Investors should be Readers

Not only does reading lend itself to making small talk with other parents at a child's school function or at your work holiday party, it allows readers to better understand the world in which we live. Readers better understand people with perspectives different from their own and are able to better understand the foundation of our economy and business environment.

In the books I have read this year a businessman has explained the secrets of how he turned a variety store in rural Arkansas into the world's largest retail company; I have learned about the trial and tribulations of our founding fathers and their contemporaries who flocked to Pairs to paint, write, and learn medicine; I have read about persuasion, motivation, and inspiration; I learned the life story of a man who produced tours for Elvis Presley and Frank Sinatra before wrangling George Clooney to share a stage with Matt Damon and Brad Pitt. 

Reading provides context for investors. By reading about struggles and triumphs of Wal-Mart I will better understand the future struggles and triumphs of our investment in Amazon.com. Our founding fathers faced challenges that seemed impossible, but our economy recovered and began to thrive. I better understand the geographic importance of universities and hubs of innovation because I read "Americans in Paris." Jerry Weintraub's life is an emblematic success story about the power of building relationships and problem-solving. 

No book holds a singular key to investing, but the more I read, the better I will be able to understand the world in which we live and better able handle life's surprises. As I read more, my emotions will have less influence on my investing decisions. As I read more books I will have less time to read news articles designed to gather page views. As I read more, I will form better connections with the other parents as we collect our children from school and from them more opportunities to learn will arise.