15 Book Recommendations for Investing, Business, and Personal Growth

1 minutes reading time
Published 7 Jul 2023
Reviewed by: Kasper Karlsson
Updated 14 May 2024

Quartr is made up of investing and business nerds, and we are of course avid readers ourselves. In this article, we share 15 book recommendations we figured you’d like, including both classics and hidden gems.

The Joys of Compounding, by Gautam Baid

About compounding not only your wealth but also your knowledge, health, and happiness. The book is full of great quotes , stories, and mental models.

The Joys of Compounding by Gautam Baid
The Joys of Compounding, by Gautam Baid

Global Outperformers, by Dede Eyesan and Jenga Investment Partners

A deep study on 400+ global listed companies that have returned 1,000%+ over the last decade. An incredibly valuable resource if you want to understand what makes a multibagger.

Global Outperformers, by Dede Eyesan and Jenga Investment Partners
Global Outperformers, by Dede Eyesan and Jenga Investment Partners

The Visual Display of Quantitative Information, by Edward R. Tufte

Tufte's books on creative charts, infographics, and so-called chart crimes are must-reads.

The Visual Display of Quantitative Information, by Edward R. Tufte
The Visual Display of Quantitative Information, by Edward R. Tufte

Junk to Gold, by Willis Johnson

The founder of Copart tells his incredible story of how the company went from a few regular car salvage yards to the world's largest online auction platform of its kind. Copart has returned ~10x since the book was published in 2014.

Junk to Gold, by Willis Johnson
Junk to Gold, by Willis Johnson

Range, by David Epstein

On the importance of developing what Charlie Munger calls "worldly wisdom", i.e. building a wide knowledge base, to achieve success in virtually any field. Most breakthroughs happen when "outsiders" enter a new field with fresh perspectives.

Range, by David Epstein
Range, by David Epstein

Poor Charlie's Almanack, by Peter D. Kaufman

The Charlie Munger bible. A must-read for all Munger/Buffett enthusiasts, but an incredible read even if you are not a fan. Much more about life and learning in general than about investing.

Poor Charlie's Almanack, by Peter D. Kaufman
Poor Charlie's Almanack, by Peter D. Kaufman

IKEA (also released as Leading By Design), by Bertil Torekull

One of the few IKEA books available in English. How Ingvar Kamprad, in a rural village in Sweden at age 17, founded what would become the largest furniture empire in the world.

IKEA (also released as Leading By Design), by Bertil Torekull
IKEA (also released as Leading By Design), by Bertil Torekull

The Dream of Solomeo, by Brunello Cucinelli

The amazing founding story of Brunello Cucinelli, Brunello's upbringing as a poor farmer in Italy, and about his idea of Humanistic Capitalism. Unfortunately this book is very hard to get a hold of in English.

Further reading: The Brunello Cucinelli Story: Combining Elegance and Ethics

The Dream of Solomeo, by Brunello Cucinelli
The Dream of Solomeo, by Brunello Cucinelli

The Creative Act, by Rick Rubin

Even if you don't view yourself as creative, this is a great read. Techniques, tips, and stories about all things creative. If you are not familiar with Rick, he's one of the most respected music producers of all time – Google his discography!

The Creative Act, by Rick Rubin
The Creative Act, by Rick Rubin

Fooled by Randomness, by Nassim Nicholas Taleb

Most are familiar with The Black Swan, but we view this book as Taleb's greatest. About luck vs skill, how numbers or specific representations of numbers can fool you, and on the hugely important role that randomness plays in the world.

Fooled by Randomness, by Nassim Nicholas Taleb
Fooled by Randomness, by Nassim Nicholas Taleb

One Up On Wall Street, by Peter Lynch

A lovely classic that deserves multiple reads. On keeping it simple, but not too simple, thinking long-term, and keeping your head calm as an investor.

One Up On Wall Street, by Peter Lynch
One Up On Wall Street, by Peter Lynch

The Luxury Strategy, by Jean-Noël Kapferer & Vincent Bastien

This is perhaps the best book to read if you want to learn how the luxury goods market works; manufacturing, marketing, consumer psychology, etc.

The Luxury Strategy, by Jean-Noël Kapferer & Vincent Bastien
The Luxury Strategy, by Jean-Noël Kapferer & Vincent Bastien

Built from Scratch, by Bernie Marcus & Arthur Blank

The founders of The Home Depot tell the story in their own words. The stock is up ~7-9x since the book's release in 1999 (excl. dividends), and Home Depot is regarded as one of the most successful specialty retailers ever.

Built from Scratch, by Bernie Marcus & Arthur Blank
Built from Scratch, by Bernie Marcus & Arthur Blank

More Than You Know, by Michael J. Mauboussin

Somewhat of a hidden Mauboussin gem. This is a fascinating exploration into investing and decision-making. Michael delves into the complexities of human behavior, psychology, and the intricacies of financial markets.

More Than You Know, by Michael J. Mauboussin
More Than You Know, by Michael J. Mauboussin

The Undoing Project, by Michael Lewis

One of Lewis' less talked about works. This book recounts the tale of Daniel Kahneman's and Amos Tversky's friendship, and chronicles the profound impact they had on behavioral finance.

The Undoing Project, by Michael Lewis
The Undoing Project, by Michael Lewis

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