The most recommended investment books

Who picked these books? Meet our 73 experts.

73 authors created a book list connected to investment, and here are their favorite investment books.
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Book cover of Put Your Money Where Your Life Is: How to Invest Locally Using Self-Directed IRAs and Solo 401(k)s

Janine Firpo Author Of Activate Your Money: Invest to Grow Your Wealth and Build a Better World

From my list on women want more money investments.

Why am I passionate about this?

Almost 20 years ago, I committed to investing all of my money–starting with my cash–in ways that align with my values. It’s been a long and arduous journey, even with the help of financial advisors. When I retired, I took control of my money and realized investing this way does not have to be that hard. Moreover, most women want to invest in their values, but no one is helping them. So, I wrote a book to share the knowledge I’ve gained over 40 years as an investor. Later, I co-founded Invest for Better, a non-profit that puts women into investment clubs to help them become confident, values-aligned investors.   

Janine's book list on women want more money investments

Janine Firpo Why did Janine love this book?

While writing my book, I learned about investment opportunities that I had never heard about before, even though I had decades of experience as an investor and had a series of financial advisors.

A great example is the Self-Directed IRA, a type of retirement account rarely discussed even though it is enormously powerful. While most retirement accounts and 401(k)s offer a small set of bond and stock market funds you can invest in, SDIRAs allow you to invest in almost anything as long as you follow the rules.

This book does a great job of explaining SDIRAs and Solo 401(k)s, how they work, and how you can set one up with some of your retirement assets. 

By Michael H. Shuman,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Put Your Money Where Your Life Is as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

"As so many Americans feel powerless to confront a financial system designed to serve the few, Shuman offers us real choices: tools that align our lives with our values. That's power. I love this highly readable, timely, surprising book."
--Frances Moore Lappé, author of Daring Democracy and Diet for a Small Planet

Americans agree on very little these days, but red state conservatives and blue state progressives can agree on one critical point: Wall Street can no longer be trusted. Yet most of us continue to invest our money in the stocks and bonds of Fortune 500 companies, transferring our…


Book cover of I Will Teach You to Be Rich

Jason Vitug Author Of You Only Live Once: The Roadmap to Financial Wellness and a Purposeful Life

From my list on financial wellness books with a holistic approach.

Why am I passionate about this?

I was a finance major who worked in banking, so I knew what I needed to do with money, but I found it challenging to follow through. The books I previously read were money books written by financial gurus who always used yelling and shaming as their teaching method. It never aligned with me. I started writing books with more compassion and an understanding that there are other variables affecting your financial health. I continue to read and recommend books written by people who aspire to help others by giving them knowledge and the space and grace to grow without the guilt trip.

Jason's book list on financial wellness books with a holistic approach

Jason Vitug Why did Jason love this book?

This was one of the first money books I read because it was recommended by a friend. I liked how easy it was to read, and I learned a great deal.

Although, at first, it read a bit “bro-ey,” his humor grew on me. I like its direct approach to money without the jargon and confusion. I also learned that the updated version has changed a bit to reflect less in-your-face and more about giving us space.

By Ramit Sethi,

Why should I read it?

7 authors picked I Will Teach You to Be Rich as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The groundbreaking NEW YORK TIMES and WALL STREET JOURNAL BESTSELLER that taught a generation how to earn more, save more, and live a rich life—now in a revised 2nd edition.
 
Buy as many lattes as you want. Choose the right accounts and investments so your money grows for you—automatically. Best of all, spend guilt-free on the things you love.
 
Personal finance expert Ramit Sethi has been called a “wealth wizard” by Forbes and the “new guru on the block” by Fortune. Now he’s updated and expanded his modern money classic for a new age, delivering a simple, powerful, no-BS 6-week…


Book cover of Where Are the Customers' Yachts? Or a Good Hard Look at Wall Street

Victor Haghani Author Of The Missing Billionaires: A Guide to Better Financial Decisions

From my list on intelligent financial decision-making in less than 200 pages.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have over four decades of experience working and innovating in the financial markets and have been a prolific contributor to academic and practitioner finance literature. I started my career at Salomon Brothers in 1984, where I became a managing director in the bond-arbitrage group, and in 1993 I was a co-founding partner of the hedge fund Long-Term Capital Management. I founded Elm Wealth in 2011 to help clients, including my own family, manage and preserve their wealth with a thoughtful, research-based, and cost-effective approach that covers not just investment management but also broader decisions about wealth and finances.

Victor's book list on intelligent financial decision-making in less than 200 pages

Victor Haghani Why did Victor love this book?

I loved this timeless classic. This book gets down to the essence of how to safely navigate Wall Street, where everyone wants a slice of your financial pie. It’s a quick and hilarious read that challenges the conventional investment wisdom that Wall Street tries to get you to believe.

You’ll become a more savvy and skeptical investor and avoid costly mistakes in your financial life. I gave a copy of this book to all my three children, and they loved it too!

By Fred Schwed,

Why should I read it?

4 authors picked Where Are the Customers' Yachts? Or a Good Hard Look at Wall Street as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

'Once I picked it up I did not put it down until I finished...What Schwed has done is capture fully-in deceptively clean language - the lunacy at the heart of the investment business' - From the Foreword by Michael Lewis, Bestselling author of "Liar's Poker". '...one of the funniest books ever written about Wall Street' - Jane Bryant Quinn, "The Washington Post". 'How great to have a reissue of a hilarious classic that proves the more things change the more they stay the same. Only the names have been changed to protect the innocent' - Michael Bloomberg. 'It's amazing how…


Book cover of Investing for Kids: How to Save, Invest and Grow Money

Juwan Rohan Author Of Money Talks: The Beginners Guide To Investing For Kids

From my list on for children to learn financial literacy.

Why am I passionate about this?

I'm very passionate about teaching children's financial literacy and business because with social media, it's easy for children to get caught up in the flashy and shiny materialist things. I like to teach kids about business and how to use the mistakes in business to scale and grow. I have expertise in this area as I've written three books, taught financial literacy & business at schools, and own a few different businesses. After I graduated college, I was thrown into the 'real world' with a good job and learned my lessons the hard way by spending too much money on things that did not matter. Hence my passion to want to help The Misguided.

Juwan's book list on for children to learn financial literacy

Juwan Rohan Why did Juwan love this book?

I recommend this book because after carefully reading it and completing the exercises with my 13-year-old niece, I found myself having fun and enjoying the quality time while also teaching the basics of money and how it works in our economy.

This eventually led to my niece asking questions about money and how to manage, save, and invest it. That's amazing to hear a young person start to think about money.

By Dylin Redling, Allison Tom,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Investing for Kids as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 8, 9, 10, and 11.

What is this book about?

Outgrow your piggy bank—an intro to investing for kids ages 8 to 12

Did you know that the sooner you understand money, the sooner you can make more of it? It’s true! Investing for Kids can help make you money savvy, showing you how to earn it, how to start a savings plan, and the best ways to invest and create a future with money in the bank.

With a little help from the astounding Dollar Duo—Mr. Finance and Investing Woman—this engaging guide to investing for kids ages 8 to 12 covers essential information about stocks and bonds, how you…


Book cover of How To WIN In Rental Real Estate AFTER The Deal: 15 Keys to Mastery & Ultimate Success in Your Rental Real Estate Business

Jason Kogok Author Of Plug the Holes, Fill the Barrel: A Beginners Guide to Building Wealth with Real Estate

From my list on building wealth through real estate investing.

Why am I passionate about this?

Real estate investing has truly changed my life, not only my financial life, but also how I spend my time. I firmly believe that ownership and control of our time is the ultimate goal and that money is just the tool that we can use to get there; money is not the actual goal. I often say, “Rich people sell their time and wealthy people own their time.” As a real estate investor, broker, coach, and teacher, I have a passion for sharing my experience and knowledge, but doing so in a realistic way and helping others get on a path that is truly achievable.

Jason's book list on building wealth through real estate investing

Jason Kogok Why did Jason love this book?

My favorite part about Casey’s book is that it is a straightforward, easy to read, playbook that goes in order through 15 steps that are easy to understand and implement after you purchase your property.

Many books focus on how to purchase real estate, but fewer give you guidance on how to manage after you own the asset. From establishing your mindset and motivation to how to manage your repairs and create advantageous tax strategies, Casey gives you manageable doses of powerful information.

Of his 15 steps, many provide truly valuable information, but one of my favorites is titled “Be the Landlord you would love to rent from” because I feel that is a topic that is often overlooked by investors and yet can help increase your bottom line the most.

Book cover of Girls Just Wanna Have Impact Funds: A Feminist Guide to Changing the World with Your Money

Janine Firpo Author Of Activate Your Money: Invest to Grow Your Wealth and Build a Better World

From my list on women want more money investments.

Why am I passionate about this?

Almost 20 years ago, I committed to investing all of my money–starting with my cash–in ways that align with my values. It’s been a long and arduous journey, even with the help of financial advisors. When I retired, I took control of my money and realized investing this way does not have to be that hard. Moreover, most women want to invest in their values, but no one is helping them. So, I wrote a book to share the knowledge I’ve gained over 40 years as an investor. Later, I co-founded Invest for Better, a non-profit that puts women into investment clubs to help them become confident, values-aligned investors.   

Janine's book list on women want more money investments

Janine Firpo Why did Janine love this book?

This small, beautifully laid out book was published a few years after mine–and it does a great job of introducing readers to a range of topics related to values-aligned investing.

It lays out the case for values-aligned investing and then gives you a few pages on topics as diverse as bonds and cryptocurrency. The highly visual nature of the book makes this a quick and engaging read

By Camilla Falkenberg, Emma Due Bitz, Anna-Sophie Hartvigsen

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Girls Just Wanna Have Impact Funds as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

What if building your own personal wealth didn't have to come at the expense of the planet?

Put your money where your mouth is when it comes to handling your finances and join the Female Invest trio on a mission to investigate sustainable stocks and funds, angel investing, and empowering initiatives-for both you and the planet.

Cutting through the noise, this trusted resource will rationalize the vast scope of the term "sustainable investing" and consider how investments, funds, stocks, and shares can be responsible, ethical, green, and impactful-enabling you to partake in a truly circular economy. Ditching the jargon shrouding…


Book cover of The Most Important Thing: Uncommon Sense for the Thoughtful Investor

Martin S. Fridson Author Of Investment Illusions: A Savvy Wall Street Pro Explores Popular Misconceptions About the Markets

From my list on investing from a money manager.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m a money manager for high-net-worth individuals. During my Wall Street years, I was ranked number one in my category in the Institutional Investor All America Research Survey for nine consecutive years. The CFA Society New York presented me its Ben Graham Award in 2017. I’ve served as a governor of the CFA Institute and consultant to the Federal Reserve Board of Governors. My writings have appeared in the Wall Street Journal, Barron’s, the Financial Times, and various scholarly journals. I live in New York City with my wife, musicologist Elaine Sisman. We have two children and five grandchildren.

Martin's book list on investing from a money manager

Martin S. Fridson Why did Martin love this book?

Forget bromides such as buying a stock because your experience with the company’s product has been good. The hugely successful money manager Howard Marks makes the essential point that the goal is not to find good companies but to make good purchases. “It’s not what you buy,” he says, “it’s what you pay for it.”  Investors who are interested in good outcomes rather than thrills will find many more sound principles in this book.

By Howard Marks,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked The Most Important Thing as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

"This is that rarity, a useful book."--Warren Buffett Howard Marks, the chairman and cofounder of Oaktree Capital Management, is renowned for his insightful assessments of market opportunity and risk. After four decades spent ascending to the top of the investment management profession, he is today sought out by the world's leading value investors, and his client memos brim with insightful commentary and a time-tested, fundamental philosophy. Now for the first time, all readers can benefit from Marks's wisdom, concentrated into a single volume that speaks to both the amateur and seasoned investor. Informed by a lifetime of experience and study,…


Book cover of Stocks for the Long Run: The Definitive Guide to Financial Market Returns & Long Term Investment Strategies

Selwyn Parker Author Of The Great Crash: How the Stock Market Crash of 1929 Plunged the World into Depression

From my list on economics and investment.

Why am I passionate about this?

Selwyn Parker is an award-winning journalist, author, speaker and pianist. In journalism he focuses on transformational contemporary issues like the new era in energy, the upheaval in banking, the revolution in transportation and the fast-moving world of investment. However most of his dozen books – novels and non-fiction -- are rooted in landmark historical events whose effects still register today.

Selwyn's book list on economics and investment

Selwyn Parker Why did Selwyn love this book?

Professional investors troop to Wharton School to sit at the feet of professor Siegel and learn about why stocks – or shares – should be the bedrock of any investment strategy for the very obvious reason that it’s the best way to capitalise on the steady growth of the American economy. And by implication, other growing economies. If you haven’t got skin in the game, you’re on the sidelines. A dry book unless you have an intellectual interest in investment, it is nevertheless extremely thought-provoking and enlightening. It’s been through several editions and is routinely updated to reflect the latest developments such as exchange-traded funds, the phenomenon of the millennium.

By Jeremy J. Siegel,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Stocks for the Long Run as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

"Stocks for the Long Run" offers solid strategies for long-term investment success, showing investors how to understand and interpret the movements of the market over time. The book provides a detailed description of market performance since 1802 and an examination of the economic, political and fiscal changes that affect the stock market. It also contains an analysis of long-term stock opportunities in foreign markets.


Book cover of Investment Science

John M. Mulvey Author Of Worldwide Asset and Liability Modeling

From my list on how to achieve your financial goals.

Why am I passionate about this?

In my first year as an undergraduate in computer science at the University of Illinois, I took two classes that set the course for my 54-year career (6 years at TRW Systems aerospace firm, and 48 years teaching at Harvard and Princeton Universities): 1) introduction to optimization, and 2) computer algorithms. These topics continue to fascinate me, especially as they relate to improving investment performance via modern optimization technology and data sciences. Optimization plays a critical role in many domains, including supply chains, quantitative finance, and machine learning algorithms. Everyone interested in improving performance ought to understand the successful uses of this proven technology.

John's book list on how to achieve your financial goals

John M. Mulvey Why did John love this book?

This book is an outgrowth of a course at Stanford University on applying quantitative methods to improve financial decision making. 

Professor Luenberger has a superior talent at writing clear and logical textbooks on optimization topics. He shows the benefits of employing nonlinear programs for several applications, including pricing complex options, and achieving rebalancing gains over time. In his telling, volatility provides an opportunity to improve performance. The linkage of optimization and investing is a special treat.

By David G. Luenberger,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Investment Science as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Investment Science, Second Edition, provides thorough and highly accessible mathematical coverage of the fundamental topics of intermediate investments, including fixed-income securities, capital asset pricing theory, derivatives, and innovations in optimal portfolio growth and valuation of multi-period risky investments. Eminent scholar and teacher David G. Luenberger, known for his ability to make complex ideas simple, presents essential ideas of investments and their applications, offering students the most comprehensive treatment of the subject available. New to this edition Three new chapters: Risk Management, Credit Risk, and Data and Statistics Updated content and expanded coverage of many topics, including the capital asset pricing…


Book cover of The Golden Passport: Global Mobility for Millionaires

Kimberly Kay Hoang Author Of Spiderweb Capitalism: How Global Elites Exploit Frontier Markets

From my list on global financial elites.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am a professor of sociology at the University of Chicago, and I am interested in global capitalism, financial elites, and all aspects of how people broker capital deals. I am a scholar of anti-heroes who studies all of the ways that people play in the gray. My first book, Dealing in Desire, is an ethnography where I embedded myself in several different hostess bars to study the relationship between sex work and financial deal-making. I grew up in California but have lived most of my adult life in Ho Chi Minh City, Houston, Boston, and Chicago. 

Kimberly's book list on global financial elites

Kimberly Kay Hoang Why did Kimberly love this book?

This is one of my favorite new books that provides an on-the-ground investigation of the global market for citizenship. I learned a tremendous amount about the “market” for passports.

Surak provides a window into the states and brokers who sell them and the billionaire/multimillionaire elites who can afford to buy them. With an incredible six years of fieldwork and hundreds of interviews, she shows the scale of a full-blown industry where buyers, brokers, and sellers all profit from the citizenship trade. 

By Kristin Surak,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Golden Passport as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

"[A] fascinating study of how people and their capital seek to move around a world that is at once hugely interconnected and driven by inequities...definitive, detailed, and unusually nuanced."
Atossa Araxia Abrahamian, Foreign Affairs

The first comprehensive on-the-ground investigation of the global market for citizenship, examining the wealthy elites who buy passports, the states and brokers who sell them, and the normalization of a once shadowy practice.

Our lives are in countless ways defined by our citizenship. The country we belong to affects our rights, our travel possibilities, and ultimately our chances in life. Obtaining a new citizenship is rarely…


Book cover of Put Your Money Where Your Life Is: How to Invest Locally Using Self-Directed IRAs and Solo 401(k)s
Book cover of I Will Teach You to Be Rich
Book cover of Where Are the Customers' Yachts? Or a Good Hard Look at Wall Street

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