Pete Najarian is considered one of the top 100 most successful options traders in the country. He started his trading career following the end of his professional football career. His brother Jon, also a former NFL player, introduced Pete to the basic concepts of options in the early 90s.
Pete started working for Mercury Trading in 1992 at his brother’s encouragement and went on to become the company’s president in 2000. He held the position until 2004 and played a significant role in the sale of the company’s trading floor operations to hedge fund group Citadel LLC.
Jon and Pete are co-founders of optionMonster. Together, the Najarian brothers also founded tradeMonster in 2008. Additionally, they co-authored a trio of highly influential books on investing and options trading – 22 Rules of Investing and How We Trade Options: Building Wealth, Creating Income and Reducing Risk. The last of the bunch was inspired by their appearances on CNBC’s Smart Money TV show.
Pete Najarian is widely regarded as a top-class expert on trading options and is frequently quoted and referred to by his peers. In 2018, Najarian also wrote the foreword to Dasarte Yarnway’s Young Money.
Best Pete Najarian Books:
- The 22 Rules of Investing by Jon and Pete Najarian
- How We Trade Options: Building Wealth, Creating Income and Reducing Risk by Jon and Pete Najarian
- Follow the Smart Money by Jon and Pete Najarian
- Young Money by Dasarte Yarnway with Foreword by Pete Najarian
What a Great Najarian Book Looks Like
Pete and Jon Najarian write in a straightforward, conversational style all audiences wouldn’t have problems understanding. Their books offer invaluable info and advanced lessons on all things options trading.
The chapters and themes covered are clearly defined, well-rounded, and peppered with anecdotes from their rich trading careers.
The books also offer in-depth analysis of high-level trading strategies and ways you can use them to boost your portfolio and build your wealth in a safe and sustainable manner. Pete and Jon’s books are great for anyone looking for in-depth knowledge laid out in easy-to-digest bite-sized chunks.
Subject Matter
All three books written by Pete and Jon are focused on increasing your wealth through investing in the financial markets with a focus on options.
22 Rules of Investing covers the basics of investing, including all the dos and don’ts a beginner should learn.
How We Trade Options is a comprehensive guide on options trading. It is an invaluable resource for beginners and a great tool for experienced traders looking to sharpen their trading skills.
Finally, Follow the Smart Money gives the reader an insight into the Unusual Options Activity upon which the Wall Street pros rely to forecast the future value of options and whether they’re going to pursue them or not.
Aligns with Your Investing Goals
The Najarian brothers offer their knowledge and expertise to all willing to learn the ropes or improve their existing options trading skills. They bring the complicated and often elusive world of options to the people and give them a fair shot in the big game.
Our Top Picks
We have selected the best books written and co-written by Pete Najarian based on their sales performance, reputation among options trading experts, and the quality of the information on investing and options.
The books reviewed below are a must for all beginner traders looking to solidify their options and stock market knowledge. That being said, the experienced traders might find some nuggets of trading wisdom between the covers of Pete Najarian’s books as well.
1. The 22 Rules of Investing by Jon and Pete Najarian
- Who’s it for? The 22 Rules of Investing was written for all who want to learn the nuts and bolts of investing in volatile markets
This book was co-penned by the Najarian brothers and it offers a comprehensive overview of volatile markets, how they work, and how to invest in them. On the pages of this book, you will learn all about how to adjust to changes in the market, increase the rate of daily returns, and boost your chances of long-term success.
Jon and Pete Najarian discuss how you can make small changes in the way you invest daily to make sure you stay on top of the game.
Rule number 11 details how the authors follow the inside money. The last rule tells you to take action. Jon and Pete explain how to take charge and avoid being played by the market.
Jon and Pete write in a straightforward, easy to understand manner with clear explanations. The book is based on their extensive combined experience and immense expertise in the field. This makes it a great starting point for all beginners, as well as a good reference for seasoned investors wanting to brush up on the basics.
Purchase the hardcopy book on Amazon.com
2. How We Trade Options: Building Wealth, Creating Income and Reducing Risk by Jon and Pete Najarian
- Who’s it for? How We Trade Options is there for beginners interested in learning how options work, as well as seasoned traders looking to step up their game and boost their profits.
How We Trade Options: Building Wealth, Creating Income and Reducing Risk is the first book Peter and Jon penned together and remains their most popular. In this one, the Najarian brothers offer a thorough guide to options basics, trading strategies, as well as tips on how to avoid the common pitfalls and create your own wealth by trading options.
The book is about 150 pages long and written in an easily digestible, conversational style. It opens with a brief explanation of options and their basic concepts. In this section, you’ll learn about set prices, strike prices, how they’re sold and bought.
After that, Jon and Pete lay out proven options trading strategies and how to use them to your advantage. You will learn about brokerage accounts, risks and how to minimize them, and technical analysis.
The book explains in great detail how to balance total risk, how to read stock and options positions and decide which position holds more risk or reward at any given moment.
Purchase the hardcopy book on Amazon.com
3. Follow the Smart Money by Jon and Pete Najarian
- Who’s it for? Follow the Smart Money by Jon and Pete Najarian is for options traders of all levels. It explains the way the Najarian brothers approach trading and why they’re so successful.
Follow the Smart Money is one of three books Jon and Pete Najarian wrote together on the subject of investing and trading options. It was inspired by CNBC’s Fast Money and Halftime Report where the brothers discuss options trading extensively.
The book is written in a relaxed, conversational tone, easy enough for absolute beginners. However, it gives in-depth coverage of the way options work, along with some great practical advice.
The focal point of this book is the unusual option activity professional traders use to quickly assess an option or contract and accurately predict whether it’s worth their time and money. The Najarian brothers then detail their proprietary strategy for taking full advantage of this unusual activity.
The book is free and can only be obtained through Follow the Smart Money official website. A free DVD is also included in the package.
The book is accompanied by a DVD with step by step explanations of how their strategy works and how it’s been profitable for them.
Though you can get all the info you need from the book, watching the DVD is highly recommended to fully unlock the power of unusual options trading and price activity.
Get the FREE book and DVD on Followthesmartmoney.com
4. Young Money by Dasarte Yarnway with Foreword by Pete Najarian
- Who’s it for? This book was written mainly for people under 40 who are interested in building their own wealth.
Dasarte Yarnway is the founder and CEO of the up-and-coming Berknell Financial Group and a rising star in the realm of investing and financial advisory.
His book titled Young Money is targeted at under-40 women and men who want to build their own wealth. It is quickly becoming one of the most popular finance books out there.
In Young Money, Yarnway lays out a simple and easy-to-follow 4-step plan everyone can use to build their own wealth. He emphasizes the fact that those who are under the age of 40 have plenty of time to experiment and learn from their mistakes, and build their wealth in a steady and sustainable manner.
The author examines common financial pitfalls and offers sound strategies to avoid them.
He also offers a rundown of 5 habits you should adopt to become a master wealth builder, as well as 3 essential strategies to harness and master your income. Finally, Yarnway introduces 7 ways you can easily control your costs.
A worksheet provided in the book will help you make an accurate assessment of your current financial situation and define your financial goals and priorities.
The Kindle version of this book costs $11.99 while the paperback version will set you back $11.52. Audiobook and hardcover are unavailable as of this writing.
Purchase the Kindle Version of Young Money on Amazon
Final Thoughts
Pete Najarian is among the top experts in the field of options trading, often considered one of the top 100 options traders in the US. The books he co-wrote with his brother Jon have helped many traders increase their wealth. If you’re still hungry after reading Pete and Jon’s books, feel free to check out our list of the best business books.
About Luke Jacobi
Luke Jacobi is a distinguished professional known for his role as President at Benzinga, a renowned financial media outlet. With a background in business operations and management, Luke brings valuable expertise to his position, overseeing various aspects of Benzinga’s operations. His contributions play a crucial role in the company’s success, ensuring efficiency and effectiveness across different departments. Prior to his role at Benzinga, Luke has held positions that have honed his skills in leadership and strategic decision-making. With a keen understanding of the financial industry and a commitment to driving innovation, Luke continues to make significant contributions to Benzinga’s mission of providing high-quality financial news and analysis.