Good Investment Books

Occasionally I'll get asked if I know of any good books to read on investing.

There are literally hundreds published each year, of course, and deciding which one is worth reading is always a challenge.

However, here's a few that I have on my shelf at home, and may be useful for others as well.

As I put together this list, I was struck by the fact that most of these books have been out for some time.

Some of this, of course, could simply be a reflection of my age, but I also think it indicates that I tend to go for books that have proven the test of time. Too many investment books, in my opinion, tend towards the "get rich quick" approach which I don't really favor.

I'm sure I'll miss a few, but here are some that I have found useful over the years.

I have listed these in no particular order, by the way.

General Investing:

• The Only Investment Guide You'll Ever Need - Andrew Tobias
• Common Stocks, Uncommon Profits - Philip Fisher
• Reminiscences of a Stock Operator - Edwin LeFevre
• One Up on Wall Street - Peter Lynch
• The Money Game - "Adam Smith"
• A Random Walk Down Wall Street - Burton Malkiel
• The Intelligent Investor - Benjamin Graham
  

Good Historical Perspective:

• Buffett: The Making of an American Capitalist - Roger Lowenstein
• When Genius Failed: The Rise and Fall of Long-Term Capital Management - Roger Lowenstein
• Irrational Exuberence - Robert Shiller
• Paper Money - "Adam Smith"
  

More Specialized Books:

• Technical Analysis of the Futures Market - John Murphy
• Valuing a Stock - Gary Gray, Patrick Cusatis, Randall Woolridge
• Inside the Yield Book - Sidney Homer and Martin Leibowitz
• Options As a Strategic Investment - Lawrence McMillan

Miscellaneous:

• Who Says Elephants Can't Dance - Louis Gerstner, Jr.
• The Smartest Guys in the Room - Bethany McLean and Peter Elkind
• Beat the Dealer - Edward Thorp
  

And, of course, just reading Warren Buffett's annual letters (www.berkshirehathaway.com) can be an education in itself!