Who?
Anyone interested in Warren Buffett, investing, the stock market, finance, and probably entrepreneurship.
When?
Put it in your queue.
Why?
Being one of the richest and most financially successful men the world, he’s someone you probably want to learn about. Also, it’s a very well written and interesting book.
Best Quote
If you are investing in your education and you are learning, you should do that as early as you possibly can, because then it will have time to compound over the longest period. And that the things you do learn and invest in should be knowledge that is cumulative, so that the knowledge builds on itself. So instead of learning something that might become obsolete tomorrow, like some particular type of software [that no one even uses two years later], choose things that will make you smarter in 10 or 20 years.
Review
From the first few minutes of The Snowball, Alice Schroeder had me hooked. She created a very well-written and intriguing biography of a highly successful and interesting man. Honestly, before I read this book (or listened to it actually), I knew very little about Warren Buffett. Now, not only do I know quite a lot, I also am interested in a number of aspects of investing, management, and entrepreneurship that I had not been before.
The Snowball is one of the most absorbing reads I have had in the last few years. Alice Schroeder takes her readers from Buffett’s childhood and filing his first tax return to owning a tenant farm in high school all the way through college, his work life, and every personal detail you could imagine. Along the way, you get some very interesting stories about people like Akio Morita (or Sony), Bill Gates, and more, and of course, there are fascinating dives into Buffett’s curious habits as well as personal stories such as him seemingly having two wives at once.
Last Word
While I would not rush out to get this book, The Snowball is a must read. Whether you’re interested in business, Warren Buffett himself, or simply a good biography, you will find Alice Schroeder’s book well worth your time.
