I’ve made my way through many dense textbooks. Sometimes they offer the best way to learn a subject. But oftentimes, there are less painful ways to learn—at least enough to get a broad picture of a topic. Many authors pack books with unnecessary information and needless jargon.
Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication, and the most brilliant teachers are often those who can explain their subject matter plainly. It’s often possible to learn from books, podcasts, and lectures that are both informative and enjoyable.
Here are five examples from my shelf of favorite books:
📖 Buffett: The Making of an American Capitalist by Roger Lowenstein
This telling of investing legend Warren Buffett’s life story also offers an enjoyable primer on financial history, business operations, and investment theory. Lowenstein taps into Buffett’s gift for explaining complex economic concepts in simple words.
Along with Buffett’s background, the book breaks down, in plain English, his investment philosophies, perspectives on business growth and management, and how the stock market works.
Buffett is fascinating, full of folksy sayings and unique experiences, and maintains a warm connection with the Jewish people. His story isn’t just about investing—it’s a masterclass in how wealth, discipline, and a clear philosophy shape a financial empire.
🍏 Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson
Steve Jobs, founder of Apple, was one of the most innovative people in modern history.
Jobs built one of the most significant companies in history—but at what cost? Through the lens of this industry icon’s life, the book also chronicles the rise of our era of explosive creative development and technological progress.
Today, the most valuable companies are selling innovation and intellectual property. Every company is becoming a technology company, and creating these brainchildren requires different skills and capabilities from producing physical goods.
This book is lengthy but insightful, teaching readers via the story of Mr. Apple.
⚾ Moneyball by Michael Lewis
Moneyball is an entertaining book describing how data crunching revolutionized America’s favorite pastime—baseball.
Before the broad spread of computers, decision-making in sports was based on individual observations and industry customs. However, “Moneyball” data showed, for example, that walking a base is much more valuable to winning games than trying to steal one.
The steady application of data-driven decision-making revolutionized professional baseball, altering a multibillion-dollar industry.
I didn’t—and still don’t—follow professional sports, but this book’s bottom line resonates across all sectors.
Ignore the numbers, and you lose the game—whether on the baseball field or in business.
💰 More Money Than G-d by Sebastian Mallaby
While I advise most investors to keep it simple, this fantastic book highlights a world where hedge fund gurus earn billions through an array of complex investment approaches.
Each section of the book is a tale describing a star investor’s unique path to building astronomical wealth, including Michael Steinhardt (Wall Street insider), George Soros (macro investing), James Simons (quantitative investing), and John Paulson (shorting housing bubble).
Readers gain a bird’s-eye view of hedge fund concepts, many unique anecdotes, and a recognition of how outmatched average investors are against these titans.
And no, they will not invest your 5, 6, or even 7-figure nest egg!
📊 Basic Economics by Thomas Sowell
Thomas Sowell is a renowned conservative economist whose presentations of the “dismal science” are anything but boring.
Sowell’s many books have significantly influenced my understanding of money, business, investing, and politics. His classic Basic Economics explains sophisticated big-picture economics without resorting to complex charts or theory.
Though a bit heavier than the others on this list, I highly recommend this book to those who want to gain a much deeper understanding of the financial world.
Liberals hate Sowell for his devastating puncturing of their biased agendas—another reason frum readers tend to be taken with him.
📜 Add a Torah Perspective
The above books are written by, about, and for non-frum people, of course. If you read them, consider them through an Orthodox Jewish lens.
Buffett and Jobs both had strained relationships with their families. Jobs, in particular, was famous for being self-centered and harsh to anyone who disagreed with him.
Does the all-out pursuit of the material have to come at the expense of the spiritual? Is it worth it to be so self-minded in financial or personal goals at the expense of one’s health and connections with loved ones?
How do genius, hishtadlus, finance history, and economic rules matter or add meaning since Hashem controls everything anyway?
Charity Begins Where?
What about the good that billions can generate?
Steve Jobs gave almost nothing to charity, but most billionaires donate vast amounts during their lives or via their estates.
But where does that money go?
Steinhardt supports “kiruv” Birthright trips to Israel, but also Yeffed’s anti-Torah campaigns.
Buffett’s philanthropy mainly funds medical and educational development—but with a significantly liberal-minded approach.
As the Gemara says, you need zechusim for your money to be used for good causes. That requires knowledge of another sort.
📜 Will Print Survive the Digital Revolution?
I grew up with seforim and books offering a key gateway to knowledge. They weren’t just a resource; they were the masters themselves.
For centuries, books reigned supreme. But now, digital is challenging its throne. New technologies have made audio and video the rising stars of education. AI-driven tools are opening even more doors. Will printed books and seforim hold their ground?
For Orthodox Jews, print will always have a sacred place—anchored in:
✔ Our eternal handwritten Torah
✔ Our intense connection to printed seforim
✔ The sanctity of Shabbos, when digital tools are off-limits
One thing is certain: The future of learning is being rewritten before our eyes. As always, Daas Torah input is vital.
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