I am a voracious reader and am always reading 2–3 books simultaneously. However, when it comes to finishing a book, my attitude is the same as Charlie Munger’s approach:
“Most books I don’t read past the first chapter. I’m not burdened by bad books.”
If I had to select the three best books I have read this year, I would choose these three.
Excellent Advice For Living by Kevin Kelly
This book is a collection of short and actionable ideas that Kevin Kelly has collected over his lifetime. It’s an easy read, but it contains many powerful ideas. My favorite insight from the book is the one on listening:
“Listening well is a superpower. While listening to someone you love keep asking them “Is there more?” until there is no more.”
If you like this book, you can also check out several podcasts where he appeared. Every time I listen to him, I learn something new.
The Davis Dynasty by John Rothchild
This book is the story of the three generations of the Davis family, who are among the most successful investors in the country.
To get an idea of the mind blowing life of Shelby Davis, here is a snapshot of his investment record:
Shelby Davis started his fund with the borrowed $50,000 from his wife and turned it into $900 million — 18,000 times of the initial capital by the time he died in 1994. Also, he didn’t start investing until he was 38 (1947), and he did this by investing in only one sector: insurance.
This book is about more than just the investing success of the Davis family. It’s also about the values that Shelby Davis taught his children and grandchildren that let them carry on the legacy in the form of investment success.
What I learned About Investing From Darwin by Pulak Prasad
If you like to read books on investing, this one is a must-read. The author draws parallels between investment and evolutionary biology. It’s a thought-provoking read.
Based on his learning from Darwin’s evolution theory and the natural world, the author has developed his own investment philosophy, and it’s a very good one if you want to follow:
“1. Avoid big risks. 2. Buy high quality at a fair price. 3. Don’t be lazy — be very lazy.”
I wrote a Medium article on a similar topic based on some of my own insights.
Let me know if you decide to read any of these books. We can share our learning.
Thank you for reading!
I hope you liked the article, and if you did, feel free to leave a comment. You can also give a clap for motivation (yes, you can clap multiple times).
Connect with Devvrat Kumar
Let’s be friends! You can find me on Twitter, Substack and LinkedIn.
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