Many people dream of striking it rich in the markets and retiring to a warm, sunny part of the world, maybe whiling away the days on a boat and enjoying the good life.

Dan Zanger’s doing that, except for the retirement part.

"Dan Zanger’s sink–or–swim trading" (Active Trader, August 2004) profiled the former swimming–pool builder’s trading career and his spectacular returns during the height of the 90s bull market — 29,000 percent in a year and 164,000 percent over 18 months. He amassed $42 million before losing more than half of it when the market bubble burst in 2000, but he was still a millionaire when all was said and done.