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 neve...
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Nov 29, 2008
Espen
rated it: 
To succeed in business, be patient, look for value, be honest, and have cash in hand. And don't think about anything else. In fact, be an unrepentent monomaniac. Warren Buffett has become the worlds richest man by making investments that he gets derided for at 10-year intervals, then, when the bubble bursts, he is a saint again.... Buffett is extremely good at making money - and has a rather impressive idea about what to do with it (keep investing, give it all away to someone who is good at givi
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Feb 27, 2009
Gary
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Life story of Warren Buffet. About 800 pages. In detail, outlines in amazing detail many of his deals. Even more detail on personal relationships – a real dissection of who he is and how he came to be what he is.Goes into Howie in some detail – how he really wanted to be a farmer, his migration to Decatur, what his functions were at ADM, etc. How $1,000 invested with Warren early on made multi millionaires out of a number of people.His relationship with Bill and Melinda Gates (he thought of Bill
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Jan 23, 2009
James
rated it: 
I think Buffett is a titan of our time, and that his story is inpirational. He is a good and righteous man, a money-changer who doesn't ever get thrown out of the temple. He's got a great sense of business, but he's also a great man. His support for the Berkshire textiles, less profitable, but of social good, hearkens back to an owner-worker relationship that existed in the 1950's, if it ever existed at all. He's got lots of quirks, a sex life that perplexes everyone, and the largest charitable
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Dec 12, 2008
Judith
rated it:
Get ready for a ride through this tome. It covers Buffett's childhood right up to the present. I enjoyed reading about the education of Buffett in school, out of school, in work and with people. What could have shortened the book was the too many facts about people in his life. The sentence would mention a person and you'd have to read though that persons life history and his or her family's history. I enjoy bios but if I want to read a person's bio I'll pick up their book.
Another thi More...
Another thi More...
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Oct 12, 2011
Clinton
rated it:
The Snowball expectantly delivers a genuinely intriguing insight into the unpretentious and mysterious man, Warren Buffett. The demeanor of Warren Buffett is very genuine, yet sometimes his eccentric conduct can be attributed to his precocious ability interpreting business and finance.
Throughout the book, Warren displayed a great amount of integrity despite the inducements and enticing ominous nature of finance. The story of Buffett’s personal tribulations and successes were much more emoti More...
Throughout the book, Warren displayed a great amount of integrity despite the inducements and enticing ominous nature of finance. The story of Buffett’s personal tribulations and successes were much more emoti More...
May 08, 2011
James
rated it: 
This was a disappointing book.
At 834 pages plus notes and index there were a lot of words,
but at least 80% were just gossip about who had a problem
with drinking, drugs, hurt feelings etc etc etc.
The trivia even included who their babysitter married!!!
Over the years I've read often about the remarkable partnership of Buffett and Munger,
but very very little of that is mentioned in this book.
And clearly Mr B didn't proof the book, beca More...
At 834 pages plus notes and index there were a lot of words,
but at least 80% were just gossip about who had a problem
with drinking, drugs, hurt feelings etc etc etc.
The trivia even included who their babysitter married!!!
Over the years I've read often about the remarkable partnership of Buffett and Munger,
but very very little of that is mentioned in this book.
And clearly Mr B didn't proof the book, beca More...
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Jul 13, 2010
Tom
rated it:
Inspiring!! The story of a living legend.
The man who focussed his entire life on amassing fortune to give it away for the common good.It gives detailed account of his business and personal life.
its life as a paper boy, collecting golf balls, selling lemonides, saving his earnings, his bitter experiences with his mother, loving and caring father who was a us senator, he who thought himself as lucky - the ovarian lottery, his partner charlie monger and others in BRK,his mentor Graham, More...
The man who focussed his entire life on amassing fortune to give it away for the common good.It gives detailed account of his business and personal life.
its life as a paper boy, collecting golf balls, selling lemonides, saving his earnings, his bitter experiences with his mother, loving and caring father who was a us senator, he who thought himself as lucky - the ovarian lottery, his partner charlie monger and others in BRK,his mentor Graham, More...
Jun 16, 2010
Max
rated it:
Clearly worth reading if you are a Warren groupie (which I am)
Maybe worth reading if you aren't?
Some have faulted the book for not being stronger in the secrets of his investment success. This is silly. For starters, Warren Buffet himself has written extensively on that topic, imparting most of the wisdom that can be imparted. Read his annual letters or even interviews if you want that. And second, by definition there isn't an easy playbook of rules that people can fo More...
Maybe worth reading if you aren't?
Some have faulted the book for not being stronger in the secrets of his investment success. This is silly. For starters, Warren Buffet himself has written extensively on that topic, imparting most of the wisdom that can be imparted. Read his annual letters or even interviews if you want that. And second, by definition there isn't an easy playbook of rules that people can fo More...
Aug 31, 2009
Patrick
rated it:
This was an amazingly detailed accounting of Warren Buffett's life and the people he surrounded himself with. It's clearly the most complete book written about him to date, with Roger Lowenstein's "The Making of an American Capitalist" as next in line. Alice Schroeder clearly worked incredibly hard and produced an outstanding book about a man that hasn't allowed the kind of insider access to his life at any other time in history.
There are details here that I've read nowhe More...
There are details here that I've read nowhe More...
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Jul 09, 2009
Scott
rated it:
Why I Read this Book: Warren Buffett is the epitome of success in many ways for a lot of people. I had to find out the real story.
Topics Covered:
* Modeling
* Internal Values
* Value Investing
* Trade offs of various forms of success
* Understanding your purpose and priorities
* Importance of Relationships
Review:
I preordered my copy of Snowball through Amazon the day it was announced. I will warn you More...
Topics Covered:
* Modeling
* Internal Values
* Value Investing
* Trade offs of various forms of success
* Understanding your purpose and priorities
* Importance of Relationships
Review:
I preordered my copy of Snowball through Amazon the day it was announced. I will warn you More...
Apr 10, 2009
Karen
rated it:
I learned of Buffett's philosophy and his ethics of business. His passion for learning. He was known for saying quite often that the purpose of life is to be loved by as many people as possible among those you want to have love you.
I quote from the book: "How do I find the right spouse? Marry up, He said. How do I know what is right? follow your Inner Scorecard.
What should I do about a career? Find something you are passionate about. I only work with people I like. I More...
I quote from the book: "How do I find the right spouse? Marry up, He said. How do I know what is right? follow your Inner Scorecard.
What should I do about a career? Find something you are passionate about. I only work with people I like. I More...
Oct 02, 2011
Very good read, very interesting how a flawed man can decide to stay to his roots, his beliefs and his path, and somehow all the mistakes and all the ridicule along the way rights itself. I had no idea that his late wife Susie was such a saint - not just for her care and social guidance for Buffet early on in the marriage that made a difference in his networks and success - but for her thankless and selfless work during the early days of the AIDS crisis in San Francisco. The only real annoyance
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Dec 10, 2008
Robert
rated it:
Others have shared their reasons for holding this book in high regard. Here is one of mine. Although I had already read various Buffett's chairman's letters that first appeared in a series of Berkshire Hathaway's annual reports, I did not understand (nor could I have understood) the context for observations he shared, especially his comments about especially important 12-month periods throughout BRK's history. Schroeder provides the context or frame-of-reference I needed but previously lacked. F
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May 28, 2011
Richard N.
rated it:
I recommend this book to those: interested in a financial genius, some salient financial / insights, and what ultimately becomes of a trek through fulfillment of a passion.
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Let it be known that it is a rare thing for me to be simultaneously in-awe, saddened, and inspired by someone especially good at amassing great mountains of wealth and financial success.
His journey from (1) laser-beam focused, insanely curious child to (2) a middle-aged multi-millionaire with a ne More...
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Let it be known that it is a rare thing for me to be simultaneously in-awe, saddened, and inspired by someone especially good at amassing great mountains of wealth and financial success.
His journey from (1) laser-beam focused, insanely curious child to (2) a middle-aged multi-millionaire with a ne More...
Jan 08, 2009
Bookmarks Magazine
rated it:
Warren Buffett should be applauded for allowing such open access to his life. Alice Schroeder, who interviewed friends and family, pored over Buffett’s personal archive, and spent thousands of hours with Buffett, comes away with an unprecedented look at the hidden life of an American icon. At more than 900 pages (100 of which are notes), The Snowball—the title is a metaphor for the relentless growth of Buffett’s portfolio—sets the bar high for future efforts. Schroeder’s account is comprehensive
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Jan 03, 2009
Matt
rated it:
I have always disliked Warren Buffutt because of his political views. It seems very easy and convenient to be in favor of all sorts of wealth redistribution when you have so much wealth that it will make absolutely no difference to you. While I still disagree with what he stands for politically, I enjoyed the book immensely. It is a rare non-fiction book that keeps you up late on multiple nights. He has had a truely amazing life and has illustrated the benefits of compounding wealth more th
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Jan 13, 2011
Joe
rated it:
This was a gift from Jane & Roger. It was quite a surprise because I had never before experienced audio books and I never expected to learn much about Warren Buffet. Nonetheless, I found it to be rather engaging. although much of the wheeling & dealing was beyond my ready grasp, I quickly became interested in the person that Warren Buffet was and began to think of friends and family with whom I could share this.
There are 8 CDs, each with something like 18 tracks. I listened in my More...
There are 8 CDs, each with something like 18 tracks. I listened in my More...
Oct 08, 2010
Jeremy
rated it:
Extremely well written. I mean, EXTREMELY well written. Alice Schroeder clearly spent years on this project, and her effort paid off in describing vividly and entertainingly the life of Warren Buffett.
Two things struck me about his life:
1. Even a theory as apparently simple as value investing - investing your money in undervalued businesses - takes a lot of time, energy, effort, and training.
2. Warren Buffett, for all his success, has led a fairly boring life. I had heard this More...
Two things struck me about his life:
1. Even a theory as apparently simple as value investing - investing your money in undervalued businesses - takes a lot of time, energy, effort, and training.
2. Warren Buffett, for all his success, has led a fairly boring life. I had heard this More...
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Feb 12, 2009
Bill
rated it:
Xu gave me as a present, perhaps hoping I would somehow emulate Warren :)
He is an impressive guy, quite certain of himself from a very young age and very clever about making money. The book also provides a nice writeup of his history (his father was a conservative congressman) as well setting up the current enviornment when he was making his money and reputation. The stuff about how nervous he was about girls is also amusing.
In my first ND finance class my prof described the idea t More...
He is an impressive guy, quite certain of himself from a very young age and very clever about making money. The book also provides a nice writeup of his history (his father was a conservative congressman) as well setting up the current enviornment when he was making his money and reputation. The stuff about how nervous he was about girls is also amusing.
In my first ND finance class my prof described the idea t More...
Sep 05, 2011
Adi
rated it:
The book is definitely interesting and inspiring. Despite of the fact that a big chunk of it relate to "old skool" business mindset, what Warren's insights remain relevant to modern business today. In fact, whilst he started his business before most of us were born, he is still sitting on top of one of the world's most powerful companies.
However, I found myself quickly getting bored reading this book. I guess because it talks to much into details about something I do not real More...
However, I found myself quickly getting bored reading this book. I guess because it talks to much into details about something I do not real More...
Dec 02, 2008
James
rated it:
This is a very long and complete bio of Buffett written by an insider who had several years and unfetter access to him. She does an excellent job of telling his fascinating story and this is an excellent read. I had a few issues though (none of which lessen my enthusiasm for the book). First, she begins by claiming that she will follow Buffett's instruction that when faced with differing stories that she should choose the "least flattering one". While this is often the case and the
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Sep 07, 2010
Raj
rated it:
Anyone who follows Buffett would surely treasure this book. It starts out interestingly, kind of stretches in the middle, and gets interesting again towards the end. I'm not sure about the judgments that the author makes about some people and their behavior. For example, about Kay Graham's insecurity, whether it was Buffett's opinion or an acknowledged fact or author's own judgments. This book is more about looking at Buffett's life, the principles and environment that guided his motives rather
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Dec 29, 2008
TJ
rated it:
This was a comprehensive look at Buffet's life, and the author had more access to him than any previous biographer. This turned out to be both a good and a bad thing. I really enjoyed the detailed explanation of how buffet built his wealth, complete with insights from the man himself on how to run a business or find an investment opportunity. I was less a fan of the hundreds of pages of details about his kids life, his wife's hobbies, etc.
There is a lot of good detail in here that More...
There is a lot of good detail in here that More...
Feb 20, 2011
Lori
rated it:
At first a was a bit intimidated to start this very long (707 page) book on a man that I had never followed and only heard about from time to time. What prompted me is the admiration that a friend of mine holds for him, so thought I'd take a closer look. This book certainly did give me much more insight into "The Oracle of Omaha". It was heavy on the business side, but business was and still is his life and what consumes him, so understandable. He always felt himself to be socially
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Apr 01, 2009
Oldesq
rated it:
In The Snowball: Warren Buffett and the Business of Life, Schroeder’s comprehensive biography of Warren Buffett, there are two types of people who inhabit Mr. Buffett’s world. There are the angels of mercy who assist Buffett in conquering the world outside Omaha and the devils who act without his authority and sully his name. In writing this authorized biography Schroeder was obviously given unprecedented access to Buffett and those close to him. Many parts of the tale are unflattering to Buf
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Feb 08, 2012
Nick
rated it:
Fascinating book about an inspirational person. Warren Buffett is so self-effacing, it can sometimes be difficult to appreciate what he actually does to be successful. For all those who thought he just has some magical insight into the share market, The Snowball will quickly correct that illusion. As with all good biographical books, The Snowball imparts knowledge as well as providing insights into the subject of the biography. If you want to learn about the movements of the share market, and ho
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Apr 24, 2009
CJ
rated it:
I must admit, when a friend got this out of the library for me and told me it was 30 discs, I wavered a bit. How would I ever get through that many on my commute? Let me tell you, there were nights when I considered bringing the disc into the house so I could continue to listen (even my 14-year-old was interested). This book really is the definitive Warren Buffett story.
Even if you don't geek out when you hear about how rich people made their money, this story is riveting. I can' More...
Even if you don't geek out when you hear about how rich people made their money, this story is riveting. I can' More...
Feb 11, 2011
Phillip
rated it:
If audiobook listening counts, I've read this 3x (twice via audio). For those with a finance proclivity, they may yawn at the lengthy pages covering his wife (she knew nothing about business that I could tell, but to be fair, didn't care either) and an argument can be made that this could have been edited better (I think it is around 800 pages);also it was skimpy on business deals, this is all true; however, the subject is so interesting I still really enjoyed it! Alice, I'm sure, included so m
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Apr 15, 2009
Shaun
rated it:
An interesting biography on the life of Warren Buffett. I learned how he became rich, how cheaply he lived, (even after he had millions of dollars), and how the money affected his family and relationships. It was amazing to see how his life changed with the billions he earned. He maintained his same personality and lived more or less the same way as prior. It was interesting to see how he was able to meet other rich people and became their friends. For example, Bono from U2 sang at his wife's bi
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Feb 02, 2010
nitin
rated it:
This was not a well written book. Schroeder's writing style is choppy and difficult to read. It seems that she had too much information in her head to write about, but is not a good storyteller.
On the other hand, Buffett's story is truly remarkable. This book persuasively shows that Buffett is one of the most uniquely brilliant people in the history of the century. At the same time, he had several qualities that are not admirable (ie. how he treats his family; his wife; his inabilit More...
On the other hand, Buffett's story is truly remarkable. This book persuasively shows that Buffett is one of the most uniquely brilliant people in the history of the century. At the same time, he had several qualities that are not admirable (ie. how he treats his family; his wife; his inabilit More...
