Here Are 12 Books That Every Investor Should Read (2024)

FAQs

What book does Warren Buffett recommend? ›

Warren Buffett is by all accounts a voracious reader and he has recommended many books over the years in his annual letter and elsewhere. One that he has often credited with playing a major role in his own success is "The Intelligent Investor" by Benjamin Graham, a 1949 classic that remains in print to this day.

At the age of 13, he filled out his first tax return, and at 19, he discovered his investing bible: The Intelligent Investor. The book, which was first published in 1949, was written by his professor Benjamin Graham. Since reading The Intelligent Investor, Buffett has closely adhered to Graham's principles.

I read annual reports, and I read a lot of other things, too. So, I've always enjoyed reading. I love reading biographies, for example.” – Warren Buffett. So Buffett says he reads around 5-6 hours daily, including newspapers, magazines, 10Ks, annual reports, and biographies.

“One Up on Wall Street” is a must-read for anyone interested in investing. Lynch's straightforward approach, practical advice, and engaging narrative make this book both educational and enjoyable. While some examples may feel dated, the underlying principles remain timeless.

Bill Gates primarily reads non-fiction books dealing with society, technology, and science issues, but he also enjoys reading sci-fi.

His IQ is clearly >> 145 and possibly as high as 160 or so. Warren Buffett graduated high school at 16 ranked in the top 5 percent of his class despite devoting substantial effort to entrepreneurial activities. Most people who know him well refer to him as brilliant, that folksy quote above notwithstanding.

Warren Buffett is widely considered to be the most successful investor in history. Not only is he one of the richest men in the world, but he also has had the financial ear of numerous presidents and world leaders.

Key Points. Warren Buffett made his fortune by investing in individual companies with great long-term advantages. But his top recommendation for anyone is to buy a simple index fund. Buffett's recommendation underscores the importance of diversification.

“I get quite a bit of sleep. I like to sleep,” Buffett said in a widely quoted 2017 interview with PBS NewsHour. “I will usually sleep eight hours a night, and that—no, I have no desire to get to work at four in the morning.”

What is the Warren Buffett Rule? ›

The Buffett Rule is the basic principle that no household making over $1 million annually should pay a smaller share of their income in taxes than middle-class families pay. Warren Buffett has famously stated that he pays a lower tax rate than his secretary, but as this report documents this situation is not uncommon.

After thinking for a moment, Buffett pulled out a stack of papers and trade reports he had brought with him and said, “Read 500 pages like this every day. That's how knowledge works. It builds up, like compound interest.

On March 12, 2009, Madoff pleaded guilty to 11 federal felonies and admitted to turning his wealth management business into a massive Ponzi scheme. The Madoff investment scandal defrauded thousands of investors of billions of dollars.

It's synonymous with the financial industry and the firms within it. This connotation has its roots in the fact that so many brokerages and investment banks historically have established their headquarters in and around the street.

Cons of Holding Single Stocks

It is harder to achieve diversification. Depending on what study you are looking at, you must own between 20 and 100 stocks to achieve adequate diversification. Going back to portfolio theory, this means more risk with individual stocks unless you own quite a few stocks.

I would recommend reading Intelligent Investor first. It was written slightly more recently (1949) than Security Analysis (1934). More important is that a recently revised edition* of Intelligent Investor was published. The preface and appendix were written by Warren Buffett.

Bill Gates, Barack Obama, Jack Ma, Elon Musk, Oprah Winfrey – they are all successful in their respective careers, and they have one thing in common – all of them follow the 5-hour rule. This means allotting one hour per weekday for reading and learning (e.g. online courses).

Even though this book is over 70 years old, it is still relevant. The advice to buy with a margin of safety is just as sound today as it was when Graham was first teaching his philosophy.