You don't need an MBA to understand how money works. Sometimes a good book does more than a semester of classes. Here are five worth reading, with the key takeaway from each so you can decide where to start.

1. The Richest Man in Babylon (George S. Clason)

What it is: A set of parables set in ancient Babylon that explain fundamental financial principles through simple characters and dialogue.

Core idea: “A part of all you earn is yours to keep.” The whole book builds on one principle: save at least 10% of your income before any spending, always.

Takeaway: The basic principles of money management haven’t changed in thousands of years. Spend less than you earn, make your money work for you, and protect yourself from losses are the foundation of any wealth.

For whom: Ideal if you’re starting to think about personal finance or want a refresher on fundamentals. Easy read, one weekend.

2. Rich Dad, Poor Dad (Robert Kiyosaki)

What it is: The best-selling personal finance book in history. Kiyosaki contrasts the financial mindset of his biological father (educated, employed) with his “rich dad” (entrepreneur, investor).

Core idea: The difference between assets and liabilities. An asset puts money in your pocket. A liability takes money out. Most of what we think are assets (the house we live in, the car) are actually liabilities.

Takeaway: A mindset shift about how you think of money. The importance of building assets that generate passive income. And why financial education isn’t taught in school.

For whom: For anyone who wants to understand why working hard isn’t always enough to build wealth.

3. The Psychology of Money (Morgan Housel)

What it is: A collection of essays on how psychology, behavior and emotions affect our financial decisions (much more than we think).

Core idea: Making good financial decisions isn’t a matter of intelligence but of behavior. People who accumulate wealth aren’t necessarily the smartest: they’re the most consistent and the ones who control their emotions best.

Takeaway: The power of compounding. Why the risk you can’t see is more dangerous than the one you can. And the importance of having a margin of safety in every financial decision.

For whom: For any founder or investor. It’s the most balanced, honest finance book out there. We recommend it every time.

4. Save Yourselves (Andrés Oppenheimer)

What it is: A rigorous analysis of how automation and artificial intelligence will transform the labor market and business in the coming years.

Core idea: Millions of jobs will disappear or be radically transformed by automation. Those who survive and thrive will be the ones who develop skills machines can’t replicate: creativity, empathy, critical thinking.

Takeaway: A realistic perspective on the future of work and business. And a wake-up call to adapt before it’s too late.

For whom: For founders who want to understand where the world is heading and how to position their companies and teams for what’s coming.

5. Thinking, Fast and Slow (Daniel Kahneman)

What it is: The definitive book on how we make decisions. Kahneman, Nobel Prize in Economics, explains the two thinking systems we use: the fast, intuitive one (System 1) and the slow, rational one (System 2).

Core idea: Most of our decisions (including financial and business ones) are made with System 1: fast, emotional and full of biases. And we almost always believe we’re using System 2.

Takeaway: A map of the cognitive biases that affect your decisions: confirmation bias, overconfidence, loss aversion. Understanding them doesn’t eliminate them, but it makes you a better decision-maker.

For whom: For anyone who makes important decisions, which is everyone. It’s dense but worth every page.

Where would you start? If you want our recommendation: start with The Psychology of Money. In 2 hours it changes how you think about money forever.