7 ms·

I've been a longtime Buffett follower. I haven't seen the HBO documentary yet but am looking forward to it. I would recommend Buffett's authorized biography "T

I've been a longtime Buffett follower. I haven't seen the HBO documentary yet but am looking forward to it. I would recommend Buffett's authorized biography "The Snowball" by Alice Schroeder. Before writing it, WB told AS that if she got different stories from different tellers to go with the one that was least flattering to WB. Since it was written, WB hasn't denounced the book, but has broken off what were cordial ties with the author. Speculation abounds, but mostly it's because she hints that Susie wasn't entirely faithful to Buffett when she left Omaha and moved to California. (She never comes out and says it, but it's implied.) In any case, it's an excellent book, and the one written with the most access to Buffett and his notes.

dharmon 10y ago
Alice Schroeder did a small AMA on reddit years ago that is worth reading. When asked about their broken-off relationship, she says that they aren't unfriendly or anything, but that she is basically no longer in his inner circle. Her explanation is that he figuratively laid himself bare before her for the book, which was necessary for it, but that it made things afterward quite awkward. Kind of like seeing a close friend naked. Second the recommendation for that book. I like it better than the Lowenstein book, but any Buffett-head should read both, of course, as each has some details the other doesn't. I was also confused about the implications around Susie and just assumed that she had an affair with the tennis coach guy, as cliche as that sounds. Edit: Dug out the AMA. Definitely read if you are a fan of Buffett / The Snowball. https://www.reddit.com/r/investing/comments/2550vq/hi_im_alice_schroeder_author_of_the_snowball/ https://www.reddit.com/r/investing/comments/2550vq/hi_im_ali...
davidw 10y ago
I'd highly recommend the book too - it's an interesting portrait. I had superficially thought 'boring business guy', but there's more to it than that.
- tim333 10y ago
  I found it a bit slow and think Lowenstein is a better read https://www.amazon.co.uk/Buffett-American-Capitalist-Roger-Lowenstein/dp/0385484917/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1485992215&sr=1-1&keywords=warren+buffett+lowenstein https://www.amazon.co.uk/Buffett-American-Capitalist-Roger-L...
mudil 10y ago
I also read The Snowball, and my take on it was that Buffett is a seriously duplicitous man. He says one thing and does another. He believes in companies that pay dividends, yet BH does not. He is a folksy family man that has two wives. He is a big Democrat and believer in equality, and yet during the Washington Post workers strike he was working very hard with Katharine Graham to deliver the newspaper and counter the union's efforts.
- 101km 10y ago
  Do I contradict myself? Very well, then I contradict myself, I am large, I contain multitudes.
- soperj 10y ago
  Honestly though, why would you want him to pay dividends? He is going to invest the money far better than I will.
  - walshemj 10y ago
    You might need an income not all investing is for 100% capital growth
    - derf_ 10y ago
      So sell some shares. It can be better than a dividend for tax purposes. This is a common topic at the annual meetings, and Buffett has addressed it in detail before: http://www.fool.com/retirement/2016/12/02/warren-buffetts-strategy-to-get-income-from-any-st.aspx http://www.fool.com/retirement/2016/12/02/warren-buffetts-st...
      - walshemj 10y ago
        What about the cost of the trade you don't pay to receive dividends. And in the UK if you have your investments in an ISA or stay under your personal allowance (5k£) - the UK is a little more sensible when it comes to tax on investments.
koreyb 10y ago
Interesting, the documentary claims that after Susie moved to SF she suggested Astrid take care of Warren. Essentially had two wives. “Susie and I and Astrid had an arrangement that worked maybe one time in a thousand,” Mr. Buffett said. https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/29/arts/television/becoming-warren-buffett-goes-beyond-a-74-billion-fortune.html https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/29/arts/television/becoming-...

dharmon 10y ago

Alice Schroeder did a small AMA on reddit years ago that is worth reading. When asked about their broken-off relationship, she says that they aren't unfriendly or anything, but that she is basically no longer in his inner circle. Her explanation is that he figuratively laid himself bare before her for the book, which was necessary for it, but that it made things afterward quite awkward. Kind of like seeing a close friend naked. Second the recommendation for that book. I like it better than the Lowenstein book, but any Buffett-head should read both, of course, as each has some details the other doesn't. I was also confused about the implications around Susie and just assumed that she had an affair with the tennis coach guy, as cliche as that sounds. Edit: Dug out the AMA. Definitely read if you are a fan of Buffett / The Snowball. https://www.reddit.com/r/investing/comments/2550vq/hi_im_alice_schroeder_author_of_the_snowball/ https://www.reddit.com/r/investing/comments/2550vq/hi_im_ali...

davidw 10y ago

I'd highly recommend the book too - it's an interesting portrait. I had superficially thought 'boring business guy', but there's more to it than that.

tim333 10y ago
I found it a bit slow and think Lowenstein is a better read https://www.amazon.co.uk/Buffett-American-Capitalist-Roger-Lowenstein/dp/0385484917/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1485992215&sr=1-1&keywords=warren+buffett+lowenstein https://www.amazon.co.uk/Buffett-American-Capitalist-Roger-L...

mudil 10y ago

I also read The Snowball, and my take on it was that Buffett is a seriously duplicitous man. He says one thing and does another. He believes in companies that pay dividends, yet BH does not. He is a folksy family man that has two wives. He is a big Democrat and believer in equality, and yet during the Washington Post workers strike he was working very hard with Katharine Graham to deliver the newspaper and counter the union's efforts.

101km 10y ago
Do I contradict myself? Very well, then I contradict myself, I am large, I contain multitudes.
soperj 10y ago
Honestly though, why would you want him to pay dividends? He is going to invest the money far better than I will.
- walshemj 10y ago
  You might need an income not all investing is for 100% capital growth
  - derf_ 10y ago
    So sell some shares. It can be better than a dividend for tax purposes. This is a common topic at the annual meetings, and Buffett has addressed it in detail before: http://www.fool.com/retirement/2016/12/02/warren-buffetts-strategy-to-get-income-from-any-st.aspx http://www.fool.com/retirement/2016/12/02/warren-buffetts-st...
    - walshemj 10y ago
      What about the cost of the trade you don't pay to receive dividends. And in the UK if you have your investments in an ISA or stay under your personal allowance (5k£) - the UK is a little more sensible when it comes to tax on investments.

koreyb 10y ago

Interesting, the documentary claims that after Susie moved to SF she suggested Astrid take care of Warren. Essentially had two wives. “Susie and I and Astrid had an arrangement that worked maybe one time in a thousand,” Mr. Buffett said. https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/29/arts/television/becoming-warren-buffett-goes-beyond-a-74-billion-fortune.html https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/29/arts/television/becoming-...