There is no shortage of books that deal with personal finance and investing. However, only a few deserve your attention. Here are a few books that George Chamberlin believes deserve a place on your bookshelf:

“Winning the Loser's Game: Timeless Strategies for Successful Investing”
By Charles D. Ellis
(McGraw-Hill, 2009, fifth edition)

I first stumbled across this excellent book many years ago and was immediately impressed. First published in 1975, the book addresses some of the common pitfalls that sabotage the average investor. In particular, I liked the section about the mistakes people make as they grow older – they usually become too conservative. I also like his ten commandments for investing.

“The Millionaire Next Door”
By Thomas Stanley and William Danko
(Simon & Schuster, 1998)

This book should be mandatory reading for every high school student or, at least, people who are about to get married. The title of the second chapter says it all: “Frugal, frugal, frugal.” Considering the current economic times, this book is as vital today as it was when it was first published. The book is not very exciting but it sure is motivating.

“One Up on Wall Street”
By Peter Lynch
(Fireside Books, 1989)

The author is one of my investing heroes. He managed the Fidelity Magellan Fund for 15 years and each and every year he outperformed the S&P 500 stock index, an accomplishment unmatched by any other manager. This book is extremely entertaining and Lynch's wit and wisdom shines through. He is a champion of the “invest in what you know” concept. He believes that most people work too hard at investing and suggests we keep it simple.

“Common Sense on Mutual Funds”
By John Bogle
(Wiley & Sons, 2010)

This author is another one of my heroes. He is the father of index investing and founder of Vanguard funds which created the first funds that duplicated the S&P 500 stock index. The book has just been released in a fully updated edition from the first edition ten years ago. Bogle is a real champion of the individual investors and much of his efforts focus around the importance of keeping fees and taxes low. I don't agree with everything in this book but I can't argue with his dedication to long-term investing.