Here are 92 books that First to a Million fans have personally recommended if you like
First to a Million.
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I have done some pretty cool things in the arts. To share a few, I’ve given TEDx talks, I have produced and co-starred in a film that made it to Cannes, I have written 11+ books (one of which was a Barnes & Noble # 1 best seller), I have spoken at SAG/AFTRA and Writer’s Guild, I am an entertainment attorney, and I have an album up on iTunes/Apple Music/Spotify, etc. I really love inspiring people, and helping them to achieve life dreams. I hope this list will help inspire some of you to go after your dreams, too, and with a passion!
Another book on money. I couldn’t have survived the leaner times as an actor without the lessons in this book about how important saving money is. It seems logical, but most people don’t do it or don’t do it correctly.
This book helped me to further increase my financial acumen. What happens to a successful actor who knows little about money? He loses his house and his car and loses out on great opportunities. I vowed never to be that type of actor. I vowed to be the entrepreneur that I know I am.
The Richest Man in Babylon, based on “Babylonian parables”, has been hailed as the greatest of all inspirational works on the subject of thrift, financial planning, and personal wealth. In simple language, these fascinating and informative stories set you on a sure path to prosperity and its accompanying joys. A celebrated bestseller, it offers an understanding and a solution to your personal financial problem. Revealed inside are the secrets to acquiring money, keeping money, and making money earn more money.
This original edition has the original language, content, and message from George S. Clason as intended in 1926. It's all…
As a journalist covering the Future of Work and Silicon Valley in the 2010s, I encountered pioneering social entrepreneurs and newly minted tech billionaires whose ideologies attracted millions and have since shaped our culture, economy, and society. I've curated some of the most impactful books that informed my understanding of their ambitions and how work is evolving, as well as the thought leaders who inspired them. Engaging with this content and integrating it over the last decade has transformed my worldview, leading me to a more fulfilling, peaceful, and creative life—but it’s been quite the journey!
When I first saw Brené Brown’s viral TED talk on vulnerability in the early 2010s, it challenged my understanding of the term and opened a whole new world for me, as it did for millions of others. At the time, I was a senior editor at Business Insider, and Brown’s work became a model that helped me navigate life inside a demanding, fast-paced media startup—and the complex human challenges of being a new manager. In Daring Greatly, she redefines vulnerability as a strength, upending traditional beliefs and reshaping how leadership is understood.
Brown argues that vulnerability is a critical skill for leaders in today’s evolving world of work, where workers crave authenticity, and emotional intelligence and empathy are more effective than outdated command-and-control methods—especially in increasingly dynamic organizations. Her research-backed tools have guided many on personal journeys to greater emotional freedom, just as they did for me.
'She's so good, Brene Brown, at finding the language to articulate collective feeling' Dolly Alderton
Every time we are faced with change, no matter how great or small, we also face risk. We feel uncertain and exposed. We feel vulnerable. Most of us try to fight those feelings - or feel guilt for feeling them in the first place.
In a powerful new vision Dr Brene Brown challenges everything we think we know about vulnerability, and dispels the widely accepted myth that it's a weakness. She argues that, in truth, vulnerability is…
At The Financial Diet, I’ve written and produced videos about money, productivity, and work/life balance for the better part of a decade. I’ve come to the conclusion that most of our commonly held beliefs about money and work are incorrect: your job shouldn’t be your main purpose, and money shouldn’t be the end goal in and of itself. I’ve also been a longtime nonfiction reader, and I lead a monthly book club for our Patreon members. This list is composed of my favorite selections from those meetings (a few of which I’d read previously), and I hope they invite you to question your own relationship with work and money!
This was probably the most easily digestible book on investing that I’ve ever read. To me, the most difficult part of investing is simply getting over the fear of doing it, and Morgan Housel gives genuine motivation for overcoming that fear.
The chapters are purposefully short, which allowed me to absorb the main takeaways without getting too in the weeds on details (a necessary downside of a lot of nonfiction). I loved that it included very clear examples of how our brains work against us when it comes to our finances, as well as clear advice on how to counteract that.
Doing well with money isn't necessarily about what you know. It's about how you behave. And behavior is hard to teach, even to really smart people.
Money-investing, personal finance, and business decisions-is typically taught as a math-based field, where data and formulas tell us exactly what to do. But in the real world people don't make financial decisions on a spreadsheet. They make them at the dinner table, or in a meeting room, where personal history, your own unique view of the world, ego, pride, marketing, and odd incentives are scrambled together.
In The Psychology of Money, award-winning author Morgan…
At The Financial Diet, I’ve written and produced videos about money, productivity, and work/life balance for the better part of a decade. I’ve come to the conclusion that most of our commonly held beliefs about money and work are incorrect: your job shouldn’t be your main purpose, and money shouldn’t be the end goal in and of itself. I’ve also been a longtime nonfiction reader, and I lead a monthly book club for our Patreon members. This list is composed of my favorite selections from those meetings (a few of which I’d read previously), and I hope they invite you to question your own relationship with work and money!
To me, this book is a classic in the realm of personal finance for a reason. It is the clearest explanation of how money is not actually about money; if you’re actually living by your values and seeking a life that makes you feel truly fulfilled, the point of working is to earn enough money to live on and take care of your future with, while being able to spend the majority of your time doing what you actually enjoy.
I love that this book is centered around finding a purpose without tying that purpose to how you earn a living. It also gives really clear suggestions for long-term investing, and I was happy to see that updated for our current times in the newest edition.
Have Enough Money for a Rich Life-Without Winning the Lottery How much money is enough? Vicki Robin has made it her life's work to explore this question. Her remarkable discovery: money is energy-and conscious awareness is the key to finding its real value. On Your Money or Your Life Robin shares the nine-step program originally created with her teaching partner Joe Dominguez, which has helped nearly three quarters of a million people worldwide reach new levels of comfort, competence, and consciousness around their personal finances. Updated for the 21st century, this two-CD program offers hands-on tools and practical insights to…
I’ve been rather fixated with money and finances since I was a kid beating my friend's parents at Monopoly. I majored in economics and had a few rough years financially graduating into the depths of the great recession in 2010. In 2013 I completed my Master’s in finance and economics, took a day job in economic research, and have been moonlighting as a finance writer for the past five years.
The Simple Path to Wealth is hard to beat as an introduction to investing.
This book has a singular message; invest in a U.S. stock market index fund and call it a day. Every page in the book, brings the reader back to that conclusion. While I have small quibbles with some issues (such as international diversification being glossed over,) if you find investing confusing or overwhelming this book is a fantastic place to start as it simplifies investing.
“In the dark, bewildering, trap-infested jungle of misinformation and opaque riddles that is the world of investment, JL Collins is the fatherly wizard on the side of the path, offering a simple map, warm words of encouragement and the tools to forge your way through with confidence. You'll never find a wiser advisor with a bigger heart.” -- Malachi Rempen: Filmmaker, cartoonist, author and self-described ruffian
This book grew out of a series of letters to my daughter concerning various things—mostly about money and investing—she was not yet quite ready to hear.
I’m a 5x award-winning personal finance educator and money expert who specializes in helping Latinas reach financial freedom through entrepreneurship and investing. I have been fascinated by personal finance since 2016 when I realized that I hadn’t learned anything important about money after discovering personal finance podcasts. I’m a firm believer that financial literacy is the gateway to freedom, so my work involves educating women of color on how to use money to exercise their power.
Cindy is a clear, realistic, and relatable personal finance expert! She walks you through every major aspect of managing your money as an adult. She is honest about the challenges of navigating finances as a first-gen professional and then shows you how you can still make the most of your cash flow, save, invest in the stock market, and build your credit. She also touches on how to avoid falling into the cycle of over-consumption and overspending.
This book is a comprehensive and actionable guide for anyone looking to set themselves up for long-term financial health.
Transform your financial situation with easy-to-follow advice from a first-generation professional
In Overcoming Debt, Achieving Financial Freedom: 8 Pillars to Build Wealth, lawyer, business owner, and first-generation professional Cindy Zuniga-Sanchez delivers a practical and actionable blueprint for financial independence. Full of easy-to-apply advice for young adults, students, and early-career professionals, the book is a holistic guide to responsibly managing money and debt while building your nest egg.
In the book, you'll explore how to be a responsible consumer, how to budget, save, invest, pay off debt, build credit, and increase your income. You'll also understand much of what school didn't…
We all want peace. We all want a life of joy and meaning. We want to feel blissfully comfortable in our own skin, moving through the world with grace and ease. But how many of us are actively taking the steps to create such a life?
I graduated law school in 2015 with over $200,000 of debt. As the daughter of immigrants, born and raised in a low-income community in the Bronx, I was overwhelmed by how little I knew about money. I turned to books to build healthy money management habits, improve my credit, and, importantly, pay down my debt. I have since read dozens of personal finance books, built a community of over 60,000 on social media, and spoken to audiences nationwide about personal finance. Given the impact that books have had on my journey, I wrote my own from the perspective of a first-generation Latina that went from six figures of debt to a six-figure net worth.
When I started my financial freedom journey, I discovered the Clever Girl Finance platform and gained great value from their blog posts and resources. When their book was released, I immediately picked it up because I needed guidance and encouragement in my journey to pay off over $200,000 of debt. This book provides actionable tips on how to create a debt freedom plan and, importantly, how to stick to the plan. I appreciated its balanced approach, which emphasized rewarding yourself (even in small ways) during the journey and managing your debt-free goals alongside your other financial goals.
Take charge of your finances and achieve financial independence - the Clever Girl way
Join the ranks of thousands of smart and savvy women who have turned to money expert and author Bola Sokunbi for guidance on ditching debt, saving money, and building real wealth. Sokunbi, the force behind the hugely popular Clever Girl Finance website, draws on her personal money mistakes and financial redemption to educate and empower a new generation of women on their journey to financial freedom. Lighthearted and accessible, Clever Girl Finance encourages women to talk about money and financial wellness and shows them how to…
I graduated law school in 2015 with over $200,000 of debt. As the daughter of immigrants, born and raised in a low-income community in the Bronx, I was overwhelmed by how little I knew about money. I turned to books to build healthy money management habits, improve my credit, and, importantly, pay down my debt. I have since read dozens of personal finance books, built a community of over 60,000 on social media, and spoken to audiences nationwide about personal finance. Given the impact that books have had on my journey, I wrote my own from the perspective of a first-generation Latina that went from six figures of debt to a six-figure net worth.
Another book by Broke Millennial! When starting your journey to financial freedom, it’s necessary to learn the practical advice on the topics you may not have learned in school—budgeting, saving, investing, etc. But something else we’re not taught is how to talk about money. This book dives into everything from how to talk to your parents about how their retirement will be funded, how to talk to coworkers about salaries, how to talk about money with your partner, to how to set boundaries with friends. I have referenced this book on several occasions and strongly believe it’s a must-have for your bookshelf.
A comprehensive guide to talking about money in every aspect of your life, including at work, with friends and family, and in relationships, from the author of the Broke Millennial series.
Let's face it--talking about money is always awkward. In this user-friendly and approachable guide, finance writer Erin Lowry helps take the stress out of these tricky conversations. With scripts, tips, and troubleshooting advice, she takes you through every possible money talk scenario, including:
how to tell your friends you can't afford the same lifestyle they can
how to ask your parents if they can afford retirement and if they'll…
I grew up in poverty in the deep south of Georgia in the 80s where heavy racism existed. We survived on food stamps, living in a 2 bedroom wooden house with a tin roof that my grandfather and uncle built. It was a town of three thousand people all living, acting, and believing the same beliefs. Everyone had a poor mindset and thought that life everywhere was the same as ours. By changing the way my mind thinks, I became a banker for 10 years with 15+ years in financial services. I'm now also a 3x author, bestselling author, a Certified Coach and Certified NLP Practitioner, owner of multiple businesses, and live in two countries.
This is a practical and comprehensive guide to achieving financial independence and security.
The book offers a step-by-step program that covers everything from understanding your current financial situation to creating a budget, reducing debt, and investing for the future.
What sets this book apart from others in the personal finance genre is Orman's holistic approach to financial planning. She recognizes that money is deeply tied to our emotions and offers strategies for overcoming financial fears and building confidence in our financial decisions.
Overall, The 9 Steps to Financial Freedom is a highly recommended read for anyone looking to improve their financial situation and create a more secure and fulfilling life.
Suze Orman has transformed the concept of personal finance for millions by teaching us how to gain control of our money -- so that money does not control us. She goes beyond the nuts and bolts of managing money to explore the psychological, even spiritual power money has in our lives. The 9 Steps to Financial Freedom is the first personal finance book that gives you not only the knowledge of how to handle money, but also the will to break through all the barriers that hold you back.
Combining real-life recommendations with the motivation to overcome financial anxieties, Suze…
As a coach and mentor, I am passionate about empowering people to be the best version of themselves. My recommendations are carefully thought out to achieve this. Success in your job search and interviewing involves perfecting multiple skills – marketing, soft skills, body language, networking, and many more. I have a Master’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering from Wayne State University in Detroit. I teach body language to job seekers and hiring managers to improve their work culture and hire the right talent. I am a recurring guest speaker at the University of Guelph and several career colleges, and I mentor at-risk youth to stay in school.
In fact, so much so that I picked the name of the main character in the book, Roy, as my author name – that was my tribute to Chilton. It’s not enough to just find a job and keep working, hoping that one day you will make it big.
Most regular people are about 3 months away from homelessness, but not 3 months away from becoming a millionaire. Once you get a job, you want to build your life in a way that makes you wealthy.
This book was instrumental in teaching me how to save and build a secure future.
"Quite simply the best financial self-help book." --Money Book Club, Book-of-the-Month Club
Even if you consider yourself a financial "basket case," Chilton explains how you can easily put an effective financial plan into action.
In this third edition of one of the biggest-selling financial-planning books ever, David Chilton simplifies the complex puzzles of personal finance and helps you achieve financial independence. With the help of his fictional barber, Roy, and a large dose of humor, Chilton shows you how to take control of your financial future--slowly, steadily, and with sure success. Chilton's plan (detailed in an entertaining story) is no…
