Investment Reads, Listens and Activities to Check Out This Summer

With summer right around the corner, now’s the time to think about the content – whether that be books, movies or podcasts – you may want to enjoy at the cottage, or just on your backyard deck. While some light novels and mystery reads are a must, you might want to consider bringing some investing-related material and activities with you too. Trading may calm down during the summer months, but that doesn’t mean your investment learning should also slow. Here are some of our top recommendations for investors this summer.

Read
Nudge, The Final Edition, by Cass Sunstein & Richard Thaler
Whether we like it or not, there are countless outside forces influencing our behaviour every day, from the impulse candy in the grocery check-out lanes to the enticing free trial you sign up for just to be hit with an automatic subscription charge when the trial ends. In 2021, this foundational behavioural economics book got completely overhauled to reflect more recent events like COVID-19, but the same critical messages remain: how using nudge theory can help us overcome our natural biases - allowing us to make better decisions, both financially and otherwise.

Rich Girl Nation by Katie Gatti Tassin
For too long, women have been relegated to the back seat when it comes to finances and personal wealth. With this book, personal finance expert Katie Tassin aims to equip women with the knowledge and tools needed to not only build their own financial future, but also to advocate for systemic change in the still male-dominated financial system.

On The Edge by Nate Silver
While many know Silver for his U.S. election predictions, the statistician and founder of fivethirtyeight.com is also a New York Times bestselling author. His latest is an insightful look into the world of gambling and risk, exploring the high-stakes players who speculate on crypto, manage top hedge funds and obsessively play poker. It’s a great read if you want to build a deeper, more analytical approach to investing.

Inflation by Mark Blyth and Nicolò Fraccaroli
With inflation on everyone’s radar, this book gives us the perfect opportunity to re-examine conventional wisdom around how it develops and how to combat it. Political economists Blyth and Fraccaroli argue that future inflation will be driven more by supply-side issues like climate shocks, demographics and geopolitical tensions.

The Retirement Plan by Sue Hincenbergs
Sometimes, what you really need is to turn off your brain and enjoy a fun read. While you may not glean any financial advice, this fast-paced, dark comedic thriller weaves in themes of money, risk and retirement planning. It’s perfect for the investor who’s looking for something light this summer.

Watch
Dumb Money (2023)
Sometimes, the truth is stranger and more entertaining than fiction. That’s certainly the case with the GameStop short squeeze that happened in 2021, depicted in this film by an ensemble cast that includes everyone from Seth Rogen to Sebastian Stan. It’s a story of how ordinary investors, using social media and a volatile market, managed to disrupt Wall Street and turn a struggling retail chain into the hottest stock.

Money Electric: The Bitcoin Mystery (HBO, 2024)
The founder of Bitcoin, Satoshi Nakamoto, has long been an enigma, but this HBO documentary follows filmmaker Cullen Hoback on a global investigation into what he claims is his real identity. It’s also a deep dive into Bitcoin’s origin and the global impact cryptocurrency has had on the investment landscape and the world as a whole.

BlackBerry (2023)
Every Canadian of a certain age remembers the meteoric rise of BlackBerry – as well as its catastrophic failure. This underrated, award-winning and highly entertaining Canadian film retells its story. While it takes some liberties with the narrative, it’s an accurate reflection of the ways innovation, culture, leadership and market forces can shape companies and investment outcomes. A must-watch for anyone who invests in growth-stage companies or tech disruptors.

The Big Short (2015)
This star-studded film adaptation of Michael Lewis’s book follows a group of investors who foresaw the 2008 housing market crash and bet against it. With sharp wit and financial insight, the film unpacks how complex financial instruments like mortgage-backed securities came to be and offers lessons on due diligence, herd mentality and the dangers of systemic risk.

Listen

Odd Lots
Hosted by Bloomberg reporters Joe Weisenthal and Tracy Alloway, Odd Lots is one of the most popular finance podcasts around. Each show is smart and accessible, and explores the quirks, mechanics and big ideas behind global markets. Investors looking for deeper context on everything from supply chains and crypto to inflation and interest rates will enjoy this podcast, and whatever financial issue is on your mind, chances are that it’s on theirs, too.

In the Money
This twice-weekly video podcast hosted by Canadian business journalist Amber Kanwar offers institutional-level insights for everyday investors. Each episode features Kanwar speaking with a top portfolio manager to get their take on the markets and answer listener-submitted questions.

Disruptors
Created by RBC’s thought leadership team, this podcast explores how innovation is reshaping industries, economies and daily life. Hosted by John Stackhouse and Sonia Sennik, it spotlights Canadian entrepreneurs, emerging technologies and global trends. It offers investors forward-looking insights about where growth may come next and how to think critically about transformative change.

What We Spend
Have you ever wondered how someone in another part of the country, working in a completely different field, manages to save up for a big purchase? This podcast has Americans from all walks of life opening up about money – from how much they make to how much they’re spending in a week and more.

Stress Test
The Globe and Mail-produced Stress Test is a personal finance podcast focused on helping Canadians navigate an increasingly expensive world. Globe reporters Rob Carrick and Roma Luciw tackle real-life money challenges from housing to debt to investing. It’s a relatable, practical listen for all investors.

Invest Like the Best
Featuring conversations between host Patrick O'Shaughnessy and top investors and business leaders about the lessons they’ve learned, this podcast offers listeners a masterclass in compounding wealth and wisdom. It’s perfect for gaining deep, nuanced insights into the world of finance this summer.

Play
Stockpile
Who doesn’t love to play board games at the cottage? This award-winning and fast-paced stock market game blends strategy and luck, as players trade on information, forecast dividends and build portfolios. It’ll test your investing skill, while also teaching you about concepts such as stock splits, liquidity and diversification.

Power Grid
Players compete to build and supply cities with electricity through managing resources and bidding for power plants. Though not strictly about investing, it teaches economic strategy, market fluctuations and long-term planning, which are key skills for investors looking to optimize returns while adapting to changing conditions.

Acquire
This classic game of corporate deals and hotel empires challenges players to grow companies, merge rivals and invest wisely. Its heavy focus on timing, liquidity and majority control makes it a great introduction to capital allocation and strategic investing principles.