Beating The Property Clock: How to understand and exploit the property cycle for maximum gain - This book covers the various phases of the property market cycle, sets out the different investment strategies relevant to each phase and explains returns achievable through capital growth and rental yield. A short book but excellent content.

The Jet-to-Let Bible - Ignore the title of the book. While it does cover the property investment abroad, Dominic Farrell provides one of the best analysis of property investment I have seen. This book provides a common sense, financially sound interrogation of the decision to buy property in far more relevant detail than rival books. Importantly, he defines investment success up front before making the reader determine their goals and investment strategy. Risks, pitfalls, financial considerations and a range of investment strategies are all considered in turn. An invaluable read.

The Coming Crash in the Housing Market: And 10 Things You Can Do Right Now to Protect Your Assets - An excellent examination of the dangers homebuyers face in today’s climate of overpriced housing and overextended credit. The second half of the book discusses ten steps homeowners can, and should, take immediately to protect themselves from the financial fallout.

Cash in on the Coming Real Estate Crash: How to Protect Yourself from Losses Now, and Turn a Profit After the Bubble Bursts - This book forces the reader to address their false sense of security in owning a high priced property at the current time. The authors cover a number of defensive strategies including cash flow action plans for homeowners (so you aren’t forced to sell when the market is down) and investors (to ensure you can hold your property through the downturn). The final section of the book discusses profit opportunities after the crash and while some of the topics deal with US markets, there are plenty of ideas for homebuyers and property investors the world over.

Profits in Buying & Renovating Homes - This book guides you through every step in the spec rehab process: selecting, repairing, improving and selling. You’ll learn which price ranges offer the highest return on your investment, which neighbourhoods to consider and which to avoid, what interior and exterior repairs to make, and how to select and deal with buyers, sellers, lenders and estate agents. Well rounded and bursting with ideas.

The Housebuilder’s Bible - Mark Brinkley has produced a fantastic book, providing information, advice and detailed yardstick costings for residential building projects. This book is essential for anybody, selfbuilder or professional, who wants to know more about building well and on budget.

In May 2008 George Soros, the legendary investor who made billions from well placed positions in the currency markets in the early 90’s, released a book entitled “The New Paradigm For Financial Markets – The Credit Crisis Of 2008 And What It Means”. In it he states that the outbreak of the current financial crisis can be officially timed at August 2007 when the central banks had to intervene to provide liquidity to the banking system. Mr Soros observes that the housing market is in a massive bubble. He notes that a long period of credit expansion has now ended and that the current crisis will have more severe and longer lasting consequences than similar crises in the past. He sees US house prices falling much further and goes on to state that a decline of such magnitude is bound to effect consumer spending, employment and overall business activity. A recession in the course of 2008 is a certainty.

Hot Commodities - Jim Rogers offers the low-down on the most lucrative investment markets for the next 10 years or so – commodities. He describes the cyclical and historical trading patterns through which the current bull market in commodities began, and analyses a wide range of prospective commodity investments, helping you to determine the best home for your money.

The Dollar Crisis - This excellent book describes the flaws in the international monetary system that have destabilised the global economy by creating a worldwide credit bubble. The author discusses the current, grim economic situation in a clear, concise manner and outlines his outlook for the years immediately ahead.

The Coming Collapse of the Dollar and How to Profit from It: Make a Fortune by Investing in Gold and Other Hard Assets - Covering one of the most important trends to be found in the years ahead, James Turk (www.goldmoney.com) and John Rubino discuss the current illusions of prosperity within the economy, the coming collapse of the dollar (other currencies including the pound will collapse also), the reasons why precious metals will soar in price, opportunities to invest in gold and mining stocks and a possible future under a new gold standard. An excellent starting point for your future investment decisions.

The Tao of Warren Buffett A collection of quotes from the world’s greatest investor - Warren Buffett’s worldly wisdom is deceptively simple and enormously powerful in application. If you do nothing else this year, read this book. It cuts through the chaos of the world we live in and helps open our minds to the simple ideas we should ponder each day. Years of inspired wisdom in one little book.

Market Wizards - This bestselling classic offers interviews with the world’s most successful traders, revealing their investment philosophies and disciplines. This is one of the most fascinating books ever written about the financial markets.

New Market Wizards - As above, with a new generation of master investors.

Stock Market Wizards - The third book in the “Market Wizards” series by Jack Schwager. This book is notable for the highly diverse ways in which each investor makes money and their clear awareness, ahead of time, that the internet bubble was about to burst spectacularly. As I mention in “Essential Advice”, the best investors have fitted all of the pieces of the economic puzzle together and know what is coming next. So could you!

Reminiscences of a Stock Operator - First published in 1923, this is the fictionalised biography of Jesse Livermore, one of the greatest speculators ever. Reminiscences remains one of the most widely read, highly recommended investment book ever written. It has more to teach the reader about themselves and other investors than years of experience in the markets.

How to Make Money in Stocks - William O’Neil’s outstanding stock investment book takes the reader through his 7 step approach for minimizing risk, maximising return, and finding stocks that are poised to perform. William O’Neil is the founder of the “Investors Business Daily” newspaper, the serious investors’ choice over its rival, the Wall Street Journal.

How to make Money Selling Stocks Short - William O’Neil’s approach for profiting in a falling stock market. It is helpful to have read “How to Make Money in Stocks” beforehand, but with a weak outlook for stocks over the medium term, this book is certainly worth a read.