The best 82 Investments books

The Signal and the Noise explains why so many expert predictions today fail spectacularly, and what statistical and probability tools are more up to the task of predicting real-world phenomena.

The Richest Man In Babylon – Now Revised and Updated for the 21st Century is a series of parables set in ancient Babylon concerning financial wisdom. In these blinks you’ll find these parables distilled into modern day advice that can help you accumulate wealth.

Secrets of the Millionaire Mind (2005) explains how people unconsciously develop rigid attitudes and behavioral patterns in their relationship to money that they learned from their parents – and that will determine their future wealth. It presents the key guiding principles and thought patterns that millionaires live by and anybody who wants to get rich should adopt.

In The Most Important Thing, Howard Marks outlines the sometimes controversial investment philosophy that he developed and honed through many years of market experience. In his view, successful investment requires us to pay thoughtful attention to many different aspects of the current market, and too often use that information to counter the predominant trends.

The financial theories you learn about in school are coherent, neat, convenient – and wrong. In fact, they’re so wrong that they might also be dangerous: in underestimating the risk of markets, we inadvertently set ourselves up for catastrophe. The Misbehavior of Markets lays out the flaws of economic orthodoxy, and offers a novel alternative: fractal geometry.

Venture Deals offers insider insights into the mechanisms that govern venture capital deals as well as tricks that will help you get the most out of negotiations with investors. It lays out the nuts and bolts of venture capital deals in a way that is both easily understood and will give you an edge at the negotiations table.

This fully revised fourth edition of the 1992 classic, Million Dollar Consulting, walks you through everything you’ll need to compete – and win – in the highly lucrative and busy world of consulting. Million Dollar Consulting offers you the tools you need to attract clients, organize your pipeline, and grow your current consulting business into a million-dollar one.

Although technological advances have made it easier than ever to invest in the stock market, today’s Millennials (young adults born between 1980 and 2000) tend to be risk-averse. But this kind of thinking is misguided. Given that benefits like Social Security and retirement pensions are imperiled, it has never been more important for young people to start investing in their future financial security.

In The Education of a Value Investor (2014), Guy Spier recounts his transformation from greedy hedge-fund manager on Wall Street to a successful value investor. Sharing the incredible story of his career and the wisdom he acquired along the way, Spier has some surprising insights concerning, what he sees as a false choice between leading an ethical life and a financially successful one. With great admiration, Spier also names the people who were most influential to his professional life, explaining the specific effect each of them had on his mindset and career.

The Dao of Capital takes the reader on a journey from ancient China to nineteenth and twentieth century Vienna, to modern, globalized markets. Using a multitude of examples, it outlines the approach of “roundabout investing” or “Austrian investing,” which is based on ancient Daoist wisdom of “gaining by losing.” See how strategic investing, rather than rapid and rushed investing, can lead you to great financial success.

More Money Than God takes a critical look at hedge funds, the powerful and often mysterious organizations that have a huge impact on global finance and our day-to-day lives. By looking back at the history of this influential investment practice, it reveals how hedge funds developed and how they operate today.

The Intelligent Investor offers sound advice on investing from a trustworthy source – Benjamin Graham, an investor who flourished after the financial crash of 1929. Having learned from his own mistakes, the author lays out exactly what it takes to become a successful investor in any environment.

Investing isn’t just for experts. Really, anyone can become a savvy investor without even studying finance. Rule #1 teaches you all the specific qualities to look for in a company, along with some simple calculations you can make yourself in order to choose the most promising stocks.

When Genius Failed (2001) follows the rise and fall of Long-Term Capital Management, the world’s largest ever investment fund. The book reveals uncomfortable truths about the nature of investment and the fragility of the models we use to assess risk.

Common Stocks and Uncommon Profits gives you all the information you need to make smart investments, regardless of your investment style. Whether you’re looking for huge profits or simply to maintain existing funds, this book shows you the path to success.

The Little Book of Common Sense Investing provides a detailed overview of two different investment options: actively managed funds and index funds. These blinks explain why it's better to your money in a low-cost index fund instead of making risky, high-cost investments in wheeling-and-dealing mutual funds.

Berkshire Beyond Buffett (2014) reveals the core values that define Berkshire Hathaway’s corporate culture as established by its founder, Warren Buffett. The book goes on to prove that the investment company’s unique view of investing and operating will ensure its success even after Buffett’s passing.

How to Smell a Rat gives you the tools you need to avoid becoming the victim of financial fraud. It catalogs legendary fraudsters’ favorite tricks.

The New Trading for a Living (2014) is your complete guide to getting started in trading. These blinks provide a detailed overview of a range of trading methods that will allow you to approach the market with minimum risk.

Drawing from personal interviews, The Millionaire Next Door (1996) reveals that many millionaires’ daily lives are a far cry from the stereotype of luxury cars, mansions and private jets. Yet this book also disproves the belief that becoming a millionaire is difficult – anyone can learn not only how to become rich but also stay rich.

Non-Obvious is all about detecting important trends, an essential part of running a business. You can't accurately predict the future by looking at obvious, surface-level influences – the important ones are hidden underneath. These blinks offer advice on identifying meaningful changes, while outlining some prominent trends we're likely to see in the future.

Based on decades of research and the results of a massive, government-funded forecasting tournament, Superforecasting (2015) describes how to make your predictions more accurate, whether you’re trying to anticipate changes in the stock market, politics or daily life.

Charlie Munger (2015) is your guide to understanding the strategies and principles that for years have guided Warren Buffett’s financial partner, Charlie Munger, considered one of the world’s most successful investors. These blinks introduce you to the Graham value investing system that Munger uses, explain the importance of patience and courage, and show you how to make smart decisions using interdisciplinary knowledge.

Start-up Wealth (2015) is your guide to better investing. From momentum investors to value investors and alternative investors, the range of angel investment strategies is broad. These blinks will help you better determine which of today’s start-ups are worth your time and cash.

A Wealth of Common Sense (2015) reveals how sound decisions can lead you to long-term success as an investor. These blinks provide the tips that every investor should know from the outset and explain how you can create a diverse, consistent strategy that will stand the test of time.

Nolo’s Essential Guide to Buying Your First Home (2014) tells you everything you need to know when you’re in the real estate market for the first time. These blinks lay out the dos and don’ts of buying your first home, from getting a successful inspection, to negotiating the price and making the right offer.

Outsmarting the Crowd (2015) is a stellar beginner’s guide to investing. These blinks will give you all the knowledge you need to get started investing. Just don’t expect to get rich overnight: good investing is all about patience, discipline and rationality.

Franchise Your Business (2016) reveals the ins and outs of setting up a business franchise. From winning over franchisees to ensuring your brand’s quality across branches, these blinks are a practical guide to franchising, helping you to scale up your business with a powerful growth strategy.

Makers and Takers (2016) investigates the role of finance in the 2008 crisis and subsequent recession. From the Great Depression onward, these blinks trace the history of loose regulation and blurred boundaries between commercial and investment banking, while highlighting the role of banks, businesses and politicians in the crisis. They also suggest actions the powerful can take to kickstart reform.

"By age eleven he’d saved up $120, which was a whole lot of money in 1941. He used that money to make his first investment. He bought six shares of the company Cities Service Preferred – three for him and three for his sister Doris."

The Snowball (2008) offers a revealing look at the life and times of one of modern America’s most fascinating men: Warren Buffett. Find out how this shy and awkward man earned his first million dollars and how following a few fundamental rules enabled him to become the world’s wealthiest man.

This is a Blinkist staff pick

“Warren Buffet is one of those people who seems to have a magic touch. It’s almost as if he’s aware of certain universal secrets that nobody else is privy to! I love learning more about what made him so successful (he memorized textbooks?!) and trying to figure out what makes him tick.” – Ben S., Head of Audio at Blinkist

High Performance Habits (2017) explores the six habits that can turn an ordinary person into an extraordinarily productive one. Performance coach Brendon Burchard draws on the data and statistics from one of the largest studies of the world’s most productive people ever conducted to explore their habits and find out what makes them tick.

“Burchard’s research into the habits of high performers across the globe unearths some fascinating and practical insights. For example, did you know that you’ll be more motivated to do something if you think you’re doing it for someone else’s sake?” – Ben H, Head of Content at Blinkist

What I Learned Losing a Million Dollars (1994) is the story of a trader’s rise to the top and the bad decisions that cost him a fortune. It examines the psychological and behavioral dimensions of market trading and asks why traders sometimes abandon all reason and allow losses to keep mounting until they become unmanageable. It explains not only how losses can be avoided but also why avoiding them is far more important than making money if you want to succeed.

Blitzscaling (2018) looks at a revolutionary development in the business world – one that’s so unprecedented, a new word had to be invented for it. It’s the process whereby companies like Google, Facebook and Amazon began as small, scrappy start-ups and then rapidly ballooned into world-conquering giants within just a few years. What’s their secret? In a word: blitzscaling. And that, as the title suggests, is what this book is all about.

The Spider Network (2017) tells the fascinating story of Tom Hayes, the man who took the fall for the banking industry’s secret habit of manipulating interest rates. It’s a tale of what happens when traders, brokers and bank executives are allowed to operate without oversight.

In Rich Dad’s Guide to Investing (1998), Robert Kiyosaki lays out how rich people make investments. Drawing on the advice of his “rich dad,” a family friend who amassed great wealth, he shows that wealthy people make fundamentally different decisions to poor and middle-class people. Kiyosaki explains how you can change the way you approach financial decision making and find the path to riches.

In Big Mistakes (2018), Michael Batnick runs through some of the world’s best-known investors and their high-profile slipups. More than just a catalog of blunders, this book also explains what each error can teach us about managing our own portfolios.

We use money every day to take care of bills and purchase the things we need to get by in life, yet rarely seem to think rationally about spending it. Dollars and Sense (2017) explores the irrational human nature that leads to bad spending habits, why we’re so bad at saving money and how to resolve this all too human shortcoming.

Crushing It in Apartments and Commercial Real Estate (2017) provides a peek at the secrets behind the author’s phenomenal success in the real-estate market. Full of readily applicable advice for prospective investors, the book will also help established property owners make the most of their real estate. Along the way, the author shares examples from his many years working in the industry.

Capitalism Without Capital (2017) is an account of the growing importance of the intangible economy. Today, for the first time, most developed economies are investing less in tangible, physical assets such as machinery and factories, than in intangible assets such as software, research and development capability. These intangibles are hugely valuable but do not exist in physical form. The blinks ahead explore the nature of this trend, as well as its effects on business, the economy and public policy.

The Heart of the Deal (2017) offers ambitious real estate agents guidance on how to make it in the industry. It’s packed with examples from the author’s own experiences so that you too can learn how to win over clients and achieve similar levels of success.

We’re thrilled to announce that the author has worked together with Blinkist to create this book-in-blinks for you.

Mastering the Market Cycle (2018) tackles a subject that’s often misunderstood, ignored or both: financial cycles. It not only explains what cycles are, how they tend to act and what influences them, but how best to position yourself within them to deal with risk and the current market environment. Along the way, it discusses multiple recent financial cycles, teasing out the lessons that can be learned from each.

The FALCON Method (2017) offers up a precise, numbers-driven investment strategy perfect for the casual investor. The FALCON Method helps investors evaluate a set of assets to find the best opportunities, doing so by using reliable financial indicators and a structured approach designed to limit psychological bias.

The Laws of Wealth (2016) is an insightful guide to understanding how our irrational behavior can get in the way of making good investment decisions. Using insights from the field of behavioral psychology, Daniel Crosby identifies key human weaknesses that can sabotage our investments, such as overestimating our abilities and panicking in the face of risk. He then presents practical and effective strategies that we can adopt to become better investors.

Poor Charlie’s Almanack (2005) delves into the life and investment philosophies of one of the world’s most reclusive billionaires: Charles Munger. As vice-chairman of Berkshire Hathaway, Munger has been instrumental in investment decisions that have yielded profits in the billions of dollars. But Munger isn’t only interested in money. In these blinks, you’ll learn about his inspiring ethical investment philosophy, how he espouses the importance of paying taxes, and how he is a devoted philanthropist, donating money to educational institutions and causes like Planned Parenthood.

The Last Safe Investment (2016) flips financial planning on its head by focusing on the one thing you have full control of: yourself. Its model will teach you three disciplines that support three areas of wealth, to shore-up your earning potential and increase your daily happiness.

The Geometry of Wealth (2018) is a practical guide to managing your finances. Packed with financial wisdom and hands-on money-management tips, these blinks also look at the larger, philosophical questions around abundance. Author Brian Portnoy argues that material and spiritual planning go hand in hand. Take care of both and you’ll achieve true wealth.

Warren Buffett’s Ground Rules (2016) is a study of the investment strategy of the world’s fourth-richest man, a billionaire many times over. By analyzing the semi-annual letters Buffett sent to partners in the fund he managed from 1956 to 1970, author Jeremy C. Miller isolates key strategies that investors can use to play the stock market to their financial advantage.

Millionaire Teacher (2011) explains how people with middling incomes can grow rich through clever money management. From the importance of frugality to the value of government bonds, this is a simple guide to growing wealthy on modest means.

How I Invest My Money (2020) isn’t about the right way of planning your financial future. Instead, it offers a rare insight into what financial industry insiders do with their own money. So how do the pros play the market? Well, it turns out there’s no single answer to that question. How people invest depends on who they are and what kind of values and goals they have.

The Behavioral Investor (2018) explores the subconscious thought patterns and emotions that influence financial investors. Author Daniel Crosby provides insight and guidance that will help you overcome your natural inclinations so that you can make better financial decisions.

How to Make Money in Stocks (1988, new edition 2008) is a guide to building wealth in the stock market, with proven tips for finding winning stocks and avoiding losers. By learning from the past, How to Make Money in Stocks shows us how to spot telltale patterns in unpredictable markets and profit from them. 

Winning Now, Winning Later (2020) shows the path to lasting business success. Drawing from David Cote’s experience turning around a Fortune 500 multinational, it explains that choosing between short-term and long-term success is a false choice – a successful business can and must operate with both in mind.

Dropshipping (2018) is a handy, straightforward guide to setting up your own e-commerce empire with minimal investment and overhead. This brief manual gives a detailed overview on operating an online retail business and the benefits of doing so.

The New Retirement Savings Time Bomb (2021) is a practical handbook to achieving your retirement goals. This level-headed guide provides an easy-to-follow plan for cultivating a nest egg even during turbulent times.

Rich Dad’s Who Took My Money? (2004) explains why the time-honored strategy of saving money, investing in mutual funds, and holding on to paper assets for the long term is all wrong. Instead, if you want to get rich quick, you need to become a power investor who combines different asset types – like real estate, businesses, and stocks – to generate a continuous cash flow. 

Make Money Trading Options: Short-Term Strategies for Beginners (2021) guides readers through the common pitfalls of trading stock options and arms beginner day traders with some easy-to-use tools to start trading call and put options on the stock market today. At its heart is the Test Trading Strategy, which uses virtual trading tools to single out profitable stocks each day.

21st Century Investing (2021) is a guide to ethical and responsible investment strategies. Instead of making money at the expense of our fragile social and environmental systems, you can invest in ways that will actually strengthen them – ensuring societal stability and long-term returns. 

Your Money or Your Life (1992) is a nine-step guide to taking control of your finances – so you can enjoy your life rather than just make a living. You’ll learn how to adjust your attitude toward your money and time, get out of debt, start saving, and ultimately reach Financial Independence. 

Learn to Earn (1995) is a beginner’s guide to investing. It gives novice investors information about the history of capitalism and advice on how to pick investments and choose stocks.

Crypto Wars: Faked Deaths, Missing Billions, and Industry Disruption (2021) lifts the lid on some of the cryptosphere’s most audacious scams and notorious scandals. From the missing cryptoqueen, Dr. Ruja Ignatova, to the tech whiz kid who – according to his creditors, at least – faked his own death, Crypto Wars shares this secretive industry’s most compelling stories.

We Should All Be Millionaires (2021) shows how women can attain financial success by casting off impostor syndrome and demanding that they be paid what they’re really worth. Here, you’ll learn how the ability to earn, save, and manage money has been denied to women – and why that’s a bad thing for the world as a whole.

Stop. Think. Invest. (2022) takes a look at behavioral economics, a field of study that explores the roles of human emotion and behavior in financial decision-making. It examines how people’s unconscious biases and inherent aversions influence their decisions in every aspect of the investment process.

Tax-Free Wealth (2012) takes the mystery out of taxes. It offers priceless insights on taxes and tax planning that you can use to ultimately build your wealth. Drawing from professional experience and a deep understanding of tax law, it breaks down the principles and rules underlying the best financial planning, and shows you how the laws are there to help you save your money.

Nothing But Net (2021) is a practical guide to tech stock-picking for investors. Based on his years of experience as a Wall Street tech analyst, Mahaney outlines the dos and don’ts of choosing companies to invest in. Although the world of stocks is unpredictable, there are proven methods that any investor can use to become more successful.

Financial Intelligence (2013) is an accessible handbook that helps managers and decision makers interpret financial data and understand its importance.

Better than Alpha (2021) encourages investors to let go of their obsession with alpha – the amount an investment has returned compared to the market index. It explores what really drives returns, so you can build a successful portfolio and meet your investment goals instead of chasing rainbows.

The NFT Handbook (2022) is your go-to guide to “non-fungible tokens” – a new kind of digital asset that’s changing the way we think about ownership in the internet age. Written by two leading experts on NFTs, this explainer covers everything from how NFTs work to how you can enter this booming global market.

No Red Lights (2022) is part-autobiography, part-guidebook to assembling the core fundamentals of your career. Geared primarily toward aspiring venture capitalists but helpful for anyone interested in business, it’s packed with instructive lessons and useful advice. Simultaneously, it is a glimpse into the life of man who’s spent 50 years learning –⁠ and living –⁠ the tricks of the trade.

Just Keep Buying (2022) is a no-nonsense guide to personal finance that delights in busting myths and dispelling old clichés. Tackling all-important questions like saving and investing, it digs into the psychology behind money and provides a realistic guide to making sound financial decisions. 

Two and Twenty (2022) provides an up-close-and-personal account of the mysterious world of private equity. It gives insights into this unique branch of the finance sector and explains what sets it apart from other investment models.

Goals-Based Investing (2022) explains how the wealth management industry is transforming, how modern portfolio theory is no longer considered modern, and how product evolution and regulatory changes are making it easier for investors and advisors to access market segments that were once the exclusive domain of large institutes.

Trade Like a Stock Market Wizard (2013) is a guide to the SEPA (Specific Entry Point Analysis) investment methodology. It navigates you through managing risk, maximizing profits, and, most importantly, having faith in your own ability. You don’t have to be a professional to get started in the stock market – in fact, your status as a lay investor might actually be your biggest strength. 

Smart Women Finish Rich (1998) is a guide to financial empowerment. The personal finance classic walks readers through everything from saving to investing to – ultimately – building a values-based life and funding your dreams. 

Basic Economics (2000) provides a broad yet comprehensive introduction to economic principles, without requiring a background in the subject. Avoiding complicated jargon, it explains core economic concepts in plain English, with the help of real-life examples. 

NFTs Are a Scam / NFTs Are the Future (2023) is a bold, provocative take on what is either another scam-ridden, superficial digital trend or the future of art and entertainment – depending on who you ask. It considers NFTs from every angle to help you make up your own mind.

Flash Boys (2014) is an investigation into the dark underbelly of the US financial markets. It also chronicles the birth of a new stock exchange, the IEX, created to counteract a rigged system that was facilitated by technological loopholes and a lack of transparency.

Dave Ramsey's Complete Guide To Money (2011) is a hands-on guide to personal finance. It details the best approaches to everything money – including budgeting, saving, investing, and getting insurance.

The General Theory of Employment (1936) is a deep dive into the complexities of economic activity and employment. It critically examines how factors like interest rates, human psychology, and speculation influence investment and, ultimately, employment. It argues for more direct intervention by public authorities in organizing investment to mitigate instabilities, particularly during periods of economic downturn.

The Four Pillars of Investing (2002) presents an accessible, evidence-based approach to investing success. The book examines how avoiding emotional biases and impulsive actions enables harnessing the market's wealth-generating power. Bernstein argues that integrating insights from financial science, psychology, and history offers individual investors their best chance at building lifelong prosperity.

The Insider’s Edge to Real Estate Investing (2023) is a wealth of knowledge and insights for beginner and intermediate real estate investors alike. Based on the podcast of the same name, and framed as a 10-step process, it guides you through the many considerations and choices needed to build a successful real estate investment portfolio.

Easy Money (2023) offers a riveting exploration into the chaotic realm of cryptocurrency, tracing its exhilarating ascent and dramatic descent. Through captivating accounts of traders, visionaries, and whistleblowers, the narrative unravels the intricate web of ambition, naiveté, and deceit that pervades the crypto sphere, providing a comprehensive insight into a world where promise meets uncertainty.

The Warren Buffett Way (2013) chronicles the unprecedented success of one of the world’s greatest investors. From his first $120 investment to his ultimate $120 billion net worth, it focuses on the history and strategies of the man who seemed to do the impossible: beat the market.