Ms. DMD Book Log
I’ve always loved to read. I fell in love with reading in elementary school after reading Isabel Allende’s Trilogy “La Ciudad de las Bestias” or The City of Beasts. I have enjoyed novels and fiction ever since it is magical for someone to be able to create a whole universe through words. Coming from a storytelling loving background, I enjoy personal finance books that tell a story. I prefer to read something entertaining rather than a textbook if you know what I mean.
I’ve read a couple of books on personal finance but I’m nowhere near done. My list of books to read continues to grow and I don’t know that I’ll ever read them all. However, I’ll try and keep an updated list of my Financial Independence book reviews here. Happy Reading!
Full Disclosure: I’ve added direct links to amazon.com under each review where you can order the books reviewed if you wish to do so. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Don’t forget to check out the How to Read Books for Free section below!
Financial Independence Book Reviews:
The 4 Hour Work Week, by Tim Ferris
This book was incredible at demonstrating the power of the side hustle and how to build a self-sustaining business. First, it was very easy to read, realistic, and it provided actionable steps to take after each chapter. I love that the author lets his personality shine through the words. It was a very entertaining writing style in my opinion. Grab this book for a guide on how to create a side hustle, exit the workforce, and eventually, minimally work from anywhere in the world. If you are thinking of becoming a digital nomad, and live traveling around the world, I would highly recommend this book.
The Simple Path to Wealth, by JL Collins
The Stock Series written by JL Collins was when the passive investment concepts crystallized for me. It is filled with investment advice, do’s and don’ts, and plenty of stock market stories to give you perspective. Sometimes, I go back to it to refresh technical concepts. Definitely, a must-read if you are trying to figure out some simple investing techniques!
A Random Walk Down Wall Street, by Burton G. Malkiel
Back when I was reading this book I had not even found the FIRE community yet and was not familiar with a lot of the concepts presented. Therefore, I don’t think this should be the first book you ever read if you are just starting to learn about investing. That being said, the book gave me a great introduction to why it is a fool’s errand to try and time the market. The author provides plenty of examples of market crashes and burst bubbles that have taken place throughout the past several decades.
Quit Like a Millionaire by Kristy Shen
I picked up Quit like a Millionaire after hearing about Millenial Revolution through the ChooseFI podcast. After heading over to their website and reading a couple of articles I knew I had to read their book. Kristy has an intense but very fun energy and writing style. She shares her story starting at poverty in China all the way up to millionaire status. The book has a great balance, of story, emotion, numbers, and visuals. If you are looking to learn about additional strategies to increase your chances of having a successful portfolio at retirement this is the book for you.
Freelance to Freedom by Vincent Pugliese
I literally just finished reading this book as I’m writing this review and if I’m summarizing this word in one word…Inspiring. I feel incredibly inspired to continue the journey to achieve Financial Independence. The book goes over their struggles as they started their photography business, share pivotal moments, and the advice that has led them to where they are now. It finishes talking about how going through the V Phases of Financial Freedom has impacted their quality of life. In conclusion, this is a great book if you want to take a break from numbers and all the technical concepts of FIRE.
Meet the Frugal Woods by Elizabeth Willard Tames
I really enjoyed this book! Ms. Frugalwoods is an incredible storyteller and author, and I love a good story. She writes a very relatable story for most. Describes the typical path of early adults, such as myself, trying to operate under the reigns of what society has established as normal expenses and consumeristic lifestyle. Going from one thing to the next without really enjoying anything. She also shone a light upon the huge contrast between different social classes, the very rich and the not so rich. But who is really rich or poor, if no social class owns their time? I also appreciate that she was extremely clear in acknowledging their privileges growing up in stable happy families. In summary, an excellent quick read that will show you the power of frugality and simple living.
The Millionaire Next Door by Thomas J Stanley & William D Danko
If you are into facts, statistics and surveys, you should definitely grab this book. I appreciated the scientific undertone of this book and the way in which they presented the information. The authors offered a good balance between survey data and personal stories from the participants of their study and their own experiences. The book personally helped me to better visualize the way in which Prominent Accumulators of Wealth (PAWs) habits and perspectives differ from that of Under Accumulators of Wealth (UAWs). The books reviews overall lifestyle, car buying, education, inheritance management, and much more.
How to read books for Free!
Currently, I’m using Hoopla to read these books for free through my local library. Check with your local library to check which books you could read for free! Free books are amazing but, I’m also a big believer in supporting the authors, or creators putting valuable content out there, so I’ll be buying the books most that have the most impact on me. Feel free to use the links within the reviews posted above if you’d like to buy any of the books reviewed on this page and support this site. Thank you for reading!
Which books or resources have had the biggest impact on you? Do you have any Financial Independence book reviews of your own to share? Let us know in the comments below!
[UPDATE-1/6/21]: Moving forward each book will have its own review blog post! Please go to Book Reviews under the Books section in the top menu to see all of the reviews :)!
Full Disclosure: I’ve added direct links to amazon.com under each review where you can order the books reviewed if you wish to do so. I’m not currently an Amazon associate, therefore I’m not earning any income from purchases made through these links.