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Warren Buffett's Reading List (2026): 8 Books He Recommends, With Reading Times
Warren Buffett has publicly recommended these 8 books; reading them all takes about 59 h 49 min at the average 238 words per minute.
Warren Buffett is famously a heavy reader, and the books he has put his name to are drawn from decades of Berkshire Hathaway shareholder letters, book forewords and on-the-record interviews, mostly clustered around investing, business history and capital allocation.
The list below sticks to recommendations he made directly, rather than books other people have guessed he might like. Each entry links to the letter, foreword or interview where the recommendation appears.
Picks are sourced from Berkshire Hathaway shareholder letters, book forewords Buffett wrote, and recorded interviews.
Last reviewed 17 July 2026.
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Books on this list
8
Total reading time at 238 WPM
59 h 49 min
At 400 WPM that drops to 35 h 35 min.
The Intelligent Investor
Benjamin Graham · 1949
Called it 'by far the best book about investing ever written' in his preface to the 1973 Fourth Revised Edition, reaffirmed on CNBC: 'all of the important ideas in investing... are in that book.'
How long does it take to read The Intelligent Investor? About 12 h 20 min at the average reading speed of 238 words per minute (640 pages), or around 7 h 20 min at a trained 400 WPM.
Source: CNBC Warren Buffett Archive, May 1996
Security Analysis
Benjamin Graham and David Dodd · 1934
Wrote the foreword to the 6th edition, saying Graham and Dodd 'laid out a roadmap for investing that I have now been following for 57 years', and named it one of four books in his library he particularly treasures.
How long does it take to read Security Analysis? About 13 h 29 min at the average reading speed of 238 words per minute (700 pages), or around 8 h 1 min at a trained 400 WPM.
Source: Security Analysis, 6th Edition (Buffett foreword), 2008
Business Adventures
John Brooks · 1969
Told Bill Gates at their first meeting in 1991 it was his favourite business book and lent Gates his own copy; both still call it the best business book ever written.
How long does it take to read Business Adventures? About 7 h 42 min at the average reading speed of 238 words per minute (400 pages), or around 4 h 35 min at a trained 400 WPM.
Source: CNBC, Nov 2016
The Outsiders
William N. Thorndike · 2012
Endorsed as 'an outstanding book about CEOs who excelled at capital allocation' and recommended to Berkshire shareholders around the 2012 annual meeting.
How long does it take to read The Outsiders? About 4 h 19 min at the average reading speed of 238 words per minute (224 pages), or around 2 h 34 min at a trained 400 WPM.
Source: Forbes, May 2014
Common Stocks and Uncommon Profits
Philip A. Fisher · 1958
Endorsed on the Wiley Investment Classics edition ('I am an eager reader of whatever Phil has to say, and I recommend him to you'); Buffett describes his approach as '85% Graham and 15% Fisher'.
How long does it take to read Common Stocks and Uncommon Profits? About 6 h 10 min at the average reading speed of 238 words per minute (320 pages), or around 3 h 40 min at a trained 400 WPM.
Source: Wiley Investment Classics edition (cover endorsement), 1987
Shoe Dog
Phil Knight · 2016
Wrote in his 2016 Berkshire Hathaway shareholder letter: 'The best book I read last year was Shoe Dog, by Nike's Phil Knight.'
How long does it take to read Shoe Dog? About 7 h 42 min at the average reading speed of 238 words per minute (400 pages), or around 4 h 35 min at a trained 400 WPM.
Source: Berkshire Hathaway 2016 Shareholder Letter, 2016
The Little Book of Common Sense Investing
John C. Bogle · 2007
Wrote in his 2014 Berkshire Hathaway shareholder letter that investors 'should instead read Jack Bogle's The Little Book of Common Sense Investing' rather than listen to high-fee advisors.
How long does it take to read The Little Book of Common Sense Investing? About 4 h 10 min at the average reading speed of 238 words per minute (216 pages), or around 2 h 29 min at a trained 400 WPM.
Source: Berkshire Hathaway 2014 Shareholder Letter, 2014
The Great Crash 1929
John Kenneth Galbraith · 1955
Recommended at the May 2020 Berkshire Hathaway annual meeting, calling it 'a wonderful book' about the causes and lessons of the 1929 crash.
How long does it take to read The Great Crash 1929? About 3 h 58 min at the average reading speed of 238 words per minute (206 pages), or around 2 h 22 min at a trained 400 WPM.
Source: CNBC, May 2020
How Long Would the Whole List Take?
Based on 854,150 total words across every book on this list.
| Reading speed | Speed band | Total time |
|---|---|---|
| 200 WPM | Slower than average | 71 h 11 min |
| 238 WPM | Average adult (Brysbaert, 2019) | 59 h 49 min |
| 400 WPM | Fast reader | 35 h 35 min |
| 600 WPM | Trained speed reader | 23 h 44 min |
Most people can roughly double their reading speed with practice. Take the 2-minute speed test to see where you are.
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Warren Buffett Reading List FAQ
How many books are on Warren Buffett's reading list?
This list covers 8 books Warren Buffett's recommended, drawn from on-the-record sources rather than second-hand claims.
How long does it take to read Warren Buffett's book list?
Reading all 8 books back to back comes to roughly 59 h 49 min at the average adult reading speed of 238 words per minute (Brysbaert, 2019). Your own time will vary with your reading speed and how closely you read each book.
Where do these recommendations come from?
Every pick on this page is sourced directly, quoted from Berkshire Hathaway shareholder letters, book forewords, and recorded interviews. Each book card links to the original source so you can verify the recommendation yourself.