// Book comparison
Influence vs The Intelligent Investor
Which should you read? A side-by-side comparison of Influence by Robert Cialdini and The Intelligent Investor by Benjamin Graham.
Influence
by Robert Cialdini
★ 4.9/5
The Intelligent Investor
by Benjamin Graham
★ 4.9/5
At a glance
| Influence | The Intelligent Investor | |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | ★ 4.9/5 | ★ 4.9/5 |
| Pages | 320 | 640 |
| Reading time | ~8.0 h | ~16.0 h |
| Published | 1984 | 1949 |
| Author | Robert Cialdini | Benjamin Graham |
| Category | Personal Effectiveness | Finance & Investment |
| Publisher | William Morrow | Harper Business |
Choose Influence if…
- → You're interested in personal effectiveness.
- → You want the higher-rated book (4.9/5).
- → You prefer a shorter read (~8.0 hours).
- → You want the more recent perspective (1984).
Choose The Intelligent Investor if…
- → You're interested in finance & investment.
Key takeaways — Influence
- ✓ Apply the Reciprocity Principle by providing value to your stakeholders first, creating a psychological obligation that significantly increases your future persuasive power.
- ✓ Leverage Social Proof by highlighting the endorsements of your existing customers and industry leaders to reduce perceived risk for new strategic partners.
- ✓ Utilize Commitment and Consistency by asking for small, initial agreements that lead your stakeholders to stay aligned with your larger organizational goals over time.
Key takeaways — The Intelligent Investor
- ✓ Apply the Margin of Safety principle to every investment, ensuring you buy assets at a significant discount to their intrinsic value to protect against downside risk.
- ✓ Utilize Mr. Market to your advantage by buying when he is irrationally pessimistic and selling when he is overly optimistic, rather than following his emotional lead.
- ✓ Adopt the mindset of a Defensive Investor, focusing on the systematic selection of high-quality, undervalued businesses and maintaining a balanced, diversified portfolio.
The verdict
If you want the higher-rated, shorter read, start with Influence. If you specifically need finance & investment, The Intelligent Investor is the better fit. Both summaries are free — no signup required.
❓ FAQ
Is Influence or The Intelligent Investor better? +
Influence has the higher reader rating (4.9/5 vs 4.9/5), but "better" depends on your goal. Influence focuses on personal effectiveness, while The Intelligent Investor focuses on finance & investment. See the verdict below.
Which is shorter, Influence or The Intelligent Investor? +
Influence is shorter (320 pages, ~8.0 hours) compared to The Intelligent Investor (640 pages, ~16.0 hours).
Should I read Influence or The Intelligent Investor first? +
If you want the quicker, higher-rated read, start with Influence. Otherwise read whichever matches your current goal — both summaries are free on BookHubs.