Reading investment books may not sound like the most interesting thing to do for most readers, but for those who are passionate about investing, reading investment books is not only interesting but potentially very rewarding. I have read really quite a number of investment books, and they have helped my fine tune my own investing strategies, as I have learnt important principles about stock market investing.

However not all investment books agree with each other- each investor has his or her own investment approach and many contradict each other directly. However you can buy books which will teach some general investment rules that most investors would agree with and these are a great place to start if you are a fairly inexperienced investor. I am great believer in value investing, an investment technique that focuses on investing in companies at attractive prices, pioneered by Benjamin Graham and made famous by Warren Buffet. Here are some great investment books that you may find interesting:

The Intelligent Investor: The Definitive Book on Value Investing by Benjamin Graham

I have never extracted so much value from reading a book as I did from reading this one, barring absolutely none. This book introduced me to the world of value investing and several of Graham’s most important principles, such as having a margin of safety when buying stocks and understanding that markets are not always rational. If you don’t give my opinion of the book much credence, then you might be interested to learn that Warren Buffet (One of the richest men in the world) himself referred to it as “The best book on investing ever written” The book is probably best for those who already have a basic affinity with stock market investing, as it will mean far less to those without a basic understanding of stock market terminology.

Security Analysis by Benjamin Graham and David Dodd

Security analysis is an investment book recommended only for those who have quite a good knowledge of investing and stock markets, as it is more technical than “The Intelligent Investor” It includes more of Graham and Dodd’s principles, and uses specific examples of circa 1930 to illustrate their points of view. The companies have changed, but many of the lessons are still very relevant. Many versions also include modern commentary at the end of each chapter, which helps to put the information into context.

The Snowball: Warren Buffet and the Business of Life by Alice Schroeder

Although not written by Buffet himself, this book is likely to be really interesting read for anyone who is interested in investing or finance. Buffet is arguably the most successful investor that the world has ever seen, and this book traces his life and rise to fortune. In my opinion what makes Buffet so incredible is that that he conducts his investments and his business with honesty and integrity, a far cry from many of the “hard nosed” businessmen that seem to dominate the media.