Reading List

Reading or listening to audiobooks is a great way to invest in yourself. This reading list includes books about finances and about life because finances impact the rest of our lives and our lives impact our finances. Reading or listening to even one new book can have a big impact. Most of these books are accessible for free from local libraries or library apps like Libby or Hoopla.

• The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey. It is a straightforward plan for getting out of debt, saving money, and building wealth based on discipline and a series of clear financial steps.
• The Index Card by Helaine Olen and Harold Pollack. It presents a short, practical set of rules for saving, borrowing, insurance, and investing without making personal finance more complicated than it needs to be.
• Your Money or Your Life by Vicki Robin and Joe Dominguez. It helps people see a different perspective of money, align finances with goals, and gain financial independence.
• Atomic Habits by James Clear. It shows how small, consistent changes in behavior compound over time, offering a practical system for building better financial habits and breaking destructive ones.
• The Lean Startup by Eric Ries. It teaches how to test business ideas with minimal investment before scaling.
• be calm. by Jill Weber. It offers practical, accessible strategies for managing anxiety and building emotional resilience.
• The SMART Recovery Handbook by Dr. A. Tom Horvath, Peter J. Rubinas, and Louisa Diodato. This workbook offers practical, evidence-based tools for managing struggles with addiction and building a life in recovery.
• The Bogleheads’ Guide to Investing by Larimore, Lindauer, and LeBoeuf. It explains how to build wealth through low cost index funds while avoiding common mistakes with a simple, proven strategy.
• Your Score by Anthony Davenport. It offers insider strategies for understanding and improving your credit score from a former credit industry professional.
• Scarcity by Sendhil Mullainathan and Eldar Shafir. It explains how having too little money, time, or attention can narrow our thinking and make long-term decisions harder.
• The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel. It explains why people often make irrational money choices and how to develop better financial habits through patience and long term thinking.
• Personal Bankruptcy Laws for Dummies by James P. Caher and John M. Caher. It provides a practical, judgment free overview of the bankruptcy process and how to evaluate whether it is the right choice for your situation.