Well, that's just silly. Reading books does not transform people the way that MBAs do. Most of the top MBA programmes will double a student's salary. Reading the books alone just will not do that. MBAs use case studies which force people to apply thinking in groups, to develop soft skills and cross-cultural abilities, and to safely make mistakes. Internship, corporate hiring and alumni networks are open to them. The outcomes cannot be compared: just try it and see!

PS The reading list doesn't even offer anything on corporate finance!

Or, you can think about it this way: shell out $150k for a fairly certain return on investment, or buy some books for $150 and pray.

Sometimes, it's more than just knowledge - that tuition you are paying provides a proven framework for career advancement. And psychologically, if you pay that much for something, you are going to want to make the most of it to minimize your risk. Your investment into books doesn't provide that motivation.