Ask HN: What are the must-read books about economics/finance? • Hacker News Board

Re: Ask HN: What are the must-read books about economics/finance?

#21

Post by wallace_f » Fri, Sep 23, 2016, 2:22 AM UTC

mitchelldeacon9 wrote: post #10

Here is my short list of favorite books on finance and economics: FINANCIAL SECURITIES / BANKING / VENTURE CAPITAL Bruck, Connie (1988) Predator's Ball: Inside Story of Drexel Burnham and Rise of Junk Bond Raiders Draper, William (2011) Startup Game Graham, Benjamin and Jason Zweig (2006) Intelligent Investor, revised ed. _________ and David Dodd (2008) Security Analysis, 6E Greenblatt, Joel (1999) You Can Be a Stock…

If you want to get a picture and understanding of the development and history of economic thought I second this suggestion of the Worldly Philosophers. It is very readable. It won't help you at all with a job in finance, but it will make you a more informed citizen, and better able to understand 'how the world works.'

Re: Ask HN: What are the must-read books about economics/finance?

#22

Post by n00b101 » Fri, Sep 23, 2016, 2:25 AM UTC

Options, Futures, and Other Derivatives by John Hull

Principles of Corporate Finance by Richard Brealey, Stewart Myers, Franklin Allen

Traders, Guns and Money: Knowns and unknowns in the dazzling world of derivatives by Satyajit Das

Re: Ask HN: What are the must-read books about economics/finance?

#23

Post by crdoconnor » Fri, Sep 23, 2016, 2:27 AM UTC

Traders, Guns and Money - Satyajit Das

Debunking Economics - Steve Keen

The Volatility Machine - Michael Pettis

Re: Ask HN: What are the must-read books about economics/finance?

#24

Post by eth0up » Fri, Sep 23, 2016, 2:28 AM UTC

Road to Serfdom, by F.A. Hayek?

Re: Ask HN: What are the must-read books about economics/finance?

#25

Post by kevinburke » Fri, Sep 23, 2016, 2:30 AM UTC

(Economics major and longtime econ book/paper reader here) I very much enjoyed The Cartoon Introduction to Economics as an introduction to microeconomic concepts: http://standupeconomist.com/cartoon-intro-microeconomics/

It's extremely readable and funny and covers most of the situations in real life where you can apply economic concepts to understand why something is the way it is.

Understanding why countries and economies grow (and why some grow faster than others!) doesn't always fall under the "economics" umbrella but is really useful for informing policy (and a useful reminder these days, when both US presidential candidates rail against trade agreements). "From Poverty to Prosperity" lays out a very readable and convincing argument for how countries have grown and become rich. https://www.amazon.com/Poverty-Prosperity-Intangible-Liabili...

For finance I very much enjoyed The Intelligent Investor, which also (apparently) inspired Warren Buffett's investing philosophy. https://www.amazon.com/Intelligent-Investor-Definitive-Inves...

Re: Ask HN: What are the must-read books about economics/finance?

#26

Post by crispytx » Fri, Sep 23, 2016, 2:37 AM UTC

The Intelligent Investor by Benjamin Graham

One Up on Wall Street by Peter Lynch

Re: Ask HN: What are the must-read books about economics/finance?

#27

Post by branchless » Fri, Sep 23, 2016, 2:37 AM UTC

Progress and Poverty:

https://www.amazon.com/Progress-Poverty-Industrial-Depressio...

Why is there so much poverty amongst all our progress? Georgism and land value tax. Essential reading IMHO and an enjoyable read also.

Re: Ask HN: What are the must-read books about economics/finance?

#28

Post by itscharlieb » Fri, Sep 23, 2016, 2:38 AM UTC

The Alchemists: Three Central Bankers and a World on Fire - Neil Irwin

Great account on central banking in general and central banking policy during the 08-09 crisis in particular!

Re: Ask HN: What are the must-read books about economics/finance?

#29

Post by gtrubetskoy » Fri, Sep 23, 2016, 2:38 AM UTC

To better understand our monetary system I highly recommend watching the "Money as Debt" movie. It's on youtube as well as http://www.moneyasdebt.net/ (which I think links to y/t anyway). It provides a pretty good explanation of gold-backed vs credit-backed money and is fun to watch.

Re: Ask HN: What are the must-read books about economics/finance?

#30

Post by chiliap2 » Fri, Sep 23, 2016, 2:40 AM UTC

One I don't see recommended very often is: Fortune's Formula. It describes the lives of Claude Shannon and Ed Thorp (author of Beat the Dealer) and how they use the Kelley formula in both gambling and investing. The Kelley formula, as the book explains, is a formula for determining the optimum amount to bet on a wager (or investment) if you know the edge you have over the house.