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The First Billion Is the Hardest: Reflections on a Life of Comebacks and America's Energy Future |  | Author: T. Boone Pickens
Publisher: Three Rivers Press
List Price: $15.00
Buy New: $8.55
as of 11/23/2009 12:47 CST details
You Save: $6.45 (43%)
New (28) Used (12) from $6.50
Seller: AlexanderTheGreat
Rating:  33 reviews
Sales Rank: 57548
Media: Paperback
Edition: Reprint
Pages: 288
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.5
Dimensions (in): 7.9 x 5.1 x 0.7
ISBN: 0307396010
Dewey Decimal Number: 650
EAN: 9780307396013
ASIN: 0307396010
Publication Date: September 8, 2009
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
It’s Never Too Late to Top Your Personal Best.
Both a riveting account of a life spent pulling off improbable triumphs and a report back from the front of the global-energy and natural-resource wars, The First Billion Is the Hardest tells the story of the remarkable late-life comeback that brought the famed oilman and maverick back from bankruptcy and clinical depression. Along the way, the man often called the “Oracle of Oil” shares the insights that have made him a legend–and describes the billion-dollar bets he is now making in hopes of securing America’s energy independence.
“Sassy...breezes along...salted with earthy aphorisms.”—Bloomberg.com
“Boone’s analysis of America’s energy situation is 100 percent on the money....The country should listen to him–now!” —Warren Buffett, chairman and CEO, Berkshire Hathaway
“Self-deprecating and audacious...overall, it’s decidedly informative about the machinations of business.” –Dallas Morning News
“A fascinating, eye-opening book by one of America’s greatest iconoclasts and entrepreneurs. Boone Pickens’ sense of daring and innovation has never been sharper.”–Steve Forbes, president and CEO, Forbes Inc., and editor in chief of Forbes magazine
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Showing reviews 1-5 of 33
 An Original Businessman August 10, 2009
E. Drew McKechnie (Washington, DC USA)
A 'business book' from a refreshing perspective, I liken it more to a series of interesting anecdotes on leadership, timing, and decision-making. His story of success, collapse, and redemption in the oil and natural gas business is unique, and his commitment to his latest initiative - green energy - is truly inspiring.
Bottom line: 4 stars. Boone, I'll up it to five stars if you hire me. June 27, 2009
Clay E. Hudgins (Southwest and Southeast USA)
This is several books in one. Pickens first describes the career path that made him one of the world's wealthiest people, which starts to seem a little too self-congratulatory.
Then about the time you get tired of hearing about Pickens getting rich, Pickens shifts to making the argument (paraphrasing): `as you can see, I got rich in the futures market by being one of the best in the world at predicting the forward price of fossil fuels, especially crude oil and natural gas - and don't forget I got started a geologist. So, based on that, you should perhaps pay a little bit of attention to my opinion about the long term future of oil and natural gas.'
Then he proceeds to describe himself as a believer in peak oil theory, recommending a shift to other sources. What sources? Pickens believes we're going to need to develop all sources: shale oil, Canadian oil sands, liquefied coal, solar, wind, and nuclear. Plus, he thinks we should be moving to compressed natural gas for both passenger automobiles and commercial vehicles right now.
He then makes extended arguments for compressed natural gas in vehicles, and wind farms for electric.
Finally, he describes his philanthropic work.
It's a good read, but hard to put it in any one "box", due to very broad scope.
Bottom line: 4 stars. Boone, I'll up it to five stars if you hire me.
GB Texan April 29, 2009
Gary D. Beasley
Boone Pickens has done a lot for Texas and the nation. This is just one chapter of a great billionaire that is for a GREEN Earth.
Interesting and Educational! April 8, 2009
Loyd E. Eskildson (Phoenix, AZ.)
Known as the "Oracle of Oil" because of his ability to predict the direction of fuel prices, Pickens built Mesa Petroleum, one of the largest independent oil companies in the U.S., from a $5,000 investment by himself and two partners. At age 68, he left the company and had lost 905 of his investing capital. Since then he turned his investment funds remaining ($3 million), plus those of his partners, into $8 billion by age 77. Currently Pickens is staking billions on wind and natural gas energy - seeing them as the way to American energy independence. Along the way he has given away $700 million to his favorite causes, especially Oklahoma State University.
Pickens comes across as folksy and down-to-earth, with little tolerance for CEOs who fail to maximize returns for stockholders.
At age 26 (1954) he quit Big Oil (Phillips Petroleum) and began work as a well-site consultant for $75/day. Two years later he started his own firm, and in 8 years it grew to $15 million/year in profits - largely thanks to a takeover of a much larger firm. By the early 1980s he decided it was easier to look for oil and gas reserves in the NYSE than the Gulf of Mexico or some other untapped frontier.
Pickens doesn't believe the reserve figures provided by Middle Eastern governments, or that ANWR, ethanol, or new technology offer a big impact. Pickens also states that lack of U.S. refineries are not a big factor in the high price of gasoline.
An interesting book about an interesting person. I particularly liked his homespun insights and lessons from his parents and grandmother.
Energy past & future April 4, 2009
Ilya Grigorik (Toronto, ON, Canada)
Boone Pickens is an American business icon who has made his mark on the oil and commodities markets with Mesa and BP Capital. The book is packed with interesting insights into these industries, as well as, great business advice all around. As you read the autobiography, you cannot help but to be struck by the relentless drive and ambition of Boon Pickens - a trait you'll see in many other successful businessman (Warren Buffet, Ted Turner, etc).
The book is easy to read and written in conversational tone. You will learn about the history of Mesa & BP Capital in the first half of the book, Pickens' energy plan in the latter, and about the author himself from the numerous "Booneisms" discussions across the entire book.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 33
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