Top 10 Best Accounting Books of all Time

Top 10 Best Accounting Books of all time – Numbers cab be so nerve wrecking and add to it the detailed information that the brain needs to process. It’s a deadly combination. However, imagine numbers and information processed in a language that is very easy to understand. Well this is the handy work of great authors who have made finance a very interesting subject for even the dumbest of students among us. If you choose to defer I believe you need to go through some of the best accounting books to change your mindset. Well, I would not make you do the research work, take a look at the top 10 best books on accounting of all time, read them to agree with me on this topic very soon. Please note that some accounting books are for beginners and others are for intermediate to advanced users.

#1 – Accounting Made Simple – Accounting Explained in 100 Pages or Less

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by Mike Piper

The first baby step in to the accounting world needs to be cautiously tread considering you do not want to run away with fright with the in depth details and heavy terminology. This book by Piper keeps things straight and simple with practical and simple examples that help elucidate the concepts without the unnecessary jargon of the technicalities. The basic concepts of topics like Accounting Equation and its significance, reading and preparing financial statements, calculation and interpretation of several different financial ratios and the concepts and assumptions behind Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) are explained sufficiently in a concise manner. The accounting textbook is a quick read for the early beginners gripping them till the end as well as helping the novice to refresh their concepts.

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#2 – A Brief History of Economic Genius Paperback 

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by Paul Strathern

History puts many off to sleep…zzzz and imagine if it is the history of numbers and theories, but we vouch that this book won’t make you fall off to sleep until you have read the last page of the book. Strathern writes history as if it is a piece of lively picture. He uncovers the definite progression of mathematics and economic theory, from double-entry booking keeping to the discovery of standard deviation and the various applications of probability theory.  Theories have been synchronized as a piece of beautiful music taking from Adam Smith and Hume; to the French Optimists and British Pessimists: Saint-Simon and Owen; Marx and Hegel; Pareto; Veblen; Schumpeter, Keynes, John Nash and finally back to von Neumann. Strathern condenses the broad history of mathematical influence of every economist on to the other and there by shaping each of their theories by arriving at one another’s conclusion. The author does a great job of putting this boring information in an interesting format and thereby providing a deep understanding of the subject through the men of history.

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#3 – Accounting All-in-One For Dummies

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by Kenneth Boyd  (Author), Lita Epstein (Author), Mark P. Holtzman (Author), Frimette Kass-Shraibman (Author), Maire Loughran  (Author), Vijay S. Sampath (Author), John A. Tracy (Author), Tage C. Tracy (Author), Jill Gilbert Welytok (Author)

A one stop solution for all the problems is the easiest answer to many of our issues. How about solving all your accounting problems in one go? Accounting All-in-one for Dummies is the right reference in this regard. The book provides a speed cruise of all accounting topics from the basics of debits and credits to more complex issues like amortization and regulation. The text is simply written and a very easy read. The book also covers topics such as ways to report on financial statements, how to make savvy business decisions, auditing and detecting financial fraud. All this is made easy with simple examples and small business scenarios. This accounting textbook is a good investment for the future by any accounting professional, MBA students or small businesses for a quick reference.

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#4 – Accounting Handbook (Barron’s Accounting Handbook) 

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by Jae K. Shim Ph.D. (Author), Joel G. Siegel Ph.D. CPA (Author), Nick Dauber MS CPA (Author), Anique A. Qureshi Ph.D. CPA (Author)

When you have a book written by so many CPA holders, it is worth checking out for the sheer magnanimity of the task completed by them. But this book is worth treasuring considering the innumerable requirements that it meets from the world of accounting. The authors have very carefully penned down the details of financial accounting and painstakingly described each and every element of financial statements with details on financial reporting requirements and compliance, and U.S. GAAP (Generally Accepted Accounting Principles) and IFRS (International Financial Reporting Standards). Chapters are also dedicated to cover cost management, as well as taxation forms and their preparation. This book is an extensive A-to-Z dictionary of accounting terms, short-entry definitions of everything from Abacus to Z score.

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#5 – The Tax and Legal Playbook: Game-Changing Solutions to Your Small

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by Mark J. Kohler 

Accounting itself is so tough and combine it with tax, a cocktail of two dangerous subjects. But Kohler handles both accounting and tax issues in a funny manner throwing the seriousness completely out of the window. Small business owners often get so dogged by complexities of the legal entities that they often miss out on their product spelling doom for them in the long run. Kohler an expert on the matter of accounting and tax delivers an outstanding content to help people save their time and money. The book answers legal questions by baring open the naked truth allowing you to take better decisions for the protection of your assets. Kohler does a great job by providing real life examples, ultimately taking out the fear of the common man from the idea of tax and accounting as a complex world of bizarre and intimidating instructions. The book is a great guide for tax planning and tax saving strategies. With every page you unfold this book is sure to make you wiser and equipped with handling the difficult situations of tax saving and planning. Read this informative book to raise you tax IQ quotient.

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#6 – Warren Buffett Accounting Book: Reading Financial Statements for Value Investing Buffett Book Edition

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by Stig Brodersen  (Author), Preston Pysh (Author)

Accounting is incomplete without the musing of investing. The complex terms and heavy financial concepts can put off anybody but this book is sure to put you through the entire nitty gritty of investing without the usual boredom. The book is aimed at enlightening investing professionals who have just set their foot into this industry. It is a treasure trove, as the book is to the point in explaining the requirements to analyze financial statements. There is no beating around the bush or unnecessary examples which will bog you down. It’s a textbook on investing that every fresher should invest in for his successful career in this profession. The authors have done an excellent job in providing a perfect link to the various metrics of the various financial statements, and explain thoroughly why certain metrics are used and what they represent in real-world terms. It is a great learning to analyze companies and when to buy and sell the stock.

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#7 – A Random Walk Down Wall Street: The Time-Tested Strategy for Successful Investing

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by Burton G. Malkiel  (Author)

A book by Princeton economist is sure to make heads turn and if it is the celebrated Burton Malkiel students cannot resist the inclination to grab a copy of his book. Written in 1973, this book is an established guide for all fresher, novice or the entrepreneur. Written in a simple and engaging style, this book packs the idea of indexing in a risk taking and unpredictable world of stock market. The book advices in a lucid way and does a great job of combining the theoretical and the practical of the stock market funds. The eleventh edition of the book adds fresh material on exchange-traded funds and investment opportunities in emerging markets; a brand-new chapter on “smart beta” funds, the newest marketing gimmick of the investment management industry; and a new supplement that tackles the increasingly complex world of derivatives. This book is a great source of fundamentals and is recommended for anybody who is looking for advice on managing his money.

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#8 – Financial Shenanigans: How to Detect Accounting Gimmicks & Fraud in Financial Reports

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by Howard Schilit  (Author), Jeremy Perler  (Author)

The name of the book itself is enough to ignite your curiosity and going through it. It almost sounds like a detective story and no wonder the Business Week awards them the title “from the Sherlock Holmes of Accounting”.  The book is an investment for not only financial professionals but for the layman to understand the gimmicks played upon by master head company makers to trick the investors. It is the Bible of detecting accounting frauds, allowing you to assimilate information on the tricks played by corporate bigwigs, exposing the deceptive levels of accounting involved and preparing you to be ready to detect such frauds early on to avoid financial losses in the future. This financial accounting book equips you to deal with

• Earnings Manipulation Shenanigans:Learn the latest tricks companies use to exaggerate revenue and earnings.
• Cash Flow Shenanigans:Discover new techniques devised by management that allow it to manipulate cash flow as easily as earnings.
• Key Metrics Shenanigans:See how companies use misleading “key” metrics to fool investors about their financial performance.

The authors shed light on all the informative details by revealing the most shocking frauds and financial miscreants in the global market.

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#9 – Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything Paperback

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by Steven D. Levitt (Author), Stephen J. Dubner (Author)

The heady combination of an economist and a journalist is sure to produce something spectacular and the result is Freakonomics. Levitt and Dubner delve deeper into the everyday working of normal situations to decode how things work in the world by the control of economics. The book is written in a fiction format, but provides a very valuable wry insight into the workings of economics from its root, analyzing sociological developments in a lively manner.  The book though provides food for the mind; the technical data is supplemented by concrete arguments and evidences that do not allow the reader to lose the plot. An easy read that is sure to keep everyone fascinated with its revelations.

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#10 – Intermediate Accounting 

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by Donald E. Kieso  (Author), Jerry J. Weygandt (Author), Terry D. Warfield (Author)

An excellent reference for established accountants, the author invariably handles each and every topic of accounting as a teaching lesson rather than a gospel being imparted for learning. Kieso very efficiently dwells on the everyday accounting programs like Excel, GLS, and other computerized accounting software giving them a strong background in the tools needed in the accounting profession. Intermediate Accounting is the perfect guide to providing the tools needed to understand what GAAP is and how it is applied in practice. The text also includes the new way of looking at GAAP, Convergence of U.S. GAAP and IFRS, and Fair Value Movement. The core of Kelso’s value statement continues to be authoritativeness and preparation for the profession (CPA exam). The book on accounting and finance provides tips, example problems and shows, you how to break them down step by step. It is a comprehensive guide and a must have for every accounting student.

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The above is a summary of top ten accounting books that we think is a great treasure trove of knowledge. Students and professionals opinion can vary because each individual have their own favourites and there are countless books on accounting, so delve into each personally to enrich your knowledge. Consider spending time with these! All the best in your reading.

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