Essential

The Psychology of Money - Morgan Housel

All of Morgan Housel's work is worth reading, but this book is especially important. 

The author argues that how you think and behave with money matters more than how clever you are with numbers. The book is littered with examples of how excellent investors have gone broke and how ordinary people have generate unimaginable wealth.

A must‑read for anyone who wants to improve their financial position – and, arguably, their life as a whole.

The Little Book of Common Sense Investing - John C. Bogle

John (aka Jack) C. Bogle, the founder of investment behemoth Vanguard, lays out his ultimate doctrine. 

This book offers a clear, no‑nonsense case for owning the whole market through low‑cost index funds and then doing nothing. It argues that most people will be better off buying a broad index fund, keeping costs and taxes small, and allowing compound returns to work over decades

While we would caution about agreeing with every word in the book, the underlying philosophy offers a great education for any budding investor.

Encouraged

The Longevity Imperative - Andrew J. Scott

This is a concise, big‑picture book about how people on average living longer, healthier lives are transforming society, and what needs to change so those extra years are lived well, not just endured.

The author argues that individuals, economies, and institutions must “retool” for longevity—rethinking work, education, health, and finance—so people can stay productive, adaptable, and “evergreen” across much longer lifespans.

We firmly agree with the comments on how individuals can no longer rely on their governments to look after them in retirement, so must take matters into their own hands.

The Price of Time - Edward Chancellor

The Price of Time is a big, narrative history of interest—the price we put on time in money terms—and what happens when that price is pushed out of whack.

The author argues that interest is not just a technical lever but a moral and social signal: it rations capital, disciplines borrowers, and forces trade‑offs between present and future.

This is an excellent book to learn more about the foundations and  history of capitalism itself.

Same as Ever - Morgan Housel

The second of Morgan Housel's books on this list is about the timeless things that don’t change in human behaviour, markets, and life—and how knowing those helps you make better decisions without pretending to predict the future.

The author argues that events are unpredictable, but people are reliably driven by incentives, stories, fear, greed, and status, so the smartest strategy is to plan for surprises, leave room for error, think long term, and align your money and life with these enduring patterns rather than short‑term forecasts.

Some things never change, and we would 99% of what you need to know about capitalism, money, and investing is in that group.

Dear Shareholder - Lawrence A. Cunningham 

Dear Shareholder is a curated collection of standout shareholder letters from great CEOs such as Warren Buffett, Prem Watsa, Tom Gayner and others, edited and organised by Lawrence Cunningham. It uses these letters to showcase how top capital allocators think about long‑term strategy, capital allocation, culture, incentives and treating shareholders as true partners.

Reading wisdom from some of the world's greatest business leaders hopefully instils confidence in investors that there are some exceptional people working hard day and night to make your money grow.

Where Are The Customers' Yachts? - Fred Schwed Jr.

Where Are the Customers’ Yachts? is a witty, cynical little book about Wall Street that (as the name suggests) shows how brokers and bankers often get rich even when their clients do not. 

The book is a classic (first published in 1940!) & is an amusing read. Given it's age and that it is focussed on the US a British reader today may not relate to everything it contains, but the subtext is timeless. Many working in the wealth management industry today can still firmly relate.

Just Keep Buying - Nick Maggiulli 

The author uses plenty of data to back up the (what we believe to be a) fact that being a net buyer of stocks every month is the best way to build wealth over the long term.

The book gives simple rules of thumb on when to prioritise saving versus earning more, how to automate regular investing (mainly into diversified, low‑cost funds), and how to worry less about volatility so you can steadily build wealth in the background while getting on with your life.