9 Books To Build Wealth

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Dear Investor,

When I first got serious about investing, I didn’t have a mentor or anyone guiding me.

I learned everything on my own.

From reading articles late at night to watching interviews with investors, I slowly pieced things together. But what really accelerated my learning were the books I came across along the way.

They helped me understand how the stock market works, how the best investors think, and how to actually build long-term wealth.

Some are perfect if you’re just starting out. Others will challenge how you think, even if you’ve been investing for years.

These are the nine I’d recommend to anyone serious about mastering money.

Let’s get into it.

1. Girls That Invest by Simran Kaur
Level: Beginner

This book is one of the best introductions to the stock market I’ve seen.

Don’t let the title fool you, it’s not just for girls. If you’re brand new to investing and want someone to explain everything without the jargon, this book does an incredible job. Simran breaks down concepts like index funds, risk, compounding, and financial independence in a way that feels like a friend is walking you through it.

It doesn’t assume you already know the basics. And that’s precisely why it works.

What I liked:
I wish I had this book when I first got started. Even though I didn’t read it until after I had gained a few years of experience, it still made me think about how I explain investing to others.

Sometimes, the best teachers are the ones who keep things simple. And Simran nails that.

2. One Up On Wall Street by Peter Lynch
Level: Beginner

Peter Lynch ran the best-performing mutual fund of the 1980s, and in this book, he shares how everyday people can beat Wall Street just by paying attention.

His big idea is simple: you don’t need to be a professional investor to find great stocks. You often spot winning companies by just observing the world around you. Lynch discusses how you can gain an edge by identifying which brands people love, which stores are consistently crowded, and which products are quietly gaining popularity.

What I liked:
This book gave me confidence in my research. Lynch made me realize that just because I wasn’t a hedge fund manager didn’t mean I couldn’t find great investments. I started paying attention to what apps were going viral, what new tech hardware was selling out, and what platforms were becoming essential in everyday life.

It taught me that the stock market isn’t just numbers, it’s businesses. And the best ones are often hiding in plain sight.

3. The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel
Level: Beginner

This isn’t your typical investing book with charts and formulas. Instead, Housel focuses on the emotional side of money, why we save, spend, and invest the way we do.

His core message is that building wealth has less to do with intelligence and more to do with behavior. Things like patience, consistency, and not panicking when the market drops matter way more than picking the perfect stock.

What I liked:
Reading this helped me slow down. As someone deep in the world of investing and tech, it's easy to chase the next big thing. But this book reminded me that time in the market beats timing the market.

It also made me more self-aware. I started asking, “Am I investing for status or freedom?” That shift alone changed the way I build long-term wealth.

4. The Dhandho Investor by Mohnish Pabrai
Level: Intermediate

This book breaks down Warren Buffett’s investment style in an incredibly approachable way. Pabrai built his fortune by making concentrated bets on undervalued businesses, where the downside is low and the upside is enormous.

He calls it "Heads I win, tails I don’t lose much."

What I liked:
This book made me rethink risk. As a tech investor, it’s easy to chase high-growth companies without thinking deeply about downside protection. But Pabrai’s framework taught me to obsess over the margin of safety first.

It also reinforced something I already believed: some of the best investing decisions are the ones that feel boring. When you truly understand a company, and the price is right, that’s when you strike.

5. The Essays of Warren Buffett
Level: Intermediate

This isn’t a traditional book. It’s a curated collection of Warren Buffett’s annual letters to Berkshire Hathaway shareholders, organized by topic. You’ll find timeless lessons on business, investing, risk, and even personal character.

What I liked:
Reading Buffett in his own words changed how I think about investing. He simplifies complex ideas without ever sounding like he’s talking down to you.

One thing that stuck with me was how he explained the importance of buying businesses, not just stocks. I started thinking less like a trader and more like a business owner.

Every time I revisit this book, I pick up something new. It's like getting a private investing masterclass from one of the greatest of all time.

6. You Can Be A Stock Market Genius
Level: Intermediate

Don’t let the cheesy title fool you; this book is packed with hidden gems. Written by Joel Greenblatt, it focuses on special situations like spin-offs, restructurings, and mergers, areas most retail investors ignore.

What I liked:
This book taught me how to look where others aren’t. While everyone was chasing hot stocks, I started studying obscure filings and corporate actions.

Greenblatt breaks down complicated strategies in a way that feels doable. You don’t need to be a Wall Street pro. Just curious and willing to do the work.

It made me realize that the most significant opportunities often come from places no one’s paying attention to.

7. Confidence Game
Level: Advanced

This book isn’t a how-to it’s a must-read if you want to understand Bill Ackman before modeling anything after his style.

It follows Ackman’s battle with MBIA, one of the most complex and high-stakes short thesis in modern financial history. You’ll see just how much conviction, research, and psychological stamina it takes to run a hedge fund at the highest level.

What I liked:
Reading this made me realize how deep great investors go. Ackman wasn’t just making a bet; he was uncovering layers of risk that the market completely ignored.

As someone who loves investing in tech and delving deeply into financials, this experience showed me the value of obsession. If you're going to make a concentrated bet, you'd better know more than anyone else.

8. Quality of Earnings
Level: Advanced

This is one of the best books ever written on forensic accounting and financial statement analysis. It teaches you how to see through inflated earnings, manipulated cash flows, and balance sheet tricks that companies use to look better than they are.

You’ll learn how to spot red flags like aggressive revenue recognition or capitalized expenses, things that can make a company look profitable when it’s not.

What I liked:
I’ve always been a believer in looking under the hood. Especially as a tech investor, I need to know when growth is genuine and when accounting tricks are artificially inflating it.

This book gave me a sharper lens. Now, when I look at a company’s 10-K, I don’t just scan it, I dissect it.

9. What Works on Wall Street (Fourth Edition)
By James O’Shaughnessy - Level: Advanced

This book is a data-driven masterpiece. James O’Shaughnessy tested decades of stock market data to figure out which strategies actually worked. Spoiler: most of what you hear on TV doesn’t.

He breaks down different investing factors like value, momentum, and quality and backs it all up with stats. If you love numbers and want proof behind your strategy, this is the one.

What I liked:
As someone who blends growth and fundamentals, this gave me the research backbone to feel confident in my process. It showed me that value investing isn't dead. It just looks different now.

I still refer back to this book when I’m building screens or refining my system. It’s a reminder that the market may be irrational in the short term, but over the long haul, patterns matter.

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