i'm looking forward to all the time i'll have back once apps are over. i wanted to find out the must reads prior to entering b-school. nytimes had a great article a while back about ceo libraries and what they reveal about the leader. https://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/21/busin ... aries.html here's an excerpt Forget finding the business best-seller list in these libraries. “I try to vary my reading diet and ensure that I read more fiction than nonfiction,” Mr. Moritz said. “I rarely read business books, except for Andy Grove’s ‘Swimming Across,’ which has nothing to do with business but describes the emotional foundation of a remarkable man. I re-read from time to time T. E. Lawrence’s ‘Seven Pillars of Wisdom,’ an exquisite lyric of derring-do, the navigation of strange places and the imaginative ruses of a peculiar character. It has to be the best book ever written about leading people from atop a camel.” Students of power should take note that C.E.O.’s are starting to collect books on climate change and global warming, not Al Gore’s tomes but books from the 15th century about the weather, Egyptian droughts, even replicas of Sumerian tablets recording extraordinary changes in climate, according to John Windle, the owner of John Windle Antiquarian Booksellers in San Francisco. so, what are those books that professors reference all the time, jock mbas mention to act like they know what's up, or books your bosses are reading? and since i don't want to spend all my time reading only about management or leadership, what other insightful, witty, life-changing books have you read? Books Recommended in This Thread and the Number of Recommendations Finance Books 1. Blue Blood and Mutiny: The Fight for the soul of Morgan Stanley 2. Handbook of Corporate Finance: A Business Companion to Financial Markets, Decisions and Techniques 3. Banker to the Poor - book about the Grameen Bank and microfinance in the third world, and delves into how capitalism and the free market can be harnessed to return value to vulnerable communities x3 4. Liar's poker - a bit dated but its gives you a sweet intro to the S&T world x2 5. Ugly Americans (HFs) 6. When Markets Collide 7. Damn it feels good to be a banker - And Other Baller Things You Only Get to Say If You Work On Wall Street x2 - by Leveraged Sellout (it looks brilliant if it's the same quality as the blog) Economics Books 1. Travels of a T-shirt - is pretty fun, written by a prof at georgetown - she explores the global economy (and the institutions that govern it) by following the creation, life, and death of your average t-shirt. 2. The World is Flat - Do not Buy 3. Passionate Economist 4. The Long Tail: Why the Future of Business is Selling Less of More 5. The End of Poverty - Harvard Alum and Professor at Columbia's Global Earth Institute, Sachs presents interesting, simple (perhaps even common sense) solutions to tackling the following obsctackes we will face in the upcoming century namely: the environment, poverty (extreme - less than $1-2/day) and population growth (in the poorest countries). 6. Common Wealth - regarding Jeffrey Sachs - as someone who works in international development, I'd like to point out that for all his popularity among the general public, most people working in the field think a lot of his "big ideas" are sheer lunacy. Particularly the idea of a "big push" to massively increase the amount of official development aid to developing-world governments. He's a very smart guy, and End of Poverty (as well as Common Wealth) are both interesting books with a lot of good information - but the policy prescriptions they contain are totally off the mark. 7. The White Man's Burden - t provides an outstanding analysis of not only successes and failures of trying to develop the third world, but at lot of it also applies to life in general (politics, economics, society, etc). 8. The Forgotten Man 9. The Chicago School - For those thinking about going to Chicago and going to economics 10. Vienna and Chicago, Friends or Foes? - For those thinking about going to Chicago and going to economics 11. Rise and fall of great powers by Paul Kennedy . though i read it about 10 years ago(when the book was too good for me). i immensely liked it. It beautifully captures a history of all great powers(economic and military) from sixteenth century to mid twentieth century. wonderful analysis and breadth in my humble opinion. Leadership Books 1. A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future 2. We need Managers, Not MBAs - It's a scathing look at MBAs. If anyone reads this again, please keep an eye out for the part where he reveals the statistics that something like 70% of MBAs quit their jobs within two years of graduating (suggesting that the vast majority pick "wrong"). I cant find the exact stats anymore, so please, if you see it, take note of the page Behavioral Books 1. Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking - There's a little pop psychology to it, but it has some interesting insights. 2. Fooled by Randomness 3. Outliers - Malcolm Gladwell : I had thought about many of the theories he exposes way before this came out, but it's still an interesting/easy/quick read. 4. Predictably Irrational - is by a fuqua prof that is a total boy genius. it's behavioral econ. 5. Why We Buy - if you have any interest in running a business that is consumer-facing (CPG, banking, retail, restaurants, the post office) this is a must-read. or if you just wanna know why the bananas are where they are in the grocery store. Behavioral Econ. 6. Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth, and Happiness by Richard H. Thaler - written by a lawyer and an economist from the University of Chicago. The book sort of sits at the intersection of public policy and business, and provides examples of how consumers can be 'nudged' towards decisions that are in their economic/physical/emotional/etc... best interest. You get the point after the first few chapters, but it's worth finishing nonetheless. (recommended by CS11) Investment Banking Books 1. More than Money by Mark Albion - No, its not a rant against banking - he says thats the right path for some - but it is a very real depiction of MANY MBA attitudes and it will make you consider your goals. Frankly, in retrospect, this short book is probably the single most important thing I could have read before getting my MBA. It so accurately captures exactly what so many of us have thought or felt at some point - about jobs, about money, about careers - I virtually promise that it will resonate with you at some level. Its also worth noting its a short and easy read. 2. Tearing Down the Walls: How Sandy Weill Fought His Way to the Top of the Financial World. . .and Then Nearly Lost It All - to all future investment bankers 3. Monkey Business - which was a very quick read that provides an interesting look into the IB landscape in recent times. x2 4. Barbarians at the Gate - really is a must read. I thought it was great and included all of the major Wall Street legends, Kravis, Wasserstein, Fortsman, Lipton, etc. x2 5. Risk Takers 6. Pioneering Portfolio Management 7. The accidental investment banker - Jonathan Knee - pretty funny; give you a very good idea over the Ibank world. Not great though. 8. Den of Thieves - well-researched book that brings up a number of scandals involving Michael Milken, Ivan Boesky, Martin Siegel, and others 9. 21. When Genius Failed 10. The Money Culture by Michael Lewis - It is a collection of articles published by Michael Lewis in various magazines in the late 1980s and early 1990s. I thought it made a brilliant read not just because Michael is a very funny guy. His articles were very insightful and, in some cases, prophetic. He has consistently been critical of levels of debt in wall street since the 1980s (if only everyone else took notice). He takes particular joy in poking fun at the LBO players and the value they add to a takeover target. His criticism of the American Express card had me splitting my sides laughing. This book will not be too much fun for those without enough knowledge of wall street history (especially of the 80s and early 90s when Japan and not China was considered threat #1 to US supremacy). A recommended light read for those long flights to b-school. (recommended by BSD Lover) 11. Reminiscences of a Stock Operator - This book is a timeless classic for anyone moving to any form of trading / investment (recommended by BSD Lover) M&A Books 1. M&A Titans M&A Titans: The Pioneers Who Shaped Wall Street's Mergers and Acquisitions Industry - about some of the legendary dealmakers in Wall Street's golden era ( recommended by JB32 ) 2. Deals from Hell: M&A Lessons that Rise Above the Ashes - (especially relevant for future Darden IB's since it was written by a Darden prof.) - case study about 10 of the worst deals of all time. ( recommended by JB32 ) 3. The Big Deal by Bruce Wasserstein - The book is loooooooooonnnngggg (like 1,000+ pages), but provides a history of deal making by industry from the 1950's up through 2001 (published in 2002). It's amazing how much M&A shaped many of the familiar brands we know today. Then, the second half of the book chronicles how a deal gets done and who the main players are. I would recommend this book for anyone that wants to be a dealmaker. ( recommended by JB32 ) Design Thinking Books 1. The Design of Business: Why Design Thinking is the Next Competitive Advantage - Martin shows how leading companies such as Procter & Gamble, Cirque du Soleil, RIM, and others use design thinking to push knowledge through the stages in ways that produce breakthrough innovations and competitive advantage. 2. Change by Design: How Design Thinking Transforms Organizations and Inspires Innovation - Tim Brown, CEO of IDEO, introduces the idea of design thinking and it′s a human−centered approach to problem solving that helps people and organizations become more innovative and more creative. Accounting Books 1. The Portable MBA in Finance and Accounting Marketing Books Why We Shop: The Science of Shopping " by Paco Underhill. I found it very interesting especially for those with an interest in CPG, brand management, marketing, retail and even consulting. Its a quick read and very entertaining. I definitely find myself thinking differently every time I walk into a store now. Management Books 1. How Would You Move Mount Fuji?: Microsoft's Cult of the Puzzle -- How the World's Smartest Companies Select the Most Creative Thinkers - to all future Management Consultants... 2. The Halo Effect:... and the Eight Other Business Delusions That Deceive Managers - Wow! Good book. It pretty much blows apart a lot of the analysis people do to find out what makes a company "successful". International Relations and Policy Books 1. confessions of an economic hit man 2. Rise and Fall of Empires 3. Shock Doctrine - Naomi Klein : Must read. it opened my mind to sooo many things. please go read it, it gets long but towards the end it's amazing. 4. Creating a World Without Poverty: Social Business and the Future of Capitalism - Sixty percent of the world's population live on 6% of the world's income. The author argues that capitalism, if it accepts a social conscience out of self-preservation, can eventually develop a world where poverty is on the decline. 5. The Post American World - By far one of the most accessible poly-sci books around. Zakaria presents brutally honest opinions on the state of the U.S. in contrast to the rest of the World. He brings forth the challenges that face the U.S. and the world in the 21st century. Good read, not heavy at all. 6. No Logo is a bit dated but a lovely attack on globalization. if i weren't already too old, i'd grow up to be naomi klein. 7. Fortune at the bottom of the pyramid. by Dr CK Prahalad . a must read for all those interested in social entrepreneurship and non-profit careers. Career and Networking Books 1. Ahead of the Curve x2 - best book I've read on business school - more specifically HBS - looking at a top bschool from the pov of a non-business candidate gave me an amazing idea of the whole thing. 2. Never Eat Alone - Its a great book about the power of networking and how to build a strong network Green Books 1. Hot, Flat, and Crowded - which is about why we need a green revolution. While i'm just 1/3 of the way through, it's excellent so far... He's got some hard facts scientifically, politically, and economically about why we need to care about our planet and makes it easier for me to explain to another layperson why we need a green revolution. 2. Green to Gold by Daniel Esty x2 IT and Operations 1. Black Swan - not recommended (I read part of the book when it came out but just got sick of it and never finished. If true "black swan" events by definition cannot be predicted or foreseen in any way, what's the point of it?) 2. The Goal - is something you'll probably read in your ops class. the best textbook ever, the worst novel ever. i'm a closet ops geek, so i dug it. Poker and Gambling Books 1. Harrington on Hold 'em Expert Strategy for No Limit Tournaments - Dan Harrington 2. Read 'em and reap 'em 3. Bringing down the house Fiction and Other 1. The prince - Niccolo Machiavelli : I don't know why but I recently picked it up and it's full of pretty interesting stuff. It is not about business but it gives you an idea of how Power was seen in the 1500. 2. Guns, Germs, and Steel - overview of Human Civilization, focusing on the question why Eurasians took over other continents rather than inhabitants of other continents - a bit repetitive but a good read - a lot of interesting information 3. Nathan McCall's Them - t's an interesting read, and a great book to invoke discussion amongst peers who view the world differently. 4. 9. A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier - (not for the faint-hearted; story of a young boy in Africa). A diary/journal of sorts of a young boy who escaped the "recruitment" of rebels in Sierra Leone. Witness of death and consumed by drugs at a young age, he manages to escape through a very graphic yet inspiring story. Now in the U.S. 5. The snowball - Biography about Warren Buffet - I got this one as a present and thought it would be amazing, however I still haven't really started loving it (ive read around 25% of it- its looong) but I guess if you like biographies then you'll like it. x2 6. The Last Tycoons - “Cohan's thoroughness—he interviewed over 100 current and former bankers and assorted bigwigs—unearths a trove of colourful titbits, many quite racy . . . Illuminating are Mr. Cohan’s descriptions of the scheming, politicking, and general dysfunction that was Lazard.” —Economist 7. Atlas Shrugged - the last and best of Ayn Rand's books - beware 1,000 pages and not really a travel size. Other Book Links: Books that help improve English and are Fun to read

Last visit was: 19 Nov 2025, 02:11

It is currently 19 Nov 2025, 02:11

Toolkit

Business School and MBA

Business School Life

GMAT Club Daily Prep

Thank you for using the timer - this advanced tool can estimate your performance and suggest more practice questions. We have subscribed you to Daily Prep Questions via email.

Customized
for You

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History

Track
Your Progress

every week, we’ll send you an estimated GMAT score based on your performance

Practice
Pays

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History

Not interested in getting valuable practice questions and articles delivered to your email? No problem, unsubscribe here.

Go to My Error Log Learn more

Request Expert Reply

Confirm Cancel

Nov 19
Live Profile Evaluation Chat Session with ARINGO
09:00 AM PST
-
10:00 AM PST
What’s in it for you- Live Profile Evaluation Chat Session with Jenifer Turtschnow, CEO ARINGO. Come with your details prepared and ARINGO will share insights! Pre-MBA Role/Industry, YOE, Exam Score, C/GPA, ECs Post-MBA Role/ Industry & School List.
Nov 19
ENDS SOON: Get 50% Off My Admit Coach + FREE 1-Hour MBA Consulting Call ($250 value)
10:00 AM EST
-
01:00 PM EST
Get expert MBA strategy, instant essay feedback, and personalized advice on your entire application. Join My Admit Coach, the AI-powered MBA admissions platform built on 10K+ successful application docs for HBS, Stanford GSB, MIT and other top programs.
Nov 19
MBA Round 2: Strategy, School List Size, Scholarships, Low GPA Fixes & Deferred MBA
11:00 AM PST
-
12:00 PM PST
Round 2 is here — and it’s your chance to make your MBA dream happen! Join GMAT Club’s LIVE discussion with two top experts from The Red Pen, Gunjan Jhunjhunwala and Natasha Mankikar, as we break down everything you need to know
Nov 12
ENDS SOON: Get 50% Off My Admit Coach + FREE 1-Hour MBA Consulting Call ($250 value)
01:00 PM EST
-
11:59 PM EST
Get expert MBA strategy, instant essay feedback, and personalized advice on your entire application. Join My Admit Coach, the AI-powered MBA admissions platform built on 10K+ successful application docs for HBS, Stanford GSB, MIT and other top programs.
Nov 20
CBS vs. NYU Stern vs. Yale SOM: What Admissions Really Wants
10:00 AM EST
-
10:30 AM EST
If you’re applying to Columbia, NYU Stern, or Yale SOM, you need more than strong stats. Each school defines “leadership” differently, and your essays must reflect that. Join Sia Admissions founder, Susan Berishaj on November 20th
Nov 20
Essay Workshop: Mastering Essay Questions
09:00 PM IST
-
10:00 PM IST
Join our free expert-led Essay Workshops to discover how to choose impactful stories, highlight your core values, and align your background with each school’s distinct culture, making every word truly count.
Nov 21
Emory MBA Info Sessions (Online)
08:30 AM EST
-
09:15 AM EST
Get the inside scoop on what makes Emory’s Goizueta Business School great, learn how you can present a strong MBA application, and connect with an Admissions Director to get your questions answered.
Nov 21
Live Coffee Chat- The MBA Application Essays: How to Master the 3 “WHY” Questions That Define Your Story
09:30 PM IST
-
10:30 PM IST
Learn how to craft powerful, authentic essays by mastering the 3 “WHYs” every top MBA program looks for: Why MBA, Why Now, and Why This School.
Nov 24
FREE Prospects Evaluation!
08:00 PM PST
-
09:00 PM PST
Inquire for a free profile evaluation and guarantee statement for possible admits and scholarships!

Back to Forum

Create Topic

MBA Books - Good books to read prior to MBA [Merged]

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Alchemist1320

Joined: 29 Jun 2010

Last visit: 04 Feb 2013

Posts: 217

Own Kudos:

142

Given Kudos: 12

Concentration: Finance

Schools:LBS, Oxford

Posts: 217

Kudos: 142

17 May 2011, 00:20

Kudos

Bookmarks

welcome

though one is recommended to read Amazon reviews for eahc of this

Some of these are very old and have never gained a critcal mass of following to be called great reads

Founder

Joined: 04 Dec 2002

Last visit: 18 Nov 2025

Posts: 42,384

Own Kudos:

82,113

Given Kudos: 24,107

Location: United States

GMAT 1: 750 Q49 V42 Verified score

GPA: 3

Products:

Expert

Expert reply

GMAT 1: 750 Q49 V42 Verified score

Posts: 42,384

Kudos: 82,113

17 May 2011, 09:42

Kudos

Bookmarks

socalmike

Here are some of mine:

1. Are You Ready to Succeed? Unconventional Strategies to Achieving Personal Mastery in Business and Life (Srikumar S. Rao)

The premise is simple: A person's ideal life, especially their career, can be carefully conceived and crafted. Based on Dr. Rao's popular course "Creativity and Personal Mastery" at Columbia University's Graduate School of Business, this book offers a series of readings, exercises, and lessons drawn from both spiritual and commercial situations that enable you to reconstruct and improve your professional world. This transformation will turn your life around and help you become exponentially more effective in your chosen career and thereby flourish in all aspects of your life. Whether you are questioning the value of money or the core values of your life, this book is a powerful tool that will help you to "discover the purpose that can suffuse your life and bring stars to your eyes."

2. Happiness at Work: Be Resilient, Motivated, and Successful - No Matter What (Srikumar S. Rao)

Learn to create resilience and happiness no matter what’s going on in your life

In these tough times, there are few people who are completely happy with the current conditions. From business executives to the everyday Joe or Jane, everyone seems to be going through a rough economic and personal crunch. But acclaimed business school Professor Srikumar Rao says that we can learn to create joy no matter what else may be going on around us.

Rao shows you that it isn't the negative thing that happens to you that causes your unhappiness, it's how you see it. Happiness at Work is a thought-provoking new title that moves the mind away from negativity and forces you to resist labeling situations as "bad", but rather seeing them as neutral.

Happiness at Work provides:

Surprising ways of looking at change and problem-solving
Exercises that shift one’s perspective

Learn the vital wisdom necessary to achieving a joyful, successful life as you define it through greater resilience and a strong inner core. Get it now with The Happiness Choice.

I am reading Happiness at work - quite interesting. I am through about 20% of the book and so far I think it may work but too early to tell. Thanks again for the suggestion.

mreevit

Joined: 13 Feb 2009

Last visit: 24 Sep 2015

Posts: 261

Own Kudos:

[1]

Given Kudos: 45

Concentration: Finance, General Management

Schools: Michigan (Ross) - Class of 2013

WE:Other (Insurance)

Schools: Michigan (Ross) - Class of 2013

Posts: 261

Kudos: 23

[1]

31 May 2011, 11:26

Kudos

Bookmarks

I've read all of those. Any other suggestions?

Alchemist1320

The Goldman Sachs Suggested Reading List

Industry Background and Flavor

Understanding Wall Street by Jeffrey Little & Lucien Rhodes
The Global Bankers by Roy Smith
The Money Masters by John Train
The New Money Masters by John Train
Money Masters of Our Time by John Train
The Intelligent Investor: The Classic Text on Value Investing by Benjamin Graham
The Visual Investor: How to Spot Market Trends by John J. Murphy
The Essays of Warren Buffett: Lessons for Corporate America by Warren Buffett
Buffettology: The Previously Unexplained Techniques That Have Made Warren Buffett The Worlds by Mary Buffett and David Clark
The Warren Buffett Way: Investment Strategies of the World’s Greatest Investor by Robert G. Hagstrom Jr.
The Alchemy of Finance: Reading the Mind of the Market by George Soros
Bill Gross on Investing by William H. Gross
Capital Ideas: The Improbable Origins of Modern Wall Street by Peter L. Bernstein
Extraordinary Popular Delusions and The Madness of Crowds by Charles MacKay
Greed and Glory on Wall Street: The Fall of the House of Lehman by Ken Auletta
The House of Morgan: An American Banking Dynasty and the Rise of Modern Finance by Ron Chernow
The House of Nomura: The Inside Story of the Legendary Japanese Financial Dynasty by Albert Alletzhauser
The New Crowd: The Changing of the Jewish Guard on Wall Street by Judith Ramsey Ehrlick & Barry J. Rehfeld
One Up On Wall Street : How To Use What You Already Know To Make Money In The Market by Peter Lynch
Beating the Street by Peter Lynch
“Our Crowd”: The Great Jewish Families of New York by Stephen Birmingham
Reminiscences of a Stock Operator by Edwin Lefevre
Secrets of the Temple: How the Federal Reserve Runs the Country by William Greider
Soros on Soros: Staying Ahead of the Curve by George Soros, Bryon Wien & Krisztina Koenen
Guerrilla Investing: Winning Strategies for Beating the Wall Street Professionals by Peter Siris
The Battle For Investment Survival by Gerald Loeb
Money and Power: The History of Business by Howard B. Means
The Great Game: The Emergence of Wall Street as a World Power: 1653-2000 by John Steele Gordon
Toward Rational Exuberance: The Evolution of the Modern Stock Market by B. Mark Smith
100 Years of Wall Street by Charles R. Geisst, Richard A. Grasso
A Random Walk Down Wall Street by Burton Gordon Malkiel
Common Stocks and Uncommon Profits and Other Writings by Philip A. Fisher
The Go-Go Years: The Drama and Crashing Finale of Wall Street’s Bullish 60s by John Brooks
Against the Gods: The Remarkable Story of Risk by Peter Bernstein
Extraordinary Popular Delusions and The Madness of Crowds by Charles MacKay, Martin Fridson, Joseph de la Vega
Manias, Panics, and Crashes: A History of Financial Crises by Charles Kindleberger
The Big Board: A History of the New York Stock Market by Robert Sobel
The Chastening: Inside The Crisis That Rocked The Global Financial System And Humbled The Imf by Paul Blustein
From Here to Economy: A Shortcut to Economic Literacy by Todd G. Buchholz
After the Trade Is Made: Processing Securities Transactions by David Weiss
The Crisis of Global Capitalism: Open Society Endangered by George Soros
Martin Zweig’s Winning on Wall Street by Martin Zweig
Money Game by Adam Smith
The Fed : The Inside Story How World’s Most Powerful Financial Institution Drives Markets by Martin Mayer
Maestro : Greenspan’s Fed and the American Boom by Bob Woodward
The Quotations of Chairman Greenspan: Words from the Man Who Can Shake the World by Larry Kahaner

The following popular works are, of course, exaggerated depictions of the darker side of the industry. However, they do provide some of the flavor of life on “The Street.”

Barbarians at the Gate: The Fall of RJR Nabisco by Bryan Burroughs and John Helyar
Liar’s Poker by Michael Lewis
The Predators’ Ball: The Inside Story of Drexel Burnham and the Rise of the Junk Bond Raiders by Connie Bruck
When Genius Failed: The Rise and Fall of Long-Term Capital Management by Roger Lowenthal
Fiasco: The Inside Story of a Wall Street Trader by Frank Portnoy
Confessions of a Street Addict by James J. Cramer
Den of Thieves by James B. Stuart
Monkey Business: Swinging Through the Wall Street Jungle by John Rolfe and Peter Troob
Next: The Future Just Happened by Michael Lewis
The New New Thing: A Silicon Valley Story by Michael Lewis

Broad Industry History

Investment Banking: A Tale of Three Cities by Samuel L. Hayes III and Philip M. Hubbard
A History of Corporate Finance by Jonathan Barron Baskin and Paul J. Miranti, Jr.
Global Banking by Roy C. Smith and Ingo Walter
Wall Street Women by Anne B. Fisher
In the Black: A History of African Americans on Wall Street by Gregory S. Bell
The Last Partnerships : Inside the Great Wall Street Money Dynasties by Charles R. Giesst
The City of London, vol 1-4 by David Kynaston
The Rise and Fall of the Merchant Bank by Erik Banks
The London Stock Exchange: A History by Ranald Michie
The Death of Gentlemanly Capitalism by Philip Augar

Analytical and Reference

Periodicals

Wall Street Journal (daily, Monday through Friday)
Barron’s (weekly publication)

General

Dictionary of Finance and Investment Terms by John Downes & Jordan Elliot Goodman
The Intelligent Investor: The Classic Text on Value Investing by Benjamin Graham
International Economics: Theory And Policy by Paul R. Krugman
The Wall Street Journal Guide to Understanding Money and Investing by Kenneth M. Morris
The Irwin Guide to Using the Wall Street Journal by Michael B. Lehman
Financial Times Guide to Using the Financial Pages by Romesh Vaitilingam
The Atlas of Economic Indicators: A Visual Guide to Market Forces, and the Federal Reserve by W. Stansbury Carnes, Stephen D. Slifer
Wall Street Words: An Essential A to Z Guide for Today’s Investor by David Logan Scott

FICC & Equities

The Bond Book, Third Edition: Everything Investors Need to Know About Treasuries, Municipals, GNMAs, Corporates, Zeros, Bond Funds, Money Market Funds, and More by Annette Thau
The Most Powerful Bank: Inside Germany’s Bundesbank by David Marsh
Controlling & Managing Interest Rate Risk by Anthony G. Cornyn and Robert A. Klein
The Handbook of Fixed Income Securities by Frank J. Fabozzi
The Money Market by Marcia Stigum
Money Market Bond Calculations by Marcia Stigum
Pioneering Portfolio Management: An Unconventional Approach to Institutional Investment by David F. Swensen

Options/Derivatives

How I Trade Options by Jon Najarian
Options as a Strategic Investment by Lawrence McMillan
Options:Essential Concepts by The Options Institute
Options For The Stock Investor: How Any Investor Can Use Options to Enhance and Protect their Return by James B. Bittman
Trading Index Options by James B. Bittman
All About Options: The Easy Way to Get Started by Thomas A. McCafferty
How the Options Markets Work by Joseph A. Walker
Mastering Derivatives Markets: A step-by-step guide to the products, applications and risks by Francesca Taylor
McMillan on Options by Lawrence G. McMillan
New Financial Instruments by Julian Walmsley
Options, Futures and Other Derivatives by John C. Hull

IMD (Investment Management Division)

Investment Analysis and Portfolio Management by Frank Reilly and Keith Brown

Written About, By or For Money Managers and Traders

Market Wizards: Interviews with Top Traders by Jack D. Schwager
The New Market Wizards: Conversations with America’s Top Traders by Jack D. Schwager
Stock Market Wizards: Interviews with America’s Top Stock Traders by Jack D. Schwager
Trader Vic: Methods of a Wall Street Master by Victor Sperandeo
Trader Vic II: Principles of Professional Speculation by Victor Sperandeo
Exceptional Trading: The Mind Game by Ruth Barrons Roosevelt
Trading to Win: The Psychology of Mastering the Markets by Avi Kiev
The Disciplined Trader: Developing Winning Attitudes by Mark Douglas
Stan Weinstein’s Secrets For Profiting in Bull and Bear Markets by Stan Weinstein
Trading in the Zone: Master the Market with Confidence, Discipline and a Winning Attitude by Mark Douglas and Thom Hartle
Trading in the Zone : Maximizing Performance with Focus and Discipline by Ari Kiev
Trading With Crowd Psychology by Carl Gyllenram
Pit Bull: Lessons from Wall Street’s Champion Day Trader by Martin S. Schwartz et al
The Master Swing Trader: Tools and Techniques to Profit from Outstanding Short-Term Trading Opportunities by Alan S. Farley
How to Trade In Stocks by Jesse Livermore
The Market Maker’s Edge: A Wall Street Insider by Josh Lukeman
The Super Traders: Secrets and Successes of Wall Street’s Best and Brightest by Alan Rubenfeld
Zebra In Lion Country by Ralph Wanger with Everett Mattlin
Technical Analysis of the Financial Markets by John J. Murphy
Hit and Run Trading: The Short-Term Stock Traders’ Bible by Jeff Cooper
Hit and Run Trading II: Capturing Explosive Short-Term Moves in Stocks by Jeff Cooper
Street Smarts: High Probability Short-Term Trading Strategies by Laurence A. Connors and Linda Bradford Raschke
The 5 Day Momentum Method by Jeff Cooper
The Real Holy Grail: Money Management Techniques of Top Traders by Eddie Kwong
Trading Connors VIX Reversals by Laurence A. Connors and Gregory Che

Written by Current or Former Goldman Sachs Employees

The Five Great Myths About China and The World by Jonathan Anderson and Fred Hu; PPP Company Limited; 2003
Exploring General Equilibrium by Fischer Black; MIT Press; 1995
Business Cycles and Equilibrium by Fischer Black; Blackwell Publishers; 1991
Managing Currency Risk by Fischer Black; Association for Investment Management & Research; 1989
Old Girls’ Network: Insider Advice for Women Building Businesses in a Man’s World by Connie Duckworth, Sharon Whiteley
Goldman Sachs : The Culture of Success by Lisa Endlich; Knopf; 1999
Beginning the Journey: China the United States and the WTO by Robert Hormats; Council on Foreign Relations Press; 2001
Global Aging and Financial Markets: Hard Landings Ahead by Robert Hormats; Center for Strategic and International Studies; 2002
The Boundaryless Organization: Breaking the Chains of Organization Structure, Revised and Updated by Steve Kerr
The GE Work-Out : How to Implement GE’s Revolutionary Method for Busting Bureaucracy & Attacking Organizational Proble by Steve Kerr; McGraw-Hill Trade; 2002
The Practice of Risk Management by Bob Litterman; Euromoney Publications PLC, 1998
Foundations for Financial Economics by Bob Litzenberger and Chi-fu Hwang Prentice Hall; 1998
Markets, Mobs & Mayhem: How to Profit From the Madness of Crowds by Robert Menschel John Wiley & Sons; 2002
Adam Smith and the Origins of American Enterprise by Roy C. Smith St. Martin’s Press; 2002
Wealth Creators : The Rise of Today’s New Rich and Super-Rich by Roy C. Smith; St. Martin’s Press; 2001
The Global Bankers by Roy C. Smith; BeardBooks, Incorporated; 2000
High Finance in the Euro-Zone: Competing in the New European Capital Market by Roy C. Smith; Pearson Education; 2000
The Money Wars: The Rise & Fall of the Great Buyout Boom of the 1980s by Roy C. Smith; BeardBooks, Incorporated; 2000
Cases and Readings in Markets, Ethics, and Law by Roy C. Smith; Simon & Schuster Custom Publishing; 1996
Street Smarts: Linking Professional Conduct With Shareholder Value in the Securities Industry by Roy C. Smith; Harvard Business School Publishing, 1997
Global Banking by Roy C. Smith Oxford University Press; 1995
Comeback: The Restoration of American Banking Power in the New World Economy by Roy C. Smith; Harvard Business School Publishing; 1993
Securities Markets in the 1980s: The New Regime 1979-1984 by Barrie A. Wigmore; Oxford University Press; 1997
The Crash and Its Aftermath: A History of Securities Markets in the United States, 1929-1933 (Contributions in Economics and Economic History) by Barrie A. Wigmore; Greenwood Publishing Group; 1986

socalmike

Joined: 05 Jun 2007

Last visit: 01 Sep 2014

Posts: 101

Own Kudos:

Given Kudos: 8

Posts: 101

Kudos: 33

01 Jun 2011, 14:51

Kudos

Bookmarks

mreevit

I've read all of those. Any other suggestions?

I heard anything by Doctor Seuss is amazing!

mreevit

Joined: 13 Feb 2009

Last visit: 24 Sep 2015

Posts: 261

Own Kudos:

Given Kudos: 45

Concentration: Finance, General Management

Schools: Michigan (Ross) - Class of 2013

WE:Other (Insurance)

Schools: Michigan (Ross) - Class of 2013

Posts: 261

Kudos: 23

01 Jun 2011, 14:56

Kudos

Bookmarks

socalmike

mreevit

I've read all of those. Any other suggestions?

I heard anything by Doctor Seuss is amazing!

Probably right at my maturity level too!

Founder

Joined: 04 Dec 2002

Last visit: 18 Nov 2025

Posts: 42,384

Own Kudos:

82,113

Given Kudos: 24,107

Location: United States

GMAT 1: 750 Q49 V42 Verified score

GPA: 3

Products:

Expert

Expert reply

GMAT 1: 750 Q49 V42 Verified score

Posts: 42,384

Kudos: 82,113

01 Jun 2011, 15:02

Kudos

Bookmarks

socalmike

mreevit

I've read all of those. Any other suggestions?

I heard anything by Doctor Seuss is amazing!

Second that and also have you seen my post. mba-books-good-books-to-read-prior-to-mba-74557.html

BigRedEnvEng

Joined: 25 Jun 2010

Last visit: 24 Mar 2013

Posts: 82

Own Kudos:

Given Kudos: 19

Location: Sacramento, CA

Schools:Cambridge (R2-Matriculating), Nyenrode (Accepted), Oxford (R2-Interview invite)

WE 1: Army officer (Corps of Engineers)

WE 2: Air Quality Control Engineer

WE 3: Water Resources Engineer

Posts: 82

Kudos: 15

07 Jun 2011, 00:01

Kudos

Bookmarks

An update on a couple of the books that I have read thus far:

- "Never Eat Alone" by Keith Ferrazzi - Amazing, highly recommend. Revolutionized my entire way of seeing how I stay in contact with people (or how awful I am at it, actually). Puts the importance of people in perspective (we sometimes forget in this digital age).

- "Built to Last" by Jim Collins - Also an excellent book. Makes you think about the type of company you want to work for or create. And what's important in a company as an employee, manager, owner, etc.

I'm currently reading "Travels of a T-Shirt in the Global Economy" - I'll let you know what I think once I'm done.

MBAUncle

Current Student

Joined: 31 Mar 2010

Last visit: 29 Jun 2014

Posts: 153

Own Kudos:

Given Kudos: 4

Schools:Tuck Class of 2013

Posts: 153

Kudos: 72

30 Jun 2011, 08:34

Kudos

Bookmarks

I'm lost ! :shock:

So many great indications and I am struggling to choose a couple...

I have a gift card and I want to get a sense about IB... I may try a summer job in IB in my home country...

So, which would be the must-have books for someone thinking in IB ?

Thanks,

bakfed

Joined: 28 Jul 2009

Last visit: 12 Oct 2022

Posts: 1,768

Own Kudos:

1,245

[1]

Given Kudos: 37

Status:Darden Class of 2013

Schools:University of Virginia

GMAT 1: 660 Q44 V37 Verified score

Posts: 1,768

Kudos: 1,245

[1]

30 Jun 2011, 09:31

Kudos

Bookmarks

MBAUncle

I'm lost ! :shock:

To just get a general sense of what IB entails and is, I recommend Monkey Business. It's a great book that provides some insights as to what an associate does at the MBA level in investment banks.

For books that are not so directly related to what bankers do, but still good reads for general history of IB, Blue Blood & Mutiny is a great book (talks about Morgan Stanley's beginning and it's ousting of its CEO). When Genius Failed is a good book that talks about John Merriweather, who was a managing director (or some other high level title) at Salomons and his company of Long-Term Capital Management's rise and fall. Another good read - Barbarians at the Gate. Liar's Poker is another good read (also talked about Merriweather's time at Salomons). Basically, the books I listed are all pretty good IB books to read to get a sense of its history, its battle, its ebbs and flows. But again, if you're not too sure of what IB is, Monkey Business by John Rolfe is a very good start. (these are just my personal opinions)

nikhilsrl

Joined: 20 Dec 2010

Last visit: 23 Nov 2016

Posts: 162

Own Kudos:

396

Given Kudos: 118

Location: India

Concentration: Strategy, General Management

Schools: INSEAD '14 (D) LBS '14 (D) Tuck '14 (D) Rotman '15 (A) Judge (D) Queen's (M$)

GMAT 1: 760 Q50 V42 Verified score

WE:Information Technology (Computer Software)

Schools: INSEAD '14 (D) LBS '14 (D) Tuck '14 (D) Rotman '15 (A) Judge (D) Queen's (M$)

GMAT 1: 760 Q50 V42 Verified score

Posts: 162

Kudos: 396

30 Jun 2011, 20:09

Kudos

Bookmarks

I have gone through this thread and have a few specific queries:

Any suggested autobiographies/biographies/memoirs of great business leaders. I have read "Who says elephants cant dance by Louis Gerstner" and liked it. Most of the reviews that I read on some of the other leaders seem to consider them as self promotional than inspirational or informative, hence this query.

Moreover on the consulting side I read The Mckinsey Way and found in short and interesting. Any similar books on other consulting majors?

Any help highly appreciated.

chandu4gmat

Joined: 13 Nov 2009

Last visit: 29 Sep 2025

Posts: 66

Own Kudos:

Given Kudos: 16

Location: India

Concentration: Finance, Marketing

GPA: 4

WE:General Management (Insurance)

Posts: 66

Kudos: 13

30 Jun 2011, 20:35

Kudos

Bookmarks

In the leadership category, I would recommend Winning by Jack Welch,former CEO of GE. Inspirational book!

gmatvit

Joined: 03 Mar 2010

Last visit: 24 Mar 2014

Posts: 36

Own Kudos:

[2]

Given Kudos: 2

Location: Washington, DC

Schools:GWSB

Posts: 36

Kudos: 11

[2]

28 Jul 2011, 08:55

Kudos

Bookmarks

Once the reading list gets tool long I get overwhelmed by the list itself, leave alone the fact that each of those books is hundred pages. So here is my short list for pre-MBA reading geared specifically for poets who are concerned by the MBA quantitative courses and would like to get a leg up on them. I have had personal experience with each of those books, even if to various degrees, and would recommend them to all my fellow MBA poets:
The Accounting Game. Basic Accounting Fresh from the Lemonade Stand. By Mullis and Orloff.
Basic Statistics. Tales of Distribution. By Chris Spatz.
Principles of Economics. By N. Gregory Mankiw.
Case Studies & Coctails

A more detailed post Pre-MBA Reading List for Poets - https://parttimembadegree.com/2011/07/27 ... ist-poets/ on these recommendation is on my blog.

xerox

Current Student

Joined: 01 Feb 2007

Last visit: 21 Jun 2021

Posts: 462

Own Kudos:

Given Kudos: 8

Location: Silicon Valley via Russia, China, Canada and Wharton/Lauder

Concentration: Finance, International Studies (South East Asia)

Schools:Wharton/Lauder (Mandarin Chinese)

GPA: 5 out of 5

Posts: 462

Kudos: 54

28 Aug 2011, 16:20

Kudos

Bookmarks

The (Mis)behavior of markets by Benoit Mandelbrot & Richard L. Hudson

One kick-ass book on finance that will give you the skepticism you will need in applying knowledge from your finance and statistics classes.

globalmba1

Joined: 06 Sep 2011

Last visit: 27 Sep 2011

Posts: 6

Kudos: 0

14 Sep 2011, 03:48

Kudos

Bookmarks

I really like this thread. It contains a lot of knowledge.

miaojunmaggie

Joined: 19 Oct 2011

Last visit: 15 May 2013

Posts: 50

Own Kudos:

318

Given Kudos: 1

Posts: 50

Kudos: 318

26 Nov 2011, 11:05

Kudos

Bookmarks

mark~~~ good summary!

jamifahad

Joined: 03 Mar 2010

Last visit: 14 Mar 2015

Posts: 257

Own Kudos:

1,675

Given Kudos: 22

Schools: Simon '16 (M$)

Posts: 257

Kudos: 1,675

12 Dec 2011, 02:16

Kudos

Bookmarks

I am currently reading Too Big To Fail. Finished reading quarter of it. Describes the event that eventually led to financial crisis. Has too many characters in the plot sometimes it get bit daunting to keep pace with different characters and what role they play.

Hope it picks up some speed too, because right now it is too slow to read.

Frege

Joined: 22 Feb 2012

Last visit: 21 Jun 2012

Posts: 4

Own Kudos:

Concentration: Healthcare, Strategy

Schools: Owen '14 (WL) Jones (A) Olin (S) Merage (II)

GMAT 1: 680 Q40 V41 Verified score

GPA: 3.5

WE:General Management (Healthcare/Pharmaceuticals)

Schools: Owen '14 (WL) Jones (A) Olin (S) Merage (II)

GMAT 1: 680 Q40 V41 Verified score

Posts: 4

Kudos: 5

24 Feb 2012, 13:33

Kudos

Bookmarks

Regarding Atlas Shrugged -
If you're looking for a book reinforcing your capitalist views, you may enjoy this book. If you're looking for a well written intellectual story, read Fountainhead instead. Rand sacrifices the story of Atlas Shrugged in order to beat the reader over and over with her philosophy. She puts almost no effort in incorporating her message into a meaningful story, but instead goes on 100 page speeches (as has been mentioned) repeating what she has already said earlier in the book. As a philosophy major, I have to say she gives a very one-sided view of the arguments. She often fallaciously straw-mans the opposition's view, creating an uninteresting discussion of economic principals. While I agree with many of the beliefs she espouses, others are just too extreme.

So while Fountainhead may not be about capitalism directly, it is a fantastic book.

miguelmick

Joined: 17 Feb 2011

Last visit: 27 Feb 2025

Posts: 131

Own Kudos:

1,419

Given Kudos: 70

Concentration: Real Estate, Finance

Schools: MIT (Sloan) - Class of 2014

GMAT 1: 760 Q50 V44 Verified score

Schools: MIT (Sloan) - Class of 2014

GMAT 1: 760 Q50 V44 Verified score

Posts: 131

Kudos: 1,419

09 Mar 2012, 05:43

Kudos

Bookmarks

Very good thread. Unfortunately, I will not have enough time to read more than 5 or 6 books until the beginning of my classes.

abhi47

Joined: 17 Sep 2011

Last visit: 18 Jul 2012

Posts: 101

Own Kudos:

507

Given Kudos: 8

Posts: 101

Kudos: 507

09 Mar 2012, 05:59

Kudos

Bookmarks

Very useful information for people who are about to start their MBA journey. Thanks a lot for posting.

srikirs007

Joined: 06 Nov 2010

Last visit: 13 May 2015

Posts: 28

Own Kudos:

Given Kudos: 219

Location: United States

Concentration: Technology, Leadership

Schools: Kellogg PT '18 (S) Booth PT '18

GPA: 3.7

WE:Engineering (Other)

Schools: Kellogg PT '18 (S) Booth PT '18

Posts: 28

Kudos: 42

29 Mar 2012, 05:12

Kudos

Bookmarks

Great website and great thread. I regret why I did not come here 2 years before, well better late than never guess. :-D

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Prep Toolkit

Announcements

How the UC Riverside MBA Helps You Thrive Personally & Professionally

Thursday, Nov 20, 2025
10:30am NY / 3:30pm London / 9pm Mumbai

Master in Management, Finance, Business Analytics and more Master’s Programs!

Live Profile Evaluation Chat Session with ARINGO

Wednesday, November 19, 2025
09:00 am PDT | 10:30 pm IST
Location: GMAT Club Chat

Top GMAT Focus Debriefs

MBA Books - Good books to read prior to MBA [Merged]

Prep Toolkit

Top 5 GMAT Debrief Videos

615 to 715 in 15 Days (Ria's Strategies)

More than Quant/Verbal Abilities: Speed vs. Accuracy

745 with Only Self-Prep and GMAT Club

From 555 to 765: 210-point Improvement

Perfect 805 Score Debrief by Julia

My Rewards