The 15 Best Investing Books Of All Time

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What books should you be reading about investing your money?

I always try to read as much as I can, sometimes 2-3 books in several days. I was recently asked what books I’d recommend for investing and the pressure was on to pick a top favorite! I can’t pick a favorite, so instead I decided to share a list of the top 15 books I think everyone should pick up.

These are in no particular order:

1. You Can Be A Stock Market Genius by Joel Greenblatt

​This book is a practical guide to the stock market – all written by a successful fund manager named Joel Greenblatt who has had 50% returns per year. Inside, the book is filled with case studies, background info, and all the tools you need to become a “genius.” I like that this book assumes you’ve already gripped the basics, as it makes moving into what you need to do an easy one.

If you've never heard of Greenblatt, he's the founder and a managing partner of Gotham Capital, which has (at the time of this writing) achieved 40% annualized returns since its inception in 1985. He's also a professor at Columbia Business School and the former chairman of the board of a Fortune 500 company. There is a lot you can learn from this man. I also encourage you to read his other books: 

 
Rating: 4.3/5


​2. The Essays of Warren Buffett: Lessons For Corporate America

Considered “timeless wisdom,” Warren Buffett’s lessons for investors and managers helps explain his principals on selecting managers, valuing a business, sound investing, and much more! Buffett is considered one of the world’s most legendary investors, and he offers new and potent insight on good corporate governance. I would agree that Buffett’s insight is unmatched in the financial world!

One of the biggest insights I've ever gotten from Buffett is that picking stocks is all about picking good businesses. In order to pick good businesses, you should look for economic moats and economic goodwill. 

An economic moat is a unique competitive advantage a company has over others. For example, Coke's recipe would be considered a moat because no other company can replicate it. 

Economic goodwill is all about a company that's logically worth more than net tangible assets when it can be expected to produce earnings in excess of market rates of return. 

I would also read Warren Buffett's biography, The Snowball: Warren Buffett And The Business Of Life
 
Rating: 4.8/5


​3. Security Analysis by Benjamin Graham

T​his is an easy one for me to remember to suggest to investors because of its reputation as the investor “bible.” It was first published in the 1920s, yet the investing methods are considered as relevant today as they were back then. If you’re new to investing or its concepts, this is the book for you!

I was debating with myself on whether I should put this book or The Intelligent Investor on this list. I figured I'd put this one because it goes into more detail and because more people know about The Intelligent Investor anyway. :-) 
 
Rating: 4.8/5


​4. The Money Masters by John Train

One of my favorite books to recommend is this one – a great combination of insight from Benjamin Graham, Warren Buffett, John Templeton, and Philip Fisher, and more. This book is filled with profiles that highlight how each technique led each person to become a “money master.” What I like about this book is that despite their differences, the money masters all have traits in common like being realistic, patient, and disciplined.
 
Rating: 4.5/5


​5. Market Wizards by Jack Schwager

This classic has sold more than 200,000 copies – and it definitely makes the list of books I’d recommend to investors or those interested in getting started with investing. A big lesson with this read is learning from your mistakes, and it helps inspire hope that success is possible after feeling like you’ve lost it all. This is an inspirational read for those in the market.

This book is just like sitting down with each of these phenomenal investors and picking their brains. It's an education you can't get anywhere else. Plus, it's fairly entertaining (if you're into investing, that is). 

Rating: 4.5/5


​6. The Little Book Of Common Sense Investing: The Only Way To Guarantee Your Fair Share Of Stock Market Returns by John Bogle

​A “little” book with big benefits! John C. Bogle shares the key to getting more out of investing: low-cost index funds. This read is great to get the simplest strategy for building wealth over a long-term period. His advice is easy to understand and clear – a big part of the reason I wanted to include it on this list!

Bogle is someone all investors should study. He came from humble beginnings in Pennsylvania and eventually became the founder of The Vanguard Group. Yes, THAT Vanguard. He's also credited with creating the first index fund. So, all you indexers out there can thank this man. You can also get to know him better by reading some of his other books: 


Rating: 4.6/5


​7. A Random Walk Down Wall Street by Burton Malkiel

Currently an Amazon Bestseller, Burton G. Malkiel’s book teaches you the basic terminology of "the Street". You’ll also learn how to navigate it with the help of a user-friendly, long-range investment strategy. What I love about this book is its dedication to American financial markets as well as its technical review of how those markets actually work.

This book also rips apart technical analysis, which uses the past price movements of stocks to determine where they'll go next. Malkiel writes about how the correlation of past price movements with present and future price movements is close to zero. 

He explains that technical analysis exists because humans like order and find it difficult to accept the idea of randomness. 

​Rating: 4.6/5


​8. Rich Dad's Guide To Investing by Robert Kiyosaki

Investing isn’t one-size-fits-all, and what I love about this book is its approach to passive versus engaged investment. Robert Kiyosaki covers the basic rules of investing, how to reduce your investment risk, and how to convert your earned income into passive income. Our relationship with money is not always simple, and that’s why I recommend this read, because it talks about exactly that!

It seems like everyone and their mother has read Rich Dad Poor Dad so I wanted to include something different on this list. Plus, it wasn't until I read this particular book that I gained a deeper respect for and understanding of Kiyosaki's work. 

​Rating: 4.3/5


​9. The Boglehead's Guide To Investing by Taylor Larimore

This DIY handbook actually uses the insights of John C. Bogle (who is also on this list). This is a great book where readers learn how to craft their own investment strategy using the Bogle-proven methods. A lot of people say they should have read this book “years ago” – so if you haven’t picked it up yet, it’s definitely time! I love that it shares the minimum, practical info that any investor should know.

​Rating: 4.7/5


​10. A Beginner's Guide To The Stock Market: Everything You Need To Start Making Money Today by Matthew Kratter

I always say if you don’t know anything about the stock market and are just diving in, pick up this book! Kratter’s guide for new or casual investors introduces a simple road map for growing your money, opening up a brokerage account, buying your first stock, and more. If you’re a more experienced investor, this might not be the read you’re looking for.

​Rating: 4.5/5


​11. The Simple Path To Wealth by J.L. Collins

The humor and language of this book makes it a solid recommendation on this list, if I do say so myself. This read is great for beginners or experienced investors, especially ones looking for something new that doesn’t try to sell them that fool-proof solution to all of their problems. Collins opens up a better way of thinking about money and wealth, which is easy to grasp onto and implement.

I also encourage you to watch this speech (below) Collins gave at Google about "The Simple Path To Wealth"... 

Rating: 4.8/5


​12. The Only Investment Guide You'll Ever Need by Andrew Tobias

Maybe it won’t be the only guide, but it gets pretty close! I love Andrew Tobias’ voice in this book. He is sensible, practical, and truly witty! He also takes wealth and investment seriously, so it’s a good recommendation for those interested in investing. This is a fun read that’s easy to understand and that’s why I like to include it as a recommendation for others.

​Rating: 4.2/5


​13. The Automatic Millionaire by David Bach

What’s the “secret” to getting rich? This book covers the unique techniques of getting rich without a budget, without willpower, without a high income, and more. David’s realism serves a great starting point with those who want a foundation for accumulating wealth. I love the personal touch to this book, including the story of a young couple that didn’t make more than 55k a year combined yet still managed to accumulate wealth debt-free.

If you're interested in reading more by David Bach, I encourage you to check out his other books: 
​
Rating: 4.6/5


​14. The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey

Dave Ramsey and Rachel Cruze, who have both written investing books
Dave's daughter (Rachel Cruze) has also written books for people who want to make smarter decisions with money...
This book is a New York Times Bestseller with more than 5 million copies sold – and for good reason! Ramsey introduces a fool-proof plan of getting yourself out of debt, recognizing dangerous myths about money and finances, and securing a fund for emergencies. I love the Dave Ramsey baby steps because they are straight forward, great for everyone, and practical. This book changes lives daily!

Dave Ramsey is perhaps best known for the "debt snowball" concept, where you pay off your debts smallest to largest. While this concept isn't the best choice mathematically, Dave has proven again and again that it's likely the best psychological choice. Why? Because it gives people a sense of accomplishment and the motivation to become debt-free. 

If you can't get enough of Dave, make sure you read his other works, including:
​ 
Rating: 4.7/5


​15. The Smartest Investment Book You'll Ever Read by Daniel Solin

In this read, Solin’s 4-step plan is effective and encourages readers to take back control of their financials.  I like this book because it’s not over the top, and it keeps things simple. It’s a solid read for anyone who is getting started or prefers a “lighter” read compared to a very complex one with a lot of terminology you may not know yet.

​Rating: 4.3/5
And that’s it! These are my top 15 books for investors. Not every book on this list will be your cup of tea, but I always try to suggest these great reads whether you are a seasoned investor or looking to just get started. What are your favorite books for investing? Let me know so I can pick them up to read!
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