McGraw-Hill Professional is publishing a book by Stephen Todd Walker which explains how to spot the best times to buy and sell alternative investments, the fundamentals of proper due diligence, and how to properly diversify using alternatives.

The book, entitled “Wave Theory for Alternative Investments: Riding The Wave with Hedge Funds, Commodities, and Venture Capital”, also provides the data that sophisticated institutional investors such as foundations, endowments, family offices and family trusts need to analyse market opportunities.

Walker says: "Alternative investments have gotten a bad rap recently, and many investors are understandably skittish about including alternatives in their portfolio. But the smartest investors know that the current market represents a once-in-a-lifetime buying opportunity for alternatives, which have outperformed stocks and bonds over the long term. This book will help investors capitalise on opportunities in the current market while developing a strategy for managing their alternative investment portfolio to minimise risk and maximise return."

Walker was a director at Alex. Brown, which took Starbucks and Microsoft public. He also served as a corporate group director and was a member of Morgan Stanley's chairman's group.

The book goes on sale in November 2010.