Books and Money
One common trait among Warren Buffet, Bill Gates, Larry Ellison and Donald Trump is that they are avid readers of financial literature. The second characteristic that unites them is that they are fabulously rich. Clearly, their love for books show that knowledge plays a crucial role in their success stories. Acclaimed authors have written books with remarkable insights for anybody aspiring to reach the pinnacle of financial success. The following are some of the 10 best titles that should engage the interest of every ambitious man or woman.

 10. The Alchemist

Authored by Paulo Coelho, this international bestseller uses the story of a common shepherd, Santiago, to explore on various insights and philosophies that are crucial for success. One of the most outstanding lessons of the book is that the universe has a way of conspiring to help people achieve their goals. The book introduces the notion of the personal legend, which is an imaginary embodiment of personal fortune that must be pursued through a rigorous and disciplined practice of virtue. A keen reader can apply the crucial lessons in this book to achieve extraordinary feats of financial success.

9. The Richest Man in Babylon

George Clason's book, The Richest Man in Babylon, uses the story of the lead character, Arkad, to explain the 'road to wealth.' Arkad explains to his friends, Bansir and Kobbi that part of what he earns is his to keep. The statement holds the meaning of the book with particular regard to the importance of spending wisely, saving wisely and investing part of the income in order to earn interest. One outstanding merit about this book is that it uses simple stories and parables to instruct the reader on matters of financial progress.

8. The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari

In this book, the author, Robin Sharma uses the character of Julian Mantle, a highly successful lawyer to offer guidance on how to lead a balanced life towards progress. Much of the book dwells on the importance of passion, imagination and dreams as the three things that determine the measure of happiness that people derive from their circumstances. The story explores the merits of living in the moment and making use of every opportunity in life. In various respects, the author suggests that a balanced life governed by positive reflections spurs growth in the areas of finances, health, career and other important aspects of life.

7. How to Win Friends and Influence People

Dale Carnegie's book, How to Win Friends and Influence People, is full of resourceful self-help tips that are meant to help individuals to reclaim lost hopes. Moreover, the book guides the reader on structural ways of achieving financial goals and other objectives in life. The author lays emphasis on the development of new thoughts and new visions towards the fulfillment of ambition. For example, the book provides useful guidance on how to increase earning power and some practical ways of becoming a better executive and salesman. Compared to The Alchemist, Carnegie's text offers a more practical touch to pursuit of fortune.

6. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

This book is a particular favorite for former US President Bill Clinton. Author Stephen R. Covey introduces the idea of abundance mentality as an important enabler of success. The book explains the meaning of success from the background of the 'true north principles.' According to the author, the inculcation of certain universal and timeless ethics in the business of life determines the level of financial success and other forms of achievement. The book opposes the habit of zero-sum games and instead paints a scenario of multiple winners. The practice of responsibility and sharing of profits are some of the key lessons that could be borrowed by the reader to revamp broken parts in their lives.

5. The Millionaire Next Door

Authors Thomas Stanley and William Danko wrote this book after carrying out various interviews with various millionaires to find out the dominant traits among them. According to the book, rich people embrace the virtue of budgeting and always ensure that they live below their means. The book also extols the practices of saving and investing for short term and long term gains. In a profound sense, this book is a valuable resource for those who seek a life of financial freedom.

4. The 9 Steps to Financial Freedom: Practical and Spiritual Steps So You Can Stop Worrying

Suze Orman uses her personal experience to give vital lessons of how to get, retain and grow money. In the nine steps, Orman helps the reader to confront fears about money and to include the aspect of spirituality into financial matters. She encourages the virtue of honesty and discourages against the use of plastic money, which she terms addictive and destructive. This book is an indispensable resource for financial progress particularly because it was written by a financial guru.

3. Rich Dad, Poor Dad

Rich Dad, Poor Dad ranks third on this list of books that can spur financial success. Authored by Robert Kiyosaki, this book covers various practices that culminate into financial success. Through various proverbs, Kiyosaki informs the reader that wealth is created through the pursuit of financial independence, real estate investment, increasing financial intelligence, starting and owning businesses, and ownership of high-value assets. This book is a gem for any aspiring entrepreneur who wants to make real money.

2. Think and Grow Rich

Napoleon Hill wrote this book after studying the habits of highly successful people. This book provides 13 principles that should guide anybody towards all forms of personal achievement. Predominantly, the author dwells on the power of the mind and focus as the crucial determinants of success. Moreover, the author explains that desire, persistence and faith are vital elements of success. This book ranks second because it breaks down the process of success into 13 easy principles that could be applied by a savvy investor to gain financial success.

1. Outliers - The Story of Success

This book ranks at the top because it incorporates multiple issues, examples, cases and theories to explain the difference between success and failure. The author Malcolm Gladwell explains that great people are made and not born. One of the outstanding lessons of the book is the 10,000 hour rule of success. The author gives examples the illustrate that people who achieve masterclass levels of success in life invest nearly 10,000 hours of effort in their respective fields. This book is indispensable for whoever aspires for financial success.

Achieving financial success begins with gathering resourceful information and engaging your passion into a particular task. One of the recurrent theme in the above 10 books of success is the value of effort. Nearly every author insists on the primacy of effort and consistency in the pursuit for financial freedom. Put together, the various insights constitute a powerful ingredient of success in money matters and other endeavors.