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 ...

#Left me sad and depressed (2008-11-23) 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 al...

#The SnowBall: Warren Buffet and the Business of Life (2008-11-22) The Snowball: Warren Buffett and the Business of LifeThe 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 com...

#The best soap opera I ve read.... (2008-11-19) 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. ...

#the best biography about an investor i ever read!! (2008-11-19) 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.

#Life of Warren Buffet (2008-11-19) 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 do...

It s difficult today to imagine how America survived the Great Depression. Only through the stories of the common people who struggled during that era can we really understand how the nation endured. In The Forgotten Man, Amity Shlaes offers a striking reinterpretation of the Great Depression. Rejecting the old emphasis on the New Deal, she turns to the neglected and moving stories of individual Americans, and shows how they helped establish the steadfast character we developed as a nation. Shlaes also traces the mounting agony of the New Dealers themselves as they discovered their errors. She shows how both Presidents Hoover and Roosevelt failed to understand the prosperity of the 1920s and heaped massive burdens on the country that more than offset the benefit of New Deal programs. The real question about the Depression, she argues, is not whether Roosevelt ended it with World War II. It is why the Depression lasted so long. From 1929 to 1940, federal intervention helped to make t...

#The Forgotten Man: A New History of the Great Depression (2008-11-22) Excellent well researched book on an important period in American history that has affected our country to this very day, and the lessonswill probably not be heeded now. First time that have ever read the truth of what actually occurred in the Depression of the 1930 s.

#In one sentence, FDR spitballed. (2008-11-21) This book, in one sentence, is FDR spitballed. Before reading this book, you may want to read the serendipitous companion book Liberal Fascism: The Secret History of the American Left, From Mussolini to the Politics of Meaning. Goldberg s book (coincidentally and independently) touches upon the same themes as Shlaes, but includes more detail about the antecedents: the Progressive Movement, the Wilson Administration, and has a comparison with the other EuroFascists. After reading this book, read The Road to Serfdom: Text and Documents--The ...

#Characters of the Era (2008-11-18) Well written and easy to follow description of the characters behind the events during the FDR administration. If you look for a comprehensive book about the Great Depression, its causes and consequences, you will not find it in this book. However, for readers already knowledgeable on those events, it is a great supplement of information. If you want to grasp the characters of the time, this book is a must.

#The Forgotten Man (2008-11-17) Execllent, scholarly work. A must read to see how much the Depression and the New Deal are reflected in our current financial mess and government.

#Pull in the Reins (2008-11-17) This is a good book, but seems almost too detailed. The author discusses meetings, letters and events that sometimes have little to no bearing on the subject.

Jonathan Alter s bestselling and critically acclaimed account of how FDR lifted the country from despair and paralysis and transformed the presidency for all time.

#Great First 100 Days (2008-11-06) The most interesting book on FDR I ve ever read. I learned a lot more about the state of our nation when FDR was elected and what FDR did to keep our republic on a more democratic path. I m sure our new President-elect and his staff are reading this book so they can learn how to make great things happen in Washington in only 100 days.

#Fascinating re-telling of FDR s rise (2008-06-17) The first 100 days of FDR s first administration are the focal point of this recently published work. Alter uses several chapters to re-introduce us to FDR the man, and also to provide background on the socio-economic situation in America at the time. Some of the more powerful insights show how Roosevelt s struggle with polio changed him from the sneering, privileged, upper class twit of his youth to the man of the people that he was to become. Especially interesting is the study of the 1932 Presidential Campaign and the compromis...

#FDR rocks! (2008-06-08) Great introduction to FDR s efforts at responding to the Great Depression upon his entrance into the presidency. Sometimes a bit too much psychoanalyzing, but there should be no doubt that FDR was the great president of the 20th century, not necessarily for finding a domestic economic cure for the Great Depression, but for helping millions of suffering people and giving them hope. His leadership of WWII would take care of the rest, but that s for another book. Great description of FDR s pre-presidential career and his political talents, and Alter gives ap...

#FDR s Defining Moment (2008-05-24) This is a very well done, tightly focused biographical portrait of Franklin Delano Roosevelt and the early days of his Presidency. Alter, a television political commentator, begins with the idea that Roosevelt found himself as a leader in the fight to overcome the problems of the Depression. It is a fair, balanced book, although I suspect close readers will pick up on the fact that Alter has far more respect for FDR than he does for President Bush. (And acutely close readers will realize he admires Reagan more than Bush. ) Alter does make numero...

#1932 from today s perspective (2008-03-21) This book was apparently written with the goal of showing how Roosevelt attained success in his first 100 days, but it often comes off sounding more negative than positive. I grew up imagining Roosevelt was a genius and close to perfect president. The impression I got from this book was that his sense of hope, showmanship and tireless dedication to always try something trumped an average grasp of the subject, and some odd personality and character traits. Much of this book actually seems to suggest between the lines that Herbert Hoover was...

The Tipping Point is that magical moment when an idea, trend, or social behaviour crosses a threshhold, tips, and spreads like wildfire. Just as a sick individual in a crowded store can start can epidemic of the flu, so too can a small but precisely targeted push cause a fashion trend or the popularity of a new restaurant to take off overnightor crime or drug use to taper off. Gladwell has explored this theory to great acclaim in several articles in The New Yorker. Here, he shows how very minor adjustments in products and ideas can make them more likely to become hugely popular. He reveals how east it is to cause group behaviour to tip in a desirable direction by making small changes in our immediate environment. The Tipping Point contains a profoundly hopeful idea that people will embrace for its sense and simplicity: one imaginative person, applying a well-placed lever, can move the world. Examples are recognizable: in the New York subways, removing graffiti caused a dramatic reducti...

#Want to know what takes ideas over the edge? (2008-11-17) If you work in marketing, like me, you know that traction for a brand is critical and good products have tipping points en route to skyrocketing sales. Malcolm Gladwell s The Tipping Point is a fascinating exploration of makes ideas explode. His anecdotes and research are fascinating, and some of his exploration focuses directly on consumer products, such as the resurgence of Hush Puppies.

#Excellent source for recognizing upcoming shifts and what makes them stick. (2008-11-06) Gladwell eloquently illustrates how little things make a big difference. It only takes one different approach or element to dramatically change the way people view the world, how we react to certain information and more. I think most of us have embraced this notion at least to some degree. One of my favorite ways to look at change is to consider this quote that I ve heard used throughout Glazer-Kennedy. Little hinges open big doors. I also like the fact that this particular quote is a more posi...

#The World We can not See (2008-11-02) If you are a sociologists probably you would not think that this is an interesting book, but if you don t have a specific education in social sciences, you may learn a lot. The book depends on many famous articles which may be familiar to scientists but the way the author presents them is very sensible for the unspecified reader. As in many books some ideas are unnecessarily repeated, but it is nearly impossible to find a book without this boring feature. The book helped me to figureout the connectors, mavens and salespersons around each of us an...

#Just what i needed (2008-11-02) i needed this book for a class i am taking and it worked out well enough for that. its seemed like the shipping took longer than expected though. . .

#The Sticking Point (2008-10-28) Mr. Gladwell s book is an easy read, and presents a cogent view of how trends evolve and grow from inception to complete fruition. However, I did find it a bit too simplistic in some aspects, and missing some of the other elements that surely affect whether an idea catches on or not. For example, the concept of stickiness surely has an equal and opposite concept I would call repulsiveness that can, (and I am sure actually does) stop some trends from evolving at all. And, there is no mention of the cultural awareness that surely tills the soil, making...

Announcing a brand new, cover-to-cover revision of America s pregnancy bible. What to Expect When You re Expecting is a perennial New York Times bestseller and one of USA Today s 25 most influential books of the past 25 years. It s read by more than 90% of pregnant women who read a pregnancy book—the most iconic, must-have book for parents-to-be, with over 14.5 million copies in print. Now comes the Fourth Edition, a new book for a new generation of expectant moms—featuring a new look, a fresh perspective, and a friendlier-than-ever voice. It s filled with the most up-to-date information reflecting not only what s new in pregnancy, but what s relevant to pregnant women. Heidi Murkoff has rewritten every section of the book, answering dozens of new questions and including loads of new asked-for material, such as a detailed week-by-week fetal development section in each of the monthly chapters, an expanded chapter on pre-conception, and a brand new one on carrying multiples. More co...

#Every Parent should own! (2008-11-18) Every parent should have on hand. Great go to book, when you have any questions it give you clear answers. Would recommend this book for all first time parents.

#Lots of info (2008-11-17) I purchased this new edition for my sister-in-law. I read the previous version for my now 18-month old daughter and it was extremely helpful to the point that I also read What to Expect the first year and also toddler years.

#Good Read, Informative (2008-11-13) As a first time expectant mom, I was looking for a book that was informative yet did not bombard me with so much information that I would freak out. I like how this book is organized by month and it answers questions that many expectant mothers like me have. I would recommend it to other first time moms but I am sure it would be a bore for veteran moms. Some of the information is scary but as along as you continue to see your doctor and know that you are OK, the complications section won t bother you. The point people have to understand is that ...

#Revised Title: What PROBLEMS to Expect When You re Expecting (2008-11-13) After reading this book, I am amazed there are any successful, healthy pregnancies at all. This book has kept me on edge for the entire duration of the pregnancies with its monthly list of complications. I would have definitely been happier with a book that outlined all of the things that you personally can do to ensure a healthy pregnancy, and focus less on possile complications which are beyond your control!!!

#Read this if you like having meltdowns (2008-11-08) To make a long story short, after getting about 120 pages into this book, I called my best friend nearly in tears. I told her I was reading the book, and before I could go into details, she said oh for goodness sakes, don t read THAT! It s all about what you can t do and what can go wrong. Turns out that three other friends of mine echoed the same sentiments with no prompting. This book is a great way to make a (probably already nauseous) pregnant woman even more miserable.