5 of the Best Finance Books That Help You Understand Money

Tired of text books? Read these eye-opening books about money and finance instead!

Money can’t buy you happiness, but it can buy you security. It’s also the lifeblood of every nation, and every economy. So, in that sense, money really does make the world go round.

The word “money” is sometimes treated as a dirty word, but for finance and business students, it’s an important concept to understand. There is indeed a good and bad side to money, and that’s what makes it so interesting, and what inspires so many finance students to train in this field, so they can improve how wealth is managed.   

Whether you’re studying a business, accountancy or finance degree, or you just want to know more about how money works, these are the best finance books that will teach you everything you need to know!  

1) Money Master the Game (Tony Robbins)

A weighty book with some 600 pages, this is really something to get your teeth into. Tony Robbins’ well-researched manual, ‘Money Master the Game: 7 Simple Steps to Financial Freedom’, acts as a blueprint for building your own personal wealth. Along the way, it will teach you a lot about how the world of finance works.

It brings together extensive research and one-on-one interviews with financial experts from around the world. Crucially, the interviews deliver practical advice and actionable solutions for you to take to reach your investing goals.

But don’t worry if you’re not an expert in riches. Tony Robbins ensures that his book welcomes readers from every income level, providing seven steps to creating a lifetime income plan and becoming financially free.

2) Fools Gold (Gillian Tett)

Our list of the best finance books wouldn’t be complete without ‘Fools Gold: How the Bold Dream of a Small Tribe at J.P. Morgan Was Corrupted by Wall Street Greed and Unleashed a Catastrophe’ by Gillian Tett.

The title may be longwinded, but the content inside is written in a way that’s easy to digest, for everyone from experienced finance heads to complete beginners. If you’re looking to improve your knowledge about finance, and want to learn more about the global financial crisis, this is one of the most readable books to help you brush up.

3) The Psychology of Money (Morgan Housel)

When it comes to books about money, nothing is more exciting than drilling down into the ‘why’ of human behaviour. Deep-diving into the psychology about what motivates us to do things in regards to finance is not only a fascinating past-time, but an important subject in the school of life.

Morgan Housel’s book about money, wealth, greed and happiness is a great all-rounder. You don’t have to be in a finance or even business related profession to find this riveting. It’s also packed with practical takeaways to help you manage your own money better.

4) Kleptopia (Tom Burgis)

This honest and eye-opening book, titled ‘Kleptopia: How Dirty Money is Conquering the World’ by Tom Burgis offers the big reveal on global financial corruption. It airs the truth for all to see, and shows us the evil side of money.

For any accounting, finance or business graduate, it’s useful to have a true account of what is happening right under our noses. It certainly highlights the problems with extreme wealth, all the way from the UK capital and the White House to China and Russia.

5) Why Wall Street Matters (William D Cohen)

While Kleptopia tramples over our faith in humanity, this book by William D Cohen reignites our belief in the money system. The writer raises an important topic, discussing how it’s become normal to vilify bankers and reject the entire banking culture. Is Wall Street really that bad? Or could the rise of anti-banking be detrimental to society?

‘Why Wall Street Matters’ remains impartial and can give you a clear picture of how money markets work, how they impact consumers, and why we actually need them.

Interested in studying finance? Or looking for a reputable university for your master’s? The University of Bolton has been in the Top 2 in the UK for Student Satisfaction in Accounting and Finance* for the fourth year running, so there’s nowhere better to study this subject.

To find out more about applying in 2022, see our available courses.

*Complete University Guide 2022, 2021, 2020 & 2019