The First Billion Is the Hardest

Reflections on a Life of Comebacks and America's Energy Future

De: T. Boone Pickens

Narrado por: Arthur Morey

With a Plan for Reducing U.S. Oil Dependency

It’s never too late to top your personal best.

Now eighty years old, T. Boone Pickens is a legendary figure in the business world. Known as the “Oracle of Oil” because of his uncanny ability to predict the direction of fuel prices, he built Mesa Petroleum, one of the largest independent oil companies in the United States, from a $2,500 investment. In the 1980s, Pickens became a household name when he executed a series of unsolicited buyout bids for undervalued oil companies, in the process reinventing the notion of shareholders’ rights. Even his failures were successful in that they forced risk-averse managers to reconsider the way they did business.

When Pickens left Mesa at age sixty-eight after a spectacular downward spiral in the company’s profits, many counted him out. Indeed, what followed for him was a painful divorce, clinical depression, a temporary inability to predict the movement of energy prices, and the loss of 90 percent of his investing capital. But Pickens was far from out.

From that personal and professional nadir, Pickens staged one of the most impressive comebacks in the industry, turning his investment fund’s remaining $3 million into $8 billion in profit in just a few years. That made him, at age seventy-seven, the world’s second-highest-paid hedge fund manager. But he wasn’t done yet. Today, Pickens is making some of the world’s most colossal energy bets. If he has his way, most of America’s cars will eventually run on natural gas, and vast swaths of the nation’s prairie land will become places where wind can be harnessed for power generation. Currently no less bold than he was decades ago when he single-handedly transformed America’s oil industry, Pickens is staking billions on the conviction that he knows what’s coming. In this book, he spells out that future in detail, not only presenting a comprehensive plan for American energy independence but also providing a fascinating glimpse into key resources such as water—yet another area where he is putting billions on the line.

From a businessman who is extraordinarily humble yet is considered one of the world’s most visionary, The First Billion Is the Hardest is both a riveting account of a life spent pulling off improbable triumphs and a report back from the front of the global energy and natural-resource wars—of vital interest to anyone who has a stake in America’s future.©2008 T. Boone Pickins; (P)2008 Random House, Inc.

Reseñas de la Crítica

“Entertaining…both Adam Smith and Horatio Alger would find something to like in the rise of T. Boone Pickens.”
—Wall Street Journal

“The latest memoir from the Texas oilman…Pickens’ sauciness does entertain.”
—Time

“Sassy…breezes along…salted with earthy aphorisms.”
—Bloomberg Businessweek

“Self-deprecating and audacious…overall, it’s decidedly informative about the machinations of business.”
—Dallas Morning News

“A fascinating, eye-opening book by one of America's greatest iconoclasts and entrepreneurs. Boone Pickens’ sense of daring and innovation has never been sharper. Readers will quickly realize that this billionaire's extraordinary achievements are but a warm-up for what he is about to do now.”
—Steve Forbes, President and CEO, Forbes Inc., and Editor-in-Chief of Forbes magazine

“Boone’s analysis of America’s energy situation is 100% on the money. In easy and colorful language he tells us where we are going wrong and what we must do about it. The country should listen to him — now!”
—Warren Buffett, Chairman and CEO, Berkshire Hathaway

“It is inspiring to see Boone Pickens tackling the big issues, daring himself to think bigger, putting forward wind, water and energy ideas that are nothing less than paradigm busters. This absorbing and illuminating book shows why Boone has been more successful than just about all his competitors, and, more crucially, why the problem of resource scarcity may not be as insoluble as some think.”
—Jeffrey Immelt, CEO, General Electric

“Boone Pickens was among the first to grasp that corporations can be marvelous catalysts for progress if individual investors are given a say in what their priorities should be. Today, as humanity faces resource scarcity and dwindling supplies of cheap energy, the responsibility that has devolved to entrepreneurs, and the investors who back them, has never been more immense. Yet, in recounting his own story of comeback after comeback and tackling some of history's biggest oil, wind and water projects, Boone shows that sometimes all it takes is rejecting the ‘usual’ and striking out across virgin territory. In that sense, Boone is a pioneer, and this is a pioneer’s story. Even now, the man they call the Oracle of Oil is blazing new paths that may, indeed, lead us out of the predicament we find ourselves in.”
—Carl Icahn, Chairman, Icahn & Co., Inc.

All about Boone

Would you listen to The First Billion Is the Hardest again? Why?

Good Read to learn about Boone past, present and future.

What did you like best about this story?

his vision for the future

Have you listened to any of Arthur Morey’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

yes, I like his reads

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

I am always fascinated to hear the childhood background of great people

Not bad

Solid book. Was very intriguing especially the political undertones. A life's work can yield many breakthroughs into hushed subject matters impacting the USA and world.

Book is OK-good for business-proud on personal

I recommend book strictly on business information and Natural Gas/Oil Business shared. It seemed from Mr. Pickens tone that he was a little out of touch with his pride and staying grounded. It was disappointing to hear him brag about all of the great accomplishments, and never mention much about family, but rather lose more sleep over his dog. Boone is not a bad guy, but he is definitly proud, but has alot to be proud of!

Wisdom from one of the best

This is one of the better audible books I have listened to. Mr Pickens thoughts on energy and our national security are right on. He has the business sense and the expertise in the are of energy resources to make a strong case for his proposals which are both well though out and sobering. There is just enough about his background and personal life to make the man real and at the same time, the technical side of business that he speaks of is educational to say the least. The narrator does and excellent job and is easy to listen to. Highly recommended.

If I was 1.00% as smart as this

Some of the techniques that Boon used in the past are innovative. Being such an underdog taking on such giants, it is truly an inspiring book. Not to make a billion, but to not count the most unlikely of thoughts out.