Alice Schroeder has accomplished an impressive feat. The poor lady must have spent many hours at Gorat's watching Buffett devour his strict Colon Cancer diet. This beautifully written 940 page biography reveals aspects of the Buffett personality which alternately shocked and repelled me. For example, I had no idea that Buffett the teenager was an habitual shoplifter. If I had known this many years ago I might never have started collecting Berkshire shares.
His emotional neglect of his son Howie caused Howie to act up in order to gain his father's attention. Buffett gave neither money nor his personal time to his children. He spent his hours in his study and the children effectively had no father. It was as if he regarded them as a costly overhead expense that he tolerated to please his wife. Years later, when Howie ran for public office, Buffett refused to donate to his son's campaign.
Although he could be tough, heartless and greedy where money was concerned, he was a complete wuss in interpersonal relationships. His mother's criticisms of him as a child made him weep and he was terrified of her even as an adult. One wonders if his uncontrolled greed for cash was his way of building a moat around himself that his mother could not breach.
As his fame grew, he started spending time with his Yiddish princess, Kay. He stayed in her many luxurious residences while his wife lived alone in their small Omaha home now bereft of children. Naturally Susie, his wife, found this to be a lonely life and she started to look around for something to fill in the hours. She sang professionally and gave generously of her time to acquaintances who were needy. She is the true heroine of this book. Her generosity and innate goodness contrast sharply with the shallow greediness of the husband she was pressured into marrying. When Susie, on several occasions, had to enter hospital Buffett refused each time to visit his wife. Apparently the Miser of Omaha is terrified of hospitals and doctors. When his friend Kay lay near death it was his daughter Susie Jr who, after much effort, persuaded him to visit the bedside of his dying friend.
His entire life is based on the dictum: take but never give. The time eventually came when his wife Susie had had enough. She moved out to San Francisco and started enjoying herself. Buffett wept for days when he realized that his wife had left him. He begged her to return but to no avail. Susie asked a friend to look in on him & to cook him an occasional meal. Eventually the friend moved into the house. Buffett, the book clearly shows, is always on the lookout for a 'mommy' - a female who will shelter him, coddle him and make him feel 'safe'. He knows several such persons.
It wasn't until Susie died that Buffett started to have a real relationship with his children. He stopped regarding them as unnecessary expenses but started relating to them & giving them his time & his love which he had always denied them in childhood. He became aware of their feelings rather than being totally preoccupied with his own. He started to consider his children as being important in his life. For the first time he took an interest in what they were doing. His son Howie missed his father's companionship during his childhood very much. He appeared to ignore his son Peter pretty well completely until he became an adult. After Susie died, Buffett started to give Peter some attention and to treat him as a human being. The author says that Howie had yearned for a
close connection to his father all his life & had never received it. Howie & his wife moved to Omaha so that he could be near his father.
Buffett has now started giving his children big checks on their birthdays which he had never done before. He is trying to buy their love after depriving them of the most precious gift he could have given them in childhood - his personal time and personal attention.
The book describes how Buffett showed a real coldness to the adopted daughters of his son Peter. He told Peter they would receive nothing in his will. He wrote a cruel letter to Nicole Buffett, his son Peter's adopted daughter. The book doesn't really explain the meanness that Buffett displayed toward this girl.
The book errs in one respect. The author did not get it quite right about the issuance of Class "B" shares. They were issued because Katz, a Philadelphia mayoral candidate, was going to subdivide the "A" shares & issue a "B" share of his own. Buffett had Charlie Munster call Katz and try to bully him into withdrawing his plan but Katz would not budge. So Buffett, much against his wishes, had to bring out the "B" shares himself.
The book describes his difficulty in understanding and using computers which clearly shows that his success is not due to his IQ but rather to his phenomenal memory. His ability to remember countless past business scenarios and their outcomes allows him to make good business decisions.
As this marvelous book nears the end, it makes clear that it is so difficult & painful for Buffett to give away money, or bottle caps, or golf balls that he passed the job to the Gates Foundation. The Gates Foundation is actively supporting planetary overpopulation by distributing the money to Africa and the Africans, rather than returning it to the American citizens who made it possible for Buffett and Gates to accumulate this money in the first place.
Buffett has passed up an opportunity to be truly creative with his wealth. One can only wonder at the incredible advances in medicine that could be made if a large amount of this money were devoted to stem cell research. By giving it away Buffett looks ridiculous. After working all his life to accumulate something and then discarding it we must conclude he worked all his life for nothing. Unlike Andrew Carnegie, he leaves nothing behind for which he would be remembered. He will be quickly forgotten.
Some years after his wife Susie died, Buffett married his companion changing her status from a lowly live-in servant girl to a wife. One wonders if she had to sign a Pre-Nup.

The size was quite daunting, however this book really delivers. Ms. Schroeder obviously loves narrative and she does a great job making Buffett, a man who has been written about countless times, new and exciting.

Very good read.

This book offers insights into the personal life of Warren Buffett and how his relationships with others (his mother, wife, children, Katherine Graham, Charlie Munger, Gates, et al) cultivated his world view. You see a glimpse of a man driven as much by insecurities as by greed. On the business side, the book is at its best when it describes the early search for value investments and the crisis involving Salomon Brothers in the early 90's. But the book wastes time with many tales that are all too familiar (the annual shareholder meetings, Mrs. B, computer bridge, internet bubble scoldings), and then leaves the reader wondering about such things as the addition of B shares, the irony of being an avid Pepsi drinker until he found Coke as an investment, and the insurance business underwriting of Ajit Jain.

Wonderful read about an extraordinary man. Clear as day as to why he is the wealthiest man in the world.

Wonderful read about an extraordinary man. Clear as day as to why he is the wealthiest man in the world.

I have spent a month reading this book and wondered after I finished whether it was worth the effort. I enjoyed the details and the gossip. I was impressed with Mr. Buffett's insights in certain situations and his strong sense of propriety. I particularly enjoyed the discussion of Solomon and Coke. However, in the case of Solomon there was really no discussion of the sale.

At the end I decided it was worth the effort because I obtained an understanding of an important man. Second I wondered if I liked or envied Mr. Buffett. He is a very unusual man who seemed to do everything to an extreme. He was a great friend but could not really deal with family. His marriage was unusual to say the least. He certainly was the most rational person I have ever encountered but after reading this I wonder if that is enough. His emotions were overwhelming toward Big Susie but not enough to share a life with her. At the end I felt sorry for him because he missed so much in life. That may be the ultimate lesson of his life. It is possible he is realizing this now.

I have some issues with the book. It is a lot of detail but short of analysis. I finished wondering what the author thought or what was the motive for so many things. The only real effort for analysis came in the last chapter. Also the book ignored in great part the changes in the world during this period. A great biography put the subject into historical context. Lastly it did not in my mind give any real description of a successful investing strategy except to focus on the cash flow, work hard and not be carried away by emotion. I would not recommend the book to those who are looking for significant investment advice.

In these troubled economic times the books value for me is in the common sense lessons Mr Buffet has to offer, be it living a simple lifestyle, to investing in what you know and trust as well as knowing that to those that much has been given, much is required. Would make a great gift, especially for that young person starting out or that person who thinks materialism is what will make them happy.

Warren Buffett is one of the most important and successful people in the business world. His life is a story of success. Everyone shoud take the opportunity to have a glimpse of what made him the person he is and what made his success so huge. This book offers more then just a glimpse, it is a full view into what he is made of.

Another compelling biography!!
Imagine being in one of the most successful boy bands of all time, New Edition; Then leave the group to become one of the biggest pop stars in the world; Date some of the most world renown celebrities, such as Janet Jackson and Madonna....
Bobby Brown: The Truth, The Whole Truth and Nothing But...

For real. Buffett's fascinating life all wrapped up in one big book. Recommended buy if you're interested in how business works.

book cover and the printing are good, and besides, it's really a good deal, because you don't expect another repeating 32 pages following page 814. Man, can i call it a bonus

book cover and the printing are good, and besides, it's really a good deal, because you don't expect another repeating 32 pages following page 814. Man, can i call it a bonus

This book is way too volumunious and in small print on top of it. Who has time to read a book that size?

The Snowball is chronologically arranged and meticulously detailed. This makes the timeline of Warren Buffett's life sequential and easy to understand how he has evolved into the world's best investor.

The author has gone through what I think is a habit most writers have - of not throwing away anything from their years of researching a topic. Each and every detail of Buffett and his multiple friends and family members, makes for 300 pages more of what should have been a 500 page book. Some of this detail is helpful to understand the main subject's life and work, but the author seems to have included every last Post-it of information she has researched while working on this book.
However, as Buffett himself has spent 'countless' hours speaking and exchanging notes with the author, the result is a all-you-wanted-to-know-about Buffett - the human being behind the aura.

One other downside of this book is the adulatory manner of describing Buffett. "Sage", "Oracle", and many other words used regularly thoughout the book makes one think the author was worshipping the subject more than doing a critical analysis of his work and a non-judgemental analysis of his life. Even though Buffett had told the author to always use the less-flattering version of his life's experiences - this advice has been promptly discarded by the author.

300 pages lesser, less adulation and less of irrelevant details would have raised my ranking to 4 stars.

The Buffett book was a disappointment. Very little new knowledge. Most of the book was either recapping things in earlier books or a play by play of daily life. Not worth the size or cost.

I thought the book was well written and very informative however; it left me feeling depressed and thankful for my life. It doesn't seem that Warren Buffett is really all THAT happy. He has many close friends and family but how close does he let them get? And the jab that is taken at his granddaughter is equally sad. If those children were adopted by Peter they are no longer step children but actual children. Not to mention they were an important part of Peter and Big Susie's life and that should carry some weight. The arrangement of all the women in his life is interesting to say the least. Susie appears to be a great giver but after watching the Charlie Rose interview and reading this book you realize how she manipulative she could be. To me, this book confirms two things: 1.) Money can't buy true happiness and 2.)Sometimes it is better to have an average IQ and be able to get one's own self dressed and to work.

The Snowball: Warren Buffett and the Business of Life

The book's presentation and bookbinding as supplied was completely unsatisfactory as the pages were unevenly put together in an uneven mess.

The content was compiled from over 1000 interviews and although interesting appeared like a documentary with little heart and soul. At times there was extensive detail about family connections without providing details of transactions involved and their intricacy. It did highlight some human frailties in Warren that is common in the life of an human being.

The return process did not allow for comment on such disastrous book binding on the book sold, that was utterly unsatisfactory and may mean I will look twice at any further purchases from Amazon.

i think this book is really thoughtful, no matter in investment or others. It really got into deeply the greatest investor's life. Also it provides a lot of his opinions about investing. I really enjoyed this book.

This is a very enjoyable book, particularly for those hoping to get a "feel" for how Buffett has lived his life, over his many years.

What it WON'T do is go into any practical depth as to how he evaluates an investment decision. High-level generalities, yes, specifics, no.

Still, it's a great read. His early (9-13yrs old) business dealings.....his first stab at stock investing.....his first date.....etc.etc......on to the "lifestyles of the rich and famous" existence that he has enjoyed for probably 2 decades now. Hint: yes, he likes hamburgers, non-styling clothes, and his house in Omaha, but he also likes jet-setting and hanging out with the movers and shakers of the world. All while doing multi-billion-dollar-deals.

If you want to learn investing, go elsewhere.....unless you have never heard of "the power of compounding" or "buy with a margin of error" or "don't trade, buy and hold"....etc.

Warren Buffett is always on the cutting edge when it comes to the economic travails of this great country. Inciteful and witty, Buffett is never dull exploring an oft dull subject. He tells it like it is with no sass and back talk. God he's so fresh. Ughhhhhhh. OH GOD!

True story: I met Mister Buffett once and when I greeted him, he replied, with a gravelly bravado: "OUTTA MY WAY KID I GOTTA TAKE A BM"

The End

Unlike what many have been hoping for, "The Snowball" is not a book on what and how of value investing. You won't find detailed breakdowns of the Berkshire Hathaway deals, or the motivation behind them - the deals are discussed in passing, but the focus is always on Warren Buffet himself.

The book is a chronological look at the upbringing, the early years, and his consequent rise to the status of 'Oracle of Omaha'. Alice Schroeder provides an in depth look at Warren Buffets family and his immediate circle of friends throughout his life - without a doubt, the most complete biography of Warren Buffet.

If you're looking for Warren Buffets investment philosophy, take a look at "The Warren Buffet Way" by Robert Hagstrom, but if you want to learn about the man himself, then this is your book.

I recently re-read Roger Lowenstein's biography, Buffett: The Making of an American Capitalist (first published in 1995 and now re-issued with a new Afterword), and then read this more recent one by Alice Schroeder. Both are first-rate. Which to select if reading only one? That depends on how much you wish to know about Buffett's personal life, including his relations with various family members, and how curious you are about his personal hang-ups, peculiarities, eccentricities, fetishes, etc. If you can do without any of that, Roger Lowenstein's biography is the one to read. I also highly recommend the recently published Second Edition of The Essays of Warren Buffet: Lessons for Corporate America, with content selected, arranged, and introduced by Lawrence Cunningham.

The heft of Schroeder's biography may discourage some people from obtaining a copy. To them I presume to suggest that they not be deterred by that factor. Schroeder has a lively, often entertaining writing style that drives the narrative through just about every period and (yes) interlude of Warren Buffett's life and career thus far. There is much more information provided than most readers either need or desire. However, she had unprecedented access not only to Buffett but to just about everyone else with whom he is (or once was) associated as well as to previously inaccessible research resources. It is possible but highly unlikely that anyone else will write a more comprehensive biography than Schroeder has, at least for the next several years, if not decades. Also, her opinion of Buffett seems to me to be balanced and circumspect. No doubt he wishes that certain details about his life and career were not included. However, there has been no indication from him or those authorized to represent him that any of the material in this biography (however unflattering) is either inaccurate or unfair. Both halos and warts are included.

Others have shared their reasons for holding this book in high regard. Here are two of mine. First, although I had already read various Buffett's chairman's letters that first appeared in a series of Berkshire Hathaway's annual reports, I did not understand (nor could I have understood) the context for observations he shared, especially his comments about especially important 12-month periods throughout BRK's history. Schroeder provides the context or frame-of-reference I needed but previously lacked. For example, whereas in previous letters, Buffett merely offered brief updates on how each BRK company was doing, in 1978 he began to share his thoughts about major business topics such as performance measurement for management and why short-term earnings were a poor criterion for investment decisions. With the help of Carol Loomis, especially since 1977, his chairman's letters "had grown more personal and entertaining by the year; they amounted to crash courses in business, written in clear language that ranged from biblical quotations to references to Alice in Wonderland, and princesses kissing toads." As Schroeder explains, these gradual but significant changes of subject and tone reflect changes in Buffett's personal life as he became more reflective about business principles and more appreciative of personal relationships. His children were growing up and departing the "nest" in Omaha. His wife Susie decided to relocate to San Francisco. Meanwhile, his personal net worth continued to increase substantially. His national and then international recognition also increased. The "Oracle of Omaha" had finally become sufficiently confident of himself to reveal to others "a sense of him as a man."

I also appreciate how carefully Schroeder develops several separate but related themes that help her reader to manage the wealth of information she provides. The biography's title suggests one of these themes: the "snowball" effect that compounded interest can have. From childhood when he began to sell packs of gum (but not single sticks) and bottles of soda, and a money changer was his favorite toy, Buffett was fascinated by the way that numbers "exploded as they grew at a constant rate over time was how a small sum could be turned into a fortune. He could picture the numbers compounding as vividly as the way a snowball grew when he rolled it across the lawn. Warren began to think about it a different way. Compounding married the present to the future. If a dollar today was going to be worth ten some years from now, then in his mind the two were the same." Early in life, Buffett avoided making any purchases unless they were almost certain to generate compound interest. This theme is central to understanding Buffett's investment principles and to his own leadership of BRK. It also helps to explain why he could become physically ill when an investment cost others the funds they had entrusted to his care. Other themes include his determination to simplify his life to the extent he could (e.g. eating hamburgers and wearing threadbare sweaters, minimizing participation in family activities) so that he could concentrate almost entirely on business matters; his dependence on a series of women, beginning with his mother and two sisters (especially Doris) that continued with his first wife Susie (and their daughter "Susie Jr.") and then companion Astrid Menks whom he married in 2006; and his passion for helping others to understand the business principles to which he has been committed since childhood.

There is one other theme of special interest and importance to me: over the years, how Buffett has interacted with various associates, notably with Jerome Newman and Benjamin Graham, Sandy Gottesman, Charlie Munger, Bill Ruane, Katherine Graham, and Bill Gates. By all accounts, Buffett is a superb business associate once he agrees to become involved. He cares deeply about each relationship, does whatever may be necessary to protect and defend the best interests of his associates, and is extraordinarily generous with material rewards as well as recognition. Here is an especially revealing excerpt from Cunningham's Introduction to The Essays of Warren Buffett: "The CEOs at Berkshire's operating companies enjoy a unique position in corporate America. They are given a simple set of commands: to run the business as if (1) they are its sole owner, (2) it is the only asset they hold, and (3) they can never sell or merge it for one hundred years." These three "commands" are wholly consistent with what Lawrence explains earlier in the same Introduction: "The central theme uniting Buffett's lucid essays is that the principles of fundamental business analysis, first formulated by his teachers Ben Graham and David Dodd, should guide investment practice. Linked to that theme are management principles that define the proper role of corporate managers as the stewards of investment capital and the proper role of shareholders as the suppliers and owners of capital. Radiating from these main themes are practical and sensible lessons on the entire range of important business issues, from accounting to mergers to valuation." Those who shared Buffett's same core values of honesty and integrity, and who are also committed to the same basic principles, cherish their relationship with him.

To me, Alice Schroeder's rigorous and eloquent analysis of this theme of mutually productive and beneficial collaboration is her single greatest achievement among many in this definitive biography of one of the most important and yet least understood business leaders in recent years. Bravo!

I read this book cover to cover. It was absolutely fantastic. This is absolutely a type of book to buy (and mark) rather than borrow from the library. It is worth keeping and serves as a nice reference too.

This is essentially Warren's official bio as he gave the author full access to all files as well as many personal interviews. He also let the author accompany him on many trips etc. It is very helpful that the author used to be a managing director at Morgan Stanley, because it allows her to understand as well as write knowledgably and clearly about many aspects of the financial world. In fact, an excellent and very clear explanation of the U.S. subprime mortgage crisis (securitization, CDO, credit default swaps etc.) was explained by the author via the Clayton Homes example (on page 732-733). In a pithy 1.5 pages, the author gives an explanation that is crisp and accessible to the layman. She is an excellent writer, the writing is easy, accessible, and fun to read, which helped immensely in getting through this nearly 800 page book.

I found the second half of the book more fascinating because it describes the culmination of many of Warren's ideas and thought processes that he realizes after decades of experience. For example, his ideas on the Ovarian Lottery (through his trip to China), the decline of the Dollar, his lessons to college students on taking care of their mind and body (genie/car example), on working for someone you admire etc.,on his reasons for donating to the Gates Foundation, his ideas on social justice and the estate tax etc.

Reading this book is also interesting in that it covers and views the some of the events/changing nature of American history/society over the pass few decades through the perspective of Warren's life.

Reading this book gave me great insight into this wonderful, unique, and complex man. I felt like I had a birds eye view throughout his whole life, which is a great pleasure and eye-opening to experience since he has had such an interesting and unique life.

Some complained of its length. I think its fine. The length is neccessary for comprehensiveness, since this is and will be the biography of record for Buffett. Writing is so clearly written the reading is painless and enjoyable! Also, for those in a hurry, you can skip over parts that are not essential (but very enjoyable to read).

Highly Highly recommend this excellent book!!

I gave this to my daughter-in-law as a gift and she started reading immediately. She said it is excellent and a very reader friendly book on investing.

Warren Buffett is "everyman" as multibillionaire. Despite his vast wealth, he has always eschewed ostentation. He pays himself about $100,000 annually, which in today's U.S. economy places him in the upper-middle-class. He lives in the same simple Omaha, Nebraska, house that he bought in 1958 for $31,500. He prefers an old gray suit to expensive London tailoring. In Buffett's early days, when he was only a multimillionaire and not a multibillionaire, he walked around with holes in the soles of his shoes. To Buffett, wardrobe doesn't matter; what matters is making money. He is better at this pursuit than anyone else in the world. In 2008, Forbes magazine ranked him as the globe's richest man, with a net worth of $62.3 billion. Author Alice Schroeder does a masterful job of chronicling Buffett's improbable, inspiring life. As a former superstar research analyst, Schroeder uses her expert knowledge of finance and commerce to detail Buffett's investment philosophy and business activities. getAbstract praises Schroeder's remarkable skills as a researcher and writer. Her book is packed with fascinating details and trenchant observations about the "Oracle of Omaha." One of the best business biographies available, this book shows how the world's greatest investor amassed the world's greatest fortune, while staying true to his essential self.

First of all, Alice Schroeder did an excellent job. I rarely have time to ready such a thick book, but I couldn't put it down. Not only will you learn about his investing style, but his childhood (what childhood atmosphere shapes a successful person?), his personal ethics and how his personal life suffered for his "hobby." The book is also a nice history lesson, as it covers current events that affected Warren's life. She explains his successes and failures and there are many recurring themes, (just in case you missed something important.) I recommend this book, even if you aren't interested in investing. He's an interesting person and there are life lessons from one of our great elders here.

I feel withdrawal symptoms as I approach the last few pages of Alice Schroder's Snowball. I want more. I want to continue reading with two bookmarks, the extra one in the notes. I want more of Schroeder's combination of personal introspective into such a legendary guy and her keen command of investment analysis.

That the topic is Warren Buffet is compelling, but the magic is Schroeder's interweaving of the hidden idiosyncrasies of this man we have read so much about, with his rationale of the investments he has made. She presents the insights gained from hundreds of interviews of people who have interacted with Buffet, together with his own words, such that I feel like a close observer of his every move.

The mixture is magic; at times surprising, always informative and occasionally causing my wife to ask what I am laughing about. Schroeder has a succinct turn of phrase and a careful placement of it.

Since Alice Schroeder is the one writer that Buffett has given unprecedented access to explore his life, I was really excited to sit down and enjoy the journey. Unforturnately, after two nights' reading of 100+ pages, I was still trying my best to stay with Alice and her undramatic way of documenting Buffett's seemingly intereting life. The writer's uninviting writing style is a pure disappointment. Although Buffett is a genius in picking stock, he has made a mistake in picking Schroeder as his biography writer.

Excellent Book for people with interrest in the Warren Buffett person and way of investing, and the financial history in America from the 1930's till present.

Snowball gives unprecedented access to a man that is clearly worth studying. From the underpinnings of his financial strategies to the personal challenges he has faced in life, Snowball is a highly interesting and even moving book.

The Snowball: Warren Buffett and the Business of Life
By Alice Schroeder


Leo J. Schools

The Snowball is not about the market; it is about the man. In many ways it is like panning for gold. It can be tedious and wordy in parts (the 50 page Solomon episode), but the nuggets are exciting.

Alice Schroeder does a wonderful portrayal of the richest man in the world and one of the advisors that President Elect Obama will consult to get America out of this horrible financial crisis.

The author's style soon elevates from biography to great literature because as the story evolves we do not think of Warren Buffett as the riches man in the world; we think of him as a man with great intellect and talent, but also a man with human flaws, fears, self-doubts, and insecurities. He stops being a rich man and becomes everyman.

One of the nuggets I found to be interesting was: "Be fearful when others are greedy and greedy when others are fearful." The Boys Town scandal was quite interesting. Another nugget was learning how close a friend Bill Gates is to Warren Buffett.

I admire Warren Buffet for taking capitalism to its logical conclusion. If one truly believes in a free market, competition, free enterprise, and the strongest will rise to the top, then it follows that inherited wealth is counter productive to capitalism and a progressive society. It puts money and power into the hands of many people whose only claim to fame is that they were lucky to come out of the right womb or as Warren Buffett would say: "They won the Ovarian Lottery."

Alice Schroeder does an outstanding job describing "derivatives" in simple, concrete terms. She gives three basic examples that anyone can understand exactly what derivatives are and why they are a major factor in the financial crisis today. Any economic idiot would have a clear understanding of derivatives after reading her explanations and examples. Well, almost anyone. I still don't understand what they are but I know they are bad and were outlawed in 1929 so they would never be used again. Well never say never in politics. They came back thanks to blind faith in deregulation, a weak congress, and the support of Alan Greenspan.

Making derivatives legal again is much like putting our economy in the hands of the Mafia. No wonder we are in such a mess today.

The person I found to be as interesting and in some ways more interesting than Warren Buffett was his wife, Susie. He was the brains of the family, but she was the heart and the soul.

Her fight for civil rights, her opposition to anti-Semitism, and her support of gay rights, were all ahead of the times. Most importantly she did not just right a check or sponsor fundraisers and dinners; she was the kind of person who had a hands-on approach to helping humanity. She would bring HIV victims to her home, nurse them, and let them die with dignity and love.

Warren's basic measure of success in life is" how many people you want to have love you actually do love you." The answer for Susie's life is simple: all of them

Warren may be the richest man in the world, but the richest person in the world was his wife, Susie.

Finally, I highly recommend this book although it is long (960 pages) and tedious and repetitious in parts. Most readers will learn more about today's economic crisis but, more importanly, they will learn about human nature and a great man with many flaws. If America takes advice from Warren Buffett, then it will be on the road to economic and spiritual recovery. You can bank on it!

Warren Buffett has done what no other human being has done, that is, becoming the richest man in the planet starting with no cash and without a product (contrary to all other billionaires).

This book is a decent job of narrating his life, but could have been better. Readers will end with a strong knowledge of what happened on each stage of his life, but without a strong insight of his financial genius.

The author, being a female, focused more on his family, feelings and emotions, rather than his financial framework.

Thank God Buffett is very public these days and speak freely about his investment ideas, and rules of thumb. Things that are not covered in this sometimes unnecessarily long book.

I'm only through 122 pages, but several times I have felt that Schroeder may not have had her facts straight. Then on Page 120, and also in the index, she refers to the 1948 Republican candidate for President as Thomas F. Dewey, when of course it was Thomas E. Dewey. Furthermore, in the same chapter she indicates that car tires were still rationed in 1949 which I don't believe is the case. I now have reason to doubt much of what she has written, and am surprised that Buffett would be happy with her account. If he reads and remembers things as well as she describes, he should have read the book and I would have thought he would have questioned some of Schroeder's facts. Where were Random House's proofreaders.The Snowball: Warren Buffett and the Business of Life

This book is well written and very interesting. I recommend this book for any business professional who wishes to know the history behind the world's greatest investor.

Well written and for those who have the patience, to read through every single word, you will finish the book with an insight into Warren's philosophies for investing. If all you want to know is his genius for investing, read the book with a notebook and pen in hand because they are dispersed throughout woven in between the nuggets of information of his personal life. This book should satisfy too, those who desire an insight into his very personal life because virtually nothing is omitted. The reader is left with virtually nothing wanting, and this is where one finds the undercurrent of sadness. Although I admire his committed and intense discipline in the science of investing, I am so sad that Warren is the example of the cliche that money cannot buy everything, certainly not happiness nor the "perfect" family life. My personal thinking is Warren chose to "escape" the everyday realities of life (starting with how grim his mother made life for him) by diving deeply into his world of love of numbers. This led to investing where he made for himself a comfortable, sort of insulated world, but one that lacks true meaning in terms of relationships and especially a relationship with God. To me, he started to awaken to this lack in his life when Susie, Sr. became ill. I wish him continued, wonderful discoveries in this area of his life, most of all with his children, and hopefully soon (if he hasn't already), with God and his Son, Jesus Christ.

If you walk up to the top of a snow mountain, make a snowball and roll it down the steep slope it will gather momentum as it speeds down the hill with no more effort from the creator of the ball. That sums up Buffett's life. When the US stock market as measured by its major index went from about 600 to 14,000 during the decades Buffett was investing, all he had to do was to buy a handful of good companies with a moat (a company holding a franchise similar to a monopoly) at a bargain price and then sit on an easy chair measuring its appreciation.

Buffett emphasizes that he won the ovarian lottery: a chance to be born in America at a time there is so much opportunity to a family with means (access to capital) and learned values to instill in their children. On top of that he was accidentally bumped into working with the greatest stock investor Benjamin Graham. Further he found a partner Munger who Benjamin Franklin would have created as the ideal American had he the power to do so. Now such a series of coincidence happening to many people who were born to this world is even higher than getting struck by a series of lighting during every thunderstorm.

I could not put this 900-odd-page book down, and was puzzled as to how a few others who were born under similar conditions could not achieve the same feat (for that matter still not achieving the same feat). Buffett has an answer to that quoting Bertrand Russell: many people would rather die than think. I would say many people would rather die than read too. This book is a must read for all young people who want to make a life in the world of investment.

Loved it -- could not put it down. The free Kindle sample is nice and long, several chapters, which gives quite a good feeling for the book. It is well-written, contrary to the reviews of others. Such a life is complex and not easily organized, but our author has done justice to it. I appreciated finally getting insight into Warren Buffet's perspective.

I finished the book last night. I had read Roger Lowenstein's "Buffett: The Making on an American Capitalist" and liked it. Roger is a wonderful writer, funny and meticulous in his research. However, as a male writer, Roger naturally has the tendency to be rational in his interpretation of Buffett's life. He presents the facts, makes a comment or two, and moves on. At the end, I felt more knowledgeable about Buffett's life, but not moved by it.

Alice Schroeder's book moved me. As a female writer, she paints Buffett's life with words; she doesn't just report it as a string of events. She delves into the characters in the Buffett household and shows us what makes them who they are. She shows us Buffett as a human being like all of us, with his fears, phobias, pains, concerns, joys, and goals. Yes, he is a great businessman, but that's only on the surface. Deep down, he is a highly principled man, honest to a fault, carrying, loyal, funny, charming, and courageous. He has seen a lot of happiness in his lifetime, but he also has suffered a great deal.

Warren Buffett's life made me cry, laugh, contemplate, and dream. I learned life lessons, which I wouldn't have learned any other way. He did the work for all of us. And for that, I thank him from the bottom of my heart.

The author really delves into great details about Warren Buffets life leaving with you with a picture of what is was like to be him through many stages of his life! Any reader could enjoy this book as it left me completely engaged in every chapter! Definitely pick this one up!

This is an exceptionally well written and researched biography of Warren Buffett. What makes it most interesting is how he opened up his files, associates and life to Ms. Schroeder to give this biography more creedance than any book previously written about him. This book is definately the hit of 2008 and one of the best biographies written in modern times!

Book arrived on time but the person to whom it was sent complained that the book itself was poorly written.

It is such a disappointment, even a small tragedy, that an audio version of this book is not available in an edition of unabridged cassette tapes. Of all books that would be desirable to read while driving it is this one and it is while driving that cassette tapes are best. Publisher, Recorded Books, Books on Tape, Blackstone, anyone, please reconsider! Perhaps even Mr. Buffet would be willing to subsidize a cassette tape edition in order to support all the readers who prefer this format. Thank you.

Book arrived on time but the person to whom it was sent complained that the book itself was poorly written.

It is such a disappointment, even a small tragedy, that an audio version of this book is not available in an edition of unabridged cassette tapes. Of all books that would be desirable to read while driving it is this one and it is while driving that cassette tapes are best. Publisher, Recorded Books, Books on Tape, Blackstone, anyone, please reconsider! Perhaps even Mr. Buffet would be willing to subsidize a cassette tape edition in order to support all the readers who prefer this format. Thank you.

IF YOU READ THIS BOOK IT WILL CHANGE THE WAY YOU THINK ABOUT REAL WARREN BUFFETT GREAT BOOK !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Alice Schroeder's biography of Warren Buffett, anointed as the world's richest man (but actually probably is second richest next to Bill Gates), is must reading for anyone who wants to gain an appreciation of the world of finance and, specifically, our current economic crisis. Buffett was one of the first to see the dangers of derivatives and their impact on the big banks of America and the world. The book ends in 2004 and so you won't get advice on working through the current crisis but you will get a solid understanding of how we've gotten where we are.

Schroeder, a former Wall Street analyst, does a nice job of revealing the rational side of Warren Buffett, how he thinks, and what makes him tick. As an analyst with Morgan Stanley, Schroeder was assigned to track Buffett's company, Berkshire Hathaway, as an analyst. She points out that Buffett is more in love with acquiring new properties and ventures than in investing himself personally in growing his vast empire through entrepreneurial leadership. The author points out that one of Buffett's early lessons was learning about compounding at age 11. Another early lesson learned from his Quaker parents was to avoid confrontation and a desire to be liked. Schroeder does a wonderful job following the development of Buffett's business knowledge, the success of his many investment partnerships, and how he overcome countless problems after acquiring Berkshire Hathaway.

Some of the lessons shared by Buffett include: Grandstanding never gets anything done;

Customer loyalty is priceless; Commitments are so sacred that they should be rare; Good managers maintain sales growth; Investment diversity is not good if it produces a low probability of drastic change; Avoid investing in complex technology; and, Allies are important so choose them carefully.

Things I have come to appreciate about Buffett after reading Snowball is that he relied a great deal on his network of friends, that Buffett is a great simplifier, that he is brilliant enough that he recorded perfect scores on both SATs, and that as a college student Buffett would read all his textbooks through before the first day of class and at exam time have almost perfect recollection of detail. The author achieved her experience in revealing how Buffett has grown from a tiny snowball to a gigantic snowball that will shake and move the world beyond his lifetime.

By Darin Manis
CEO and Founder
RJ & Makay
www.rjandmakay.com

Alice Schroeder's biography of Warren Buffett, anointed as the world's richest man (but actually probably is second richest next to Bill Gates), is must reading for anyone who wants to gain an appreciation of the world of finance and, specifically, our current economic crisis. Buffett was one of the first to see the dangers of derivatives and their impact on the big banks of America and the world. The book ends in 2004 and so you won't get advice on working through the current crisis but you will get a solid understanding of how we've gotten where we are.

Schroeder, a former Wall Street analyst, does a nice job of revealing the rational side of Warren Buffett, how he thinks, and what makes him tick. As an analyst with Morgan Stanley, Schroeder was assigned to track Buffett's company, Berkshire Hathaway, as an analyst. She points out that Buffett is more in love with acquiring new properties and ventures than in investing himself personally in growing his vast empire through entrepreneurial leadership. The author points out that one of Buffett's early lessons was learning about compounding at age 11. Another early lesson learned from his Quaker parents was to avoid confrontation and a desire to be liked. Schroeder does a wonderful job following the development of Buffett's business knowledge, the success of his many investment partnerships, and how he overcome countless problems after acquiring Berkshire Hathaway.

Some of the lessons shared by Buffett include: Grandstanding never gets anything done;

Customer loyalty is priceless; Commitments are so sacred that they should be rare; Good managers maintain sales growth; Investment diversity is not good if it produces a low probability of drastic change; Avoid investing in complex technology; and, Allies are important so choose them carefully.

Things I have come to appreciate about Buffett after reading Snowball is that he relied a great deal on his network of friends, that Buffett is a great simplifier, that he is brilliant enough that he recorded perfect scores on both SATs, and that as a college student Buffett would read all his textbooks through before the first day of class and at exam time have almost perfect recollection of detail. The author achieved her experience in revealing how Buffett has grown from a tiny snowball to a gigantic snowball that will shake and move the world beyond his lifetime.

By Darin Manis
CEO and Founder
RJ & Makay
www.rjandmakay.com

I have admired Mr. buffet for some time now. I have read any snippet of information aobut him aviable. Mr Buffet is a rare breed; a man, who is honest at times to a fault. I respect and admire that.
This Biography was all I had hoped for and it provided me with enough of his life story to allow me the opportunity to understand the man within the man.
I highly recommend this reading and I highly recommend that Mr buffet be appointed Secretary of Treasury by our next President!

I personal prefer the style of Roger Lowenstein in "The Making of an American Capitalist" because in only 426 pages covers more that "The Snowball" even though Alice Schroeder spent endless hours with Warren it doesn't look that she added very much to what Roger had said more than 10 years ago. Alice book is very easy to read, but it has too many editing errors at times I felt lost in a sea of names and facts that are hard to connect. What I liked about this book is that it gave me an insight to Warren's personal life and emotions, his marriage to Susie, death of family members and friends; the book focuses more on his emotional state rather than his mental state. A lot of people though that they were going to learn about the way he locates his stocks and how he values the company but the title of the book is about "the business of life" the way he sees it.
As an investor Warren Buffet is clearly the greatest investor in the world but "in the business of life" this so complex man has a lot of debits as well of credits on his personal balance sheet, his thinking was shaped by these influences: The Great Depression and his corrosive relationship with this mother Leila, then his relationships with these women: his wife Susie, Astrid, Kay Graham and Rose Blumkin - the Russian who arrived as a penniless immigrant and went on to build the biggest furniture store in USA she was a role model to Buffet.

I read this heavy book in 3 days because I wanted to know how he thinks and the strategies he used to created his wealth but I came to realize one thing that this man is a genius, a self-centered man who only cared about almost nothing but making money. The anecdotes about young Warren explain his fanaticism over anything to do with numbers. The way money matters to Buffet amazes me he might not spend it but he has spent his life collecting it; he was greedy with his money but at his death his wealth would go to philanthropy he broke the mold again! I say this man is the most fascinating American success story of our time.

A fascinating insight into the boy that made the man. Some surprise at the antics of a young boy that went unchallenged ie the 'borrowing' from Sears. The absolute dedication and total focus of the boy and then the man to make money above all else in his early career.
Overall a great read into an internationally recognised guru of the financial world which begs the question 'why weren't others following and/or listening to him!!!'
Neil Pennell

"The Snowball" is excellent. It is everything I expected it to be . . . a philosphy of life from a very wise man. It does not tout any particular stocks.