By Date (5 column layout) for BigPicture.typepad.com

How to Predict and Profit from Turning Points in the Economy

by Lakshman Achuthan,
Anirvan Banerji

The American Military Adventure in Iraq

by Thomas E. Ricks

Why the Future of Business Is Selling Less of More

Finding Financial Wisdom in Unconventional Places

by Michael J. Mauboussin

A True Story of Inside Information and Corruption in the Stock Market

by Daniel Reingold,
Jennifer Reingold

A Commonsense Guide to Forecasting Business and Market Cycles

by Joseph H. Ellis

The Hidden Role of Chance in Life and in the Markets

by Nassim Nicholas Taleb

A fast read, if you like mathematical theory -- although it could have very easily been a 3000 word magazine article.

by James Surowiecki

If expressions such as "Don't fight the tape," Go along to get along, and "The trend is your friend" appeal to you, than this book has your name on it.

Read this with "The Madness of Crowds."

by Thomas N. Bulkowski

A reference book I keep within arms reach.

A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything

by Steven D. Levitt,
Stephen J. Dubner

The New Global Competition for Talent

by Richard Florida

A potentially dire look at the world's hunt for intellectual firepower. I have yet to read this, but the threatened brain drain is something I've been tracking.

Understanding Secular Stock Market Cycles

Why the Tried and the True Triumph Over the Bold and the New

by Jeremy J. Siegel

Both of his books are thoroughly researched, well written -- and of little value to most Humans.

Yes, stocks go higher in the long run, but only if you have enough time -- occasionally decades -- to ride out the normal cyclical shudders.

by Robert J. Shiller

(a columnist at The Street.com)

How the Rise of the Next Superpower Challenges America and the World

Worth reading to learn how China will change your business.

The Power of Thinking Without Thinking

by Malcolm Gladwell

by William J. O'Neil,
Gil Morales

And How to Survive Them

by John P. Calverley

A History of the Boom and Bust, 1982-2004

Maggie Mahar, a former WSJ and Barron's reporter, does a terrific job dissecting what led to the longest market boom in history, and how it turned into the ugliest bear market since the 1929 crash. Anyone who believes we're at the beginning of another multi-decade expansion may want to read this.

Tags: Introduction to Investing

by Benoit Mandelbrot,
Richard L. Hudson

An Insider's Guide to Successful Investing in a Changing World

by Michael J. Panzner

Targeting Real Returns in a Smoke and Mirrors Market

by John F. Mauldin

How Great Traders Make Millions in Up or Down Markets

by Michael W. Covel

And How It's Transforming Work, Leisure, Community and Everyday Life

by Richard Florida

Correcting the Misuse of American Power

Finding Stocks with Earnings Power for Long-term Profits

by Hewitt Heiserman Jr.

(a columnist at The Street.com)

Undressing the Dismal Science

by Charles Wheelan

Uncovering a Company's True Value

The Psychology of Successful Investing

by Benjamin Graham,
Jason Zweig

by James J. Cramer

Jim Cramer's hedge fund's annualized peformance over 12 years was 23% -- thats a substantial outperformance over the S&P.

He frequently references his wife -- the trading goddess -- because when he ran into trouble in 97/98, she pulled him out of the fire. If not for her, the fund would have gone belly up, or so he says.

A worthwhile read -- especially if you want to understand the cult of Cramer . . .

Interviews with America's Top Stock Traders

by Jack D. Schwager

Tags: Introduction to Investing

How the Drive for Quarterly Earnings Corrupted Wall Street and Corporate America

Fortieth Anniversary Edition

by Milton Friedman

The Definitive Guide to Financial Market Returns and Long-Term Investment Strategies

by Jeremy J. Siegel

A Winning System in Good Times or Bad, 3rd Edition

by William J. O'Neil

How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference

by Malcolm Gladwell

The market is a dynamic, nonlinear system. This book in excellent exposition of how these systems work in non market environments. A very easy and enjoyable summer beach book.

by George S. Clason

A reference book I keep within arms reach.

Original Ideas from the Industry's Greatest Minds

by Charles D. Ellis,
James R. Vertin

Tags: Introduction to Investing

Lessons for Corporate America

by Warren E. Buffett

New Imperatives for the Intelligent Investor

by Steven B. Achelis

One of the reference books I keep handy and reach for occasionally.

Its really about ye olde rules of court, when the Lords and Ladies all jockeyed for position and favor around the King. Very provocative, yet surprisingly applicable to the stock market. Its a different and interesting read . . .

Lessons From The New Science Of Behavioral Economics

by Gary Belsky,
Thomas Gilovich

Tags: Investor Psychology

Superstrings, Hidden Dimensions, and the Quest for the Ultimate Theory

70 of the Most Widely Held Investment Axioms Explained, Examined and Exposed

A general market read -- its an almost fun book. Its lite; You can pick it up, read 10 pages, then put it down. I didn't agree with everything in it, but it was interesting nonetheless.

by Todd G. Buchholz

In the MacroEconomics arena, I really liked this book, from Harvard Prof and economic adviser in the first George H.W. Bush administration. A broad historical survey of economic theories through the years. Very interesting to see the evolution of Econ thinking. (It turns out that Economists have been getting it wrong for centuries.)

How to Prosper in the Coming Bear Market

It might be a bit late to be reading this, but the guy nailed the top as well as anyone. There are plenty of instructive rules in this one to help you prep for the next top.

by Jack D. Schwager

A Comprehensive Guide to Trading Methods and Applications

A reference book I keep within arms reach.

Andy Grove and the Rise of the World's Most Powerful Chip Company

The book is a tech investor's must read. If you think Redmond is the evil empire, well then brace yourself -- Intel was every bit as abusive a monopolist as Gates & Co. The key difference is Intel seems to have adapted faster than Microsoft. If you haven't read Inside Intel, go get yourself a copy (50 cents used at Amazon); Its an utterly fascinating history of technology.

Timeless Strategies for Successful Investing

by Charles D. Ellis

Paul B. Farrell of MarketWatch notes that several investing luminaries have heaped praise on the book: "Management guru Peter Drucker calls it 'the best book on investment policy and management.'" Jack Bogle credits Ellis's book as the inspiration for his first index fund in 1976.

Ironically, the book was written in 1975 in order to help his fellow money managers "improve their game."

Perhaps it will improve yours as well.

by Humphrey Bancroft Neill

Tags: Investor Psychology

Wit and Wisdom from the World's Greatest Investor

How to Spot Market Trends

by Robert R. Prechter Jr.

Another great book in the MacroEconomics arena. Very, very interesting view. This book is one of the most fascinating and challenging books I've ever read.

Tags: Investor Psychology

A classic, first published in 1841. In the intervening 163 years, I see no basis for believing that Human Nature has changed much.

If you believe in the Madness of Crowds, then you may find shorting into bubbles to your liking, buying capitulations a viable strategy, and making contrarian plays where possible; If you "buy when there is blood in the streets," then this is the book for you.

Tags: Investor Psychology

Inside Strategies for Stock-Market Profits