I'm always eager to trade suggestions on great books to read, whether it's something new or something old.
I’m now excited to share this year’s summer reads.
Schools out! It’s time for the summer slowdown and time to catch up on good books. As an enthusiastic reader, I’m always eager to trade suggestions on great books to read, whether it’s something new, or something old. I’m now excited to share this year’s summer reads. Every summer I set the goal to read one book on a U.S. president, one self-help book, a business book and at least one book for fun. This year, I’m also throwing in a list of financial planning books that will appeal to folks of different ages.
Here’s the 2018 summer book list.
My business book this summer is Thinking in Bets: Making Smarter Decisions When You Don’t Have All the Facts by Annie Duke. A few years back, I booked Annie Duke as a speaker for the Financial Planning Association of Massachusetts. Prior to the engagement, I spent lots of time with her on the phone. She was tremendously engaging and generous with her time. If you are unaware of who Annie Duke is, she is a former World Series of Poker Champion. She was also a crowd favorite on The Celebrity Apprentice season 2. She’s also a native New Englander having grown up in Concord, New Hampshire. In Thinking in Bets Annie Duke provides practical guidance on making better decisions through statistical thinking. For instance, Duke examines why it is important to separate “bad outcomes” from “bad decisions.” Even perfectly sound forecasts will occasionally not pan out. Thinking in Bets provides useful takeaways for financial and life decisions.
My self-help book this summer is Tom Brady’s The TB12 Method: How to Achieve a Lifetime of Sustained Peak Performance. Truth be told, I’ve already started this one. This is #12′s first book. Brady is in his 40s and still reaching unimaginable heights of excellence; I had to find out what’s his secret! If you listen to sports talk radio, it makes this a fun read because the radio hosts are always mocking Brady and his healthy ways. Regardless, this book reveals Brady’s approach to sustained peak performance for anyone at any ages. Plus, it tells his life story. It’s been a great read so far.
My presidential read this summer is Andrew Jackson and the Miracle of New Orleans: The Battle That Shaped America’s Destiny by Brian Kilmeade and Don Yaeger. This spring I was in Nashville for a business trip and was able to escape the conference and visit Hermitage. Hermitage is Andrew Jackson’s home and presidential library. Since then, I’ve become fascinated by the seventh president of the United States. At the Battle of New Orleans, Jackson (and America) needed a miracle. Jackson and his rag-tag army, driven by patriotism, began the battle that would shape our young nation’s destiny.
My fun book this summer is Bruce Lee: A Life by Matthew Polly. I’ll never forget when I first saw the movie “Enter the Dragon.” Prior to the movie, I had never even heard of Bruce Lee. I was mesmerized by this lightning-quick kung-fu master. In addition to watching all his movies (several times, may I add), I’ve always been impressed by his philosophical quotes that he has left behind. This book is the first full-length biography of Lee. The author paints a portrait of Lee from his childhood Hong Kong to his mysterious death in 1973 at age 32.
I’ve included a list of trendy financial planning books below because successful investors always have a thirst for knowledge. As such, they often read voraciously. Well-written finance books provide a thoughtful analysis of the past, insights about the future, and plans for what works and what doesn’t. In other words, reading the right books can give you a leg up on financial freedom and success.
Here they are:
The Young Couples Guide to Growing Rich Together by Jill Gianola. The title is self-explanatory.
Age Proof by Jean Chatzky, Michael Roizen, MD and Ted Spiker. It will help you prepare for a long life. According to the book, financial and physical well-being go hand in hand.
New Retirementality by Mitch Anthony. Anthony’s book will help you retire early.
Women’s Worth by Eleanor Blayney. This book will help women take control of the finances.
The Behavior Gap by Carl Richards. This book will stop you from making unwise investment choices. Richards is a great author but he’s best known for his simple sketches. He makes complex financial concepts easy to understand.
I'm not the only one in the office that reads! We compiled a list of everyone in the office's summer picks here.
So as the summer season gets underway, I hope that you find this summer reading list useful. As Bruce Lee once famously stated, “Absorb what is useful, discard what is useless and add what is specifically your own.” What are you reading this summer? Please reach out and let me know. I love hearing from you. Have a great summer!