The Most Important Finance Books Ever Written

Reading a good investment book should top your list of New Year's resolutions.

But these books are a dime a dozen. Book stores have sections devoted to investing in the stock market, personal finance, and how to 'get rich quick.'

The 27 books we selected appear on must-read lists repeatedly.  They are the best finance books ever written.

Many of them are niche investment books, focusing on the bond market, futures market, or some other particular feature of investing. Others get down to the basics and have been pillars of the investing world for decades.

If your New Years' Resolution is to increase your financial security, these books are filled with the knowledge you'll need to get there.

Benjamin Graham, 'The Intelligent Investor'

Benjamin Graham was a mentor to Warren Buffett, and is considered to be the father of value investing, which Graham became famous for in both his teachings at Columbia Business School and in his books, including two which appear on this list.

'The Intelligent Investor' was called "the best book about investing ever written" by Warren Buffett.

Philip Fisher, 'Common Stocks and Uncommon Profits'

Philip Fisher's book, which was published in 1958 and titled 'Common Stocks and Uncommon Profits' contains many studies that are still applied heavily by investors nearly 50 years later. It was the first ever investment book to make the New York Times bestseller list.

Fisher's claim to fame was his focus on growth investing. Along with his writing, Fisher founded Fisher and Company, a money management firm, in 1931. He is famous for buying shares in Motorola in 1955 and holding those shares until his death in 2004. In Fisher's opinion, the best time to sell a stock is "almost never."

John Burr Williams, 'The Theory of Investment Value'

John Burr Williams was one of the first financiers to utilize the discounted cash flow theory, which is still an extremely popular method for company evaluation.

Williams is a founder of fundamental analysis and his 1938 book, 'The Theory of Investment Value', is one of the most popular investing books in history. In this book, he articulates the DCF theory and focuses heavily on dividend based valuation.

Williams held four Harvard degrees and taught economics at the University of Wisconsin. Along with 'The Theory of Investment Value', Williams published 'International Trade Under Flexible Exchange Rates' in 1954 as well as many articles for economic journals.

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