<prompt> Human: As the title states Im looking for accessible books relating to efficient market hypothesis or other long term investing theories. She is having a hard time getting her head around the idea of risk and the idea that long term the stock market can be a great investing tool and not even especially risky over a 15-20 year period.Ive gone over the concepts a few times but I feel like shed benefit more from another persons perspective. Anyone know some reading I could recommend?  <response>: The stock market is risky though. There are periods in history when it was down for the 15-20 years that you mention, and in case of a major crisis, shareholders get paid last. Youre right, of course, that in the long run it most likely will pay off, but there is no guarantee. This is precisely why it has a potentially high return: it has high risk. Risk and return are different sides of the same coin.For someone risk- averse the stock market may not be the greatest idea. Its one thing to say oopsie, five year crash here in an Excel sheet, but another to actually sit through a crisis and see, say, 20 years of your hard work erased. People who are anxious tend to buy and sell at the exactly wrong times.Maybe try looking at the bond market andor keep the stock allocation small? Bonds have typically lower returns but also lower risk. 