Legendary investor Warren Buffett, with over $133 billion net worth, is a bookworm. He thinks knowledge is like interest – the more you read, the better it compounds. The Oracle of Omaha has recommended several books over decades, and if you want to be successful like him, you might want to read what he reads.
"Read 500 pages like this every day," Buffett once told students at Columbia Business School when someone asked him how to prepare for a career in investing.
"That's how knowledge works. It builds up, like compound interest. All of you can do it, but I guarantee not very many of you will do it."
Here are five books that shaped Buffett's success.
1. Poor Charlie's Almanack
This book, edited by Peter D. Kaufman, contains wisdom of Buffett's late friend and business partner, Charlie Munger, from his letters and essays.
"This book is something of a publishing miracle—never advertised, yet year after year selling many thousands of copies from its Internet site," said Buffett, underlining just how popular this book is.
2. The Intelligent Investor
Buffett recommended "The Intelligent Investor" by Benjamin Graham in his 2011 letter to shareholders.
"In my early days, I, too, rejoiced when the market rose. Then I read chapter eight of Ben Graham's ‘The Intelligent Investor,' the chapter dealing with how investors should view fluctuations in stock prices."
"Immediately, the scales fell from my eyes, and low prices became my friend. Picking up that book was one of the luckiest moments in my life," he added, which also explains his value investing philosophy.
3. The Clash Of Cultures
Written by John C. Bogle, founder of The Vanguard Group, The Clash Of Cultures talks about some common rules of investing and sheds light on how investment behavior in the mutual fund industry has changed over time.
4. The Little Book Of Common Sense Investing
This is the second Bogle book recommended by Buffett. In his 2014 letter, Buffett said, "Rather than listening to their siren songs, investors — large and small — should instead read ‘The Little Book of Common Sense Investing.'"
5. Shoe Dog
Written by Phil Night, co-founder of Nike Inc., "Shoe Dog" was Buffett's recommendation in his 2016 letter.
Buffett said Night "is a very wise, intelligent and competitive fellow who is also a gifted storyteller."
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