12 books every investor should read

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Investing sounds simple enough – find an endeavor, put your money in the opportunity and let the profits roll in.

There are countless varieties of investments from stocks, bonds, options, real estate, commodities, peer-to-peer lending and many more. In contrast with committing money to an insured bank savings account, investing typically involves trading additional risk for the opportunity for greater rewards.

The following are 12 investing-related books to increase your financial knowledge and ultimately your net worth. These books were culled from experts and my own decades as a portfolio manager and investor.

The books are listed in no particular order:

'The Elements of Investing,' by Charles D. Ellis and Burton G. Malkiel

This is one of my favorites due to its simplicity and clarity, as well as the notoriety of its authors. If you can only read one investing book, this is a wise choice. It's short, succinct and replete with sound investing information and strategy.

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'A Random Walk Down Wall Street,' by Burton G. Malkiel

This classic tome is an in-depth look at the randomness of financial asset prices. Malkiel explains why long-term investing in low-cost index funds is likely to outperform sophisticated professional investment portfolios. This highly praised book has been recommended for decades as an investing classic.

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'The Four Pillars of Investing,' by William J. Bernstein

It was difficult to choose just one of Bernstein's books for the list. Actually, you can't go wrong reading any of his other investing books. I've read them all and continue to profit from his wise and well-researched investment advice.

Find it here »