Good Business/Economics Books

bc78 · Jan 28, 2009

The Economist magazine put out guides on Economics and Financial Markets that are very accessible

JSC437 · Jan 28, 2009

I would just read that Alan Greenspan book.

I have read 500 (estimate) or so business books and I find that to be one of the best. It does have biographical aspects... but the generally theory is great.

As far as finance (although dated in some respects) you should check out those 2 books by Benjamin Graham. I forget the name... but that guy was the mentor to W.Buffet. It teachs you about analyzing true value in a company. Kind of like fundamental analysis 101. 2 of the all time classics.

Another classic.... Reminiscences of a Stock Operator

I think it is usually better to read the classics if possible, they will have more longevity.

I have read most of the current crop of "pop" economics books... and they are all pretty good. but it is not the "core" knowledge that you might want to be reading.

greekonomist · Jan 28, 2009

Originally Posted by bmulford

Yes, I've read both and think they're both 'pop' books in my opinion. Too silicon valley-esque. The one and only book you really need to read to get a good understanding of money theory is Henry Hazlitt's Economics in one lesson.

Originally Posted by iammatt

Best. Book. Ever. I really need to read it again.
Hazlitt is the best source for basic principles. For bonus points, EiOL can be found used for cheap. If you want a textbook, Mankiw is standard for a good reason. As for popular economics books, my favorite is Steven Landsberg's Armchair Economist. But there are others from David Friedman, Tyler Cowen, Tim Harford, and of course, Steven Levitt (Freakonomics). I would also recommend Milton Friedman's Capitalism and Freedom or Free to Choose. And from F. A. Hayek there is the classic The Road to Serfdom as well as The Fatal Conceit. For history of economic theory there's Heilbroner's The Worldly Philosophers. My friends at Cato love P. J. O'Rourke's On the Wealth of Nations, in which he explains Adams Smith reasonably well. However, I find him boorish and not at all witty. Which would be fine if he didn't think himself witty, which he does. But he does take the crucial step of covering Smith's Theory of Moral Sentiments, which is important in understanding WoN. As a rule, I don't recommend "business" books. They tend to be bad. But then I've only read a few.

greekonomist · Jan 28, 2009

Also, Ben Bernanke's Essays on the Great Depression.

VKK3450 · Jan 28, 2009

If you dont have a business education / knowledge pick up something like the 10 day MBA as a reference guide. It can help with any of the underlying concepts you may not be familiar with.

K

itsstillmatt · Jan 28, 2009

Originally Posted by greekonomist

As a rule, I don't recommend "business" books. They tend to be bad. But then I've only read a few.

You don't need to read any more. You have already gotten the basic idea.

MHH89 · Jan 28, 2009

Lair's Poker and the Accidental Investment Banker.

I would also recommend Disney War.

gnatty8 · Jan 28, 2009

Originally Posted by upstarter

Has anyone read Black Swan or Fooled by Randomness?

Yes, FBR is one of the best mainstream quantitative finance books (i.e. no actual mathematics) I have read, and I don't even like Taleb much. If you like this sort of thing, Against the Gods is good also.

In terms of basics, A Random Walk Down Wall Street is good, as is Derman's My Life as a Quant.

bluemagic · Jan 28, 2009

http://jim.com/econ/

bmulford · Jan 28, 2009

Originally Posted by iammatt

Best. Book. Ever.

I really need to read it again.

bought it on CD so I can listen to it over and over. maybe on my 10th listening and I'm still learning from it. Of course I'm dense so YMMV

bmulford · Jan 28, 2009

Originally Posted by greekonomist

Hazlitt is the best source for basic principles. For bonus points, EiOL can be found used for cheap. If you want a textbook, Mankiw is standard for a good reason. As for popular economics books, my favorite is Steven Landsberg's Armchair Economist. But there are others from David Friedman, Tyler Cowen, Tim Harford, and of course, Steven Levitt (Freakonomics). I would also recommend Milton Friedman's Capitalism and Freedom or Free to Choose. And from F. A. Hayek there is the classic The Road to Serfdom as well as The Fatal Conceit. For history of economic theory there's Heilbroner's The Worldly Philosophers. My friends at Cato love P. J. O'Rourke's On the Wealth of Nations, in which he explains Adams Smith reasonably well. However, I find him boorish and not at all witty. Which would be fine if he didn't think himself witty, which he does. But he does take the crucial step of covering Smith's Theory of Moral Sentiments, which is important in understanding WoN. As a rule, I don't recommend "business" books. They tend to be bad. But then I've only read a few.
Strongly agree on these: Milton Friedman's Capitalism and Freedom or Free to Choose. And from F. A. Hayek there is the classic The Road to Serfdom as well as The Fatal Conceit. I would also recommend Will dollars save the world? - here's a copy fo free: http://mises.org/books/dollarssave.pdf

greekonomist · Jan 29, 2009

I also highly recommend Hayek's essay The Use of Knowledge in Society. It's short, but brilliant.

Read it for free here

Good Business/Economics Books

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