Good books about investing?

[texaspeach]

We're going to meet with a financial planner, and I'd like to go in some what prepared. I know next to nothing about investing. Can you suggest a good book that will expain the basics?

[MaddieMay]

There are a lot of good investing books. I like Suze Orman's and David Bach's. The Automatic Millionaire is an easy, fast read. My husband likes The Wealthy Barber, also an easy read, but told like a story.

I'd also recommend Kiplinger's Magazine and Money Magazine. They are two very easy to read magazines. My husband gets two other investing magazines, but I can't remember their names. One of his/our hobbies is investing, though.

Good luck!

[Valian]

I'll ditto The Wealthy Barber. Its not just about investing (i.e. stocks and bonds) but is a more comprehensive approach to your financial life. This information will help you put the financial planner's info into the larger context of your life (if s/he doesn't already do that for you).

If you're looking to pick up information before you get there so you can evaluate the person's suggestions, then you probably just want an 'Investing for Dummies' guide to give you the basics. Orman and Bach are okay, but they aren't saying anything original. Its all just repackaging the basic advice and they spend so much time on debt reduction that I find they have very little useful advice for what to do once you actually have any money.

Be sure to check out the financial planner's credentials (if you haven't alread) and understand how they earn their salary (strict fees, commission on your portfolio, hawking specific funds)?.

[velochic]

A Random Walk Down Wall Street, Burton Gordon Malkiel

Boglehead's Guide to Investing, Taylor Larimore, et. al. (You can also converse with him in the Vanguard Diehard's forum at Morningstar.com)

Bogle on Mutual Funds, John Bogle

Investing for Dummies, Eric Tyson

Mutual Funds for Dummies, Eric Tyson

Personal Finance for Dummies, Eric Tyson

(Anything Eric Tyson writes is gold!!)

Please be armed with information when you meet a FP... hopefully he/she will be certified. If not, run away. Anyway, the purpose for these guys is to make you think you can't invest without them. Bull-Hockey!!! Yes, you can. They are all about making money for themselves. I'm in control of our investment portfolio and I've done very well, thank you, without the help of these guys. They skim of a percent or two and you are barely breaking even. Good luck with the leeches... um, I mean, financial planners. Read, read, read!!!