The best books of 2023

This list is part of the best books of 2023.

Join 1,707 readers and share your 3 favorite reads of the year.

My favorite read in 2023…

Book cover of The Man Who Solved the Market: How Jim Simons Launched the Quant Revolution

Richard L. Weissman Why did I love this book?

This book was not only educational to students of the markets but was also entertaining with a compelling narrative storyline that showed how Jim Simons transitioned from a math academician to become the most successful hedge fund manager in history.

Although not stated explicitly, Simons and the team at Renaissance Technologies developed models that adhered to the Casino Paradigm by combining a positive expectancy model with solid risk management protocols. 

By Gregory Zuckerman,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Man Who Solved the Market as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

NEW YORK TIMES AND SUNDAY TIMES BUSINESS BESTSELLER

SHORTLISTED FOR THE FT AND MCKINSEY BUSINESS BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARD 2019

'Reads more like a delicious page-turning novel...Put it on your holiday gift list for your favourite hedge-fund honcho' Bloomberg

'A compelling read' Economist

'Captivating' New York Times book review

Jim Simons is the greatest moneymaker in modern financial history. His record bests those of legendary investors, including Warren Buffett, George Soros and Ray Dalio. Yet Simons and his strategies are shrouded in mystery. The financial industry has long craved a look inside Simons's secretive hedge fund, Renaissance Technologies and…


Shepherd is reader supported. When you buy books, we may earn an affiliate commission.

My 2nd favorite read in 2023…

Book cover of The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself

Richard L. Weissman Why did I love this book?

Unlike a lot of self-help and/or spiritual books that ask us to believe and have faith in various “concepts”, Singer’s book offers practical and scientifically sound methods for personal growth and spiritual transformation. 

I was able to apply his methodology of strengthening Witness Consciousness immediately. The book is a life-changing experience that sticks with you long after its pages are shelved. That stated, it is the type of book to be read and re-read as doing so wears down old suboptimal patterns of behavior and, “untethers the soul.”

By Michael A. Singer,

Why should I read it?

19 authors picked The Untethered Soul as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Who are you? When you start to explore this question, you find out how elusive it really is. Are you a physical body? A collection of experiences and memories? A partner to relationships? Each time you consider aspects of yourself, you realize that there is much more to you than any of these can define. In this book, spiritual teacher Michael Singer explores the question of who we are and arrives at the conclusion that our identity is to be found in our consciousness, the fact of our ability to observe ourselves and the world around us. By tapping into…


Want my future book recommendations?

My 3rd favorite read in 2023…

Book cover of Blood Meridian: Or the Evening Redness in the West

Richard L. Weissman Why did I love this book?

Although this was not my first reading, I was happy that I decided to re-read Blood Meridian as the intensely graphic violence of the novel ruined my first read. Fortunately, I enjoy McCarthy’s prose and mythic writing so much that I decided to give Blood Meridian a second chance. 

This second time around, McCarthy’s artistry and wisdom overshadowed the violence and redeemed the novel for me.

By Cormac McCarthy,

Why should I read it?

14 authors picked Blood Meridian as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy is an epic novel of the violence and depravity that attended America's westward expansion, brilliantly subverting the conventions of the Western novel and the mythology of the Wild West. Based on historical events that took place on the Texas-Mexico border in the 1850s, it traces the fortunes of the Kid, a fourteen-year-old Tennessean who stumbles into a nightmarish world where Indians are being murdered and the market for their scalps is thriving.


Don‘t forget about my book 😀

Trade Like a Casino

By Richard L. Weissman,

Book cover of Trade Like a Casino

What is my book about?

While there are a variety of approaches to trading in the financial markets, profitable traders tend to share similar underlying characteristics. Most have a methodology that they believe will prove profitable over the long run and are willing to endure short-term setbacks. If you're looking to make the most of your time in today's markets, you need to understand what separates the best from the rest. And with Trade Like a Casino, you'll gain the knowledge needed to excel at this challenging endeavor.

Engaging and informative, this reliable guide identifies and explains the key techniques and mental processes characteristic of successful traders.

My book recommendation list