Besides this book, what other significant works did Benjamin Graham author?
Bro, you've hit the nail on the head. When people mention Benjamin Graham, their first reaction is usually The Intelligent Investor, but that's actually the "popularized version" he wrote for the general public. His true "must-read guide" and other important works are equally worth knowing.
Besides The Intelligent Investor, Graham's most important works are mainly two books:
1. Security Analysis
This is Graham's true masterpiece and the "bible" of value investing.
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What kind of book is this? If The Intelligent Investor teaches you the "philosophy" and "mindset" of investing, telling you what is right, then Security Analysis is a "practical handbook" and "textbook." It walks you through step-by-step how to do it. This book is very thick and extremely dense and technical, packed with specific methods and case studies on analyzing bonds and stocks, and valuing companies.
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How is it different from The Intelligent Investor? The Intelligent Investor is more like a wise elder chatting with you, explaining the big principles of investing. Security Analysis, however, is like a strict university professor teaching a specialized course, filled with formulas, data, and rigorous analytical frameworks. Buffett said he read The Intelligent Investor four times, but Security Analysis is the cornerstone of his investment system.
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Should I read it? Honestly, this book isn't suitable for absolute beginners; it might scare you off. It's better suited for those with some prior investing experience who genuinely want to treat investing as a serious craft to learn—such as finance professionals or very dedicated individual investors.
2. The Interpretation of Financial Statements
This book can be seen as a "primer" or "practical tool" for the two great works above.
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What kind of book is this? This book is short and very down-to-earth. It's like a "guide to reading a company's health report," specifically teaching you how to understand a company's financial statements (like the balance sheet and income statement). Graham uses the simplest language to explain what each item in a financial report means and how to tell from these numbers whether a company is making money or buried in debt.
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What's the use? For regular folks like us, this book is incredibly practical! The core of value investing is being able to judge a company's intrinsic value, and understanding financial statements is the first step. Before you're ready to tackle a big volume like Security Analysis, using this little book to build your foundation is an excellent choice.
Summarizing the relationship between these books
You can think of them like this:
- The Intelligent Investor: Ideas & Principles. This is your investment "worldview". (Suitable for everyone)
- The Interpretation of Financial Statements: Foundational Tool. Teaches you how to read the numbers—your "telescope". (Suitable for those who want to analyze companies themselves)
- Security Analysis: Professional System & Methods. Teaches you how to systematically analyze and value companies—your "microscope" and "scalpel". (Suitable for professionals or those aspiring to be experts)
Therefore, the learning path usually starts with The Intelligent Investor to establish the right mindset, then uses The Interpretation of Financial Statements to learn how to understand fundamentals. If you have the capacity after that, you can delve into the "bible," Security Analysis.