The Snowball

Warren Buffett and the Business of Life

By: Alice Schroeder

Narrated by: Kirsten Potter

Length: 36 hrs and 58 mins

Publisher's summary

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."

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.

©2008 Alice Schroeder (P)2008 Books on Tape

Discover what made him Warren Buffett

An unbelievably detailed description of the life of Warren Buffett. The stories are fascinating and the depth truly portrays how he became the oracle of Omaha. It reveals his obsession, his brilliance, and even his shortcomings. From his best deals to his biggest regrets, it was mesmerizing from the first minute. Although 37 hours seems like an eternity, you’ll likely find yourself wishing for more. I'd recommend this book to anybody that is interested in business.

My only word of caution - while I appreciated the detailed recounts going back more than 70 years, other listeners may find the stories contain too many details (especially surrounding investment decisions).

amazing book

this is a great biography, well narrated, and truly gives you an insight on who Warren Buffet is and what he is like. I would 100% recommend this to anyone who loves biography's and even more if they want to know about Warren.

se extiende mucho en cosas poco interesantes

yo senti personalmente que el libro se volvia mas lento mienteas mas avanzaba el tiempo

Long and worthy

Takes a while to finish but really insightful! The book you want if you want to know everything about Warren.

Great narrator and story. Easy reading.

Many complex financial terms are explained in a form of a story. Great way to know about one of the richest persons in the world.

I LIKE HIM LESS

Would you listen to The Snowball again? Why?

Would listen to some parts again but not the entire book.

What did you like best about this story?

Gives the good and the bad about the man. He is strange. Strange relationships with family. And why was it necessary to keep mentioning how bad his mother was. Let her rest in peace.

What does Kirsten Potter bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Great and pleasant voice.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

No.

Any additional comments?

He comes off in the news as a frugal man. Living in the first house he bought. But he had two houses in Laguna Beach. And he was hardly ever in Omaha after becoming a billionaire. Lived the good life with Kate and the Gates family. Also, seems as if he always had to have his own way.

A tour de force of a biography

An amazing book! I have no idea how Alice Schroeder put this together, but it's a lot. It's really a biography of 30+ people -- not just Warren Buffett, but also Charlie Munger, Ben Graham, Susie Buffett, Buffett's grandparents, parents and children, Katharine Graham, all of Buffett's business partners, Bill Gates, Berkshire Hathaway, and the US economy in the 20th century. The vividness and empathy with which Schroeder describes them makes each character come alive, illuminating Buffett and his era in the context of his relationships.
I particularly appreciated Schroeder's facility in explaining complex financial transactions, of which there are many in Buffett's life. The most remarkable accomplishment of the book is that by the end, I felt like I had entered Buffett's mind. To some extent, I felt I could answer the question "What would Warren do?" regarding investment decisions. His whole philosophy of finding undervalued companies, building in a margin of safety, and avoiding pointless risk makes all kinds of sense (as proven by one of the largest fortunes ever amassed), especially in sharp contrast to the speculative, freewheeling, often unethical practices of the finance world leading to the crash of 2008. Although reading this book may not make you an instant billionaire, it will give you entree into the way one billionaire thinks. Even if you're not a finance buff, this is a thoroughly enjoyable read about a complex man at the center of US history for eight decades.

Enlightening

My friend told me I had to read this book. It was fundamental for me as an investor. He was right...

Wow

What a gift, to be able to get inside this mans mind and story.

What an extraordinary story of a great man

I enjoyed this tale of Mr Warren Buffett to the fullest. It was as if we get too peer into his life and be part of his world if only for a moment. Great detail was taken to describe the events and emotions that came with. excellent read