|  | Author: Alice Schroeder
Publisher: Bantam
List Price: $35.00
Buy Used: $4.94
as of 11/23/2009 01:13 CST details
You Save: $30.06 (86%)
New (67) Used (130) Collectible (29) from $4.94
Seller: dreambooksco
Rating:  205 reviews
Sales Rank: 4894
Format: Deckle Edge
Languages: English (Original Language), English (Unknown), English (Published)
Media: Hardcover
Edition: 1ST
Pages: 976
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 3.4
Dimensions (in): 9.3 x 6 x 2.2
ISBN: 0553805096
Dewey Decimal Number: 332.6092
EAN: 9780553805093
ASIN: 0553805096
Publication Date: September 29, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: This is a used book in good condition with normal wear and tear and may contain some writing, minor shelf wear and creases. Items are uploaded via ISBN and stock photo may be different from actual book cover.
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| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 21-25 of 205
Born for money and a good reputation; keeps thoughts private for such a big book June 15, 2009
Citizen John (Washington, DC)
3 out of 4 found this review helpful
I strongly recommend the CD version over the book version for 2 reasons: (1) The book version is 976 pages - packed with a lot of miscellaneous detail. (2) The CD version is abridged and the reader, Richard McGonagle, simply carries it. McGonagle does Buffett's voice just as well as the Oracle himself and is an all-around professional reader.
This CD set will hold your attention because the reader is so good, Buffett's life story is remarkable and there are possibly 100 or so discrete lessons about life, business, the markets and professional responsibility.
However instructional and entertaining, I did not find this book inspirational. The writing itself was mediocre. Yet the CD earns 4 stars because of the high quality of the reader and the amazing and instructive life of Buffett.
What is probably hidden by the weight of the 976 page tome but evident in the abridged CD version is how this book project was organized.
This authorized biography was meant to integrate and respond to all the public information about Warren Buffett. All the famous witticisms, the well-known deals and details about the man are presented in chronological order and without further revealing Buffett's thoughts on important matters.
Over and over we are told that reputation matters more to the man than money. Many stories demonstrate the profit potential of Buffett's name, or what some might call "brand." A headline associating Buffett with a company, for example, might cause that company's stock to instantly shoot up 24%. Berkshire Hathaway (where Buffett has been chairman and CEO for decades) has often traded at a premium to book value - called the "Buffett Premium" despite never having paid a dividend.
A central lesson is that a good reputation, requiring discipline and commitment, is tremendously valuable. Buffett was always cognizant of the effects his actions could have on his reputation. He would never sacrifice reputation for expediency or short-term gains.
The more I got to know about Buffett from this biography, the more convinced I felt that he authorized this project in order to protect and control his reputation. As I got to the last CD, I felt fairly certain that this work was meant to set the record straight on certain matters that were covered. But I also felt that he did not open up much to the author.
Buffett may have spent a lot of time providing miscellaneous details to the author, but I don't think she had access to his mind. For that, I believe the author relied on the same quotes, speeches and annual report letters as has every other author on the man. You just don't know how he feels about anything other than from a witty quote that was already published in other sources.
One thing remains a mystery to me. I could not figure out if Buffett's public figure is deliberately and carefully constructed. We know him as having simple tastes and being homespun. He kept his home in Omaha. But starting at a fairly early stage in his long career, all his friends and associates apparently are wealthy, famous or powerful.
Descriptions of Buffett's leisure time portray exclusive venues, transport by personal jet, and playing golf or bridge with the rich and powerful. He controls many seats on the Boards of major corporations and is a consummate insider.
Finally, while there were many excellent lessons built into this biography, I did not find the work inspirational. First, I could not imagine emulating Buffett because at every age of his life, he was so far ahead of everybody else in experience and understanding of business. Second, his family life seemed neglected to the extreme. Third, other than increasing his wealth, I don't know what motivated him. To be fair, he has committed a lot of money to worthy causes much later in life.
 Buffett in Detail June 13, 2009
Thomas Grover (Naples, Florida)
3 out of 5 found this review helpful
This book, over 900 pages, gives the reader incredible detail of Buffett's life. I had already read books on the man and his investment philosophy, the real prize with this book is the access Buffett gave the author regarding his family life. Not all of it is flattering to the man himself. I thought this was a good read and made a cultural icon seem more human.
Surprisingly personal, educational and compelling... and then there's Bill Gates June 9, 2009
Robert Barnwell (Johnson City, Tennessee)
1 out of 3 found this review helpful
This is a surprisingly interesting, moving and educational work. As a biography I have to admit to some suspicions that much to the author's insistence otherwise that this biography is still biased in favor of Warren Buffett--which is no crime.
Having seen him interviewed, I'm not the least surprised that the author would be charmed by this man.
The educational aspects of this book are also clearly evident. As both a history lesson and source for investing research, there is much to be learned from this material. Especially with it's multiple references to Benjamin Graham's work, the Intelligent Investor.The Intelligent Investor: The Classic Text on Value Investing
Finally, the biggest surprise to me was how compelling a relatively minor character in the book is, namely Bill Gates.
As an Apple devotee who listened unimpressed to Bill Gate's book, The Road Ahead, I have never regarded Bill Gates as much more than the man who denied Apple and other visionary organizations their rightful places through contract manipulations and monopolistic practices of questionable legality. The Road Ahead (Penguin Readers, Level 3)
However, this book introduces a Bill Gates who cares passionately about his friends and family, and about making a positive impact on the world for this generation and for generations to come.
I know the title is meant refer to the power of compounding, but if anyone had told me that this book would actually make me come to like Bill Gates a little I would have said that there's a snowball's chance in hell of that happening. So for me personally, that will always be the true impact of this well crafted and well written piece.
The Snowball: Warren Buffett and the Business of Life June 7, 2009
Ross
3 out of 5 found this review helpful
Bill Gates, Larry Ellison and others, including Warren Buffett (along with people such as Andrew Carnegie) have always fascinated me due to their amazing financial success and seeing how some can achieve so much. Not just because of their wealth, but more so how they see the same things we do, yet take it further.
So I decided to read this book. And like many people who are wealthy, sometimes perceived a bit wrong ("Just a rich Robber Baron") Buffett is alot more than the quick headlines and soundbites that pass through the news.
His ability both a a business man, and someone who is also looking to contribute more to the world, makes for a very good book that I highly recommend. In this day and age seeing his thoughts also add to understanding our current economic situtation.
Planting Trees That Will Not Likely Come To Full Fruition Until After You Are Gone June 3, 2009
One More Option (USA)
1 out of 3 found this review helpful
I believe most people may have some major incorrect assumptions about Warren Buffet. For example, most people probably believe he made most of his money by being an excellent stock picker, buying the stock, then selling it for a profit. He was/is an excellent stock picker. He was a person who had the intelligence to understand the underrecognized wealth of a company, its assets, and earning potential. But his ability to create wealth was dependent as much or more on some other prominent, yet less recognized and less understood characteristics.
Here are some characteristics of Buffet's business life the average observer may not fully understand:
1) Buffet selected companies that would profit from his ownership and guidance. He bought companies he perceived would become more profitable under his direction, companies that without his direction would have likely done worse financially. In some cases, it's clearly implied that if Buffet's team had not bought the company, the company may have failed.
So, it wasn't simply a matter of Buffet seeing and recognizing undervalued assets or potentials. The company gained value after his purchase because of Buffet's guidance. The value didn't simply arise from the increased visibility that came from the company being added to Buffet's investment portfolio.
Buffet bought companies not only to profit from owning them. Rather, he bought companies when he believed his purchase and guidance would make the companies, their other owners (shareholders) and sometimes their employees, more profitable or wealthy - a win-win.
2) Buffet often bought controlling interests in the companies he invested in. Often, he did not prefer to purchase only a minority ownership interest in a company. He often preferred to buy a controlling interest, so that he could direct the company, their financial choices, and their distributions of assets.
Most of the time, Buffet didn't "give away" his money to a stock broker and lose control of how his money was used, like most investors do. When he bought a stock or company, he almost always maintained control of the assets he bought. This is incredibly rare in the world of stock purchases. Very few people have the amount of cash or business sense to buy controlling interests in as many diverse types of businesses as Buffet has done.
3) His financial objectives were not, as most might assume, to create a dynastic amount of wealth that he could transfer to his family line. Yes, he created a massive amount of wealth, and all of his immediate family members became very wealthy. But the majority of his wealth he chose to transfer to a charitable foundation that a) is not named after him or his family and b) will not be controlled by his directives.
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My family has planted fruit trees in our back yard. It's interesting to me how few people plant fruit trees anymore. Most modern yards I visit don't have fruit trees. This is probably for many reasons. Fruit trees take a lot of regular work. And they are not a "quick return" project. They don't produce good fruit for at least 3 years after you start them. And I suppose most people only have the time to buy their fruit at the grocery store.
But I believe it's important to plant fruit trees - trees that will create value and pleasant, measurable, and consistent benefits for others over time, even if we are no longer around to enjoy their fruits.
I love Buffet's story because his life's work was about finding underrecognized assets, then through his nurturing and involvement, the assets became more valuable, visible, and valued. He did not acquire assets or companies in order to hoard them or to create an excessive amount of benefits only for his immediate familiars. In the end, his life was about finding unseen wealth, growing that wealth, and sharing it efficiently with many others to create extraordinary benefits for others using a low amount of cost.
Buffet's life's work and teachings are models for creating wealth and tangible assets for not only himself but also for the greater good. He did it through many very diverse types of businesses. And he did it with the intent of teaching others how to work each day to plant and grow trees that would create uncommonly good benefits down the road, even after we are all gone - a valuable and worthwhile artistic aspiration.
Showing reviews 21-25 of 205
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