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Every book Brad Barrett recommended on podcasts
Brad Barrett’s book club picks
Brad Barrett has picked 4 books for the book club on ChooseFI. The latest is Happy Money by Ken Honda, first picked in October 2026. Every pick, newest first:
Brad Barrett’s most recommended books
- The Simple Path to Wealth by Jl Collins
- Die with Zero by Bill Perkins, William O. Perkins
- Thinking in Bets by Annie Duke
- Atomic Habits by James Clear
- The 4-Hour Workweek by Timothy Ferriss
- The Simple Path to Wealth by J. L. Collins
- How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big by Scott Adams
- Outlive by Peter Attia, Bill Gifford
- Your Money Or Your Life by Joseph R. Dominguez
- The Simple StartUp by Rob Phelan
Brad Barrett hosts the podcast ChooseFI, where he discusses financial independence and early retirement strategies with various guests and experts. Throughout the episodes, Barrett frequently directs his listeners to helpful financial and personal development books. He directed listeners to where they could purchase Jesse Mecham's book Never Worry About Money Again and praised the book Tax Planning To and Through Early Retirement by Cody Garrett and Sean Mullaney, noting its massive success and high sales volume within the financial independence community. Barrett also discussed Bryce and Kristy Leung's book Parent Like a Millionaire (Without Being One), describing it as a Trojan horse for introducing people outside the financial community to financial independence principles. To illustrate simple and effective low-cost index fund investing, Barrett brought up JL Collins's book The Simple Path to Wealth. When discussing decision-making and the concept of resulting, he mentioned Annie Duke's book Thinking in Bets as essential for daily life. Additionally, Barrett mentioned purchasing Russ Harris's book The Happiness Trap after a guest recommended it, and he recommended his friend Rob Phelan's book M Is for Money as a helpful resource for kids learning about personal finance.
Books recommended by Brad Barrett
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The Simple Path to Wealth
The Simple Path to Wealth by JL Collins is a clear and accessible guide to achieving financial independence through low-cost index fund investing and simple savings habits.
Discussed“And it was fascinating because I was listening to an old episode with JL Collins, the original episode he did on Choose a VI about the simple path to wealth.”
Where to get it
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Die with Zero
Die with Zero by Bill Perkins and William O.
Discussed“And in that book, the author Bill Perkins talks about exactly this, gifts to your children. And it's like, do you wait to do this until you've passed and it goes through your state when maybe you're in your 90s and your kids are in their 70s.”
Where to get it
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Thinking in Bets
Annie Duke's Thinking in Bets is an insightful guide that applies poker strategies and decision-making frameworks to everyday life, teaching readers how to navigate uncertainty and avoid cognitive traps.
Recommended“So she wrote a book called Thinking in Bets, which I think is just an absolutely essential book for just living, basically.”
Where to get it
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Atomic Habits
Atomic Habits by James Clear is a widely praised guide on habit formation, behavior change, and systems over goals.
Discussed“So, the goal, it's fascinating because you hear people like James Clear from the author of Atomic Habits talk about systems versus goals.”
Where to get it
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The 4-Hour Workweek
The 4-Hour Workweek by Timothy Ferriss is a highly influential lifestyle design manual that challenges conventional career paths and encourages readers to automate, delegate, and escape the traditional nine-to-five grind.
Discussed“the most neglected chapter in the 4-hour work week, which is the filling the void chapter, right?”
Where to get it
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The Simple Path to Wealth
The Simple Path to Wealth by J.
Discussed“I'm reading The Simple Path to Wealth, educating myself on my options and just trying to take the fear out of my future.”
Where to get it
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How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big
How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big by Scott Adams is a self-improvement and business book that advocates for building a diverse talent stack and focusing on repeatable systems rather than rigid long-term goals.
Discussed“we talked a very long time ago about about the talent stack and I read that book by Scott Adams I think it's how to fail at nearly everything and still win big or something like that”
Where to get it
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Outlive
Outlive by Peter Attia and Bill Gifford is a comprehensive guide to longevity and health optimization, focusing on proactive medical strategies to extend both lifespan and healthspan.
Critiqued“We've all seen in the last couple of weeks the author of Outlive who a lot of us would have considered one of the pinnacle people in the longevity movement is essentially a total scumbag, right?”
Where to get it
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Your Money Or Your Life
Your Money Or Your Life by Joseph R.
Discussed“could you for our audience like let's just assume that the audience hasn't read your money or your life they're finding out about financial Independence through us”
Where to get it
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The Simple StartUp
The Simple StartUp by Rob Phelan is a beginner's guide and student workbook designed to help young people create their very first entrepreneurial venture over the course of a semester.
Recommended“you know this past week we just talked about we talked with Rob Phelan about his brand new book The Simple startup it's a manual for teachers and students that allows you to over the period course of a semester really help a student create their first entrepreneurial venture and do so kind of with the ethos of a pop-up”
Where to get it
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The Golden Albatross
The Golden Albatross by Grumpus Maximus and Doug Nordman is a financial guide that helps military personnel and public service workers evaluate whether staying in their jobs for a pension is truly worth the personal and professional costs.
Recommended“as from our friend grumpus Maximus who we had on the show way back when episode 57 and 227 and he wrote a great book called The Golden Albatross how to determine if your pension is worth it”
Where to get it
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Freelance to Freedom
Freelance to Freedom by Vincent Pugliese is an inspiring guide that teaches professionals how to break free from traditional employment models, build sustainable independent businesses, and take control of their time and income.
Discussed“I know Jonathan when you read through his book you said to me instantly this is going to be a New York Times bestseller and you just you just loved it”
Where to get it
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Make Time
Make Time by Jake Knapp and John Zeratsky is a practical productivity guide designed to help readers focus on what truly matters each day by stepping away from endless content consumption and intentionally reclaiming their schedules.
Discussed“so there's a book called make time how to focus on what matters every day one of the authors is named John zaratsky”
Where to get it
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Small and Mighty Real Estate Investor
Small and Mighty Real Estate Investor by Chad Carson is a practical guide designed to help individuals achieve financial freedom by managing a smaller, highly efficient portfolio of rental properties rather than accumulating massive debt.
Recommended“So that's uh Chad Carson, our great friend, has a book called The Small and Mighty Real Estate Investor. And I think this is fantastic.”
Where to get it
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Tax Planning To and Through Early Retirement
This practical finance book provides actionable strategies for managing wealth and taxes leading up to and during retirement.
Recommended“As we mentioned, your book, tax planning, two and through early retirement, it's incredible. It's hard stop to end a story. I think it's pretty hard to make a book about tax planning really interesting and compelling and a must read.”
Where to get it
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Influence
Influence by Robert B.
Discussed“like sometimes I'm thinking back to like the Robert chini's book influence and like I think the psychological study was something silly”
Where to get it
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Unstoppable
Unstoppable by David Hauser is a four-step framework designed to help individuals transform their lives, achieve personal balance, and improve decision-making.
Discussed“David Hauser wrote this book Unstoppable”
Where to get it
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The Gap and The Gain
The Gap and The Gain by Dr.
Discussed“and it reminds me of this book that I've read recently called The Gap and the gain”
Where to get it
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Raising Your Money-Savvy Family For Next Generation Financial Independence
Raising Your Money-Savvy Family For Next Generation Financial Independence by Doug Nordman and Carol Pittner is a practical guide designed to help parents teach children financial literacy and life skills.
Recommended“so he along with his daughter Carol wrote the book raising your money Savvy family for Next Generation Financial Independence that was phenomenal phenomenal book”
Where to get it
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Why Does The Stock Market Go Up?
Why Does The Stock Market Go Up? by Brian Feroldi is an accessible primer designed to teach investors the fundamental mechanics of Wall Street and compounding.
Recommended“so I would have to mention his book which is literally called why does the stock market go up so you can find links for that at choosefi.com”
Where to get it
The other 122 books Brad Barrett recommended or discussed, ranked
- Tools of Titans by Timothy Ferriss
- Set for Life by Scott Trench
- The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk
- The Comfort Crisis by Michael Easter
- The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel
- Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker
- Predictably Irrational by Dan Ariely
- Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert T. Kiyosaki, Sharon L. Lechter
- Four Thousand Weeks by Oliver Burkeman
- Reset : How to Restart Your Life and Get F. U. Money by Charlie Spedding
- Get Good with Money by Tiffany the Budgetnista Aliche
- Retire Often by Jillian Johnsrud
- Your Money or Your Life by Vicki Robin, Joe Dominguez
- Can't Hurt Me by David Goggins
- Mindset by Carol S. Dweck
- Poor Charlie’s Almanack by Charles T. Munger
- The Happiness Trap by Russ Harris
- The Little Book of Common Sense Investing by John C. Bogle
- The ONE Thing by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan
- A Complaint Free World by Will Bowen
- Factfulness by Hans Rosling, Ola Rosling, Anna Rosling Rönnlund
- Goodbye, things by Fumio Sasaki
- How to Decide by Annie Duke
- How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie
- Just Keep Buying by Nick Maggiulli
- Millionaire Women Next Door by Dr. Thomas J. Stanley
- Never Eat Alone by Keith Ferrazzi
- We're Talking Millions! by Richard Buck, Paul A Merriman
- Design Your Future by Dominick Quartuccio
- Early Retirement Extreme by Jacob Lund Fisker
- Smart Couples Finish Rich by David Bach
- The Infinite Game by Simon Sinek
- The Millionaire Next Door by Thomas J. Stanley, William D. Danko
- Ultralearning by Scott H. Young
- Pathfinders by JL Collins
- Buy What You Love Without Going Broke by Jen Smith
- Never Worry About Money Again by Jesse Mecham
- Fire the Haters by Jillian Johnsrud
- Keys to a Successful Retirement by Fritz Gilbert
- The Purpose Code by Jordan Grumet
- The year of less by Cait Flanders
- Tipped by Barbara Sloan
- First to a Million by Dan Sheeks
- Happy Money by Ken Honda
- Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen
- The Mindful Millionaire by Leisa Peterson
- Your Journey to Financial Freedom by Jamila Souffrant
- A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik
- A Healthy State of Panic by Farnoosh Torabi
- Enemies of Peace by M.K. Williams
- Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willink, Leif Babin
- Grit by Angela Duckworth
- How to Be Comfortable with Being Uncomfortable by Ben Aldridge
- How to retire happy, wild, and free by Ernie J. Zelinski
- M Is for Money by Rob Phelan
- Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson
- Open by Andre Agassi
- Parent Like a Millionaire (Without Being One) by Kristy Shen
- Quiet by Susan Cain
- Quit Like a Millionaire by Kristy Shen
- Richer, Wiser, Happier by William Green
- So Good They Can't Ignore You by Cal Newport
- Stillness Is the Key by Ryan Holiday
- Taking Stock by Jordan Grumet
- The Bogleheads' guide to retirement planning by Taylor Larimore
- The Future Is Faster Than You Think by Peter H. Diamandis
- The House Hacking Strategy by Craig Curelop
- The interpretation of financial statements by Benjamin Graham
- The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch
- The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss
- The One Thing You Need to Know by Marcus Buckingham
- The Paradox of Choice by Barry Schwartz
- The Warren Buffett Way by Robert G. Hagstrom
- The Wise Man’s Fear by Patrick Rothfuss
- What Color Is Your Parachute? for Retirement by John E. Nelson
- Work Optional by Tanja Hester
- 10% Happier by Dan Harris
- 13 Things Mentally Strong People Don’t Do by Amy Morin
- 21 Lessons for the 21st Century by Yuval Noah Harari
- Baby Bargains by Alan Fields
- BiggerPockets Wealth Magazine, Volume 2 Issue 4 by BiggerPockets Publishing LLC
- Blue Crimes and International Criminal Law by Zoi Aliozi
- Bono: Stories of Surrender by Bono
- Born to Run by Christopher McDougall
- Dave Ramseys Complete Guide To Money The Handbook Of Financial Peace University by Dave Ramsey
- David and Goliath by Malcolm Gladwell
- Deep Work by Cal Newport
- Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport
- Dollars and Sense by Dan Ariely
- Drive by Daniel H. Pink
- F.I.R.E. For Dummies by Jackie Cummings Koski
- Financial Feminist by Tori Dunlap
- Financial Freedom by Grant Sabatier
- Harry Potter by Unknown
- Learned Optimism by Martin Seligman
- Made Whole by Tiffany the Budgetnista Aliche
- Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl
- Money Letters 2 My Daughter by Jackie Cummings Koski
- Mutual funds for dummies by Eric Tyson
- Outwitting the devil by Napoleon Hill
- Playing with Fire by David J. Schlafer
- Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari
- Simplicity parenting by Kim John Payne
- Social Security Made Simple by Mike Piper
- Summary: Factfulness: Ten Reasons We're Wrong about the World--And Why Things Are Better Than You Think by Hans Rosling by In a. Nutshell Publishing
- Superfans by Pat Flynn
- The 2-Hour Cocktail Party by Nick Gray
- The 4-Hour Body by Timothy Ferriss
- The 5 Love Languages for Men by Gary Chapman
- The big short by Michael Lewis
- The Biggest Bluff by Maria Konnikova
- The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie
- The Gap Symmetry and Fluctuations in High-Tc Superconductors by Julien Bok
- The Happy Body by Jerzy Gregorek
- The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
- The Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod
- The Real Crash by Peter D. Schiff
- The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck by Mark Manson
- To Sell Is Human by Daniel H. Pink
- Tribe of Mentors by Timothy Ferriss
- Wild by Cheryl Strayed
- Women with Money by Jean Chatzky
Books Brad Barrett wrote
Appearances
Other mentions (138: passing, ad reads, own books), the 30 most recent
“I'm Ginger and I'm joined today by Jillian Johnsrud, someone you all know because you read her book Retire Often and immediately started hoarding cash for your mini retirement in the future.”
“Today on the show, I'm joined by Jesse Mecham, the founder of YNAB and the author of the new book, Never Worry About Money Again.”
“So, tax planning to and through early retirement. Like I said, the day this publishes, the book comes out officially the following day. So, September 23rd, 2025. Where can people find it?”
“Today on the show, we have my good friend Jackie Cummings Kausski, who's back for the first time in 5 years, and she is now the co-host of the Catching Up to Five podcast and the author of Fire for Dummies.”
“So, we mentioned your book Fire for Dummies, and also you're the co-host of the Catching Up to Fi podcast, which is a fantastic You and Bill do a a great job there.”
“And for that, we went ahead and sent this question over to Fritz from Retirement Manifesto, friend of the show, frequent guest, and author of the book Keys to a Successful Retirement.”
“He is the author behind the book Keys to a Successful Retirement as well as the popular blog Retirement Manifesto and a frequent guest on the podcast.”
“Today on the show we have our good friend Jillian Johns who's back with a new book. The book is retire often and she's been on the show previously talking about mini retirements”
“For those of you who aren't familiar with Tim, he's the author of multiple best-selling books, including the 4-Hour Work Week, 4Hour Body, and Tools of Titans.”
“For those of you who aren't familiar with Tim, he's the author of multiple best-selling books, including the 4-Hour Work Week, 4Hour Body, and Tools of Titans.”
“For those of you who aren't familiar with Tim, he's the author of multiple best-selling books, including the 4-Hour Work Week, 4Hour Body, and Tools of Titans.”
“I mean, I read the 4-hour work week pretty shortly after it was released.”
“She's a CFP and the host of the Everyone's Talking Money podcast.”
“She's the author of the new book, Unraveling Your Relationship with Money: Ditch Your Money Trauma So You Can Live an Abundant Life.”
“And Cody, so you mentioned Sha Malaney. I know you two are writing a book. I'm not sure what kind of uh if we're in early stages, middle stages where we are. Any kind of sneak peek on that and when it might come out. Yeah. So, today we talked about taxable brokerage accounts, which is one chapter out of”
“And I think the beautiful part about FI over the last really almost decade since a simple path to wealth came out since choosi started in early 2017 is there are different flavors of it.”
“And Chris, as we said earlier, can I retire yet.com? And you are the lead author on Chooseify, your blueprint to financial independence, the book, which is absolutely marvelous. It's amazing how long ago we you wrote that.”
“And you are the lead author on Chooseify, your blueprint to financial independence, the book, which is absolutely marvelous.”
“especially for people who know their personal finance maybe they they found shoes of high early or some the simple path to wealth I'd love for you to talk through like the case for the trades”
“today in the show we have two of my really good friends we have Jen and Jill from The Frugal Friends Podcast and they have a new book coming out on January 7th called buy what you love without going broke”
“like once I learned about index funds once I read simple path to wealth I was like okay I'm good I can just wrap up”
“And that's kind of not discipline in terms of like raw raw, beating yourself up, but like I think about it in terms of, okay, setting up a framework.”
“I wonder that that might be we'd have to mock that up in like a turbox or something”
“today on the show we have a followup for a social security deep dive and I'm really happy to say we have a true expert Mike Piper who is the founder of opo security.com and the author of Social Security made simple and I love his uh his little tagline here on this book Social Security retirement benefits and related”
“she is the author of the brand new book your journey to Financial Freedom and is the host of The Journey to launch podcast”
“so like we said the workbook made hole the Practical guide to reaching your financial goals comes out November 21st I'm assuming people can find it anywhere books are sold”
“and she's the author of the new book which just came out October 3rd called a healthy state of panic follow your fears to build wealth crush your career and win at life”
“also wanted to let you know that in October of 2019 we released our book choosify your blueprint to financial Independence it takes the Big Ideas the big Concepts from the first two years worth of episodes and turns that into a linear story it's fun it's engaging it's easy to understand to read it's a perfect handbook to have”
“he read every article on Mr Money Mustache went to Jim Collins and he's he told me he bought 10 copies of the simple path to wealth and sent them to 10 of his friends”
“She's talking about how it starts off financial independence started off as this fringe idea being pushed primarily by books like Your Money or Your Life and uh bloggers like Mr. Money Mustache.”