The Best Books for Getting Started

For most of us, becoming a smart investor doesn't come naturally--it takes work. If you're ready to start building a wealth of investing knowledge, we suggest you hit the books.

Morningstar 11 February, 2005 | 3:55PM
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We've put together a list of titles that will help you develop a basic (and necessary) understanding of how financial markets work, how to choose investments, and how to monitor them after you buy them.

“The Only Investment Guide You'll Ever Need”

Andrew Tobias' old stand-by is a good warm-up. In this 20-year-old, breeze-to-read classic, Tobias helps readers improve their whole financial lives--from saving money on household staples to tax planning to shaping an investment portfolio. He also warns of the perils of quick-trigger, on-line brokerage accounts.

“The Mil

lionaire Next Door”

This bestseller is a holistic program based on the highly effective habits of American millionaires. Authors Thomas J. Stanley and William D. Danko--both Ph.D.s in marketing--assert that your average millionaire is not living in the massive house with the four-car garage or vacationing in Tahiti. Instead, the secret to financial security and real wealth is thrift and a single-minded commitment to saving and investing. If you're looking for a reason to hold on to your 10-year-old car instead of trading up for a newer, shinier model, this book makes a convincing argument. (Fun fact: The most popular automobile among millionaires is a Ford truck.)

“Learn to Earn: A Beginner's Guide to the Basics of Investing and Business”

When Peter Lynch, former manager of the legendary Fidelity Magellan Fund, doles out investing advice, we listen up. “Learn to Earn”, which Lynch published in 1996 with John Rothchild, is the well-regarded investor's third book, and it's aimed at investors of all ages. (We're also fans of Lynch's other books, “One Up on Wall Street” and “Beating the Street”.)

Here Lynch tackles the investing basics, including how to assess a stock's value, how to read a balance sheet, and what to do with an annual report. Lynch employs familiar examples, such as Coca-Cola, to illustrate his thesis that the best companies are those capable of long-term earnings growth. The book goes beyond stock-picking strategies, though. It also includes an unusual and entertaining chapter on the history of capitalism--a bonus for those who never took a finance or economics class in school.

“Investing for Dummies”

The Dummies series of how-to books has been a big success, and it's no wonder why. The straightforward, easy-to-skim texts lay out complex topics in simple terms and help readers along with their graphic symbols--bombs point out warnings and bulls eyes point to important tips, for example.

In “Investing for Dummies”, author Eric Tyson demystifies various kinds of investments, including stocks, bonds, funds, real estate, even collectibles--an asset type most investing books ignore. In addition to this guide, Tyson also penned other top-notch investing titles, including “Personal Finance for Dummies” and “Mutual Funds for Dummies”.

This article originally appeared on www.morningstar.com.

The information contained within is for educational and informational purposes ONLY. It is not intended nor should it be considered an invitation or inducement to buy or sell a security or securities noted within nor should it be viewed as a communication intended to persuade or incite you to buy or sell security or securities noted within. Any commentary provided is the opinion of the author and should not be considered a personalised recommendation. The information contained within should not be a person's sole basis for making an investment decision. Please contact your financial professional before making an investment decision.

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