The investor’s holiday reading guide

On the last day of Christmas, Livewire gave to me…
Top picks to read over the break.

Over the last 12 days of Livewire Christmas, we’ve had expert deep dives into topics like cryptocurrencies, demographics and ETF trends, interviews with fund managers and a range of insights from the fun (iconic investments under the tree) to economic insights.

We hope you’ve enjoyed the series and you can revisit it here: https://www.livewiremarkets.com/series/livewire-christmas

For the final piece, we’d like to offer you a few options for any downtime you might have between Christmas and New Year – some books the fund managers and experts loved this year. It’s a diverse range of options, with plenty to keep you occupied.

For psychological insights…

Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman (followed by Noise)

Recommended by Rudi Filapek-Vandyck, FNArena

“For the more rambunctuous, ostentatious and damn right insulting (be prepared!), I'd also point to 'I know it all' Nassim Taleb, whose philosophical and markets-inspired contemplations and observations are equally eye-opening, if you can deal with the big personality at the centre of it all.

Each of Taleb's three best sellers are worth reading, but if you decide to only pick one I'd suggest Antifragile, which was published after Fooled by Randomness and The Black Swan. Economists, journalists and central bankers might want to start with some relaxation preparations first.

Enjoy.”

Lessons in investing

Reminiscences of a stock operator by Edwin Lefevre

Recommended by Shawn Hickman, Market Matters

“A great educational read on trading/investing following the life of trader Jesse Livermore, plenty of lessons in there for us all why enjoying some glimpses of history along the way.”

Big tech insights…

Source Code by Bill Gates

Recommended by Stephen Arnold, Aoris Investment Management

“I found this book surprisingly engaging and full of insights into one of the most influential people of the last 50 years. This book covers Gates' life up to the point in the late 1970s when he moved back to Seattle and Microsoft had just 12 employees. It shows Gates to be far more than just an extraordinarily driven software nut in his teens and 20s. 

He was a self-driven learner across many disciplines, including maths and law. He was a serious hiker in the mountains outside Seattle, and lost his best friend to a hiking accident. He had extraordinary powers of concentration, allowing him to code with little or no sleep for days on end, but he blended this with close friendships and a sense of fun and frivolity. A highly rewarding holiday read.”

Astrophysics with a touch of glam

Project Hail Mary by Andy Weire

Recommended by Arms Rosenberg, Minotaur Capital

“Project Hail Mary follows a lone science teacher who wakes up on a spaceship, zero memory, zero context, and a fairly significant problem: the sun is dying, and the future of humanity is on the clock.

What I loved is how Weir walks you through the science. It’s rigorous, but you never feel overwhelmed by the complexities of the concepts. The puzzle-solving is addictive, but the emotion is poignant, and the whole thing is a masterclass in how to make complex concepts feel intuitive - kind of like what we are trying to do with AI here at Minotaur.

And for anyone who prefers their astrophysics with a dash of Hollywood glam: the film drops next March with Ryan Gosling in the lead. If that doesn’t boost your reading productivity, I don’t know what will.”

History never repeats but it often rhymes...

1776 by David McCullough

Recommended by John Goetz, Pzena Investment Management 

"I am a reader. I need to first make a plug for The Economist magazine which I have been reading for decades to help widen my perspective on issues around the world. 

 The most recent impactful book I read was David McCullough’s 1776, mostly because it reminded me of what dedication to “mission” or “ideals” can look like. 

 The grit, decision-making wisdom, and just plain commitment of some of the forefathers of the U.S. was a reminder of what it takes to accomplish big things that last for decades or longer." 

Join in the fun – share your top book, podcast, show or movie recommendation for other Livewire readers and what you loved about it.