Recounting the life and times of one of the most respected men in the world, The Snowball is the most fascinating financial success story of our time. Warren Buffett, the legendary Omaha investor has never written a memoir, but finally has given Alice Schroeder unprecedented access to him and all those closest to his work, opinions, struggles, triumphs, follies and wisdom. The result is this personally revealing and complete biography of 'The Oracle of Omaha', indispensable reading for those who wish to know the man behind the outstanding achievements.

About the Author

Alice Schroeder began her career as a certified public accountant, working for Ernst & Young before being appointed as a managing director at Morgan Stanley in the equities division. She was the number 1-ranked Institutional Investor All-America Research analyst in 2001 and 2002, and a member of the All-America Research team for seven years. Schroeder first met Warren Buffett in 1998. By 2001, Buffett began to suggest that Alice shift from the business of following stocks in order to write full-time.

Prizes

The Snowball was a BookScan Hardback Non-fiction bestseller in hardback and the paperback will be launched with a major consumer campaign focussed on key centres of business. Aimed at fans of books by business giants such as Alan Greenspan and Richard Branson as well as fans of What They Don't Teach You At Harvard Business School and The One-Minute Manager. Abridged from the hardback edition, with two new chapters on the credit crunch

Reviews

Successful investor Warren Buffett sits down with author Schroeder to give readers deep and erudite insights into his work and personal life. Detailing his views on current trends in the economy and society, Buffet speaks with tremendous wisdom about everything from his family to his business ethics. Richard McGonagle gives an eloquent, straightforward reading. He has a knack for delivering words with a profound importance in his voice, drawing in listeners and holding their interest for hours. Schroeder reads her introduction and sets the tone for this revealing biography. A Bantam hardcover (reviewed online). (Oct.) Copyright 2008 Reed Business Information.

'An epic account of the greatest capital accumulator in history.' Dominic Lawson, The Times 'Warren Buffett's opinions are so hotly sought that THE SNOWBALL, a biography with which he has enthusiastically cooperated, would be of interest even if it answered only softball questions. It approaches him seriously, covers vast terrain and tells a fascinating story.' New York Times 'Buffett has been ahead of the curve for most of the past 50 years, making him one of the world's richest people. THE SNOWBALL provides some clues about how he's done it.' Financial Times 'A monumental work ... you feel like you've been in the presence of a monumentally flawed but riveting character ... utterly compelling.' Evening Standard

Verdict: This massive-and highly readable-text (produced with Buffett's full cooperation) is an unvarnished and well-paced biography that is essential for all public and academic business collections. Background: Schroeder, a former Wall Street analyst, profiles the world's most idiosyncratic and successful investor in a book that recounts her subject's sage business mantras ("Be greedy when others are fearful, and fearful when others are greedy, but don't think you can outsmart the market") and a private life dominated by enthusiasm, obsession, and eccentricity. Since childhood, Buffett has been single-minded in his drive to amass wealth, and because of an unhappy relationship with his mother, he surrounds himself with mothering women. Schroeder contrasts his relationships with powerful figures like Katharine Graham and Bill Gates against his simple Omaha lifestyle and such humble details as his picky eating habits and "bathtub memory"-his ability to forget disturbing memories selectively.-Lawrence Maxted, Gannon Univ., Erie, PA Copyright 2009 Reed Business Information.