10 Must-Buy Books on Finance and Entrepreneurship This Black Friday (With a Bonus Surprise!) 📚
Build your knowledge library: top books to buy this Black Friday 🧠
Hi, Investor 👋
I’m Jimmy, and welcome to another edition of our newsletter. Today, we’re taking a break from market updates and investment strategies to focus on something equally powerful: knowledge. With Black Friday around the corner, it’s the perfect time to build a library that can fuel your personal and professional growth.
This week, I’ve put together a curated list of must-read books on finance, entrepreneurship, and strategy. Each one offers invaluable lessons, timeless insights, and inspiring stories to help you sharpen your edge in business and life.
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This Black Friday, take the opportunity to invest in books that can transform the way you think about finance, business, and success. These handpicked titles offer practical insights, timeless lessons, and inspiring stories. Here’s the ultimate list of must-reads, complete with detailed synopses to help you choose your next great read.
1. Competition Demystified: A Radically Simplified Approach to Business Strategy
Bruce Greenwald and Judd Kahn simplify the complex theories of competitive strategy into clear, actionable insights. The book explains how businesses can identify and sustain competitive advantages, focusing on the elements that truly matter—customer needs, market entry barriers, and operational efficiency. Greenwald uses case studies of companies like Walmart and Coca-Cola to show how these principles apply to real-world business scenarios.
For entrepreneurs and leaders, this book is a toolkit for navigating competitive markets without getting lost in unnecessary complexity. Whether you’re launching a startup or running a large enterprise, Greenwald’s approach will help you understand your position and make better strategic decisions.
Buy on Amazon
2. When Genius Failed: The Rise and Fall of Long-Term Capital Management
Roger Lowenstein’s gripping narrative explores the dramatic rise and catastrophic fall of Long-Term Capital Management, a hedge fund once hailed as the pinnacle of financial innovation. With its Nobel Prize-winning founders and cutting-edge models, the fund seemed destined for success—until excessive risk-taking and overconfidence led to one of the biggest financial collapses in history. This book dives deep into the personalities, decisions, and flaws that fueled this downfall.
Beyond the story of the fund, Lowenstein unpacks broader lessons about risk, human psychology, and the limits of mathematical models in finance. This is not just a tale of failure but also a study of how hubris and unchecked ambition can derail even the brightest minds. It’s a must-read for anyone interested in the intersection of human behavior and financial markets.
Buy on Amazon
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3. The Bezos Letters: 14 Principles to Grow Your Business Like Amazon
Steve Anderson analyzes Jeff Bezos’ 21 shareholder letters to uncover the key principles behind Amazon’s meteoric rise. The book breaks down strategies like “customer obsession,” “embracing failure,” and “thinking long term,” providing readers with practical takeaways for scaling a business in today’s dynamic markets. Each principle is backed by examples from Amazon’s history, showing how they transformed the company into one of the most successful businesses of all time.
Entrepreneurs, executives, and business leaders will find this book both inspiring and actionable. Whether you’re starting a business or managing a team, Anderson’s analysis will help you think like Bezos and position your venture for sustainable growth.
Buy on Amazon
4. One Up on Wall Street: How to Use What You Already Know to Make Money in the Market
Legendary investor Peter Lynch provides an approachable guide to navigating the stock market in this classic book. Lynch argues that ordinary investors can outperform professionals by leveraging their knowledge of the products, brands, and trends they encounter in everyday life. Through engaging anecdotes and examples, he explains how to identify “tenbagger” stocks that have the potential to multiply your investment tenfold.
This book demystifies investing, making it accessible even for beginners. Lynch’s insights into analyzing companies and understanding market dynamics provide a foundation for anyone looking to build wealth through smart, informed decisions.
Buy on Amazon
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5. Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of Nike
Phil Knight’s candid memoir recounts the story of how Nike grew from a small startup into a global empire. Knight shares the challenges he faced, from securing funding to navigating near-bankruptcy, and the lessons he learned along the way. His narrative is filled with humor, honesty, and deep reflections on the entrepreneurial journey.
More than just a business story, this book delves into the personal sacrifices and triumphs that shaped Knight’s leadership style and vision. For anyone seeking inspiration and insight into what it takes to build a lasting legacy, Shoe Dog is a must-read.
Buy on Amazon
6. Chip Wars: The Fight for the World’s Most Critical Technology
Chris Miller delves into the fascinating and high-stakes world of semiconductors—the tiny chips that power everything from smartphones to AI. This book explores the geopolitical and economic battles over these critical technologies, with countries and companies vying for dominance in the chip race. Miller provides a comprehensive history of how semiconductors have shaped modern economies and outlines their role in future innovations.
For tech enthusiasts, entrepreneurs, and policymakers, Chip Wars is an essential read to understand the implications of this global competition. It sheds light on how this industry influences not just technology but also national security and global power dynamics.
Buy on Amazon
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7. The Intelligent Investor: The Definitive Book on Value Investing
Benjamin Graham’s timeless classic is often referred to as the Bible of investing. Graham lays out the principles of value investing, focusing on long-term strategies that emphasize safety, discipline, and patience. With updated commentary by Jason Zweig, this edition bridges the gap between Graham’s original wisdom and today’s financial markets.
This book is a cornerstone for any serious investor. Graham’s insights into analyzing stocks, understanding market psychology, and avoiding speculation remain as relevant today as when they were first written.
Buy on Amazon
8. Mastering the Market Cycle: Getting the Odds on Your Side
Howard Marks, co-founder of Oaktree Capital, explores the cyclical nature of markets and how understanding these cycles can give investors a significant edge. Marks breaks down economic, market, and psychological cycles, explaining how they influence decision-making and risk. Through practical examples and clear explanations, the book equips readers to navigate market fluctuations with confidence.
Whether you’re a seasoned investor or a beginner, this book offers invaluable insights into timing and strategy. Marks’ wisdom is a guide to making smarter, more informed decisions in the face of uncertainty.
Buy on Amazon
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9. Fooled by Randomness: The Hidden Role of Chance in Life and in the Markets
Nassim Nicholas Taleb challenges conventional thinking about success, risk, and probability in this thought-provoking book. He argues that much of what we attribute to skill or intelligence is often the result of luck and randomness. Through engaging stories and philosophical reflections, Taleb explores the biases and misconceptions that shape our understanding of outcomes.
This book is a must-read for investors, entrepreneurs, and decision-makers looking to develop a more nuanced view of risk and uncertainty. Taleb’s unique perspective will change the way you approach both life and markets.
Buy on Amazon
10. Warren Buffett: Inside the Ultimate Money Mind
Robert G. Hagstrom provides an in-depth exploration of Warren Buffett’s unique approach to investing and decision-making. The book goes beyond the numbers, offering insights into Buffett’s philosophy, discipline, and the mindset that has made him one of the greatest investors of all time. Hagstrom highlights Buffett’s long-term thinking and unwavering focus on value creation.
For anyone aspiring to follow in Buffett’s footsteps, this book is a treasure trove of practical advice and timeless wisdom. It’s not just a guide to investing but a blueprint for building a successful and purposeful financial life.
Buy on Amazon
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Bonus Book: Against the Gods: The Remarkable Story of Risk
Peter L. Bernstein offers a sweeping history of humanity’s understanding of risk and probability, from ancient times to the modern era. The book explains how our evolving ability to quantify and manage risk has shaped finance, science, and even culture. Bernstein weaves together history, economics, and psychology to create a compelling narrative about the role of uncertainty in decision-making.
This book is essential for anyone interested in the foundations of modern finance and the critical role risk plays in our lives and businesses.
Buy on Amazon
Final Thoughts
Reading is one of the most powerful tools for personal and professional growth. It allows us to learn from the experiences, insights, and wisdom of others, offering perspectives that can shape the way we think, work, and live. Whether you're looking to deepen your understanding of finance, gain inspiration from entrepreneurial journeys, or explore the complexities of risk and decision-making, these books provide a gateway to lifelong learning.
Black Friday is an excellent opportunity to start building a library of knowledge or to expand the one you already have. More importantly, it’s a perfect moment to commit to the habit of reading—a habit that can transform your mindset, sharpen your skills, and empower you to achieve your goals. Choose a book, dive in, and let the journey of self-development begin.