When the greatest investor of all time recommends a book, people listen.
When he recommends the same book for 60+ years, you buy it immediately.
Welcome to your complete guide to the Warren Buffett recommended books—every title here is publicly endorsed by Buffett through Berkshire letters, CNBC interviews, shareholder meetings, or biographies.
This is the ultimate Buffett reading list, designed to help you think smarter, invest rationally, and avoid the mistakes 99% of investors make.
Why Warren Buffett’s Book Recommendations Matter
Buffett doesn’t read for entertainment.
He reads to become wiser, avoid errors, and understand businesses deeply.
He reads 500+ pages per day (source: Berkshire Hathaway meeting, 2007).
Charlie Munger repeatedly said:
“Go to bed smarter than when you woke up.”
Buffett’s books are not random.
They are the core mental models behind Berkshire Hathaway’s success.
Buffett once said: “I’ve read 500 books on investing. If I had to pick a few that mattered most, these would be the ones.”
This article covers those exact books—no fluff, no speculation.
# 1. The Intelligent Investor — Benjamin Graham
Why Buffett recommends it:
Buffett calls this “the best book on investing ever written.”
He has repeated this many times, including the 2013 Berkshire meeting.
This is Buffett’s foundational text—his entire investing philosophy comes from Graham’s ideas:
- Margin of safety
- Mr. Market
- Value investing discipline
- Emotional control
- Buying undervalued companies
Buffett Quote:
“Chapters 8 and 20 are the bedrock of my investing framework.”
# 2. Security Analysis — Benjamin Graham & David Dodd
Why Buffett recommends it:
Buffett studied under Graham at Columbia.
This is the “textbook version” of value investing.
If The Intelligent Investor is for philosophy,
Security Analysis is for doing the math.
Buffett has repeatedly said:
“I have read Security Analysis at least four times. It gave me a road map for investing.”
# 3. Business Adventures — John Brooks
Why Buffett recommends it:
Buffett called this book “the best business book ever written”
in a famous letter to Bill Gates (1991).
Gates later endorsed it publicly because of Buffett’s recommendation.
This book is a collection of business stories that reveal:
- human behavior
- market irrationality
- corporate failures
- leadership errors
- timeless business lessons
# 4. Common Stocks and Uncommon Profits — Philip A. Fisher
Why Buffett recommends it:
This book changed Buffett from a purely value investor
to a quality-focused investor.
Buffett has said repeatedly that Fisher’s framework is essential:
“Fisher built on the qualitative side of investing that Graham didn’t emphasize.”
Key lessons:
- Scuttlebutt technique
- CEO evaluation
- Long-term compounding
- What makes a great business
# 5. Poor Charlie’s Almanack — Charles T. Munger
Why Buffett recommends it:
This is Buffett’s business partner’s life manual
and one of the most important books on mental models ever written.
Buffett has said:
“Charlie has taught me more about business than anyone alive.”
The book covers:
- Multi-disciplinary thinking
- Rationality
- Decision-making
- Lifelong learning
- Human misjudgment
It consistently sells out because it is a cult classic.
# 6. The Essays of Warren Buffett — Lawrence Cunningham
Why Buffett recommends it:
This is the best compilation of Buffett’s annual letters—
reorganized by topic instead of year.
Buffett personally endorses Cunningham’s work:
“Larry did a great job putting my thoughts into useful themes.”
This book gives you Buffett’s own:
- investing philosophy
- business ownership mentality
- corporate governance ideas
- acquisition strategy
# 7. The Outsiders — William Thorndike
Why Buffett recommends it:
Buffett named this one of the most important business books ever written
in the 2012 Berkshire letter.
One of the CEOs profiled—Tom Murphy—is Buffett’s “best business manager ever.”
Learn why exceptional CEOs:
- ignore Wall Street
- allocate capital rationally
- focus on long-term value
- avoid ego-driven decisions
# 8. Where Are the Customers’ Yachts? — Fred Schwed Jr.
Why Buffett recommends it:
Buffett loves this book for its humor and accuracy.
He said:
“It is the funniest book ever written about investing — and one of the most truthful.”
It explains why many financial professionals don’t always act in the client’s best interest.
Great for beginners and pros.
# 9. Jack: Straight from the Gut — Jack Welch
Why Buffett recommends it:
Buffett called Welch one of the best business leaders of the modern era.
This book covers:
- leadership
- strategy
- hiring
- corporate culture
- operational excellence
Buffett studied Welch’s CEO style deeply.
# 10. The Wealth of Nations — Adam Smith
Why Buffett recommends it:
Buffett has referenced this book in multiple shareholder meetings as foundational economic reading.
This is the classic text on:
- capitalism
- incentives
- markets
- productivity
- the foundations of modern economics
Buffett said it helped shape his worldview on free markets.
Why These Books Matter (Buffett’s Core Mental Models)
Each book teaches part of Buffett’s philosophy:
1. Value discipline
(Graham)
Buy undervalued assets with a margin of safety.
2. Quality focus
(Fisher)
Great businesses compound for decades.
3. Behavioral mastery
(Munger, Schwed)
Avoid human misjudgment and emotional investing.
4. Business understanding
(Brooks, Welch, Thorndike)
Study how real companies succeed and fail.
5. Clear thinking
(Munger)
Multidisciplinary reasoning prevents terrible decisions.
6. Economic foundations
(Adam Smith)
Markets depend on incentives, competition, and human nature.
When combined, these create Buffett’s long-term edge.
The Perfect Reading Order (Buffett-Approved)
Step 1 — Foundations
- The Intelligent Investor
- Where Are the Customers’ Yachts?
Step 2 — Quality & Business Understanding
- Common Stocks and Uncommon Profits
- Business Adventures
Step 3 — Capital Allocation Mastery
- The Outsiders
- Jack: Straight from the Gut
Step 4 — Mental Models & Thinking
- Poor Charlie’s Almanack
Step 5 — Full Berkshire Philosophy
- The Essays of Warren Buffett
Step 6 — Economic Worldview
- The Wealth of Nations
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