The Intellectual Edge Reading List

So many books, not enough time

Apr 01, 2025

Hello!

Today’s episode is one I have been looking forward to writing, a reading list.

Whenever I stumble on a reading list I can not help but look at every single book despite knowing full well I have more than enough books to read currently, It is simply an obligation.

If you are the same; I can only apologise, this is not a short and snappy list.

I have a very cheap second-hand book shop near me, and to be honest, I think that is all that needs to be said on the matter.

Today I thought I would share with you the books I own, the ones I have - and want to - read.

If the books in this list are of any interest to you, you will be glad to know that I will be discussing the best ideas from each and every book as they are read and re-read.

There is a certain pain to owning a lot more books than you can immediately read, you know so much knowledge is sat idle, and you can not reach what is so close.

They stare at me every day when I wake up, waiting one day for me to choose it and scribble in its margins.

Until that day comes, they -and I- will have to be patient, much too patient for my liking.

Similar to you, I am interested in everything, biology, cosmology, finance, philosophy, art, music, psychology, just about anything I stumble across.

I tend to become fixated on things, I stumble across something and become obsessed with it until I have a full understanding of it.

To give you an example: when I was young I was tasked with splitting logs in preparation for the cosy winter fires. I would go out and try my best to split some logs, but I had a feeling that I was not doing this act justice; naturally, I spent the following weeks religiously analysing how to perfectly split a log…

I would be up until 2AM watching videos, learning the art of log splitting as though I were training for Olympic trials, eventually I became very efficient, I no longer need watch any videos, it is now a tool in the belt for my life, this is how I go tend to through life.

Log splitting is of course an esoteric example, it is the same with finance, art, music etc…

I find something, become obsessed for a while, master it as best I can, and then put it on the back-burner as something I can now do for a lifetime.

If you are anything like me, firstly, I’m glad I’m not alone! Secondly, I hope this reading list will be of use to you, it covers a broad range of topics, albeit weighted toward my two largest interests, being philosophy and finance.

The books are split into 6 sections: Philosophy, Literature, Economics & Investing, Self-Improvement & Psychology, History & Biography, Science & Society.

Here is my humble but growing library, please do bear in mind that lots of these books are still yet to be read, this list is therefore more inspiration than recommendation!

There is a short sentence of what one may learn from reading each book, to save you the effort of having to search them up individually…

I hope you enjoy the list.

Philosophy

Beyond Good and Evil - Friedrich Nietzsche
Nietzsche’s critique of morality and his exploration of power, individuality, and the human condition.
Critique of Judgement - Immanuel Kant
Kant’s theories on aesthetics, exploring how we judge beauty and purpose in art and nature.
Discourse on Method and Meditations on First Philosophy - René Descartes
Descartes’ foundational ideas of rationalism, including “I think, therefore I am” and his method for seeking truth.
Ecco Homo - Friedrich Nietzsche
Nietzsche’s self-reflection on his life and works, offering a bold perspective on his philosophy and personal evolution. (This is my current read, a fascinating book despite some very outdated beliefs that are quite difficult to read)
Letters from a Stoic - Seneca
Practical Stoic wisdom for living a virtuous, resilient life through Seneca’s timeless letters on ethics and adversity.
Meditations - Marcus Aurelius
A Roman emperor’s personal reflections, focusing on self-discipline, acceptance, and inner peace. Episodes linked here & here
Notes from Underground - Fyodor Dostoevsky
A classic discussing existential themes of alienation, free will, and the irrationality of human behavior through a troubled narrator.
On the Nature of the Universe - Lucretius
An ancient Epicurean view of the cosmos, blending science and philosophy to explain reality without divine intervention.
The Book of Epictetus - Epictetus
Stoic principles for mastering emotions and focusing on what you can control, as taught by a former slave turned philosopher.
The Complete Essays - Michel de Montaigne
Montaigne’s introspective essays on life, death, and human nature.
The Consolation of Philosophy - Boethius
Understand how philosophy can offer solace in hardship, as Boethius reflects on fate, fortune, and happiness while imprisoned.
The Last Days of Socrates - Plato
Follow Socrates’ final moments and learn about his commitment to truth, justice, and the examined life through Plato’s dialogues.
The Meaning of Things: Applying Philosophy to Life - A.C. Grayling
Gain practical insights into applying philosophical ideas to everyday challenges like love, work, and meaning.
The Republic - Plato
Explore Plato’s vision of an ideal society, delving into justice, governance, and the role of the philosopher-king.
Cicero: Selected Works - Marcus Tullius Cicero
Explore the life and writings of a Roman orator on law, duty, and politics.
The Story of Philosophy: The Lives and Opinions of the World's Greatest Philosophers - Will Durant
Learn the key ideas of history’s greatest thinkers, from Plato to Nietzsche, in an accessible narrative.
The Symposium - Plato
Understand Plato’s exploration of love and beauty through a Socratic dialogue filled with wit and profound insight.
Count Carlo Sforza presents the living thoughts of Machiavelli - Niccolò Machiavelli
Learn Machiavelli’s pragmatic insights on power, leadership, and political strategy.
The Prince - Niccolò Machiavelli
Machiavelli’s ruthless strategies for gaining and maintaining power in leadership.
Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry Into Values - Robert M. Pirsig
Explore a philosophical journey into quality, reason, and the meaning of life. You have to read this book.
The Time Keeper - Mitch Albom
Reflect on humanity’s relationship with time and its impact on life’s meaning.
The Five People You Meet in Heaven - Mitch Albom
Reflect on life’s interconnectedness and meaning through a man’s afterlife journey.

Literature

1984 - George Orwell
Learn about totalitarianism, surveillance, and the manipulation of truth in a dystopian society.
A Clockwork Orange - Anthony Burgess
Explore themes of free will, morality, and violence through a futuristic tale of a delinquent’s redemption, or lack thereof.
Great Books of the Western World, Volume #4 - Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides, Aristophanes
A broad coverage of the origins of tragedy and comedy in ancient Greek plays, reflecting on human fate, hubris, and society.
Animal Farm - George Orwell
Understand political allegory and the corrupting nature of power through a fable about a farm revolution gone wrong. Episode Linked here
Great Books of the Western World, Volume #50 - Marx
A profound coverage of the works of Karl Marx, especially discussing his communist manifesto.
One Hundred Years of Solitude - Gabriel García Márquez
Learn about family, destiny, and the cyclical nature of history through magical realism in a multi-generational saga.
Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen
Explore love, societal expectations, and emotional balance in 19th-century England through two sisters’ journeys.
Small Things Like These - Claire Keegan
Reflect on morality, courage, and quiet resistance in a small Irish town confronting institutional wrongs.
The Alchemist - Paulo Coelho
Discover a journey of self-discovery and the pursuit of one’s "Personal Legend" through a shepherd’s quest.
The Complete Short Stories of Mark Twain - Mark Twain
Learn wit, satire, and human folly through Twain’s sharp, humorous tales of American life.
The Odyssey - Homer
Follow Odysseus’ epic journey home, learning about resilience, cunning, and the human spirit in ancient mythology.
The Picture of Dorian Gray - Oscar Wilde
Explore vanity, morality, and the consequences of hedonism as a man’s portrait ages while he does not.
The Stranger - Albert Camus
Understand existential absurdity and detachment through a man’s indifferent response to life and death.
The Unbearable Lightness of Being - Milan Kundera
Reflect on love, freedom, and the weight of choices in a philosophically rich tale set during political upheaval.
The Iliad - Homer
Learn about honour, wrath, and the human cost of war through the Trojan War’s epic narrative.
Tuesdays with Morrie: An Old Man, a Young Man, and Life's Greatest Lesson - Mitch Albom
Gain wisdom on life, death, and relationships from a dying professor’s heartfelt lessons to his former student.

Economics & Investing

100 Baggers: Stocks That Return 100-To-1 and How to Find Them - Christopher Mayer
Discusses the importance of ROCE, a long runway for growth, talented management, and relatively small market capitalisation, a modernised version of Phil Fishers 100 to 1 in the stock market
A Short History of Financial Euphoria - John Kenneth Galbraith
Understand the recurring patterns of speculative bubbles and why they inevitably crash.
An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations - Adam Smith
Discover the foundations of modern economics, including markets, labour, and the invisible hand.
Devil Take the Hindmost: A History of Financial Speculation - Edward Chancellor
Explore the history of financial manias and the psychology driving speculative excess.
Fooled by Randomness: The Hidden Role of Chance in Life and in the Markets - Nassim Nicholas Taleb
Understand how luck and randomness shape outcomes more than we often realise.
Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything - Steven D. Levitt & Stephen J. Dubner
Learn how economic thinking reveals surprising truths about incentives and human behavior.
How to Pick Quality Shares: A three-step process for selecting profitable stocks - Phil Oakley
Master a simple framework for choosing strong companies to invest in, especially useful for UK investors, one of few books that has specific examples for UK stocks.
Investing for Growth: How to Make Money by Only Buying the Best Companies in the World - Terry Smith
A collection of shareholder letters from legendary UK fund manager Terry Smith, discussing his strategy of investing in high-quality businesses for long-term gains.
Investing: The Last Liberal Art - Robert G. Hagstrom
Learn how interdisciplinary thinking enhances investment decisions. (You MUST read this book)
John D. Rockefeller on Making Money: Advice and Words of Wisdom on Building and Sharing Wealth - John D. Rockefeller
Gain practical lessons on wealth-building and philanthropy from an industrial titan.
Poor Charlie's Almanack: The Wit and Wisdom of Charles T. Munger - Charles T. Munger
Learn mental models and life lessons from the architect of Berkshire Hathaway
Quality First Investing: A checklist approach to finding and sitting tight in multibaggers - Rasmus Helt Poulsen
Master a disciplined process for identifying and holding onto exceptional stocks.
Richer, Wiser, Happier: How the World's Greatest Investors Win in Markets and Life - William Green
Discover how top investors blend financial success with personal fulfillment. (A wonderful book)
Security Analysis and Business Valuation on Wall Street - Jeffrey C. Hooke
Learn advanced techniques for valuing companies and analysing investments.
Simple But Not Easy: An Autobiographical and Biased Book about Investing - Richard Oldfield
Understand the straightforward yet challenging principles of successful investing.
Tao of Charlie Munger - David Clark
Gain distilled wisdom on business, investing, and life from Charlie Munger’s treasure trove of quotes.
The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine - Michael Lewis
Learn how a few investors predicted and profited from the 2008 financial crisis.
The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable - Nassim Nicholas Taleb
Understand the power of rare, unpredictable events and their outsized impact.
The Crisis Of Global Capitalism: Open Society Endangered - George Soros
Explore Soros’ critique of global markets and his vision for an open society.
The Education of a Value Investor - Guy Spier
Learn a personal journey from Wall Street arrogance to disciplined value investing.
The Essays of Warren Buffett: Lessons for Investors and Managers - Warren Buffett
Gain timeless investing and business insights from Buffett’s shareholder letters. (Another must-read)
The Great Crash 1929 - John Kenneth Galbraith
Understand the causes and consequences of the 1929 stock market crash. Episode linked here.
The Intelligent Investor - Benjamin Graham
Master the principles of value investing and emotional discipline in markets.
The Joys of Compounding: The Passionate Pursuit of Lifelong Learning - Gautam Baid
An inspiring book, discussing how compounding knowledge and wealth go hand in hand.
The Little Book of Valuation: How to Value a Company, Pick a Stock and Profit - Aswath Damodaran
Understand the essentials of company valuation in a concise, practical guide.
The Most Important Thing: Uncommon Sense for the Thoughtful Investor - Howard Marks
Learn key investing lessons from one of my favourite investors of all time, discussing risk, cycles, and contrarian thinking.
The Psychology of Money - Morgan Housel
Understand how behavior, not just math, drives financial success.
The Economic Naturalist: Why Economics Explains Almost Everything - Robert H. Frank
Learn how economic principles illuminate everyday phenomena.
The Soros Lectures: At the Central European University - George Soros
Learn Soros’ philosophy on markets, reflexivity, and societal structures.
The Way to Wealth - Benjamin Franklin
Gain practical advice from one of Americas founding fathers, a wonderful book with short axioms on frugality, hard work, and financial independence.
The Zurich Axioms: The rules of risk and reward used by generations of Swiss bankers - Max Gunther
Learn bold, unconventional rules for managing risk and building wealth.
Valuation: Measuring and Managing the Value of Companies - McKinsey & Company
Master the technical art of valuing businesses for investment or management.
Value Investing: From Graham to Buffett and Beyond - Bruce C. Greenwald
Learn the evolution and application of value investing principles.
Warren Buffett and the Interpretation of Financial Statements - Mary Buffett & David Clark
Understand how to read financial statements like Buffett to spot great companies.
What I Learned About Investing from Darwin - Pulak Prasad
Discover how evolutionary principles apply to long-term investing success.
You Can Be a Stock Market Genius - Joel Greenblatt
Learn advanced strategies for uncovering hidden investment opportunities in special situations.

Self-Improvement & Psychology

Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking - Malcolm Gladwell
Learn how intuition and snap judgments can sometimes outperform deliberate analysis.
Great Thinkers: Simple Tools from 60 Great Thinkers to Improve Your Life Today - The School of Life
Discover practical tools from history’s greatest minds to enhance daily living.
How to Win Friends & Influence People - Dale Carnegie
Master interpersonal skills for building relationships and influencing others. (Do not let the shallow title fool you, this book is truly amazing, it is essentially a guide on being a good person, which in turn of course wins you friends)
Lateral Thinking - Edward de Bono
Learn creative problem-solving techniques to think outside the box. Episodes linked here & here
Mental Models For Managers - Anurag Sharma
Understand frameworks for better decision-making in management and life.
Mental Models: 30 Thinking Tools that Separate the Average From the Exceptional - Peter Hollins
Gain tools to improve reasoning, problem-solving, and critical thinking.
Outliers: The Story of Success - Malcolm Gladwell
Learn how environment, timing, and effort shape extraordinary success.
Plato, Diagrammatic Reasoning and Mental Models - Janice H. Capel
Explore how Plato’s ideas can inform modern reasoning and decision-making.
Same as Ever: A Guide to What Never Changes - Morgan Housel
Understand timeless human behaviors that persist across history.
Surrounded by Idiots - Thomas Erikson
Learn to navigate personality types for better communication and relationships.
The Art of Thinking Clearly - Rolf Dobelli
Discover common cognitive biases and how to avoid them for clearer thinking.
The Art of War - Sun Tzu
Learn strategic thinking and tactics applicable to conflict, business, and life.
The Chimp Paradox - Steve Peters
Understand your mind’s emotional "chimp" and how to manage it for success.
The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom - Don Miguel Ruiz
Learn four principles for living with integrity and reducing self-imposed suffering. If you are willing to take the four principles seriously, it has the power to change your life.
The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment - Eckhart Tolle
Discover how living in the present moment can transform your life.
The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck - Mark Manson
Learn to prioritize what truly matters and let go of trivial concerns.
The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference - Malcolm Gladwell
Understand how small changes can trigger massive social shifts.
Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don't Know - Adam Grant
Learn the value of rethinking assumptions and embracing intellectual humility.
Think Twice: Harnessing the Power of Counterintuition - Michael J. Mauboussin
Discover how to challenge instincts for better decision-making.
Thinking, Fast and Slow - Daniel Kahneman
Understand the dual systems of fast intuition and slow reasoning in your mind.

History & Biography

Against the Odds: An Autobiography - James Dyson
Learn how perseverance and innovation built a global empire from a vacuum cleaner.
Becoming Steve Jobs: The Evolution of a Reckless Upstart into a Visionary Leader - Brent Schlender & Rick Tetzeli
Understand Jobs’ transformation into a tech visionary through personal growth.
Isaac Newton - James Gleick
Learn about Newton’s groundbreaking contributions to science and his complex personality.
Isaac Newton: The Last Sorcerer - Michael White
Discover Newton’s lesser-known pursuits in alchemy alongside his scientific genius.
Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of Nike - Phil Knight
Understand the gritty journey of building Nike from a startup to a global brand.
Steve Jobs - Walter Isaacson
Learn about Jobs’ life, from his innovations to his personal flaws and triumphs.
The Age of Turbulence - Alan Greenspan
Gain insights into global economics from a former Federal Reserve chairman.
The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin - Benjamin Franklin
Discover Franklin’s life lessons on industry, invention, and civic duty. Episode linked here.
The Soul of a Butterfly: Reflections on Life's Journey - Muhammad Ali
Learn about Ali’s personal growth, faith, and legacy beyond the boxing ring.
Titan: The Life of John D. Rockefeller, Sr. - Ron Chernow
Understand Rockefeller’s rise to wealth and his complex legacy in business and philanthropy.
Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies - Jared Diamond
Understand how geography and resources shaped the rise of civilisations.

Science & Society

A Brief History of Time - Stephen Hawking
Learn about the universe’s origins, black holes, and the nature of time.
Breakthrough: What can we learn about the world and ourselves if we think like scientists? - Marcus Chown
Discover how scientific curiosity unlocks insights into reality and humanity.
Impossibility: The Limits of Science and the Science of Limits - John D. Barrow
Learn about the boundaries of scientific knowledge and what lies beyond.
Material World: The Six Raw Materials That Shape Modern Civilization - Ed Conway
Discover how six key materials drive modern life and global economies.
The Exponential Age: How Accelerating Technology is Transforming Business, Politics and Society - Azeem Azhar
Understand how rapid tech advances are reshaping the world.
The Origin of Species - Charles Darwin
Learn the theory of evolution and natural selection that revolutionised biology.
The Pleasure of Finding Things Out: The Best Short Works of Richard P. Feynman - Richard P. Feynman
Discover Feynman’s joy in scientific discovery and clear explanations of complex ideas.
Ways of Seeing - John Berger
Learn to interpret visual culture, art, and media through a critical lens.