When it comes to making smart financial decisions as an adult, most of the focus is placed on what not to do. Don’t leave your credit card balances unpaid. Don’t waste money on stuff you don’t need. But while all of this is good advice for keeping you from sinking into the red, it doesn’t do much to grow your wealth.
It’s hardly a secret that a savings account doesn’t do much to increase what you have in the bank, but for so many people, it feels like the safest place to keep their money. That’s because investing can feel intimidating. What’s more, many people see investing as no less risky than a weekend out in Vegas. But for all of the risk-taking investors, there are people who make smart, prudent and cautious investing decisions that help them grow their net worth.
If you’re looking to start investing, a good place to start is with a book on the subject. You might wonder if a book is really the best place to start, considering that market trends constantly change. But the best investment books aren’t designed to tell you what stocks to invest in that day. Rather, they can equip you with the tools and information needed to make smarter decisions, no matter what the latest Silicon Valley startup is doing.
Here at SPY, we love recommending the best books for men. Instead of just enriching you intellectually, the best investing books can enrich you literally. We’ve rounded up some of the best books about investing that you can check out below.
1. The Intelligent Investor: The Definitive Book on Value Investing
BEST CLASSIC BOOK
Even though Silicon Valley companies define daily market news, this book, first published in 1949, remains the #1 investing book on Amazon in 2020. While some of the specifics are undoubtedly outdated, there are smart principles in this book that hold to today. It has also been gradually updated over the years. At 640 pages, it’s no doubt a dense book. But it’s a worthwhile one for anyone serious about investing.
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2. Broke Millennial: Stop Scraping By and Get Your Financial Life Together
BEST FOR YOUNG PEOPLE
While many millennials lack basic financial literacy, they’re also stepping into a world that looks different than the one their parents grew up in. This book is made for today, and is designed for people who are starting at zero in terms of their financial knowledge. While it does cover investing, this book takes a more holistic approach and focuses on overall financial well-being. While the tone can come off as unnecessarily twee at times, the basic principles are still helpful.
3. The Essays of Warren Buffett
BEST COLLECTION
Even if you know absolutely nothing about Wall Street, you’ve heard of Warren Buffett. This is the fifth edition of the collection of Buffett’s essays, continuing his collaboration with Professor Lawrence Cunningham. And while Buffett is undoubtedly one of the most knowledgeable people in this field, his essays are written with an eye toward simplicity and digestibility.
4. A Random Walk Down Wall Street
BEST BEGINNER BOOK
This classic book is a great place to start for beginners, and it’s designed to be easy to understand for the average reader. This book is constantly updated with new information that’s relevant to today’s market. This, the twelfth edition, includes information on cryptocurrency, for example.
5. The Little Book of Common Sense Investing
BEST GUIDE TO INDEX FUNDS
For the careful investor looking to gradually grow, this book takes, as its name suggests, a commons sense approach to the stock market. Bogle’s focus is on index funds, and this book has garnered the praise of Warren Buffett.
6. Principles: Life and Work
MOST HOLISTIC
Principles takes a personal approach to investing, highlighting the author’s own guiding principles while reflecting on his journey in business. The author, Ray Dalio, founded the investment firm Bridgewater Associates, which Fortune listed as the fifth most important private company. Beyond just investing, Dalio discusses his approach to management and decision-making.
7. How to Day Trade for a Living
BEST FOR SERIOUS TRADERS
Most of the books on this list focus on long-term strategies. But for those who are really dedicated, How To Day Trade for a Living focuses on a more aggressive approach to trading. It does pretty much what it says on the tin — the book provides practical guidance on getting started in day trading, including a breakdown of common techniques. With new computer and software tools, a lot of people are making a lot of money with day trading, but before you dive-in headfirst, you’ll want to read this guide.
8. The Book on Rental Property Investing
BEST REAL ESTATE INVESTING BOOK
The bulk of investment books focus on the stock market, but this book by Brandon Turner focuses on rental properties. Turner takes a look at different kinds of properties and provides practical, step by step advice. For those less interested in getting rich fast on Wall Street and more interested in realistic investments they can make in their own community, this is a great place to start.
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