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THE SNOWBALL: Warren Buffett and the Business of Life | 
 enlarge | Author: Alice Schroeder
Publisher: Bloomsbury UK
Category: Book
Buy New: $30.35
New (12) Used (1) Collectible (2) from $30.35
Avg. Customer Rating:  134 reviews
Sales Rank: 291639
Media: Hardcover
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 976
Shipping Weight (lbs): 3.7
Dimensions (in): 9.5 x 6.2 x 2.3
ISBN: 0747591911
Dewey Decimal Number: 332.6092
EAN: 9780747591917
ASIN: 0747591911
Publication Date: June 30, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: Brand new book delivered from the UK in 10-14 days.
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Product Description
Shortlisted for the Financial Times and Goldman Sachs Business Book of the Year Prize 2008 The Snowball is the first and will be the only biography of the world's richest man, Warren Buffett, written with his full cooperation and collaboration. Combining a unique blend of "The Sage of Omaha's" business savvy, life story and philosophy, The Snowball is essential reading for anyone wishing to discover and replicate the secrets of his business and life success. Warren Buffett is arguably the world's greatest investor. Even as a child he was fascinated by the concept of risk and probability, setting up his first business at the age of six. In 1964 he bought struggling Massachusetts textile firm Berkshire Hathaway and grew it to be the 12th largest corporation in the US purely through the exercise of sound investing principles - a feat never equalled in the annals of business. Despite an estimated net worth of around US$62 billion, Buffett leads an intriguingly frugal life taking home a salary of only GBP50,000 a year. His only indulgence is a private jet, an extravagance he wryly acknowledges by calling it "The Indefensible".In 2006, he made the largest charitable donation on record, with most of it going to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The Snowball provides a comprehensive, richly detailed insight one of the world's most extraordinary and much loved public figures.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 129 more reviews...
 Good Book January 9, 2009
Enjoyed this book greatly. Also have read the shorter Buffet bio by Roger Lowenstein (sp?) and that is also good. This book however really allowed me to see how Buffet works and views the world. Recommend.
 Is he good, or lucky? January 8, 2009
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
What I liked-->First, for an 800+ page book, the author keeps a good pace. The book was entertaining throughout. Second, the author sticks to the facts. Third, the chapter on Mrs. B is wonderful. It is America at its best. Fourth, the story of what happened at Salomon Brothers is great to read, and timely. Fifth, after reading the book Mr. Buffett seems like a real human being.
What I didn't like-->The author made a decision that a step by step description of the process Mr. Buffett uses to evaluate what companies or stocks to buy was not worth including in the book. This expertise is the core of who Warren Buffett is. He chose to use it to make money instead of spending time with his family. Maybe Buffett wouldn't go into the details (his friends describe him as secretive in the book); maybe it was edited out to shorten the book; maybe it is boring or trite or obvious; maybe the author felt it was already available in Buffet's extensive commentary on the "The Intelligent Investor" and in the letters to the Berkshire shareholders. What did make it into the book are the stories of several companies whose stock prices went bad for a long time ( Buffalo newspaper, Salomon Bros,, General Re, Coke) after Buffett bought into them. But why he got into them originally instead of all the other stocks in the market, and what financial information gave him his edge to ride through the bad times, well, "Snowball" gives only hints.
Joaquin de la Guardia, Panama January 7, 2009
Monumental ! Thorough and brutally honest.
Buffett is without peer for his generosity, integrity and investment talent. Picking one winner after another through out his long career. Always adding new streams of "cash flow" to his "cash machine". Businesses as diverse as prison guard uniforms, candies, energy, apparel, insurance, finance, consumer staples, etc., "the learning machine" was able to study them and handicap them perfectly. Always sharing his wisdom and treating his shareholders with the outmost respect and consideration. Personal problems didn't dim his joy and enthusiasm for life.
Astonished the world with his accumulation of wealth, and then out did himself as a philanthropist. Giving away the totality of his state without putting his name on a single building.
"Choose your heroes carefully", Buffett fits the bill.
 Very unhappy January 6, 2009
0 out of 5 found this review helpful
I bought this book as a Christmas present for my Son. I ordered it on 28th November but did not receive it until after Christmas so am very very very unhappy.
fascinating January 6, 2009
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
It gives us an insight into one of the most complex characters in american finances - both the good and the bad. The info on acquirting companies was terrific. Highlight. On weekend with Reagan, he told the President that what he was doing - spending more than he collected - would forever start the nation on a serious journey of overwhelming debt. This was 1982 and here we are in 2009 and another Republican President has certainly done a number in this area in leaving us shortlyto a horrible long term problem. Finally, you can detect Buffett's sense of humor in things as a number of his words of wisdom have proven to be correct.
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