Investing Books - Most of this information is freely available somewhere on the web (see our sites page), but it can be very helpful to have eveything laid out in a logical, consistent format. I think everyone should read at least one book from the General Investing section. I also strongly encourage everyone to read about investor behavior, since that's the source of the most costly investing mistakes. It's covered in the better general investing books, but I list a couple of dedicated titles for those who want to delve further into the topic. The books in the Financial History section are for those who wish to go beyond the basics. A more comprehesive list is available on the Books: Recommendations and Reviews page of the Bogleheads Wiki. Compiled by Alex Frakt.

Retirement Planning

  • The Bogleheads' Guide to Retirement Planning - this book was a collaborative effort the members of the Bogleheads forum and covers the entire spectrum of retirement planning, including: investing, taxes, retirement plans, personal finance, insurance and estate planning issues. The book is an invaluable aid in helping understand and plan out the confusing array of financial options that we all face from the very start of our working lives all the way through retirement. As the investing section is necessarily brief, I would pair this book with one from the following section. Edited and organized by Taylor Larimore, Mel Lindauer, Rick Ferri and Laura Dogu.

    • General Investing - Each of these titles covers all the basics - such as asset allocation, investor behavior, tax deferred accounts, sample portfolios - that you need to develop an effective portfolio. If your library or bookstore doesn't stock these, any general investing titles by William Bernstein, Larry Swedroe, Rick Ferri, and John Bogle are perfectly acceptable substitutes. Note: author name links go to their forum posts.

  • The Investor's Manifesto: Preparing for Prosperity, Armageddon, and Everything in Between - by William ("Bill") Bernstein. You cannot go wrong with Bill Bernstein's books, this is my #1 choice for anyone interested in going beyond the most basic investment primer. My previous favorite all-in-one investing book, The Four Pillars of Investing, is an earlier work by Dr. Bernstein that covers much the same ground, but is a bit longer and more technically oriented. Note the link is to the latest version, with a 2010 postscript that brings the book up to date. For reviews and content, see the original version.
  • Wise Investing Made Simple or The Only Guide to a Winning Investment Strategy You'll Ever Need - by Larry Swedroe. Larry's books on bonds and alternative investments are also excellent for investors thinking about moving beyond the basic asset classes.
  • All About Asset Allocation (2nd Edition) - by Rick Ferri
  • Common Sense on Mutual Funds: 10th Anniversary Edition - by John "Jack" Bogle - very readable classic updated to cover the events of the '00s
  • The New Coffeehouse Investor: How to Build Wealth, Ignore Wall Street, and Get on with Your Life - by Bill Schultheis. Too light on content for my tastes, but a short and fun read and perhaps the best choice for introducing investing concepts to those who need to know them, but are unwilling to take on something more comprehensive. Our members give out a lot of these as gifts.
  • Save Your Retirement: What to Do If You Haven't Saved Enough or If Your Investments Were Devastated by the Market Meltdown - by Frank Armstrong
  • The Bogleheads' Guide to Investing - by Taylor Larimore, Mel Lindauer, and Michael LeBoeuf

    • Investor Behavior - Investors often act contrary to their own best interests. These books point out common mistakes that have been uncovered by researchers in the field of behavioral economics and suggest methods for avoiding them.

  • Why Smart People Make Big Money Mistakes and How to Correct Them: Lessons from the Life-Changing Science of Behavioral Economics - by Gary Belsky and Thomas Gilovich. Updated version of this classic.
  • Your Money and Your Brain: How the New Science of Neuroeconomics Can Help Make You Rich - by Jason Zweig
  • Rational Investing in Irrational Times: How to Avoid the Costly Mistakes Even Smart People Make Today - by Larry Swedroe

    • Financial History

  • Peter L. Bernstein Classics Boxed Set : Capital Ideas, Against the Gods, The Power of Gold - Each one of these titles is worthy of inclusion on its own.
  • Devil Take the Hindmost: A History of Financial Speculation - by Edward Chancellor
  • A Random Walk Down Wall Street - by Burton Malkiel