Alice Schroeder

The Snowball

1. IDEA 1

   A boy from Omaha loved numbers

   Schroeder's biography, written with Buffett's cooperation, describes how Warren Buffett grew up in Omaha, Nebraska, fascinated by numbers and money. As a child he sold chewing gum, delivered newspapers and ran small businesses.

2. IDEA 2

   Graham shaped his thinking

   Buffett studied under Benjamin Graham, who taught him to look for companies selling below their real value. This idea shaped his early career. In the book's account, this way of judging a business by what it is truly worth, and not by its price alone, stayed with him for life.

3. IDEA 3

   Partnerships grew his reputation

   Buffett ran investment partnerships for friends and family in the 1950s and 1960s, achieving strong results. His reputation grew. In the book's account, his early record helped him attract more partners, and so the money he managed grew over time.

All 8 ideas from The Snowball →