20 Books You Should Reading If You Call Yourself an Investor

Finding and creating personal financial security seems like a long lost goal for many. We have compiled a list of the top 20 books you can read to either start your journal to financial solvency and wealth or to elevate your current investment strategies to the next level. With lessons from the top investors over the years, they are providing their strategies on what to do or not do to create wealth for yourself and your future.

The Intelligent Investor

The Intelligent Investor by Benjamin Graham, known as the godfather of investing provides common sense basics for today’s common investor even after the first publishing over 70 years ago. With nearly 2,000 reviews on Amazon it has a 4.5 stars awarded.

The Little Book of Common Sense Investing

The Little Book of Common Sense Investing by John C Bogle has over 750 reviews on Amazon and they give it 4.5 stars. With a book endorsement from Warren Buffet and being the founder of Vanguard Group learning from him is common sense investing for small investors and big investors. Since this book was first published the stock market has had its highs and lows and with applying the strategies of the majority of investors have survived the highs and lows of the market.

The Only Investment Guide You’ll Ever Need

The Only Investment Guide You’ll Ever Need by Andrew Tobias has over 350 Amazon reviews and it was awards 4.5 stars. According to the New York Times and the Simple Dollar agree that this book is informative and entertaining at the same time. Even though this book was originally written in the late 70’s reading it was last updated in 2016 to show that the same strategies that worked then are still applicable today.

Angel: How to Invest in Technology

Angel: How to Invest in Technology by Jason Calacani is a breakdown of how to analyze new technology startups to see if they are a wise investment or not for angel investors. Whenever an angel investor works with a startup there is always the chance the company will flop and learning what to look for in a startup is not only key to their success, but yours as the investor. With nearly 400 reviews on Amazon this book has the rare 5 star review rating. The beauty of angel investing is usually you do not have to do the work, you just have to buy into a good company, good product or service and or know what to look for in them.

Rich Dad Poor Dad

Rich Dad Poor Dad: What the Rich Teach Their Kids About Money That the Poor and Middle Class Do Not! by Robert Kiyosaki has a whopping 7,300+ Amazon reviews and has earned a 4.5 star rating. This book breaks down investments on how to become rich by explaining what he was taught and what he learned from two different men in his life. This book has been out for nearly two decades and still is listed as the top personal finance book.

The Essays of Warren Buffet

The Essays of Warren Buffet: Lessons for Corporate America by Lawrence Cunningham was last updated in 2015. If you could sit down and have a conversation with self-made billionaire Warren Buffet, it would be much like reading this compilation of writings regarding his thoughts and processes on how to invest and what he has learned over decades of investing.

Common Sense on Mutual Funds

Common Sense on Mutual Funds: New Imperatives for the Intelligent Investor by John C Bogle has over 200 reviews on Amazon with a 4.5 star rating. This book shares the insights Bogle has and has been updated regularly for the ever changing investment environment since 1999. His focus is on low cost mutual funds that if diversified enough will show better results than working with an investor on Wall Street.

The Millionaire Next Door

The Millionaire Next Door: The Surprising Secrets of America’s Wealthy by Thomas J Stanley and William D Danko has over 2,600 reviews on Amazon giving it a 4.5 star rating. This book focuses on seven similarities between successful people instead of the hundreds of ways to analyze companies to invest in. Knowing that someone is living next door or in your neighborhood and is a millionaire, you’d never know it. But simple concepts for instance living within or below your means can make a huge impact in your ability to build wealth.

A Random Walk Down Wall Street

A Random Walk Down Wall Street by Burton G Malkiel has over 800 Amazon customer reviews which award it 4.5 stars. While this book isn’t necessarily for the beginner it is definitely one you should read after you have a general understanding of how investment strategies work. Malkiel provides a wide variety of investment techniques with plans of action ready for readers to jump right in.

One Up On Wall Street

One Up On Wall Street by Peter Lynch, while the book is nearly 20 years old the same conservative principles can still by applied. Nearly 700 Amazon reviews gives this book 4.5 stars. Author is a very successful mutual fund manager who breaks down the best way for the common investor to succeed with their own common knowledge, which can beat a professional at the game of investing.

Security Analysis

Security Analysis by Benjamin Graham was his first book on investing and it is quite detailed in his methods for investing. This book gives insight on how to evaluate companies before investing in the market. The book was last updated in 2008. With over 350 reviews on Amazon this book has a 4.5 star rating. Many reviews on Amazon state that the latest version excludes some valuable information and they recommend getting earlier editions that include the pertinent information that is excluded from the 2008 edition.

Common Stock, Uncommon Profits and Other Writings

Common Stock, Uncommon Profits and Other Writings by Philip Fisher, while only having a little over 200 Amazon reviews it maintains a 4.5 star rating. It was first published in the late 1960’s and Warren Buffet has attributed this book to the development of his investment philosophy. In 2003 the son of author Philip Fisher updated the book giving it a much needed update of almost 50 years of changes in the investment world.

The Book on Rental Property Investing

The Book on Rental Property Investing: How to create wealth and passive income through smart buy and hold real estate investing by Brandon Turner written in 2015 is a guide on how to make yourself into a millionaire with rental properties. With nearly 500 Amazon reviews it has been awarded 4.5 stars. If you follow pod-casts this author is one of the co-hosts of BiggerPockets which posts a new podcast every Thursday is a great way to follow up everything you learn after reading his book.  

The Little Book That Still Beats the Market

The Little Book That Still Beats the Market by Joel Greenblatt has nearly 500 reviews on Amazon with a 4 star rating. Greenblatt’s book focuses on exposing the formula he uses to invest and how anyone using it will be successful, even if ‘everyone’ uses it. The formula is so basic that it boasts that it is at 6^th grade level math. The book is a step by step manual on how to implement the formula into your portfolio creating long term success for you in the market.

How to Make Money in Stocks

How to Make Money in Stocks: A Winning System in Good Times and Bad by William O’Neil has nearly 600 book reviews on Amazon with an overall 4.5 star rating. It is recognized as a national best seller. This book focuses on a seven step process to lessen risks and increase gains. Following seven simple steps allows new investors to make educated decisions that impact their portfolios in a positive way.

Stocks for the Long Run

Stocks for the Long Run: The Definitive Guide to Financial market Returns and Long-Term Investment Strategies by Jeremy Siegel has roughly 175 Amazon reviews with a 4.5 star rating. This book provides an analysis on the financial crisis and how emerging market and international investments are making an impact. Giving some insight into the international market is different than many of these other books as they focus on domestic investments. Adding worldwide trading adds a level of complexity and risk.

Winning the Loser’s Game

Winning the Loser’s Game: Timeless Strategies for Successful Investing by Charles D Ellis has a 4.5 star rating on Amazon. The Money Magazine has called author Charles D Ellis the ‘Wall Street’s Wisest Man,’ he explains fees, how to revamp 401(k) plans, indexing and active indexing and following behavior economics is vital to investors.

The Four Pillars of Investing

The Four Pillars of Investing: Lessons for Building a Winning Portfolio by William J Bernstein has over 250 Amazon reviews with a 4.5 star rating. Bernstein provides instructions on how to build your portfolio without a financial advisor. Providing four pillars of discussion without a lot of nonsense discussion. He proposes that mutual fund companies and stockbrokers are more like your competition rather than your partners in the industry.

The 5 Mistakes Every Investor Makes and How to Avoid Them

The 5 Mistakes Every Investor Makes and How to Avoid Them: getting Investing Right by Peter Mallouk, JD CFP MBA, has a 4.5 star rating on Amazon and is a New York Times bestseller. Many of the aforementioned books were a highlights as to what to follow and what to do, Mallouk puts his focus on what ‘NOT’ to do. Sometimes knowing what to avoid and what not to do is more than half the battle and a different perspective on investing than many of these other top books on investing.

The Money Masters

The Money Masters by John Train has a 4.5 star rating on Amazon and is a national bestseller. Train breaks down top investors over time, many who were mentioned or authors of the above books in this list. He explains how each investment strategy worked for each individual investor making them the success they are today or were. He believes these strategies can be applied by any investor.

Choosing a path for your financial security has many different roads and the key to many successful investors is not following one particular path but following many paths. Your ability to follow simple math or instructions can be the beginning of your financial solvency and success. Relying on a 401(k) plan, pension or social security just isn’t enough anymore. While you may not read all of these books, finding one or two that fit your current financial situation can help get you moving in the right direction and or up your level in the game and yes, it is a game, it has winners and it has losers. The best part is there can be many winners, if you choose to be one of them.