The most recommended stock market books

Mark Minervini’s Think and Trade Like A Champion solidifies the lessons in Darvas, O’Neil, and Tharp and takes it to a whole other level! Mark is one of the big reasons why I was finally able to put everything together, find my own success, and do it all while still working the 9-5. This book changed my life.

In Think and Trade Like a Champion you’ll learn the finer details and nuances of chart patterns (what to look for and how to trade them) and what to avoid, the sizing and risk management strategies that helped Mark win multiple US Investing Championships including how to manage the reward to risk relationship, mindset, plus a whole lot more.

Mark has written several books and I recommend studying each of them. Think and Trade Like A Champion is my personal favorite.

Mark also wrote the Foreword to my book.

A lot can happen in a day and it can often be difficult to summarize. However, in this book, Steve Nison shows how the ancient system of candlestick charting can be used to analyze trends and anticipate upcoming market moves. This book is required reading for anyone seeking to learn how to read charts.

To say this book is a bargain is an understatement, as it is only $4.99 in Kindle format. For me, it fills in what may be overlooked by those who have a passing knowledge of technical analysis and only focus on the look of the charts, and that is the importance of volume, you know, the little bar at the bottom!

Volume is such a powerful indicator but is easily disregarded in the excitement of a dramatic price move. Yet it is the confirmation that what you are seeing is not just an apparition and will lead to the expected outcome. All traders should read this!

The most popular book by the father of value investing, The Intelligent Investor imparts Graham’s time-tested stock and bond selection principles in a manner that is less technical and more conversational than Graham and Dodd’s earlier Security Analysis. Graham’s core principles around conducting intrinsic value analysis first and then purchasing securities that the market has mispriced at below that value are all addressed here in wonderful Graham prose. Since he pioneered that strategy, it makes good sense to read directly from the master. 

Aside from that, what I like about this book is that it addresses the often overlooked but vital psychological aspects of investing. Last but not least, did I mention that The Intelligent Investor is Warren Buffett’s favorite investment book of all time? When I interviewed him for my own book, he stated that Graham’s book “just made clear sense to me as a book about… show more.

This is by far the simplest ever book written on a successful trading technique that can be implemented even by a novice trader. The author has shared his own experience, tested methods with real charts that make the book even more attractive. Anyone who aspires to become a successful trader will find the book beneficial.

This could be better written (too many page-length paragraphs), but it earns its place on this list because the topic is important and I don’t know of any better treatment.

Many investment pundits advocate rigid self-control: they say you should try to suppress all emotion in investment decision-making – which is probably infeasible, and in any case undesirable. This book suggests a higher aspiration: aim to have the right emotions, those which are accurately calibrated to the contours of truth.

At New York University, I attended the Austrian Colloquium every week. I learned more about economics listening to Dr. Kirzner talk for 5 minutes than I did in any 2-hour class. Austrian economics is about human action – not unlike what you’ll find in The Economic Way of Thinking. The US stock market today seems to be drifting further and further away from Kirzner’s definition of a market: “Disequilibrium prices generate direct disappointment of plans… Such disappointment can be expected to alert entrepreneurs to the true temper of the market” and result in price discovery. Market makers and short sellers disrupt this process by altering the appearance of supply and demand for the shares of companies. This reason alone should call into question the stock exchange as a “marketplace.”

If you are interested in the history of the Indian stock market, then this book is a must-read for you. Written in an easy-to-understand language, the book will take you on an exciting journey from the early days of the Bombay Stock Exchange, narrating all major episodes and players with learnings that can help you to navigate in the Indian Stock Market.

The markets are always changing. My ability to maintain performance for over 25+ years I believe comes from my deep foundation in the universal principles that drive market prices.

This book was pivotal in my understanding that some things never change. It is a bit difficult to get through, since it was written in the early 1900s. I think the strangeness of the language forced me to really think through and understand the lessons the book teaches.

In my experience, mental strengthening is step #1. 

Then you need to learn the art of behavioral analysis and economic psychology if you want to be able to consistently understand why markets move so you can begin to forecast those movements…

This book is a great place to get that process started.

I loved how this “Little Book" gets right to the point and explains why every investor should include low-cost index ETFs in their portfolios. This is a great guide for beginners and old hands alike. It is a book devoted to simplicity.

I loved Bogle’s “Cost Matters Hypothesis” which is simpler and more relevant than the also important “Efficient Markets Hypothesis” that is taught in Finance 101 classes. 

I felt this book empowered me to take control of my financial life. It’s a book I always recommend to people who are looking to improve their financial lives. I learned a lot from Vanguard founder John Bogle's 80+ years of experience and wisdom. Invest just 60 minutes in this book and reap a lifetime of informed, confident investing decisions.