Some people are very hesitant to invest because they think you need a tremendous amount of money to start investing. Well, that’s not entirely true.
Investing, when done right, can reap big rewards.You don’t have to be an expert—you can even start right now!
To give us more insight on how to start investing, we asked experts“what are the best investing books for beginners?”
Here are their top recommendations:
Table of Contents
- The Intelligent Investor: The Definitive Book on Value Investing. A Book of Practical Counsel by Benjamin Graham, Jason Zweig
- The Essays of Warren Buffett: Lessons for Corporate America by Warren E. Buffett
- When Genius Failed: The Rise and Fall of Long-Term Capital Management by Roger Lowenstein
- The Four Pillars of Investing: Lessons for Building a Winning Portfolio – William J. Bernstein
- The Little Book of Common Sense Investing: The Only Way to Guarantee Your Fair Share of Stock Market Returns – John C. Bogle
- The Elements of Investing: Easy Lessons for Every Investor – Burton G. Malkiel
- Long-Distance Real Estate Investing: How to Buy, Rehab, and Manage Out-of-State Rental Properties – David Greene
- The Book on Flipping Houses: How to Buy, Rehab, and Resell Residential Properties – Mr. J Scott
- How to be a Real Estate Investor – Phil Pustejovsky
- Set for Life: Dominate Life, Money, and the American Dream by Scott Trench
- That Thing Rich People Do: Required Reading for Investors by Kaye A. Thomas
- Millennial Money Makeover: Escape Debt, Save for Your Future, and Live the Rich Life Now by Conor Richardson
- Rich Dad’s Guide to Investing: What the Rich Invest in, That the Poor and the Middle Class Do Not! by Robert T. Kiyosaki
- The Millionaire Next Door: The Surprising Secrets of America’s Wealthy by Thomas J. Stanley, William D. Danko
- The Four Pillars of Investing: Lessons for Building a Winning Portfolio by William J. Bernstein
- Wall Street Kitchen: The Recipe Behind a Housewife’s 1000% Stock Return by Victor Chiu
- The Thriving Artist by David Maurice Sharp
- Frequently Asked Questions
- What should I look for in a beginner investing book?
- Can these books help me make a lot of money quickly?
- Do I need to have a lot of money to start investing?
- Do I need a lot of prior financial knowledge to benefit from these books?
- Can I learn investing by reading these books, or do I need practical experience?
- What are beginner investors’ most common mistakes, and how can these books help avoid them?
- Are these books relevant only to the stock market, or do they also cover other types of investments?
Michael Osteen, M.B.A.
Founder | Chief Investment Strategist,Port Wren Capital, LLC
Authored by Benjamin Graham “the father of value investing“. He was an investor, economist, and professor. First published in 1949 and still in print today in 2019.
Warren Buffett, a student of Graham’s says, “By far the best book on investing ever written.“
Every serious value investor should own this book and fully understand chapter 8 about “Mr. Market” and chapter 20 about “Margin of Safety.” This is one of the two founding texts in neoclassical investing.It teaches sound, time tested principles for value investing.We follow the principles when conducting value investing research for our subscribers.
J. Douglas Wellington, JD, LLM
Associate Professor,Husson University’s School of Business and Management
What betterbusiness bookfor a beginning investor than words of wisdom from one of the foremost investors of our time?
Mr. Buffett writes about numerous investing topics, with each topic being less than 10 pages. So, beginning investors can easily digest Mr. Buffett’s advice.
Much of his advice contradicts modern investment theory, which is an excellent reason to read his book;an investor is always better off by getting multiple points of view.
I own the First Revised Edition, but the table of contents to the current edition is very similar.
This is a great cautionary tale of investing; even the smartest men in the room can make catastrophic mistakes.
Two Nobel Prize winning economists, Myron Scholes and Robert Merton, were part of Long-Term Capital Management, and their theories helped form the firm’s investment strategies.
The book reads like a novel, chronicling the rise and spectacular fall of the firm. It demonstrates to all investors the dangers of hubris and investing in businesses or financial instruments that they cannot easily understand.
Timothy G. Wiedman
Associate Prof. of Management & Human Resources (Retired)
‘The Investing QuickStart Guide’(published in late 2018) is written byTed Snow, a best-selling author, and 30-year finance industry veteran.
Snow is the founding principal at Snow Financial Group, LLC, and he’s been featured inInvestopedia, Forbes,andKiplingers.
In this short, well-written, easily digested paperback (203 pages cover to cover), readers will discover easy-to-understand graphics, anecdotes, reminders, hints, and examples of what’s necessary to develop solid investment skills for the 21st Century.
In addition to being an excellent foundation for novice investors just learning about the investment world, it’s alsoa wonderful ‘refresher’ for more experienced investors.
InThe Millionaire Within,they help readers understand their relationship with money and how it impacts every area of their lives.
Throughout the book, they share stories which are important in making the readers understand key elements about their own financial planning goals in an easy and straightforward manner.
Young or old,The Millionaire Within is a fantastic guidebook that gives readers a new way of looking at their finances, offering them the opportunity to finally take charge of their financial future.
This book will teach you how to build a solid investment portfolio without having to rely solely on a financial advisor.
This book lays out the four crucial topics every investor must master:
- the relationship between risk and reward.
- the history of the market.
- the psychology of the investor and the market.
- the folly of taking financial advice from investment salespeople.
With his straightforward approach and using real-life examples, Bernstein pulls back the curtain to reveal what really goes on in today‘s financial industry and how you can build wealth while controlling risk.
Vladamir Sobur
Content Executive,Moshes Law
To simply put it,this is a guide to getting smart about the market.
John C. Bogle teaches how to get the most out of investing by investing in low-cost index funds using the buy and hold strategy.
Using this strategy he shows you how to invest and build wealth for the long term at a low cost using a mutual fund that tracks a broad stock market Index such as the S&P 500.
Igor Gramyko
Owner,Highwater Standard
Two of the world’s greatest financial thinkers have decided to combine their talents to produce a straight to the point book about investing and saving.
The main focus of this book is to address the essentials and offer a few simple, but powerful thoughts on how to avoid losing the market game and instead enjoy the “winner’s” approach to investing.
This book gives you clear advice on how to follow all the investment rules and principles you need to succeed.
A lot of beginner real estate investors might overlook the concept ofout-of-state investing– and that’s why a lot of them fail.
Your local real estate market isn’t always the best choice for a rental property, but you need the right guide to succeed at long-distance real estate investing.
That’s why this book by David Greene is a must-read for beginners.
A lot of beginner investors want to start with house flipping but the problem is that it’s not really a beginner-friendly strategy.
With this book, however,a beginner can learn how to create and manage a successful house-flipping business in any real estate market.
Best of all, it includes a detailed guide on how to find the right properties for flipping, how to make competitive offers, and a realistic approach to financing property with little to no money or poor credit.
This book is one I recommend because it’s written by an experienced real estate coach with a successful track record every beginner can trust.
This book focuses on the reality of real estate investing- the rather harsh reality- and provides actionable andrealistic tips on how to succeed.
Rather than convincing beginners that investing in real estate is easy, the book shows them how to thrive in the competitive market.
This bookwalks the reader through how to use your first house to offset your living expenses so that you can direct more money into investments.
His strategy is developed for the 9-5 worker who wants to build assets that are going to provide them with financial freedom.
This will allow you to be more intentional about your property ownership so that you have more options later on inlife.
Knowing that many people want to learn the basics of investing without wading through 300 pages on a dry subject, Kaye Thomas covers all the essentials in an entertaining guide that’s short enough to read in a single sitting.
That Thing Rich People Do doesn’t assume any prior knowledge, and doesn’t promise any miracles.
It explains in the clearest possible language the keys to sound investing and tells how to set up investments consistent with those principles with a minimum of effort.
Anyone who is just beginning to learn about investing should read this book first.
This book takes readers in their twenties and thirties through the process of mastering their money, from learning how to pay off student loans quickly to taking their first dip into the world of investing.
Readers will tackle basic investment terms, investment vehicles, and how to automate their financial ecosystem.This book is a terrific start for any young investor looking to turn around their financial life.
This classic book explores the different mindset needed to be Rich. In the context of story, Robert Kiyosaki shows readers the mental frameworks that separate the poor from the rich.
Rich Dad, Poor Dad, will adjust the reader’s outlook as to what makes those successful versus those who remain stuck in their old ways.This book offers practical and sage advice for any young investor to consume.
Authors Thomas Stanley and William Danko lay out the habits and psychology adopted by America’s Millionaires.
This book offers a behind the scenes look at the tools of the wealth that will set any young investor up for the right frame of mind to make millions.The path to wealth may surprise young investors.
Bernstein, a neurologist, writes about the the Theory, History, Psychology, and Business of investing (the Four Pillars) to give a nice perspective for new investors.
After reading through the book,new investors will be able to create a strategy or plan that they can implement with their own investments.
This book is based on the stock market success through lessons taught by the author’s mother.
Wall Street Kitchen is a self-help investing book which explains the complexities of the stock market in layman’s terms, making it truly relatable to the beginner level audience.
Wall Street Kitchen draws parallels between his mother’s passion for cooking and her philosophy for investing.
The storytelling perspective and approach is just something you don’t see regularly in a self-help finance book, which makes for a unique and compelling reading experience.
The Thriving Artist inspires its readers with no-nonsensefinancial literacy educationand introduction to investing interwoven with personal anecdotes and practical advice to help anyone with an inconsistent, unpredictable income to create a solid financial foundation.
It contains tried-and-true methods for saving and investing money and breaks down the complicated financial language into understandable and digestible information for the beginning investor.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I look for in a beginner investing book?
When looking for an investing book, it is important to find one that is written clearly and understandably. Look for books that explain complex concepts in simple terms and use examples to illustrate key points. It is also helpful to find a book that provides a comprehensive overview of different investment strategies and types of investments rather than focusing on just one approach.
Can these books help me make a lot of money quickly?
Investing is a long-term strategy, and it’s important to approach it with a patient, disciplined mindset. While it is possible to make a lot of money through investing, it is also possible to lose money if you make impulsive or poorly informed decisions. The books listed here are designed to help you make informed, strategic decisions but can’t guarantee quick profits. The key to success in investing is to educate yourself, stay informed, and make sound decisions based on a well-thought-out plan.
Do I need to have a lot of money to start investing?
No, you don’t need a lot of money to start investing. Many brokers offer investment accounts with low minimum deposits. There are also investment options such as mutual funds and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) that allow you to invest in a diversified portfolio of assets with relatively little money. The important thing is to start investing as early as possible and keep contributing to your investment portfolio over time.
Do I need a lot of prior financial knowledge to benefit from these books?
Actually, you can have a bit of prior financial knowledge to benefit from these books. They are written for beginners and are designed to provide a solid foundation of knowledge that you can build upon over time. If there are concepts or terms you don’t understand, feel free to do additional research or ask questions to clarify your understanding.
Can I learn investing by reading these books, or do I need practical experience?
While reading these books is a good starting point, it is also important to gain practical experience by investing your money and tracking your portfolio over time. By putting what you learn into practice, you can better understand the concepts covered in the books and see how they play out in the real world. It’s also important to continue learning and staying current on the markets and the economy, as investment strategies and conditions can change over time.
What are beginner investors’ most common mistakes, and how can these books help avoid them?
Common mistakes beginner investors make include:
Investing too much money in a single stock.
Investing too heavily in a particular sector or asset class.
Making impulsive or emotional investment decisions.
These books can help avoid these mistakes by clearly understanding the basics of investing and promoting a disciplined, long-term approach. By following the principles outlined in these books, beginner investors can make more informed investment decisions and avoid common pitfalls.
Are these books relevant only to the stock market, or do they also cover other types of investments?
While some of these books focus primarily on investing in the stock market, many also cover other types of investments, such as bonds, real estate, and alternative investments. These books can help beginners build a diversified portfolio that meets their individual goals and risk tolerance by providing a comprehensive overview of different investment types and strategies.
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