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

I Deep dive into the Oracle of Omaha's life.

I enjoyed the Lessons and Obstacles that came along with Warren Buffets life. The great relationships he acquired and maintained, the Values in which he Valued the most. Remember the Cigar butts.

Crucial Reading

Supplement this book with a detailed study and reading all of the Berkshire Hathaway letters to shareholders and you will probably have a decent idea of how Buffet invests.

long but good

long but good. a very interesting look at the world's greatest investor of all time

great listen

Warren Buffett fans will enjoy this book. very educational and detailed from his personal life to every business move.

Good to know the inner-me. keep them close.

I listen for research. Q and others. to figure out how we got here, find where we started.

Long & worth it

It will pull you in eventually and by the end you just want to keep on listening. And in a way you will fall in love with the subject and want to know more. Great job!

Excellent more nuanced presentation of this very famous man

I felt I knew a lot about Buffett (inasmuch as you can know about a stranger who is famous) but this story was a surprisingly entertaining candid story about a man who was a lot more complex than I had assumed. The book is really well written and the man is fundamentally decent and admirable which makes it easy to fully recommend anyone listen to this great book.

Amazing story of a very complicated man.

I listened to the long version and was captivated the whole time. I did turn speed up as it was dragging out and I was anxious to find out what was next. Narrator was great. You won’t be bored with this book- especially if you worked on Wall Street. Highly recommend this book!

Increíble biography

What a remarkable individual told with phenomenal insights, depth, and care. Highly recommended for anyone in the financial markets.

Walking a mile in someone else's shoes

What made the experience of listening to The Snowball the most enjoyable?

I enjoyed the way the story was told and the content of the book.
It paints someones life with someone else's brush; but isn't that what great story teller's do?

What did you like best about this story?

When the narrator spoke of what the world around Mr. Buffet was like at certain points in time, I felt as though I stepped through a time machine and saw it myself.

Which character – as performed by Kirsten Potter – was your favorite?

Difficult to tell, I was enveloped by the full experience

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

No crying, but I did laugh out loud at some parts I found funny

Any additional comments?

Lesson's are passed down through stories. We have the great fortune of being able to hear more stories than any generation before us. We do not have to go on long journeys to hear someone tell us about Mr. Buffet. We can set time aside and listen to Kristen tell us the story.