Publishers Weekly - Audio
09/02/2013
This anthology of works about Warren Buffett provides a thorough examination of one of the world’s most successful business leaders. Culled from articles by Loomis that appeared in Fortune between 1966 and 2012, this collection provides an almost complete picture of all things Buffett. Narrator Susan Boyce hands in a strong, well-articulated performance, but her reading lacks the sort of emotion that would make this audio edition more engaging. Barry Press infuses his narration with more feeling, but fails to vary his pacing and emphasis. In all, this is an engaging collection of articles, but listeners may lose interest somewhere along the way. A Portfolio hardcover. (June)
Publishers Weekly
This fascinating collection presents a selection of articles about the financial mogul, many by Loomis and twelve12 by Buffett himself, published in Fortune Magazine from the time he first burst on the scene as a young financial genius up until today. As a longtime personal friend, she brings a unique perspective into his mindset, but readers will likely treasure Buffett's own insights most of all, such as his view of inheritance, reported in 1986: "To him the perfect amount to leave children is â??enough money so they would feel they could do anything, but not so much that they could do nothing.'" More recently, in 2010, he explained, "My wealth has come from a combination of living in America, some lucky genes, and compound interest. Both my children and I won what I call the ovarian lottery." His common sense and wry humor can be appreciated by everyone, but investors will be especially intrigued by gems like this explanation of Berkshire Hathaway's management philosophy: "We want people to join us because they want to be with us until they die." Loomis has created an engaging picture of a great influencer of our time. Agent: Tracy Brown, Tracy Brown Literary. (Nov.)
From the Publisher
Loomis has created an engaging picture of a great influencer of our time.”
Publishers Weekly
“Serious investors as well as those interested in the history of Berkshire Hathaway and the philanthropic ideas of Buffett will enjoy these revealing pieces extracted from theFortunearchives.”
Kirkus Reviews
MAY 2013 - AudioFile
With flawless speaking voices and nuanced phrasing, both of these narrators convey relaxed confidence for those listening to this collection of magazine articles about Warren Buffett. The book is mainly about Buffett’s methods, microeconomics, and the evolution of modern investing practice—topics that are a perfect match for Susan Boyce’s understated personality and dry delivery. The talented Barry Press reads with more flair but never sounds like he’s performing or out-of-sync with the material. The alternating narration adds appealing contrast to the production. The three phases of Buffett’s life represented are his years as an investor, a business manager, and a philanthropist. Though these articles are weighted toward the technical side of money management, the book doesn’t lose sight of Buffett’s warmth, generosity, and wisdom. T.W. © AudioFile 2013, Portland, Maine
