Top 10 Interesting Finance Books to Read to Understand Finance Better

Finance books like Rich Dad, Poor Dad teach you how to build wealth by making smarter investments, while The Intelligent Investor offers essential principles for value investing. Many struggle to manage their money effectively, unsure where to start or how to grow their wealth. 

This article highlights top finance books that can guide you to better financial management, offering practical advice and strategies to improve your financial literacy.

Finance management can be overwhelming, but the right knowledge can make all the difference. Check out upGrad's MBA courses, which offer the perfect blend of financial acumen and business strategy to help you manage your finances and elevate your career. Start today!

Top 10 Finance Books to Read to Understand Finance Better

Before diving into any finance book, it’s important to have a clear understanding of your financial goals. Are you looking to save for the future, invest wisely, or simply manage your expenses better? With this clarity, you can approach each book with a focus on the strategies that align with your needs. 

When it comes to personal finance, it’s not just about following strategies; you need to understand how each approach impacts your financial health. Here are three programs that can help you:

• Master’s in International Accounting and Finance by JGU (Accredited by ACCA, UK)
• LL.M. in Corporate and Financial Law (Blended Learning Program)
• Professional Certificate Program in Business Analytics & Consulting in association with PwC Academy

1. Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert T. Kiyosaki

Source: Amazon

About the Author: Robert T. Kiyosaki is an entrepreneur, author, and financial educator. He is best known for his book Rich Dad, Poor Dad, which advocates financial education, smart investing, and entrepreneurship. Kiyosaki has authored several books on personal finance and is the founder of Rich Global LLC, a financial education company.

This is one of the best-selling best books on finance that teaches you about personal finances. It is a story of two fathers, one rich and one poor, who state their own perspective of financial knowledge to build wealth. It gives you some tips to manage your finances engagingly. It presents you with different chapters, each of which has something to take from. This book is the best for finances and can help you manage yours effectively.

Key takeaways include:

• Invest in assets, not liabilities: Learn the difference between what makes you money and what costs you money.
• Don’t work just to earn money; work to learn: This mindset shift opens doors to new opportunities and growth.
• Reinvest profits: Building wealth requires putting your money to work for you, rather than letting it sit idle.

Who is This Best For:

This book is best for beginners or anyone looking to shift their mindset about money. It’s ideal for people who are tired of traditional financial advice and are ready to take charge of their financial future through smart investing and building wealth.

2. Money by Tony Robbins

Source: Amazon

About the Author: Tony Robbins is a world-renowned life coach, motivational speaker, and author of multiple bestsellers, including Awaken the Giant Within and Unshakeable. With over 40 years of experience in financial education, Robbins has worked with financial experts and top investors to create actionable strategies for financial success.

This book is represented as a research or interview done by the author with more than 50 financial experts. The author guides the readers in a comprehensive way on how to feel financial freedom. The author has highlighted the essential part of everyone’s life, i.e., money, which is often seen as a taboo subject to talk about.

Moreover, it also presents the bitter truth of people and their perception of money. Key takeaways include:

• Take risks: Embrace calculated risks as a way to grow your wealth, rather than playing it safe and missing out on opportunities.
• Treat yourself: Learn how to enjoy the money you make while still planning for your future, striking a balance between indulgence and saving.
• Diversify investments: Robbins introduces the bucket system, a simple strategy for managing investments in three categories—security, growth, and dreams.

Who is This Best For:

This book is perfect for individuals who are looking to take control of their financial future. It’s especially beneficial for people who want to learn from financial experts and discover actionable strategies for building wealth, managing money, and achieving financial freedom.

3. The Barefoot Investor by Scott Pape

Source: Amazon

About the Author: Scott Pape is an Australian financial educator and author of The Barefoot Investor. Known for his approachable and easy-to-understand advice, Pape has helped thousands of Australians take control of their finances and secure their financial futures.

The writer highlights the struggles of managing finances in the life of an ordinary being. The barefoot investor gives you some pieces of advice on how you can control your finances by doing basic things.

Key takeaways include:

• Organize your finances: Set aside one day each week to review and plan your finances, helping you stay on top of your spending and savings.
• Use multiple bank accounts: Set up separate accounts for different purposes (e.g., bills, savings, and discretionary spending) to better track and control your money.
• Eliminate debt: Focus on paying off high-interest debts first and avoid accumulating more debt, creating a foundation for financial freedom.

Who is This Best For:

This book is ideal for beginners or anyone looking for simple, no-nonsense advice on managing money. It’s great for people who want to get their finances in order, reduce debt, and start saving without feeling overwhelmed by complex financial jargon.

Also Read: What Is Business Finance? Meaning & Real-World Applications

4. The One Page Financial Plan by Carl Richards

Source: Amazon

About the Author: Carl Richards is a certified financial planner and the author of The One-Page Financial Plan. He is known for his simple, practical approach to financial planning and writes a weekly column for The New York Times, where he shares his insights on money and behavior.

This book is based on the mistakes Carl Richards made in his finances and works as one of the effective financial literacy books. He has mapped out the simple ways to deal with your finances which would not feel like a burden. He has stated all the points from his personal life experience and shared them throughout this book.

Therefore, it perfectly illustrates the real-life problems that everyone faces while managing finances. Key takeaways include:

• Start with where you are: Understand your current financial situation before making any changes. Knowing where you stand is the first step toward improvement.
• Clarify why money matters to you: Get clear on your financial goals and the reasons behind them to stay motivated and focused on what truly matters.
• Use budgeting as a tool for awareness: Rather than seeing it as restrictive, use budgeting to gain insight into where your money is going and make smarter choices.

Who is This Best For:

This book is perfect for individuals who feel overwhelmed by traditional financial planning. It’s great for anyone who wants to simplify their financial life and create a practical, easy-to-follow financial plan without getting bogged down by complexity.

5. The Intelligent Investor by Benjamin Graham

Source: Amazon

About the Author: Benjamin Graham was a renowned economist, investor, and professor at Columbia Business School. He is considered the father of value investing, and his book The Intelligent Investor is widely regarded as one of the best investment books of all time. Graham’s principles laid the foundation for modern investing strategies.

Warren Buffet defined Graham as one of the greatest investors of all time. In this book, the author has highlighted some of the main principles of investment combined with philosophy.

Though this book can be challenging, it is still considered one of the best finance books about investment.Key takeaways include:

• Margin of Safety: Always invest with a buffer to protect against significant losses, ensuring you’re not overly exposed to risk.
• Know your investment style: Understand whether you’re a defensive investor (focused on protecting capital) or an enterprising investor (willing to take more risks for greater rewards).
• Think long-term: Avoid short-term market fluctuations and focus on sustainable investments that will grow over time.

Who is This Best For:
This book is best for intermediate to advanced investors who want to dive deeper into value investing. It’s ideal for those looking to develop a disciplined, long-term investment strategy and learn the principles that have guided successful investors like Warren Buffet.

Also Read: What is Corporate Finance? Strategies & Case Studies-2025

6. The Little Book that Beats the Market by Joel Greenblatt

Source: Amazon

About the Author: Joel Greenblatt is a professor at Columbia Business School, hedge fund manager, and author of The Little Book That Beats the Market. He is known for his "magic formula" for investing, which focuses on buying high-quality companies at discounted prices.

One of the leading best books on finance The Little Book that Beats the Market, talks about investment in the stock market and how investors can outperform. It covers the data analysis of the recent financial crisis. The book has research and findings from the surroundings and explores the basic principles of successfully investing in the stock market.

It also represents the author’s tested formula from which the readers can take inspiration. Key takeaways include:

• The Magic Formula: Greenblatt’s simple but effective strategy for picking stocks based on two key factors—earnings yield and return on capital.
• Focus on long-term results: Avoid the noise of daily market movements and focus on sustainable, high-return investments.
• Invest with patience: Successful investing requires discipline and a long-term view, especially during market volatility.

Who is This Best For:

This book is great for beginners to intermediate investors who are looking to develop a simple and effective stock market strategy. It’s perfect for those who want to outperform the market by applying a tested formula for identifying undervalued companies.

7. The Millionaire Fastlane by MJ DeMarco

Source: Amazon

About the Author: MJ DeMarco is an entrepreneur, author, and founder of The Fastlane Forum. In The Millionaire Fastlane, DeMarco shares his unconventional approach to wealth-building, emphasizing entrepreneurship and smart financial decisions over traditional methods of saving and investing.

The author teaches the readers how to be good at finance by relating to his story. This book consists of some great advice that is useful for the general public. The content of this book is different from what has been portrayed in the title.

Instead of giving a shortcut formula to the readers, this book is all bout building a foundation and expanding it. Key takeaways include:

• Focus on control: Take control of your financial future by creating businesses or investments that generate passive income, rather than relying solely on your job.
• Build a scalable foundation: Wealth is built by creating value that can grow exponentially, not through incremental saving or traditional investing.
• Avoid the slow lane: The "slow lane" of saving and budgeting often keeps you trapped in a cycle of mediocrity, while the "fast lane" involves taking calculated risks and seizing opportunities for growth.

Who is This Best For:

This book is ideal for anyone looking to break free from the traditional 9-to-5 work life and build wealth through entrepreneurship. It’s perfect for people who are willing to take calculated risks and want to achieve financial independence in a faster and more scalable way.

8. Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill

Source: Amazon

About the Author: Napoleon Hill was a self-help author and motivational speaker, best known for Think and Grow Rich. Hill spent over 20 years studying successful people and their habits, distilling his findings into the principles outlined in his book, which has influenced millions of readers worldwide.

Think and Grow Rich is all about personal development that can lead you to become a successful individual. This book highlights the success that can be achieved through mental visualization. It is all about focusing on your inner self, which is solely responsible for achieving your goals.

Key takeaways from Think and Grow Rich include:

• The power of desire: Success begins with a strong, burning desire to achieve your goal. The more intense your desire, the more likely you are to succeed.
• Faith and belief: Cultivate a deep belief in yourself and your goals. This faith will drive your actions and perseverance.
• Visualization and positive affirmation: Regularly visualize your success and use positive affirmations to reinforce your goals and boost your confidence.

Who is This Best For:

This book is best for individuals seeking personal development and financial success. It’s ideal for those looking to cultivate a positive mindset, develop self-discipline, and focus on achieving their goals, both financially and personally.

9. I Will Teach You to be Rich by Ramit Sethi

Source: Amazon

About the Author: Ramit Sethi is a personal finance expert, author, and founder of the website I Will Teach You to Be Rich. His practical approach to finance is focused on helping people take control of their money and build a financially secure future with simple, actionable steps.

This book presents the lessons that individuals can implement in their lives to have a stable financial future. It highlights some of the basic points that anyone can follow. This book is perfect for beginners who hope to start with their finance management but don’t know have the right learning resources.

The financial advice in this book is easy to understand and faster to grasp. Key takeaways include:

• Take responsibility for your finances: You are in charge of your financial future—take action and make decisions that reflect that responsibility.
• Know where your money goes: Track your spending and create a simple budget that works for you.
• Start investing now: Don’t wait—begin building your wealth with smart, simple investment strategies as soon as possible.

Who is This Best For:

This book is perfect for beginners who want to get started with personal finance but don’t know where to begin. It’s especially helpful for those who want straightforward advice on saving, budgeting, and investing without the complexity of traditional financial advice.

Also Read: How to Become Financial Advisor in 2025 Guide

10. The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey

Source: Amazon

About the Author: Dave Ramsey is a financial expert, radio host, and author of several bestsellers, including The Total Money Makeover. He is widely known for his “baby steps” method for getting out of debt, building wealth, and achieving financial peace.

In this book, the author stresses the debt part of finance which is often taken lightly. The author talks about simple steps you can follow to eliminate your debt finances. It also talks about monthly budgets, investments for retirement, education, and many other elements that we face in our routine lives.

Key takeaways include:

• Debt elimination: Follow a step-by-step plan to pay off debt quickly and efficiently, starting with the smallest balances.
• Create a monthly budget: Track your spending and prioritize your financial goals to make smarter decisions.
• Plan for the future: Set aside funds for retirement, education, and other major life expenses to ensure long-term financial stability.

Who is This Best For:
This book is best for individuals who are struggling with debt or looking to start fresh with their finances. It’s ideal for anyone who needs a step-by-step plan to eliminate debt, save for the future, and achieve financial freedom.

Start by setting clear financial goals, whether it's paying off debt, building savings, or investing for the future. Break your goals into manageable steps and track your progress regularly. Don’t hesitate to revisit the books for motivation and new ideas as you move forward. 

Keep learning, stay disciplined, and be patient. Financial success doesn’t happen overnight, but with consistent effort, you’ll see your wealth grow.

Further enhance your skills with upGrad

The blog covers the fact that managing finances isn’t about following a one-size-fits-all formula but understanding your goals and building a strategy tailored to your situation. From understanding the importance of mindset in Think and Grow Rich to actionable debt-elimination strategies in The Total Money Makeover, these books offer a wealth of knowledge.

If you're feeling uncertain about where to go next or struggling with implementing these strategies effectively, upGrad’s courses can help bridge that gap.

In addition to the courses mentioned, here are some more courses to help you further elevate your skills: 

• MBA from O.P. Jindal Global University (JGU)
• Digital Innovations in the Financial System
• Introduction to NFTs

With upGrad’s personalized career guidance, you can explore the right learning path based on your goals. You can also visit your nearest upGrad center and start hands-on training today!

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