Sharpen your mind, sharpen your portfolio: 7 books for the investing reader

Summer: the perfect time to give your wallet a break and invest in your most important asset: your own knowledge. While stocks fluctuate, a good book can help you build a strategic advantage. Whether you're in a beach chair or your own backyard, this selection will nourish not only your open-minded spirit but also the inner Charlie Munger in you.  

1 - Reminiscences of a Stock Operator – Edwin Lefèvre

The romanticized life story of speculator Jesse Livermore, written in 1923 and never out of style since. It is the true story of a notorious speculator who became fabulously wealthy multiple times, only to end up back in the gutter.

Why read it? The book demonstrates that euphoria, panic, and herd behavior are timeless. Technology changes, but human nature does not. A century old and still the most readable book on investor psychology in existence.

2 - The Land Trap – Mike Bird

Delve into the history of the oldest investment in the world: land. From Mesopotamian property deeds and Henry George to American colonization and today's Chinese real estate crisis.  

‍Why read it? Because land remains the pivot of the entire banking system. More than sixty percent of all credit in the US and the UK consists of mortgages, which explains a large part of the tensions surrounding housing prices and inequality.‍

3 - Richer, Wiser, Happier – William Green

Green spent years speaking with the world's greatest investors—from Buffett and Munger to Howard Marks and Joel Greenblatt—seeking not their stock tips, but their way of thinking.  

‍Why read it? Because, in the end, it is less about returns and more about temperament, patience, and common sense. Exactly the kind of book that works better in a lounge chair than behind a Bloomberg terminal.

4 - God dobbelt niet op de beurs – Jan Longeval

Longeval weaves together science, philosophy, psychology, and practical market knowledge, drawing surprising connections along the way between sand avalanches, ant colonies, and stock market crashes.  

‍Why read it?Because it explains why most investors underperform, in plain language and without empty promises.‍

5 - The Snowball – Alice Schroeder

The only biography Buffett has ever collaborated on. Schroeder, a long-time insurance analyst who covered Berkshire professionally, was granted access to his archives, his calendar, and his inner circle—with the explicit instruction to trust her own judgment over his whenever their accounts conflicted.

Why read it? The result is not a hagiography, but a portrait of a man who, starting from his paper route in Omaha, took one idea to its logical extreme: growing capital slowly but steadily, like a snowball rolling down a long hill.

From our own bookshelf

Summer is the perfect time to dive deeper, for instance with The Growth Formula by Erik Lauwers, which reveals how teams and companies can achieve sustainable growth through six universally applicable growth pillars.

And for those who want to put the investor’s adage “do your homework” into practice, there is Beyond the Noise by our own in-house analyst, Jens Verbrugge. The book provides insights and analytical tools often missing from the financial press, serving as an accessible guide that teaches you how to analyze companies yourself and how to distinguish between market noise and what truly matters.

In short, whether you want to understand the psychology behind market mania, find the next growth engine, or better assess the geopolitical risks in your portfolio, these books will turn your time in the sun into an investment that is guaranteed to pay off in the long run. After all, a sharp mind is the best starting point for a healthy portfolio. Happy reading this summer.