Seven Books To Get Your Hands On To Start Investing

Money is a very intimidating concept and matters to all of us. However, a few are able to harness the knowledge and make a wealth-generating cycle out of their money. And you can do that as well. However, it’s a long journey. A never-ending and always-learning journey.

So, how does one get started? With baby steps, obviously. And that begins with reading about money matters and inculcating a money multiplier mindset.

‘An investment in knowledge pays the best interest’ once noted Benjamin Franklin, and it stands true even after two centuries. Fortunately, we have had great minds give their valuable inputs and wisdom through their holy wealth grails. Our tiny yet impressionable list includes reads on the stock market, value investing, mutual funds, and parables on life lessons. Here are seven books (in alphabetical order) to help the novice in you get started on investing-

1. 108 Questions & Answers on Mutual Funds & SIP by Yandya Investments

Why this?

A great beginner’s crash course on understanding the terminologies and basic yet fundamental Q&As pertaining to the easiest form of investment- Mutual Funds. This book makes your understanding of various kinds of MF and their comparisons with other investment tools clear so that you are able to identify what fund suits your portfolio the best.

2. How to Avoid Loss and Earn Consistently in the Stock Market by Prasenjit Paul

Why this?

A must-read for small individual investors, the book is lauded for its simplistic approach towards making the stock market and its jargon and workings easy for you. Paul’s a SEBI-registered equity analyst, investor & public speaker who began his investment journey at the age of 18.

3. One Up On Wall Street by Peter Lynch

Why this?

Penned by Peter Lynch, One Up On Wall Street is another great read on understanding stocks and starting as a market rookie. Lynch is an American Investor and was an MF manager of Magellan Fund at Fidelity Investments between 1977 to 1990, making the fund one of the best-performing MF in the world at that time.

4. Stocks to Riches by Parag Parikh

Why this?

A perfect read on understanding the fundamentals of finance, Stocks to Riches helps you get a grasp on profit and loss and various investment options. Additionally, it also touches on concepts of Behavioral Economics which include Loss Aversion, Sunk Cost Fallacy, endowment effect, and Mental Accounting.

5. The Intelligent Investor by Benjamin Graham

Why this?

Google ‘beginners reads on investing’, and you are sure to come across The Intelligent Investor. A highly acclaimed book by the ‘father of value investing’, the 640-pager focuses on Graham’s ideology of loss minimization over profit maximization. Published in 1949, the book provides an in-depth understanding of value investing but is a part of the old school of thought and maybe comparatively outdated as compared to other reads on the list.

6. The little book of Value Investing by Christopher Browne

Why this?

A book which has the power to change your existing mindset to a new-improved one, Browne’s book is said to be one of the best-short foundational reads when it comes to value investing.

7. Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki

Why this?

Last but not least, any list of financial reading is incomplete without Robert Kiyosaki’s Rich Dad Poor Dad. Unlike other above-mentioned reads, this takes the route of storytelling. A story based on Kiyosaki’s life, RDPD advocates financial literacy, real estate investing, financial independence, and financial intelligence.