“Show me a family of readers, and I will show you the people who move the world” ~ Napoleon Bonaparte
Top Recommended Reading:
The Rise and Fall of the Great Powers – Paul Kennedy
The brilliant Yale historian Paul Kennedy takes the reader for an epic journey through the last 500 years of history, exploring the global dynamics of geopolitical power, military struggles, and economic changes that have left the world as we know it in the twenty first century. Since the time of the Renaissance in Europe, phenomenal changes have taken place, and those who understand the lessons of history will have valuable insights into the trends of tomorrow. Kingdoms and empires have risen and fallen through time, and politicians, policy-makers, businessmen and investors play a big part in shaping the course of the future.
The Republic – Plato
Often known as the grandfather of Philosophy along with Socrates, Plato’s classic work ‘The Republic’ is an indispensable book that men and women of influence have consulted and read and engaged in for centuries. This ancient classic text unfolds through conversations between Athenians in Plato’s time, touching on the great issues of humanity. Read and understand this timeless classic and learn about the prevalent issues of justice, morality, political ideology and the character and roles of the citizen and the state; issues that still plague our modern society today.
The Lord of the Rings – John. R.R. Tolkien
This epic, sublime and breathtaking tale in the high fantasy world of Middle Earth masterfully written by Tolkien is the most widely read book after the Bible. While totally an entire universe distinct from our world; with stories of tragic wars, tales of dragons and adventures of elves, Tolkien used to write that “Middle Earth is our Earth.” Born out of the gloomy years of the second world war, the themes and motifs surrounding the sublime and beautiful story captures the enduring themes of what we so commonly face in our lives – friendship, love, tragedy, sacrifice, adversity, victory, redemption.
Out of the Silent Planet – Clive S. Lewis
C.S. Lewis’ first episode of his Cosmic Trilogy is a beautifully written science fiction story about a certain Dr Ransom who is kidnapped and brought to Mars through a spaceship to be presented to ‘aliens’ as a ‘sacrifice.’ However, not all is what it appears to be. Lewis brings the reader through Dr Ransom’s journey into the deep space, across the stars and through a journey of self discovery and philosophical reflection of mankind’s existence and moral principles. A stunning sci-fi thriller, filled with beautiful and avid descriptive narratives, this book will help you understand something of the human condition that you might not have yet discovered.
The Old Man and The Sea – Ernest Hemingway
Hemingway’s classic novel that landed him his Nobel Prize in Literature: this succinct, prescient and short story of an old fisherman and a giant marlin in the Gulf Stream captures the struggles of the everyday human being. A story about adversity and audacity, courage and confidence, and fighting battles despite overwhelming and unfavourable odds.
Reads For The Thoughtful Investor:
A History of Interest Rates – Sidney Homer
Investment Valuation – Aswath Damodaran
Financial Market Bubbles and Crashes – Harold L. Vogel
Security Analysis – Benjamin Graham & David Dodd
The Alchemy of Finance – George Soros
Technical Analysis of The Financial Markets – John J. Murphy
Capitalism, Socialism & Democracy – Joseph Schumpeter
Capitalism & Freedom – Milton Friedman
The Theory of Money & Credit – Ludwig Von Mises
The Economy of Cities – Jane Jacobs
Tomorrow’s Gold – Marc Faber
Manias, Panics & Crashes – Charles Kindleberger
Other Recommended Reading:
The Art of War – Sun Zi
On War – Carl Von Clausewitz
The Wealth of Nations – Adam Smith
Das Kapital – Karl Marx
Guns, Germs & Steel – Jared Diamond
The Rise & Fall of the British Empire – Lawrence James
The Fall of the West – Adrian Goldsworthy
The Black Swan – Nassim Nicholas Taleb
The Billionaire Investor 