All-Time Best Books on Investing
I’ve spent many years investing and reading about investing - two passions of mine that have naturally evolved into my career. Over time I've put together a list of the best investing books of all time so that I can share this list with anyone that asks me for book recommendations. This list includes my all-time favorite books on investing. A few of these books are investor’s stories, a few are about stock trading, but overall this is a list that I would recommend every investor reads.
These books are in no particular order, since it’s so hard to really narrow down which is actually the best. They all have their own reasons to be on this list.
A Random Walk Down Wall Street: The Time-Tested Strategy for Successful Investing
This book will have a lasting impact on how you talk about the markets with other investors. Burton Malkiel explains the randomness in the stock markets while also explaining how to use that to your advantage.
"If you want a get-rich quick investment strategy, this is not the book for you. I'll leave that for the snake oil salesmen. You can only get poor quickly. To get rich, you will have to do it slowly, and you have to start now." ~ Burton Malkiel, A Random Walk Down Wall Street
Check out my full book summary and review of A Random Walk Down Wall Street
Market Wizards: Interviews with Top Traders (Market Wizards, #1)
Every investor knows of the Market Wizards series. Each chapter is a short biography of an all-time great investor. It’s awesome to see the similarities and the differences with everyone’s investing styles and strategies.
"There is no holy grail to trading success. The methodologies employed by the "market wizards" cover the entire spectrum from purely technical to purely fundamental and everything in between. The length of time they typically hold a trade ranges from minutes to years. Although the styles of the traders are very different, many common denominators were evident."~ Jack Schwager, Market Wizards
The Most Important Thing: Uncommon Sense for the Thoughtful Investor
This might be the book that I recommend more than any others when searching for investing advice. Howard Marks gives a solid list of the most important things to look for when investing.
“The key turning point in my investment management career came when I concluded that because the notion of market efficiency has relevance, I should limit my efforts to relatively inefficient markets where hard work and skill would pay off best.”~ Howard Marks, The Most Important Thing
Check out my full book summary and review of The Most Important Thing, by Howard Marks.
The Snowball: Warren Buffett and the Business of Life
This is an intimate glimpse into the life of the greatest investor of the last 100 years. You will learn a few things about how to properly invest from this biography.
“The great engine of compounding worked as a servant on his behalf, at exponential speed, and under the gathering approval of a public gaze. The method was the same: estimate an investment's intrinsic value, handicap its risk, buy using margin of safety, concentrate, stay in the circle of competence, let it roll as compounding did the work. Anyone could understand the simple ideas, but you could execute them."~ Alice Schroeder, The Snowball
Check out my full book summary and review of The Snowball: Warren Buffett & The Business of Life
Series 7 Exam For Dummies
When I bought this book I wasn’t expecting it to have much of an impact, but it did. This is probably the best book at covering the broadest range of investment fields. Not only does this go through all the rules and regulations, but it gets someone ready to confidently understand different investment vehicles. It's beginner friendly but there's also going to be a few things that most seasoned investor's didn't quite know.
Check out my full book summary and review of Series 7 Exam For Dummies.
The Little Book of Common Sense Investing
Written by John (Jack) Bogle, the founder of Vanguard, this book is the ultimate guide on why and what to buy regarding ETF investing. It’s a quick read that avoids fluff, so it is properly named.
“Deep down I remain absolutely confident that the vast majority of American families would be well served by owning their equity holdings in a Standard & Poor’s 500 Index fund (or a total stock market index fund) and holding their bonds in a total bond market index fund. To repeat, while such an index-driven strategy may not be the best investment strategy ever devised, the number of investment strategies that are worse is infinite.” ~ John Bogle, The Little Book of Common Sense Investing
How to Make Money in Stocks: A Winning System in Good Times or Bad
I didn’t have high hopes initially for this book with the cheesy name and corny cover. But don’t let that fool you. This is one of the most impactful stock picking books I’ve ever read. O’Neil explains why and when to buy and sell large cap stocks. This book alone has it’s own system that an investor could follow.
“It’s the time you put in after 9 to 5 Monday through Friday that ultimately makes the difference.” ~ William O’Neil, How To Make Money In Stocks
Check out my full book summary and review of How To Make Money In Stocks
Beyond Greed and Fear: Understanding Behavioral Finance and the Psychology of Investing
Probably the best book I’ve read on investor psychology. Behavioral finance is an area that needed it’s own book to fully cover. Really understanding greed and fear in the markets can give you an edge that most great investors take advantage of.
Check out my full book summary and review of Beyond Greed and Fear by Hersh Shefrin.
Thanks for Reading My List of the Best Investing Books
I appreciate any feedback on my book lists and reviews. Contact me anytime through my social media or right here on the site. I will keep updating my lists if I come across anything that I believe should be added. Thanks!
