash then this is for you, alternatively as reviewers who work in this field have said- its worth the money. Be warned that although the lay-out is logical and well presented, it isn't in large fonts with pictures and colours like most college text books.