The Snowball: Warren Buffett and the Business of Life

By Alice Schroeder

Shortlisted for the Financial Times and Goldman Sachs Business Book of the Year Prize 2008

The Snowball is the first and will be the only biography of the world's richest man, Warren Buffett, written with his full cooperation and collaboration. Combining a unique blend of "The Sage of Omaha's" business savvy, life story, and philosophy, The Snowball is essential reading for anyone wishing to discover and replicate the secrets of his business and life success.

The Legacy of Warren Buffett

Warren Buffett is arguably the world's greatest investor. Even as a child, he was fascinated by the concept of risk and probability, setting up his first business at the age of six. In 1964, he bought the struggling Massachusetts textile firm Berkshire Hathaway and grew it into the 12th largest corporation in the U.S., purely through the exercise of sound investing principles—a feat never equaled in the annals of business.

The Man Behind the Billions

Despite an estimated net worth of around US$62 billion, Buffett leads an intriguingly frugal life, taking home a salary of only $50,000 a year. His only indulgence is a private jet, an extravagance he wryly acknowledges by calling it "The Indefensible". In 2006, he made the largest charitable donation on record, with most of it going to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Why Read The Snowball?

• Exclusive Insights: The only authorized biography of Warren Buffett.
• Investment Principles: Learn the strategies that built Berkshire Hathaway into a financial powerhouse.
• Life Philosophy: Discover Buffett's perspective on wealth, business, and philanthropy.
• Business Mastery: Understand how Buffett transformed industries with his investment strategies.

The Snowball provides a comprehensive, richly detailed insight into one of the world's most extraordinary and beloved public figures. A must-read for anyone looking to gain a deeper understanding of wealth-building and business success.