Book · Morgan Housel
The Psychology of Money
Personal recommendation by Marshall Delpé. Not made by Marshalldelpe.com.
The Psychology of Money
Book · Morgan Housel·
Proof that behaving well with money beats being a genius with spreadsheets.
What it does: Explains why people make poor financial decisions—not from ignorance, but from behavior, history, and psychology—and offers a clear set of mental models for building wealth sustainably over time without constantly fighting your own instincts.
Who it's for: Anyone who understands, at a conceptual level, what they should be doing with money but struggles to actually do it consistently when markets move, emotions run high, or short-term temptations appear.
Why I use it: This is the most useful personal finance book I have read. Not because it reveals secrets, but because it explains the human patterns that cause smart people to blow it—and does so with clarity, brevity, and zero condescension. The chapters on compounding, on the concept of "enough," and on saving without a goal are the ones that shifted something. Housel writes well. The ideas stick.
Tradeoffs: It is behavioral, not prescriptive. It will not tell you what to invest in or how to structure a portfolio. That is by design—but if you want a tactical investment guide, this is not it.
Alternatives: The Little Book of Common Sense Investing by John Bogle covers the mechanical side—what to actually do. Thinking, Fast and Slow by Kahneman covers the cognitive-bias side with more depth and rigor. The Intelligent Investor by Benjamin Graham is the foundational text for those ready to go deeper.
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Book · Robert Greene·
Read it so you can spot the person at work who already did.
What it does: Robert Greene distils 3,000 years of history — Machiavelli, Sun Tzu, Bismarck, Louis XIV, con artists and courtesans — into 48 laws describing how power is gained, held and lost. Each law comes with historical stories of people who followed it and people who broke it, plus the reversal: when the law doesn't apply.
Who it's for: Anyone who works with people — in a hospital, a company, a negotiation or an investment deal — and wants to understand the unspoken dynamics at play. Especially useful if you've ever been blindsided by office politics or someone else's agenda.
Why I use it: I read it as a field guide to human behaviour rather than a playbook. It helps me recognise manipulation when I see it, protect my reputation, and stay calm instead of reacting. Laws like "Never outshine the master", "Guard your reputation with your life" and "Say less than necessary" have saved me from mistakes at work. It pairs well with Munger's psychology of human misjudgment, which you'll find in Poor Charlie's Almanack.
Tradeoffs: Some of the laws are ruthless, and following them literally can cost you trust and relationships. It's long and repetitive in places, and it's best read defensively — to understand power — not as permission to be cold or deceptive. The stories are selective history, not rigorous research.
Alternatives: The Laws of Human Nature and Mastery by Robert Greene, How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie (the warmer approach), Influence by Robert Cialdini (the research-backed version).
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you. I only recommend what I actually use.
The Art of War
Book · Sun Tzu·
Ancient battle advice that works surprisingly well on salary negotiations.
What it does: An ancient Chinese treatise on military strategy, traditionally credited to the general Sun Tzu, written around the 5th century BC. In 13 short chapters it covers planning, positioning, deception, intelligence and when to fight — and when not to. Its core idea: the best victory is the one won without fighting.
Who it's for: Anyone dealing with competition or conflict — in business, negotiation, investing, sports or office politics — who wants timeless principles about preparation, patience and knowing the terrain.
Why I use it: It is short enough to reread every year, and every reread lands differently. "Know the enemy and know yourself" maps directly onto investing and staying within your circle of competence, and the emphasis on avoiding unnecessary battles is a reminder that the strongest position is often the one where you never have to fight. It pairs naturally with The 48 Laws of Power.
Tradeoffs: The aphorisms are compressed and sometimes cryptic, so translation quality matters a lot. It is easy to over-apply military metaphors to everyday life, and the original is about war, not business — the connections take reflection to make.
Alternatives: The 48 Laws of Power and The 33 Strategies of War by Robert Greene, The Book of Five Rings by Miyamoto Musashi, and On War by Carl von Clausewitz.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you. I only recommend what I actually use.