Smart and Simple Financial Books

This is a guest post from my husband – also known as Mr. Finance. He keeps me in check. It’s a think piece.

OK, so not all of these are specifically financial (or even books) but they are great all the same. Whether they particularly address investing or not, they all will give you a better perspective on the financial markets and yourself.

Here they are, in no particular order:

1. “Winning the Loser’s Game” by Charles Ellis [amazon_link id=”0071545492″ target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ][/amazon_link] Great book (this one is actually about investing) that explains simply and clearly why the modern investing environment is a “loser’s game” but as simply and clearly points out how to win!
2. “Predictably Irrational” by Dan Ariely [amazon_link id=”0061353248″ target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ][/amazon_link]  Not specifically finance related but, in a fun way, shows how our minds are not really always rational but are many times irrational, in predictable and consistent ways.
3. “Fooled by Randomness” by Nassim Taleb [amazon_link id=”0812975219″ target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ][/amazon_link] If you are able to skip over the more philosophical parts this book will help you see things from an entirely different perspective –  that hings that we would normally attribute to skill are much more likely caused or influenced by luck/chance/happenstance.
4. “Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds” by Charles Mackay. [amazon_link id=”1463740514″ target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ][/amazon_link] This is a classic.  It’s good to read just to show yourself that the crowd following, crazy things that people do have been going on for centuries (and more).  Once this sinks in, it’s much easier to see the crazy things that people are doing today.
5. Old newspapers and magazines from “boom” and “gloom” times from the past. OK, so this isn’t a book, it’s more of a process. By going back and reading what the popular press was saying (and the atmosphere it represented) during former dramatic periods in our history, this is a quick and easy way to acclimate yourself with the feelings of those times and gird yourself for the inevitable coming ones so that you are not so emotionally affected by it (and make better decisions as a result).

Enjoy!

Let me know what you think of these books and please pass on your favorites.

This is a guest post from my husband – also known as Mr. Finance. He keeps me in check. It’s a think piece.

Go Gingham related links:

Budgeting and how to track expenses – Part 1
Budgeting and how to track expenses – Part 2
Budgeting and how to track expenses – Part 3
Living a frugal life by choice: strategic frugality
How finances figure in frugality
The key to saving: frugal living is the key to saving
Tried and true investing strategies for regular folks like me!

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