FAQ: Books & Authors

[Jas]

Introduction

Part of being an investor is educating yourself. When you start out, ideas on where to go and what to do are important, but perhaps more so are those specific books that lead you down the path. As you become more experienced, you look to books to give you that extra piece of information, the step up you need.
Over the years the forum has discussed both books and authors many times, and while there are new books coming out all the time, there are a number of classic ‘golden oldies’ that every investor should be aware of.
The list below has a number of links in it. These links point to posts on the fourm or elsewhere discussing that book/subject/author. While not all have been linked, all are worth reading.

Books
Motivation/Psychology
Dr Spencer Johnson Who Moved my Cheese
Napoleon Hill Think and Grow Rich
David J. Schwartz The Magic of Thinking Big
George Clason The Richest Man in Babylon
http://www.somersoft.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=5793
The Wealthy Barber
Bodod Schafer The Road to Financial Freedom
The Science of Getting Rich - http://www.scienceofgettingrich.net
http://www.somersoft.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=7923
Stanley & Danko The Millionaire Next Door http://www.somersoft.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=4797
Dale Carnegie How to Win Friends and Influence People
Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen Chicken Soup for the Soul
The Zurich Axioms Very good book on the personally psychology of speculation
Chin Ning Chu Thick Face Black Heart
Anthony Robbins Awaken the Giant Within
Paul Hanna You can do it
Napoleon Hill & W Clement Stone Success Through a Positive Mental Attitude
Stephen Covey The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People



General Investing
Robert Kiyosaki Rich Dad Poor Dad http://www.somersoft.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=6295
Robert Kiyosaki Cashflow Quadrant
Sean O'Reilly 'Anyone can be a millionaire’
John Fitzgerald Seven Steps to Wealth
Wes Beavis Escape to Prosperity
Bruce Davis How to Build Riches
Martin Haes and Joan Baker Get Rich Stay Rich
Margaret Lomas How to Create an Income for Life
John Burleys Australia's Money Secrets of the Rich http://www.somersoft.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=3956
http://www.somersoft.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=4800
Robert Kiyosaki Guide to Investing
Robert Kiyosaki Prophesy http://www.somersoft.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=7202
Noel Whittaker Making Money Made Simple
Robert Allen One Minute Millionaire http://www.somersoft.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=5276
Paul Clitheroe Making Money"
Robert Allen Multiple Streams of Income
Noel Whittaker Making Money Made Simple
Brad Sugars, Instant Cashflow
Robert Kiyosaki Rich Dad's Guide to Investing


IP
Nick Renton Understanding Investment Property
Neil Jenman Real Estate Mistakes
Alan J Falkson Investing in Real Estate on a Budget
Penguin Books Home Buyers Guide - a great little book with a no-nonsense break down of costs you will incur with property (I used it to put together a spreadsheet)
Robert Allen Nothing Down in the Nineties (a another good what if book for different ways at looking at property)
Geoff Doidge The Ten Golden Rules of Property
Carmel Dwyer Residential Real Estate Made Easy
Jan Somers More Wealth from Residential Property
Dolf De Roos Real Estate Riches
Fred & Brett Johnson The wealth power of property http://www.somersoft.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=4798
Peter Crexhe Smarter Propoerty Investment
Margaret Lomas How to maximise your Property Portfolio
Monique Wakelin Streets Ahead http://www.somersoft.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=4415
Craig Turnbull It's easy to be a property millionaire
Terry Ryder Confessions of Real Estate Agent http://www.somersoft.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=6853
Peter Waxman Investing in Residential Property..Understanding the Market in the new Millennium"
Clifton Thornton Residential Real Estate Investing
Terry Ryder "Property Smart"
Terry Ryder Buyer Beware”
Neil Jenman Ethics in Real Estate”
Austin Donnelly Realistic Real Estate Investing
Margaret Lomas How to make your money last as long as you do
Margaret Lomas How to create an income for life
Peter Cerexhe Smarter property investment'
Neil Renton Understanding Investment Property
Robert Allen Nothing Down
Alan J Falkson Investing in Real Estate on a budget
Jan Somers Building Wealth through Investment Property
Jan Somers Building Wealth, Story By Story
Terry Ryder Confession Of Real Estate Agent
The Australian Lease Option Handbook http://www.somersoft.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=2199
Nick Renton Negative Gearing
Austin Donnelly Realistic Real Estate Investing
Clifton Thornton Residential Real Estate Investing
John Mitchell Successful Property Investment
Graham Airey The Property Investor's Handbook
Jan Somers Building Wealth in Changing Times
Jan Somers Building Wealth Story by Story

Property Management
Suzi Bilosh Australian Landlord's Handbook
Property Management is the relevant Act in your state.
Bob Walters The Desktop Guide to Residential Property Management
Phillipa Bellemore Managing Rental Property


Not specifically IP, but worth considering
Og Mandino The Greatest Secret In The World -
O'Connor & McDermott Principles of NLP -
Peter L Bernstein Against the Gods: The remarkable story of risk This is a fascinating read. It includes how early insurance houses such as Lloyds of London started out, well as the benefits and costs of diversification.
His Needs, Her Needs
Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus
The 10 Natural Laws of Successful Time & Life Management. Author is Hyrum W. Smith who was the founder of Franklin Quest (Before Covey etc took over).ISBN 0-446-51741-0
Harry Dent The Roaring 2000s"
Richard Branson Losing My Virginity
Allan Pease Body Language

Business
Max Rowe The Power of Profit
John Counsel Don't go into small business without reading this book
Gene Bedell 3 steps to yes
Goldfinger How entrepreneurs grow rich starting small
Brian Sher What rich people know & desperately want to keep a secret
E-Myth Revisited
E-Myth

Negioating
Not One Dollar More
Wayne Berry How to get the best deal every time
Herb Cohen You Can Negotiate Anything
Joseph Cummins Not One Dollar More"
Wayne Berry How to get the best deal every time
Getting to Yes : Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In, Second Edition. ISBN: 0395631246. Fisher, Roger \ Ury, William \ Patton, Bruce
Don Miguel Ruiz The Four Agreements

Due Diligence
Hans Jakobi - Due Diligence made simple(easy) or Due diligence for dummies or something like that

Accounting
Dale Gatherum Goss Trust Magic"
http://www.somersoft.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=7976
http://www.somersoft.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=7453
Nick Renton 'Family Trusts'
Tony Compton Rental Property and Taxation an Investor's Guide

Renovation/Development
The Property Developmemt Process: Western Australia by H.L. Reynolds & P.L. (1998) ISBN 0 646 35442 6
Greg Thompson
Property Development: A Beginners Guide
Dolf de Roos 101 Ways to Massively Increase the Value of Your Real Estate without Spending Much Money
http://www.somersoft.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=5531
Allan Staines The Australian Renovator's Manual
John Makdessi The Home Builders & Renovators Survival Kit
Edward Mundie The Beginner Renovator
Paul Eslick The Investors Guide to Quick and Easy Renovations
Robert Irwin Find It, Buy It, Fix It: The Insider's Guide to Fixer-Uppers
Allan Staines How to be a Successful Owner Builder & Renovator
Carol Staines A Practical Guide to Interior Decorating
Allan Staines The Australian House Building Manual
Allan Staines The Australian Renovator's Manual


Authors

Margaret Lomas
http://www.somersoft.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=8346
http://www.somersoft.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=7849

Robert Kiyosaki
http://www.somersoft.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=8346

Anita Bell - http://www.somersoft.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=5274
http://www.somersoft.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=4081

John T Reed
http://www.somersoft.com/forums/sho...&highlight=reed


Peter Spann - http://www.somersoft.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=297

John Burley - http://www.somersoft.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=5039
http://www.somersoft.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=5040



Anthony Robbins
Jim Rohn
Jan Somers
Hans Jakobi
Cyndi Kaplan
Robyn Henderson
Alan Pease
Edward De Bono
Jonar C Nader
John Burley
Zig Zigler
Noel Whittaker
Brad Sugars
Nicholas Humphrey
Fred Johnston & Brendon Whitting



Links
The first question onbooks!http://www.somersoft.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=976
Teach me to fish – one of the best posts!
http://www.somersoft.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=859
Forum community library
http://www.somersoft.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=525

General discussions on books
http://www.somersoft.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=8502
http://www.somersoft.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=8725
http://www.somersoft.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=708
http://www.somersoft.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=2732
http://www.somersoft.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=2106
http://www.businessmall.com.au/cache/header-6public__0-0.html?cache=no
http://www.somersoft.com/forums/sho...=&threadid=7437 and
http://www.somersoft.com/forums/sho...=&threadid=5793
http://www.somersoft.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=8702
http://www.somersoft.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=7686


Property Development
http://www.somersoft.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=97

Next Steps
http://www.somersoft.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=7943
http://www.somersoft.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=7099

 

[always_learning]

Wow, what an excellent list.

Jas, would you dare put a "out of 10 score" for the books that you have read?

For example Jan's book Building Wealth through Investment Property would get 10/10 from me (it's the reason I am here, it is the part of the reason I have something rather than nothing).

Whereas Austin Donnelly's Realistic Real Estate Investing, gets a big 2/10 from me, it wasn't worth my time to buy or read it (But reading it was time better spent than watching TV, just there are better books out there)

Renton's Family Trusts gets 4/10 but DaleGG's "Trust Magic" gets 9/10.

 

[Jamie]

Wow... great job Jas

 

[geoffw]

A great list- well done.

But Jan Somersoft? Oh dear.

And you did omit these books

 

[Olly]

Absolutely bloody awesome Jas!!!

I have been whizzing around this site since 8am today - it's now 3.09 I've been following links, copying interesting posts here and info from other sites, downloading docs and creating word docs to paste all this stuff into. Today I've created 'Wraps', 'Trusts' and 'Valuations' . I had started a 'Recommended Books' doc, but you've saved me the trouble big time! I then email these docs to myself at work and print them off on our nice laser printers and add all this stuff to my 'bible' to read later.

Thanks to you I can now take my numb bum, RSI mouse hand/arm and locked knees to the kitchen and make some breakfast/lunch/dinner

My only job now is to work out the 'golden oldies' or most highly recommended.

Actually the first book I ever bought on property investing was The Rich House by Matt Robinson 1996 He was involved with Town & Country Real Estate at the time amongst other things. Can't remember how I first heard of it, but it was hard to source when I went looking for it and got it from a lady who worked at T & C head office. She'd got it for her nephew but let me have it. It was out of print by then and there were no more available.

I might add that amongst his 5 references at the back of the book were Jans 'Building Wealth through Property Investment & 'Building Wealth through Changing Times'.

Would you mind if I put your list into a file (Jas's Book List) for people to download rather than copy/paste or save link? They could of course add to it and maybe put a star rating beside it too? What do you think?

Once again - thank you!!!

Olly

 

[Jas]

Originally posted by always_learning
Wow, what an excellent list.

Jas, would you dare put a "out of 10 score" for the books that you have read?

AL,

I though about doing that, but all of these books are here becuase someone on the forum thought they where good, I decided not to.

When there was a discussion on a book or author, I've linked it in, but I didn't want to make this _my_ thoughts. The best part of the forum is the diversity and I think the FAQs should reflect that.

Jas

 

[Jas]

Originally posted by geoffw
A great list- well done.

But Jan Somersoft? Oh dear.

And you did omit these books

Opps, my only escuse is that I'm a morning person and this was late at nite (for me anyway).

As for omitting those books, well, I'm modest

Jas

 

[Jas]

Originally posted by Olly
Absolutely bloody awesome Jas!!!

you're welcome

My only job now is to work out the 'golden oldies' or most highly recommended.

I'd start with the books that have been the most talked about, I've added the links. However, all of those books have been recommeneded by someone on the forum.

Would you mind if I put your list into a file (Jas's Book List) for people to download rather than copy/paste or save link? They could of course add to it and maybe put a star rating beside it too? What do you think?

Ummm, not 100% keen on the idea. Once its a file, people won't be able to add to the FAQ. If it stays in the format ATM, people might be more inclined to add to it.
I take your point about saving and printing thou.

Jas

 

[Pete]

Great work, Jas.

I know it would be a long post, but it would be easier to read if each entry was separated by a blank line. Point taken about not being in a file. A file would be handy for sorting though. If it was in a spreadsheet one could sort by title, or author. Or search using "find". (I'm a spreadsheet sort o' guy)

Some others books. Rory O'Rourke is a Perth real estate agent and put out two excellent books last year on the taxation advantages and ways of property investment. I do not know if they are widely available. Also, I'm not sure if Peter Spann's book is listed already? Hence:

"Ordinary Millionaires" Jim McKnight. Freehold Press. 2002

"Born Free Taxed To Death" Rory O'Rourke. 2002

"I Sold 22 Homes in One Day" Rory O'Rourke. 2002

"Wealth Magic" Peter Spann. 2001

 

[Jas]

Originally posted by Pete


"Ordinary Millionaires" Jim McKnight. Freehold Press. 2002

Just throwing in a link - there's a discussion on this book here

Jas

 

[House_Keeper]

Wow! What a fantastic post that was Jas! It has been fascinating to follow all the links. Thanks a million for putting together this information.

 

[Jas]

No worries HK.

Glad to see people are still looking at it. Feel free to add in any new ones you think should be here!

Jas

 

[XBenX]

Top post Jas!!!

 

[whitt]

By latest Top Tip for investors:

I go to our Library and just get alot of these books out. It is good to try them before I buy the good ones.
Our Library has a huge range of IP books and tapes including new releases. Although the new books you have to book in advance.

That way you can even try all the books above.

 

[quintets]

Wicked post. The research through the Somersoft forum is especially useful!!

 

[willair]

Jas,
thanks for your time that went into your post
even if you only read 20% of the books in
the lineup,i dont think you will ever be misinformed
again..
good luck
willair..

 

[Peter Parker]

"Ordinary Millionaires" Jim McKnight. Freehold Press. 2002

This is a similar genre to Jan Somers' 'Story by Story' but some of the people featured appear to have taken, to put it delicately, a few short-cuts.

More about Jim McKnight is here:
http://www.uws.edu.au/about/acadorg/caess/sp/staff/academicstaff/alphabetical/jimmcknight

Note his wide range of interests which range from alternative energy, human sexuality, alternative realities to risk-taking behaviour (especially property investment)!

Peter

 

[Kwak]

I appreciate the extensive list of the collections.
Many must-read books for the beginners.

 

[Peter Parker]

Out for a month or two now is Margaret Lomas' 'The Truth about Positive Cashflow Property Revealed'.

I had a quick browse through it today, though didn't buy it.

A lot of the book comprised little lectures on what not to do, eg off the plan, wraps, inner-city capital growth, renovate, etc. Though not very educational, it was nevertheless great fun identifying her hapless targets as she pulled apart other authors' methods.

She also has a go with trusts and 'asset protection', by saying they're unnecessary since very few people get sued (though you'd only sue someone with money, and investors by definition aim to be one of those people).

Lomas isn't big on mentioning others in the field, but this time she strongly praises Neil Jenman and Noel Whittaker. I don't think she's on very firm ground in her claim that almost no one understands her concept of positive cashflow.

There were other bits I didn't read, but the book came across as a bit of a rant. There were times when it read like a discussion of 'investment gurus', rather than property investment. However for the beginner listing the things you shouldn't do might keep one safe, although it may also lead to missed opportunities.

Peter

 

[julia]

Thanks for a great list Jas.

Can I add the booklet section of www.bantacs.com.au it is under free publications. Especially the Rental property and Capital Gains Tax Booklets

Julia
www.bantacs.com.au