The Snowball: Warren Buffett and the Business of Life
by: Alice Schroeder
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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.”
When Alice Schroeder met Warren Buffett she was an insurance industry analyst and a gifted writer known for her keen perception and business acumen. Her writings on finance impressed him, and as she came to know him she realized that while much had been written on the subject of his investing style, no one had moved beyond that to explore his larger philosophy, which is bound up in a complex personality and the details of his life. Out of this came his decision to cooperate with her on the book about himself that he would never write.
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.
From the Hardcover edition.
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.”
When Alice Schroeder met Warren Buffett she was an insurance industry analyst and a gifted writer known for her keen perception and business acumen. Her writings on finance impressed him, and as she came to know him she realized that while much had been written on the subject of his investing style, no one had moved beyond that to explore his larger philosophy, which is bound up in a complex personality and the details of his life. Out of this came his decision to cooperate with her on the book about himself that he would never write.
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.
From the Hardcover edition.
Alternate Versions:
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Customer Reviews
Average Rating:
Rating: 
- THE Book on Warren Buffet
"The Snowball" a wonderful book that gives you insight into the life of the greatest investor of our time.On the one hand he is a humble, somewhat quirky individual with strong Mid-Western values, on the other he is prodigy with an incredible business mind.I previously read the other Buffet biography, "Making of an American Capitalist," which was also very good, but this book gives you a very detailed picture of Warren Buffet, the human being, who is shaped by his family and his experiences. ... Read More
Rating: - Excellent Biography
Book arrived in time and in good condition.
The biography was very interestinh and well written.
Rating: 
- Fascinating life, horrible author
Warren Buffet's life story certainly deserved a better writer than this.I have seen better writing than this from middle school students.
Rating: 
- Superior Investment, Average book
Warren Buffett certainly knows an undervalued company when he sees one, but the same can't be said of his judgement in writers. The Snowball reported earned a $7 million advance, but the result is a book that is too long and ultimately lacks focus and insight.
Several writers have made the switch from the investment world to the writing world with grace (William Cohan and Liaquat Ahamed come to mind), but unfortunately Alice Schroeder, a former insurance analyst at Morgan Stanley, seems ... Read More
Rating: - Great Book
Let's be clear on what this book is NOT about: it is NOT about giving you a quick and dirty tipsheet to make money off stocks.
This book is about Warren Buffet's life. The very length of the book will have you seeping into Warren's life since he was a toddler, all the way up to the present. You'll learn about how investing for him began with collecting coins, selling newspapers and franchising pin-ball machines. And since Warren has been involved with American finance closely, you'll also ... Read More
- THE Book on Warren Buffet"The Snowball" a wonderful book that gives you insight into the life of the greatest investor of our time.On the one hand he is a humble, somewhat quirky individual with strong Mid-Western values, on the other he is prodigy with an incredible business mind.I previously read the other Buffet biography, "Making of an American Capitalist," which was also very good, but this book gives you a very detailed picture of Warren Buffet, the human being, who is shaped by his family and his experiences. ... Read More
- Excellent BiographyBook arrived in time and in good condition.
The biography was very interestinh and well written.
- Fascinating life, horrible authorWarren Buffet's life story certainly deserved a better writer than this.I have seen better writing than this from middle school students.
- Superior Investment, Average bookWarren Buffett certainly knows an undervalued company when he sees one, but the same can't be said of his judgement in writers. The Snowball reported earned a $7 million advance, but the result is a book that is too long and ultimately lacks focus and insight.
Several writers have made the switch from the investment world to the writing world with grace (William Cohan and Liaquat Ahamed come to mind), but unfortunately Alice Schroeder, a former insurance analyst at Morgan Stanley, seems ... Read More
- Great BookLet's be clear on what this book is NOT about: it is NOT about giving you a quick and dirty tipsheet to make money off stocks.
This book is about Warren Buffet's life. The very length of the book will have you seeping into Warren's life since he was a toddler, all the way up to the present. You'll learn about how investing for him began with collecting coins, selling newspapers and franchising pin-ball machines. And since Warren has been involved with American finance closely, you'll also ... Read More
