Hands down, the most valuable asset for the self-made investor is books.

People often think they will have to invest thousands of dollars to educate themselves about investing, but it’s simply not true.

As weird as it sounds, you can get all the education you need to learn the basics and figure out what your investment approach will be by just reading a couple of investment books.

The best books to read before investing are mostly classics. Not necessarily old. Just the ones that have stood the test of time and are still relevant today.

Some other books related to stock market investing are newer ones but bring such great insight into the world of investing that they’ve made it to this list.

So, without further ado, let’s take a look at the top investment books of all time…

1. The Intelligent Investor (Benjamin Graham)

The Intelligent Investor written by value investor Benjamin Graham is perhaps the best book ever written on investing.

Written in 1949, you would expect that it’s outdated. You would be only half-right though.

The book talks about some things that are not the case anymore, but only history now. But it is mainly focused on the principles you should equip yourself with, giving you timeless insight into what temperament is necessary for someone to succeed in this area.

The legendary investor and former student of Graham, Warren Buffet even said this about the book: “By far the best book on investing ever written”.

2. Common Stocks and Uncommon Profits (Philip Fisher)

Common Stocks and Uncommon Profits by Philip Fisher is yet another classic in the world of investing.

It was a close call with The Intelligent Investor because it too has timeless advice on what makes an investor successful.

Fisher populated growth investing before it even had a name. His approach to investing mainly includes qualitative factors such as R&D and management relations.

What is perhaps the greatest thing about this book is that it provides a simple framework for analyzing stocks that anyone can follow. More so, it also helps you understand how you can go about applying it.

3. Buffettology (Mary Buffett)

Mary Buffett, the former daughter-in-law of Warren Buffett takes you by the hand and guides you through his investment philosophy.

In Buffettology, you will learn how Warren Buffett thinks about investing in stocks and what approach he followed for many years to yield such phenomenal returns.

Fortunately, the author leaves nothing out. She answers all questions you might have about investing in stocks and she’s not vague about Buffett’s approach.

Most importantly, it won’t matter whether you’re a beginner or professional as she explains everything from the more advanced terms and concepts to the most basic ones.

4. The Little Book of Common Sense Investing (John Bogle)

Another classic but a completely different approach to investing. Through The Little Book of Common Sense Investing, the author makes a persuasive argument about a passive investing approach.

Credited with creating the first index fund, the founder of The Vanguard Group, John Bogle is all about investing in index funds and holding for the long-term. Even if you want to pick stocks and manage your portfolio on your own, this book will at least help you explore why indexing is the best investment approach for most of us.

5. One Up on Wall Street (Peter Lynch)

Peter Lynch is easily one of the most successful investors ever lived. For more than a decade, he beat the market averaging an around 30% annual return through Magellan Fund.

In One Up on Wall Street, he holds nothing back, guiding you through the mindset and process that made him so successful.

His down-to-earth style and a genuine desire to help common investors succeed make his work one of the top investment books of all time without a doubt.

6. You Can Be a Stock Market Genius (Joel Greenblatt)

I know, the title of this one can make someone think they’re buying into a get-rich-quick scheme. But the content inside is invaluable for everyone wanting to know where the best opportunities lie.

Joel Greenblatt is another great value investor averaging around 50% in annual returns for almost a decade while running his hedge fund, Gotham Capital.

In his book, You Can Be a Stock Market Genius, he basically guides you through all the areas in which he found the best opportunities that yielded his phenomenal results.

Not as popular as another title of his, The Little Book that Beats the Market, it can actually prove more insightful for people who don’t want to invest based on rigid formulas.

7. Why Stocks Go Up and Down (William Pike and Patrick Gregory)

This one subtitled as “The book you need to understand other investment books” delivers on this promise more than any other book about investing out there.

And this is exactly why it made it to the top investment books of all time. William Pike and Patrick Gregory cover everything you will ever need to understand any investment article and book without scratching your head once!

From how the stock market works in general, to covering investing in bonds and analyzing financial statements, Why Stocks Go Up and Down is one of those books you may want to read first if you’re a complete newbie.

Bonus Recommendations:

I hope you enjoyed going through this list of the top investment books of all time.

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And if you have any questions, just leave a comment below and we’ll get back to you.

Thank you for taking the time to check out our list and have fun reading!

Disclaimer: This information should not be viewed as financial advice. You should consult a financial advisor or do your own due diligence before you invest. The owner of this website and author of this article are not to be held liable for any undesired result by anyone who uses this information that is provided here in any way.