The 8 best accounting books of 2021

Best for Managers and Business Executives: Financial Intelligence: A Manager’s Guide to Knowing What the Numbers Really Mean

Written by Karen Berman, Joe Knight and John Case, the latest revised edition of Financial Intelligence: A Manager’s Guide to Knowing What the Numbers Really Mean is a must read for professionals who lack the skills to interpret financial numbers with confidence. Many managers and executives who have risen through the ranks in a company over time and who have excelled because of their industry expertise and talent for people management, have not taken a basic accounting course or in finance for years (if ever).

Today, businesses of all sizes recognize the power of data collection and analysis, but data without the ability to interpret it makes no sense. Financial information does a great job of centering each lesson in a real world scenario that will be instantly recognizable to business leaders and executives. Authors are also careful to include not only formal accounting terms in their descriptions, but also words that are more frequently used in actual business operations.

Managers who read Financial information will walk away with a working understanding of business accounting, as well as how to interpret numbers on financial reports, talk about finances with accountants and statisticians, and make data-driven decisions that support goals of the company.