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The Snowball
Book

The Snowball

Warren Buffett and the Business of Life

Bantam, 2008 plus...


Editorial Rating

10

Qualities

  • Innovative
  • Background
  • Engaging

Recommendation

Warren Buffett is “everyman” as multibillionaire. Despite his vast wealth, he has always eschewed ostentation. He pays himself about $100,000 annually, which in today’s U.S. economy places him in the upper-middle-class. He lives in the same simple Omaha, Nebraska, house that he bought in 1958 for $31,500. He prefers an old gray suit to expensive London tailoring. In Buffett’s early days, when he was only a multimillionaire and not a multibillionaire, he walked around with holes in the soles of his shoes. To Buffett, wardrobe doesn’t matter; what matters is making money. He is better at this pursuit than anyone else in the world. In 2008, Forbes magazine ranked him as the globe’s richest man, with a net worth of $62.3 billion. Author Alice Schroeder does a masterful job of chronicling Buffett’s improbable, inspiring life. As a former superstar research analyst, Schroeder uses her expert knowledge of finance and commerce to detail Buffett’s investment philosophy and business activities. getAbstract praises Schroeder’s remarkable skills as a researcher and writer. Her book is packed with fascinating details and trenchant observations about the “Oracle of Omaha.” One of the best business biographies available, this book shows how the world’s greatest investor amassed the world’s greatest fortune, while staying true to his essential self.

Take-Aways

  • As a boy, Warren Buffett dedicated himself to becoming rich.
  • Now he has more money than anyone else on earth.
  • Buffett earned his fortune by being superb at determining a company’s long-term value and earnings potential, his primary investment criteria.

About the Author

Alice Schroeder, was initially a CPA, and later became a respected research analyst. Impressed with her writing skills, Warren Buffett recommended that she become a full-time writer instead.


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    J. C. 1 decade ago
    The summary provides an excellent overview of the life of Warren Buffett, but note that it does not go into the specific strategies that Buffett uses to identify new investing opportunities.