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- Best overall: "Cashing Out: Win the Wealth Game by Walking Away" by Julien and Kiersten Saunders
- Best for beginners: "Broke Millennial Takes on Investing" by Erin Lowry
- Best for beginners, runner-up: "Clever Girl Finance: Learn How Investing Works, Grow Your Money" by Bola Sokunbi
- Best for intermediate investors: "How I Invest My Money" by Joshua Brown and Brian Portnoy
- Best for understanding the stock market: "Mastering the Market Cycle: Getting the Odds on Your Side" by Howard Marks
- Best for real estate investors: "The Book on Rental Property Investing" by Brandon Turner
- Best for day trading: "How to Day Trade for a Living" by Andrew Aziz
Investing is a crucial part of building wealth, but it can be difficult to know where to start. And once you begin investing, there's always more to learn. Personal finance books about investing can be great learning tools, regardless of where you are in your journey.
The following investing books cover what you need to know about making your money work for you, whether you're a beginner, intermediate investor, or someone looking to branch out into a new type of investing.
Best Overall: 'Cashing Out: Win the Wealth Game by Walking Away' by Julien and Kiersten Saunders
Couple Julien and Kiersten Saunders are creators of the blog rich & REGULAR and YouTube channel Money on the Table. Together, they paid off $200,000 of debt in five years, started investing in real estate, and joined the F.I.R.E. movement.
Not only is "Cashing Out" great for people who want to retire early, but it's also a strong source of inspiration and a guide for how to make your money work for you. It's particularly useful for BIPOC readers, as the Saunders talk about how "traditional" wealth-building advice doesn't always apply to Black people the same way it does their white counterparts.
Best for Beginners: 'Broke Millenial Takes on Investing' by Erin Lowry
This is Erin Lowry's second book in her "Broke Millennial" series. The book debunks common myths about investing, like that you need to be debt-free to get started. Lowry explains how to start investing even if you don't think you have enough money.
Learn about how to invest while paying down debt, choose investment platforms, and avoid scams. Lowry even dives into choosing investments that align with your values and religious beliefs.
Best for Beginners, Runner-up: 'Clever Girl Finance: Learn How Investing Works, Grow Your Money' by Bola Sokunbi
This is another worthwhile book for investing beginners, but we listed it as the runner-up because it doesn't focus as narrowly on investing as "Broke Millennial Takes on Investing" does. Instead, "Clever Girl Finance" is a general personal finance book that focuses on paying down debt, budgeting, and setting goals, along with investing. Which isn't a bad thing — all of these things work together in building wealth.
Sokunbi explains the basics of investing, how to start, and what it means to invest for retirement. She also includes personal anecdotes from herself and others throughout the book, which can make this a light, easily digestible read.
Best for Intermediate Investors: 'How I Invest My Money' by Joshua Brown and Brian Portnoy
This book is a good option if you already have a grasp on the basics of investing. "How I Invest My Money" shares experiences from 25 financial experts about how they invest, build wealth, and make other financial decisions. They explain how and why they make their choices, from practical reasons (like strategy) to personal details (like family background).
Reading 25 different perspectives can help you see that there's not necessarily one correct way to invest — everyone has different goals, and their investing strategies should reflect them. You may find that you resonate with one or a few of these experts and apply their insights to your own choices.
Best for Understanding the Stock Market: 'Mastering The Market Cycle' by Howard Marks
It's common for investors to put money into the stock market — but how do you know which stocks to buy, when to buy, or when to sell?
Marks doesn't give clear-cut answers to these questions. Instead, he helps you make those decisions for yourself by providing an in-depth explanation of market cycles. Numerous factors affect why a stock (or another asset) may rise or dip in value. By understanding how these cycles work, you can make informed investing decisions.
Best for Real Estate Investing: 'The Book on Rental Property Investing' by Brandon Turner
Investing in real estate can be a great way to diversify your portfolio. There are several ways to invest in real estate, and a common one is to buy a home and rent out the property.
"The Book on Rental Property Investing" tops our list of the best real estate books. Turner helps beginners learn how to become successful real estate investors by explaining types of rental properties, finding a location, choosing the right lender, and more.
Best for Day Trading: 'How to Day Trade for a Living' by Andrew Aziz
Day trading is a risky investment strategy that we don't recommend to most people. You buy a stock or other asset, then sell it in the same day to maximize on any upward movements that occurred during the day. There are a small number of people who day trade and make money, though. "How to Day Trade for a Living" is one of the best day trading books to teach you the ropes.
Andrew Aziz is a big name in the day trading world, and "How to Day Trade for a Living" hits multiple topics for new day traders. Aziz explains how day trading works, how to choose stocks, how to choose a day trading platform, and more. He gives a good comprehensive overview of multiple parts of day trading.
Other Investing Books we Considered
We considered numerous books on investing when narrowing down our top picks. The above books are our favorites, but it's smart to keep learning so you can become a better and better investor over time. You also might like some of the following books:
- "Warren Buffet's Ground Rules" by Jeremy C. Miller
- "I Will Teach You To Be Rich" by Ramit Sethi
- "You Can Be a Stock Market Genius" by Joel Greenblatt
- "Unshakeable: Your Financial Freedom Playbook" by Tony Robbins
- "The Little Book of Common Sense Investing" by John C. Bogle
- "Beating the Street" by Peter Lynch
- "Millionaire Teacher: The Nine Rules of Wealth You Should Have Learned in School" by Andrew Hallam
- "The Automatic Millionaire" by David Bach
- "The Intelligtent Investor" by Benjamin Graham
- "Common Stocks and Uncommon Profits" by Philip Fisher
- "Margin of Safety" by Seth Klarman
- "The Bond King" by Mary Childs
Investing Books: Frequently Asked Questions
What is a good book to read on investing?
At Personal Finance Insider, our top investing book is "Cashing Out" by Julien and Kiersten Saunders. We chose this book mainly because it talks about factors that can impact BIPOC investors, while a lot of financial advice can cater toward white clientel. However, any of the books on our list are good options.
What is the best book for investing in the stock market?
"Mastering the Market Cycle" by Howard Marks is a good book for understanding the ups and downs of the stock market. Once you understand cycles, you can make informed decisions about what to invest in, and when.
What should I invest $1,000 in?
If you have $1,000 to invest, you may want to open an IRA with an online brokerage. You'll talk with the broker about your risk tolerance, which can help you decide how to invest your money.