What's on my bookshelf
Roger's Recommended Reads
Life & Happiness • Making Better Decisions • Money & Investing
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Books about
Life & Happiness
Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less
Greg McKeown
Another annual read for me. The constant current of MORE can smother you. Many times we get overwhelmed because we want to please others and end up sacrificing ourselves in the process. This book will challenge you to let go of the unnecessary.
The How of Happiness
Sonja Lyubomirsky
A happiness book for the more analytical types. A practical guide to implementing strategies to improve your life. "Finally we have a self-help book from a reputable scientist whose advice is based on the best experimental data... The How of Happiness is smart, fun, and interesting - and unlike almost every other book on the same shelf, it also happens to be true.” -Daniel Gilbert, Harvard University professor of psychology

Happiness is a Choice You Make
John Leland
Author John Leland shares the stories of six New Yorkers who are among the oldest of the old (eighty-five and up). He expected to find stories of loneliness and the deterioration that comes with aging. Instead, he found six very different people living rich lives. If you’re worried about aging, this book will help you approach it with a new perspective.
Love Does
Bob Goff
Love is a verb. This book will challenge and inspire you to embrace life at a new level. Great stories and examples of love in action. A perfect read to reenergize you for retirement.
20,000 Days And Counting
Robert D. Smith
As of 3/13/18 I’ve been alive 18,678 days. This book gives you simple strategies to help you live more in the present. Timeless wisdom presented in a beautifully simple way.
Books about
Making Better Decisions
A Million Miles in a Thousand Years
Donald Miller
Author Donald Miller is a great story teller. In this book, he tells his own story and shows how to use the elements of storytelling to script a better life (no matter how your life story has played out so far).
Great By Choice
Jim Collins
A business book that is easy to read and gives awesome insight on how to manage your personal life. Concepts such as “Firing Bullets, then Cannonballs,” “Leading Above the Death Line” and “Executing 20 Mile Marches” have greatly influenced my ARM process.

Q.B.Q.: Practicing Personal Accountability At Work and In Life
John G. Miller
The wisdom in this book has quite literally changed (for the better) the course of my life. It’s super simple to read and challenges you to take ownership over your life by always asking the “question behind the question.” Read it. Have your kids read it. Give it to a friend.
books about
Money & Investing
The Millionaire Next Door
Thomas J. Stanley
A classic personal finance book that identifies seven common traits of normal people that have accumulated wealth. Well worth reading, regardless of your age.
Stocks For The Long Run
Jeremy J. Siegel
This investment classic was updated in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis. Dr. Siegel’s research is superb, and it will provide you with a deep understanding of markets and equities.
“A clearly written, neatly organized, highly persuasive exposition that lifts the veil of mystery from investing.” —John C. Bogle, founder and former Chairman, The Vanguard Group

The Rational Optimist
Matt Ridley
Pessimists dominate virtually everything we read, watch and see. If you listen to political or financial news, you’d think the world was falling apart. This well-researched book shows that things are actually getting better! Read it to arm yourself against pessimism.

The Investment Answer
Daniel C. Goldie
This book frames investment management in easy to understand terms without all the statistical mumbo jumbo most investment people use. Lots of wisdom here.
The Behavior Gap
Carl Richards
This easy-to-read book contains TONS of wisdom about the behavioral aspect of decision making. This book will help you make better financial decisions.

Winning the Loser’s Game
Charles D. Ellis
The great Peter Drucker called this “by far the best book on investment policy and management.” It cuts through all the noise and outlines how simple investing can be. An investment classic.
Don't see Rock Retirement on this list? That's because it's here.