Here is THE book recounting the life and times of one of the most respected men in the world, Warren Buffett. The legendary Omaha investor has never written a memoir, but now he has allowed one writer, Alice Schroeder, unprecedented access to explore directly with him and with those closest to him his work, opinions, struggles, triumphs, follies, and wisdom. The result is the personally revealing and complete biography of the man known everywhere as "The Oracle of Omaha." Although the media track him constantly, Buffett himself has never told his full life story. His reality is private, especially by celebrity standards. Indeed, while the homespun persona that the public sees is true as far as it goes, it goes only so far. Warren Buffett is an array of paradoxes. He set out to prove that nice guys can finish first. Over the years he treated his investors as partners, acted as their steward, and championed honesty as an investor, CEO, board member, essayist, and speaker. At the same time he became the world's richest man, all from the modest Omaha headquarters of his company Berkshire Hathaway. None of this fits the term "simple." When Alice Schroeder met Warren Buffett she was an insurance industry analyst and a gifted writer known for her keen perception and business acumen. Her writings on finance impressed him, and as she came to know him she realized that while much had been written on the subject of his investing style, no one had moved beyond that to explore his larger philosophy, which is bound up in a complex personality and the details of his life. Out of this came his decision to cooperate with her on the book about himself that he would never write. Never before has Buffett spent countless hours responding to a writer's questions, talking, giving complete access to his wife, children, friends, and business associates--opening his files, recalling his childhood. It was an act of courage, as The Snowball makes immensely clear. Being human, his own life, like most lives, has been a mix of strengths and frailties. Yet notable though his wealth may be, Buffett's legacy will not be his ranking on the scorecard of wealth; it will be his principles and ideas that have enriched people's lives. This book tells you why Warren Buffett is the most fascinating American success story of our time.
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.5 / 5.0
A Beautiful Mind:
After reading this wonderful biography, I want to thank Mr. Buffett for allowing the story of his life to be told, warts and all, and Alice Schroeder for doing such a great job in writing this book. I finished reading The Snowball, Warren Buffett and the Business of Life a few days ago and I truly miss not being able to read another chapter of Mr. Buffett's life. There is so much to comment upon in this book and much has already been said. However, what I would like to focus my comments on is the... more info
An Oracle about the Oracle of Omaha:
Alice Schroeder has written a classic that will be the definitive work in revealing the life and character of a very complex man. Not just for students of investment, this book is motivating and inspirational for students of life. Most books written about Warren Buffett explain how he amassed such wealth; primarily writing about business relationships. Alice Schroeder has uncovered many personal details previously not known, which answers the "why" in many of Buffett's actions. Although the book... more info
Fabulous insight into a very interesting man.:
I'm devouring this enormous book so fast that I'm getting a "Snowball Headache" LOL
His approach to investing is well displayed in the book and fun to watch develop over time as he moves from selling newspapers and used golf balls to become an icon in the world of finance. His life, and the colorful group of people who have been part of his story, make for a great read.
Thank you Alice Schroeder for giving us this glimpse into the man and his methods.
The Snowball:
hile the book is a good read the Kindle edition does not support your ability toview the many footnotes until you get to the end of the book. Kindle dropped the ball on this one by not enabling the ability to do so. The first letter of my first sentence is a W. Kindle does not make provisions for me to go back and make corrections.
