The Forex Chartist Companion is a visually driven technical analysis manual designed specifically for currency traders. Michael D. Archer and James Lauren Bickford focus on one core objective: teaching traders how to interpret price behavior directly from charts without over-reliance on complex indicators.
The book emphasizes structural chart reading. Instead of presenting abstract theories, it uses visual examples to illustrate how trends develop, how support and resistance levels form, and how classic chart patterns emerge in the forex market. Particular attention is given to understanding market symmetry, price swings, retracements, and breakout behavior within the context of currency trading.
A defining element of this work is its integration of traditional chart patterns with forex-specific considerations such as round numbers, session overlaps, volatility shifts, and cross-pair relationships. The authors highlight how currency markets differ from equities—particularly in terms of liquidity, leverage, and global macro influence.
Trendlines, Fibonacci retracements, channels, triangles, flags, and reversal formations are presented not as isolated setups but as part of a structured decision-making framework. The emphasis remains on clarity, repeatability, and disciplined trade planning.
Rather than promoting indicator stacking, the book encourages traders to develop pattern recognition skills and contextual awareness. By focusing on clean chart interpretation, traders learn to evaluate probability, structure entries, and manage risk within the fast-moving forex environment.
Overall, The Forex Chartist Companion serves as a practical visual reference for currency traders seeking a structured, pattern-based technical methodology.
✅ What You’ll Learn:
- How to identify forex-specific chart patterns
- How to draw and interpret trendlines and channels
- How to apply Fibonacci retracements in currency markets
- How to evaluate breakouts and consolidation structures
- How to integrate support and resistance into trade planning
- How to adapt classical technical analysis to forex volatility
💡 Key Benefits:
- Enhances visual pattern recognition skills
- Reduces reliance on lagging indicators
- Provides forex-focused chart interpretation techniques
- Strengthens entry timing through structural confirmation
- Builds disciplined trade planning habits
👤 Who This Book Is For:
- Forex traders seeking structured chart analysis
- Technical traders focusing on price action
- Swing and intraday currency traders
- Traders building foundational pattern-recognition skills
- Not suitable for quantitative algorithm developers seeking automated models
📚 Table of Contents:
- Forex-Specific Charting Techniques
- Point and Figure Charting
- Forex Swing Charting
- Other Reversal Charts
- Goodman Swing Count System
The Forex Chartist Companion: A Visual Approach to Technical Analysis By Michael D. Archer, James Lauren Bickford


Yaretzi Gilmore (verified owner) –
This volume is an excellent source book of trading tools for the Forex Trader. You will not find a complete system with which to trade with or a primer on trading the Forex. This is not a book for a trading novice. But for the journeyman trader looking for tools to add to his/her own trading methodology,it provides an ‘encyclopedia’ of ideas and techniques with which to evaluate and forecast the behavior of the currency markets. The Forex Chartist Companion is solid reference that belongs next to your trading station.
Maximo Valencia (verified owner) –
Save your money! This book is not worth the effort and definitely not worth the price.
Maddison Adams (verified owner) –
For experienced traders: This book provides very basic overviews of various charting techniques and never goes into enough depth to be of any use to an experienced trader. Most sections end along the lines of “this concept is essential knowledge for the trader but a detailed discussion is outside the scope of this book”. The TOC looks interesting but the chapters do not have any actual meat.
For newbies: The book doesn’t provide any useful introduction to FX trading so I don’t see this book as offering any value for newbies either.
I’m shelving this book under the crowded “useless fluff” category.
Hudson Floyd (verified owner) –
First off, this book is not for the beginner. Nevertheless, for the intermediate and advanced traders, there are nice tools that provide a lot of food for thought. The authors are definitely traders, there is no disputing that. They also go above and beyond the call of duty in mining data. The pages offer a wealth of proof of the number crunching power we get from today’s technology, as well as the ability to present the data in a usable format.
My favorite chapters are the ones dealing with Point & Figure (which gave me tons of ideas), Swing Properties, Cycle Analysis, and last but not least, the Goodman Swing Count System. This chapter alone will leave you wanting more information on this virtually unknown (up till now) trading method.
Again, this book may not serve the needs of the beginning trader. But for the intermediate/advanced trader who is past the market infatuation stage and is willing to do the work, there are definite workable ideas contained within.