5 comments about How Buffett Does It (Mighty Manager).

1. This book emphasizes the value and critical importance of clear, independent thinking in investment. Although at times it was very repetitive, which is not a bad thing per se, the most important lesson of the book was this: many investment professionals would like you to believe that you know nothing and that they know everything, and therefore, you should let them do your thinking for you. This is not the path to superior results; it is the path to sorrow. In truth, you must acknowledge two things- first, that you do know something, and the value of what you know, and second, that there are things that you do not know, some of which are important and must be determined, and others are unimportant. Most of us spend too much time trying to uncover unimportant information, and too little time pursuing important information. Moreover, most of us fail to acknowledge what we know that is of value and put too much stock in what others know that is not of any value. This book, thankfully without any equations to get in the way of clear thinking, tells you most of what you need to know to invest with a reasonable degree of safety and success.
   
   Successful value investing deals with knowns. It accepts a certain level of uncertainty, but always proceeds from the facts. In contrast, growth investing deals in speculation- reasoning without a firm basis in fact. It tends to fall victim to the illusion of precision, egregious hyperbole and lovely fantasies (which later turn out to be beautiful lies in retrospect). In essence, this book hammers home the message that the value investor knows what she knows of importance and also knows what she does not know of importance. Everything else is useless. This perhaps explains why most successful value investors tend to be introverted bookworms (they like to read, they don't talk much and they are constantly observing everything).
   
   How Buffett Does It presents 24 short, concise lessons on how to think and reason through the investment process. Written in simple, straightforward language to facilitate understanding, the book imparts all the goodies and gems of Buffettology- or the study of the investment techniques of Warren Buffett.
   
   My only complaint about the book resides in Chapter 20, which imparts the often cited Buffett advice of being fearful when others are greedy and greedy when others are fearful. I have always felt that this advice needs modification- specifically to something like 'Be cautious when others are greedy and observant when others are fearful'. One needs to know why others are greedy or fearful, and although one can always keep a safe distance when others are greedy (due to their inherent predictability, since their behavior will be consistent with their greed), given that fearful people can be quite dangerous (due to their inherent unpredictability), it behooves one to keep one eye on the situation making others fearful, AND one eye on the fearful people.
   
   Without a doubt, this is the best of all the 'Buffett' books, and Mr. Pardoe has done some excellent work here. I highly recommend it to any aspiring value investor looking to invest with safety and success.



2. I'll be as short and succinct as possible. Fluff with little or no redeeming value.



3. Pardoe has written an easy-to-read book, split up into 24 short chapters. He gives us an insight into the investment method of Warren Buffett, without going into details. It seems that he really had to stretch himself to fill 24 chapters, as some thoughts are repeated in various chapters. "Don't follow the herd", "Practice independent thinking", "Buy when everybody else is selling" are covered in different chapters, although they cover the same thing. The main success factor of Warren Buffett, however, is touched upon only very briefly: Buy companies below their intrinsic value, in other words: Buy the 1-Dollar-bill for 40 cents.
   What is this intrinsic value? How do you determine it? How can Buffett forecast future cash flows more accurately than all the other highly paid wall street experts? This is what the reader would like to know!
   The reader is not interested in common sense statements like "Buy companies whose products are needed or desired and have no close substitute". Everybody will agree to that, but how do you find such a company before everybody else finds out, and the market cap reflects this potential?
   This is a major shortcoming of this book. However, since it is an easy-to-read book, it can be viewed as a good starter for the Buffet investment method, before the reader turns to more serious books like Benjamin Graham's "The Intelligent Investor".



4. Firs of all: this book will not make you rich. Nor will explain you a secret which will help you become rich.
   After all, it was not written by Warren Buffet himself - that should give you additional warning sign.
   This book explains some principles Buffet used in his way to the top, it explains differences between him and many others and many other things, but it doesn't bring any magic formula. Some things you will find in are useful, of course and in general it is worth reading, but in general nothing spectacular. It explains Buffet's general philosophy and strategy, but without some key things: how to find "gold share" and how will you know when you find it. Also, my opinion is that it's applicable to USA only, if you are in Europe - take care. Shares available in some smaller countries are not even close to ones you can buy in USA. But can still offer high revenues if you NOT follow some rules in this book.
   Anyway, I would recommend this book to anyone dealing with shares because it gives you some wider perspective and ideas you will not hear from your own broker, but still - use your own head.



5. An excellent primer on value investing. I never thought I would enjoy a book about investing as much I did this one. James Pardoe does an excellent job when he talks about the 24 simple investing strategies that has made Warren Buffett the second richest man in the world. This is not a how to book, but there is very good information in here that will put you on the right path to value investing. We all won't become a Warren Buffett but using these strategies will make you money and you can become your own financial advisor.
   
   Some so-called experts make the world of investing seem like rocket science and that is exactley what they want you to believe. Buffett's strategies are common sense and he has often said anyone with average intelligence can impliment them.
   
   However, as simple as they are, to become a good value investor you must do your homework, know the business you are going to buy and have the proper temperament. Buffett does not use any computer software to analyze a business, the only thing he uses a computer for is to play Bridge online with friends and family. However, he is an avid reader and this book tells you to do the same. Buffett reads six hours a day and the rest of the time he is thinking about what he just read. Before you buy a business you must read, read and read some more.

5 comments about The Essential Buffett: Timeless Principles for the New Economy.

1. Robert Hagstorm re-states the great principles included in his outstanding book "The Warren Buffet Way", adding references to the new economy just in the last chapter with a few recommendations.

   I am a true believer in the doctrine taught in the three books by Hagstorm, and they opened a whole new field to me. But his first book remains the best. I put it in practice with excellent personal results so far.




2. Before I read the Essential Buffet I knew very little about Warren Buffett. I knew he was one of, if not the richest man in the world. I knew he made his fortune from the stock market, but that was basically all.
   I began the book with the hope of learning what set him apart from the thousands of other investors that don't even come close to his successes.
   The book begins with a general summery of what is to come. Then it gets into the details. You learn how his childhood shaped his decision making. Then it talks about his greatest influences Graham and Fischer. Then it talks about how he selects stocks.
   All of the skills you learn not only teach you why he was successful but also how you can be. The author uses simple analagies to explain complex ideas, which makes it an easier read.
   I recomend the book to those who are interested in the stock market, owning or managing a business or just in economics in general.



3. Hagstrom's The Essential Buffett is key to understanding successful investing strategies. However this very helpful book is not just about why Buffett makes his choices, but, how Buffett's thought process in deciding to pick a stock has come to be. Besides the genius of Buffett, the reader learns about stock market guru's Ben Graham, Philip Fisher and Berkshire Hathaway's vice-Chairman Charlie Munger. Hagstrom's examples of the companies Buffett has been with like: Net Jet, See's, Coca-Cola, Citigroup... teaches young investors Buffett's investment ideaology. Because Hagstrom uses assumptions and multiple mathematical examples to prove HIS own application of Buffett's investing style to tech stocks, The Essential Buffett is not a five star book.



4. Hagstrom has presented Buffett's philosophy that is understandable and correct. I intend to learn from Buffett's principles and to use them to my advantage, to make my billions.



5. Instead of calling this book "The Essential Buffett", Hagstrom should have called it "The Rehashed Buffett". I have read both of the author's previous books about Buffett, and they stand well on their own. This book, though, is just a cash grab. It is "essentially" just highlights from the other two books recycled into this "new" book.

   If you haven't read the first two books should you read this one? I don't know... but if you have read the first two, don't bother with this patch job.

5 comments about Becoming Rich: The Wealth-Building Secrets of the World's Master Investors Buffett, Icahn, Soros.

1. This book is completely worthless. The strategies within this text constantly contradict themselves. For example don't take risks - focus on keeping what you have rather than building on what you've got. Then it goes on to say, risk; however, is in the eye of the beholder. One of the "strategies" in this book actually speaks of predicting the market before a trend even occurs. I guess the average Joe investor will be able to predict future market trends before the experts do, huh? Basically this book reads as follows, invest in strong companies and/or companies that are deeply discounted, but fundamentally sound ... Don't diversify your portfolio ... Put all your eggs in one basket or just a few baskets. Be able to predict the future so that you can put your money into a sector that is about to take off, etc. If you are looking to build your wealth I would say step one is saving the money you would have spend purchasing this book and look else ware.



2. I write financial newsletters for a living. I'm constantly being asked by my publisher's book subisidary to submit ideas for an investment title. I've bought every investment book with the name Buffett in the title. I've read most of them, although I've finished few of them. The best ones are The Warren Buffett Way, by Hagstrom, The Buffettology books, and Greenwald, et al's Value Investing: From Graham to Buffett and Beyond. Becoming Rich, is half a notch below these, but this is the book I wish I'd written, not any of those other three.
   
   The best thing about Becoming Rich is that Tier, a veteran newsletter writer, always SHOWS you. He never merely tells you what his point is. This book has page after page of anecdotes and examples, including material I don't remember reading elsewhere about Buffett. For example, there's a great couple of paragraphs explaining what happened to Coke before Goizueta took over, and how Goizueta dug into the business, sold of all the garbage assets previous management had bought, and introduced Diet Coke, which became an instant smash hit.
   
   Tier does a better job of summing up Soros's style than any of the Soros books. I can't get through Alchemy of Finance, but I really enjoyed reading about Soros in Becoming Rich. Icahn material is scarce, and Becoming Rich has material I haven't seen elsewhere, although Tier did tell me by e-mail that some of it came from the now out-of-print biography, King Icahn.
   
   If you're an individual investor, you should read this book. If you're an educated financial professional, you've probably swallowed a fair amount of pure garbage as a part of your formal education. This book can help you discard it.
   
   If you enjoy reading stories and anecdotes about business and great investors, you'll love this book. It doesn't hurt that, along the way, Tier calls out the principles that Buffett, Icahn and Soros used to get rich.
   
   So...it's a useful book, a unique though simple approach to the topic, loaded with ultra-specific examples, delivered with a sense of urgency, fun and story-telling throughout.
   
   ~ Dan Ferris, Editor, Extreme Value
   (www.stansberryresearch.com)



3. I found this book very interesting and would say it lived up to its billing. I specifically bought it to read about Carl Icahn but found the other investors interesting as well. It's always a good idea to learn from the best and these guys are some of the best, give it a try.



4. I don't agree with absolutely everything that Mark Tier writes in this book - but the points I disagree on at least get me to think. I think there are more differences between Soros and Buffett than Tier would like. Some of the rules are relatively but not absolutely true - for example the don't diversify rule is relative. Buffett is in fact very diversified today across investments and operating businesses as a result of the pure size of Berkshire though insurance remains the primary business. Soros always diversified across individual stock investments but would take large futures positions. But the insights in the book far outweigh any of my criticisms. For the guy who says the book is worthless - the book is not very useful to someone with no experience in trading and investing. You need to come to this book with a lot of experience and maybe limited success and it will open your eyes. Having previously read biographies of Soros and Buffett and their own writings will help put things in context too. This is very much an advanced level text :)



5. Well written, I believe if the advice is implemented completely the reader will becoming wealthy as the title implies.

4 comments about Warren Buffett and the Interpretation of Financial Statements: The Search for the Company with a Durable Competitive Advantage.

1. This book is like a checklist of exactly what to look for when evaluating stocks. I'm so excited to have read it because the market right now is full of Warren Buffett opportunities and I know how to find them!! I just got my MBA and I learned more from these 200-some pages about how to pick a stock than I did getting the degree. Like Buffett and Clark's other books, this one has a clarity and focus that makes it a quick, enjoyable read. Five stars!



2. This book was a complete revalation - and it is brilliant! The authors walk us through the financial statement as if Warren Buffett were at our side explaining things as he works his way through the numbers. They even show us where on the balance sheet that we could have seen where the investment banks were setting themselves up for disaster. It is a far more timely book than the Graham book. The main focus of the book is how Buffett uses a company's financial statement to help him identify if the company has what Buffett calls a Durable Competitive Advantage - the kind of company that will make us super rich over the long run. They also get into how Buffett determines the right price to pay for the company - so we don't end up paying too much for it. I highly recommend this book to any one that is interested in a sane way for make fortune. Happy reading!



3. This book was great. It finally shed light on something I've always wanted to know how to do -- read a financial statement. Buffett's never been more relevant than he is today. After reading this, I feel like I have some control over what happens to my finances in this scary time.



4. I had read Buffettology and heard this book was out. Buffettology was written with such clarity and I had high hopes for this book as well. I was not disappointed. This book delivered! In these times it is extremely helpful for me to be able to understand Buffett's financial strategies.

5 comments about The Warren Buffett CEO: Secrets From the Berkshire Hathaway Managers.

1. Robert Miles knows Warren Buffett, and it's clear that he also knows a thing or two about the people who run the companies in Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway. Armed with information gleaned from eight months of intensive interviews, Miles uncovers what makes a Berkshire manager tick, and covers the workings of Berkshire, itself, as well. Writing through the voices of the CEOs he portrays, Miles skillfully weaves the colorful histories of 18 firms into a revealing set of success stories. Many tales are similar - the CEOs love their companies; they worked hard to build solid businesses and no one regrets selling his firm to Berkshire. They all sound genuinely happier than you might possibly believe, and each chapter has business models you shouldn't miss. We invite any executive to enter these pages for an insider's view (still, it doesn't hurt to remember, they all knew Warren was gonna read it).



2. Thank goodness Berkshire Hathaway is populated by so much management talent. Even Robert Miles' mediocre writing and pedestrian insights can't obscure the real value of this book, which is to document, in a detailed and therefore fairly convincing way, Warren Buffett's exceptional ability to choose and motivate people.

   Buffett's techniques for dealing with people are well-known (he talks about them constantly) and this book has almost nothing really new to reveal, but Berkshire junkies will enjoy the anecdotes and facts that bring Buffett's concepts to life in a more concrete way. Even though many of the stories are recycled, hearing a few of the managers speak in their own words and tell their own versions is revealing. That Buffett himself made a kind remark about this book is unremarkable. What else could he possibly say about a book that features some of his key people? Bottom line: this is definitely a book for those already familiar with, and enthusiastic about, Buffett.

   Miles' publisher, Wylie, has created a virtual industry out of quickie trade books about Buffett. Wylie's new twist in this book is the Berkshire managers, who provide whatever shine it emits. But somewhere along the way, a mighty big assist must have been delivered on the editorial end to tone the writing style down into something publishable. How so? Miles himself comes across as one of the most self-aggrandizing, uber-promotional, un-Buffett-like people imaginable. That someone could write about Warren Buffett, with seemingly so little concept of what the man is about, is amazing. It wouldn't be the first time Buffett's name has been exploited by someone who barely knows him, but Miles takes exploitation to a whole new extreme. The Robert Miles web page, which reminds one of a three-card monte dealer or perhaps, one of the more gelatinous used car salesman types, speaks for itself. The headline, "You May Never Meet Warren Buffett, But Hear Robert P. Miles Speak and You'll Feel Like You Have" says it all. If you want to read a book about the value of humility by an author who has the nerve to compare himself to Warren Buffett, well, this is that book.




3. Robert Miles knows Warren Buffett, and it's clear that he also knows a thing or two about the people who run the companies in Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway. Armed with information gleaned from eight months of intensive interviews, Miles uncovers what makes a Berkshire manager tick, and covers the workings of Berkshire, itself, as well. Writing through the voices of the CEOs he portrays, Miles skillfully weaves the colorful histories of 18 firms into a revealing set of success stories. Many tales are similar - the CEOs love their companies; they worked hard to build solid businesses and no one regrets selling his firm to Berkshire. They all sound genuinely happier than you might possibly believe, and each chapter has business models you shouldn't miss. We invite any executive to enter these pages for an insider's view (still, it doesn't hurt to remember, they all knew Warren was gonna read it).



4. The book has a lot of interesting stories about managers at Berkshire Hathaway. It's not much about Warren Buffett. And it has nothing to do with investment.



5. Warren Buffett is the god of investors. Thus, there's a plethora of books about him and his investing methods. Reading anything Buffett says is good. My concern with these books is they become dated very fast. For example, right now, in mid 2007, Warren is buying up railroad stocks, specifically Burlington Northern. Yet we don't glean that from this book, because it went to print before Warren got into RR's.
   
   I've read most of the Buffett books and this one is above average. Recommended.
   Also, for those desiring to become rich, check out Tom Stanley's "The Millionaire Mind."The Millionaire Mind

5 comments about How to Think Like Benjamin Graham and Invest Like Warren Buffett.

1. Gives you insight into the two greatest investors of all time think and handle their investments.Financial Statement Analysis: A Practitioner's Guide, 3rd Edition



2. THE BOOK IS GREAT. THE SERVICE FROM AMAZON WAS BAD. PAID EXTRA TO EXPRESS SHIP AND IT ENDED UP TAKING 2.5 WEEKS AND AMAZON DUMPED THEIR RESPONSIBILITY ON ME TO WORK WITH UPS. WISH I HAD GONE TO THE BOOK STORE.



3. One of the most interesting books I've ever read on investing. Easy to read and understand the principles and investemnt criteria using by an outstanding value investor : Warren Buffett...



4. The title is what lured me to start reading this book.
   Basically, the book is FULL of long difficult words and by no means conversational or "fun" to read. It requires the reader to concentrate intensely in the later chapters to understand the message. The book only briefly mentions a few select thoughts by Graham and Buffett and misses a lot of the important insights and timeless wisdom of both men.
   This book is more focused on the authors aspect of value investing and can be seen by his detailed (and unnecessary 20+ pages) of corporate governance and macro economics.
   
   I don't know whether he was trying to write a novel here with all sorts of metaphors, adjectives and 'colorful' descriptions which does not make sense when related to finance and investing.
   
   Better value investing books out there for sure.



5. The author pretends to sound sophisticated throughout the book. I was able to skip paragraphs and still get the main ideas. My middle finger to the author!

5 comments about Warren Buffett Wealth: Principles and Practical Methods Used by the World's Greatest Investor.

1. I've read a lot of books on Warren Buffett and this one is the best reading on the topic available. Robert Miles shares some unique insights into the strategies of this brilliant investor.



2. Warren Buffett is a legendary financial wizard who has built a fortune based on the principles of value investing. Many volumes have been written about his investing approach, but Robert P. Miles' treatise is a bit different from most of the others. The author is obviously a great fan of Buffett - at times, the book borders on plutocratic hagiography - but his all-encompassing admiration lends his work a distinctive tone. Reading this exposition is like hearing a star-struck fan discuss the techniques of a favorite movie star. Dazed admiration helps Miles see patterns, connections and details about Warren Buffett that you might not find in a more objective or more focused tome. If you want a nitty-gritty, pros and cons analysis of Buffett's investing style, go elsewhere. If a down-home and frankly admiring analysis, complete with investing advice based on Buffett's principles, is more your style, we assure you, you've come to the right place. No naysayers allowed.



3. Design of book:
   Chapters headings and sections headings are structured to be captivating and clear, making it easy to convey the purposes and meanings of the principles.
   
   Content:
   The initial chapters of the book build on some of Buffett's stories and are intended to persuade the reader into following Buffett's principles of investing. You will unfold more of Buffett ways as you read, but most of the essential tips are already mentioned in the first half of the book. The later chapters merely serve as unnecessary elaborations. Principles and examples are also recycled at the later chapters giving readers a feeling that they were reading the book again, before they finished reading.
   
   Buffett debunks the Efficient Market Theory (EMT) by emphasizing on knowing the stocks you buy, buying at a discount and his track records. He also believes that knowledge of basic finances and accounting (GAAP) are necessary to value businesses. However, it will be hard to replicate his success given the difficulties of finding under-valued firms and attaining his wealth of experiences in interpreting annual reports.
   
   For who:
   More for first-time readers of Buffett's principles and books, though the author suggests that readers of other Buffett books would find it beneficial as well. Like most books, its persuasive content might not be relevant for readers who are already believers of his principles.
   
   This is also not a `get-rich at once' book. Further readings like The Intelligent Investor and Security Analysis (both written by Benjamin Graham) are necessary for savvy investing. Discipline, morals and experiences are also vital when following his principles.
   
   Readers should also have the mature mindset to determine the usefulness of some principles, which might be out-dated in today's context. In fact, the reason behind the popularity of Buffett and his principles are due to his simple and conservative approach towards investing, something which simple people are attracted to at the start.



4. It gives a lot of facts on the accomplishments of Warren's life. Some may be a bit repetative, but are used to engrain the theme of value. If you read it and take the ideas to heart about value in stocks, doing your own research, making good purchases in life (i.e. your home/car in addition to stocks), etc. you can walk away with a lot.



5. i've read all the Buffett books and this is the best of the lot. Also check out Rich Dad, Poor Dad.Rich Dad, Poor Dad: What the Rich Teach Their Kids About Money--That the Poor and Middle Class Do Not!

5 comments about The Warren Buffett Portfolio: Mastering the Power of the Focus Investment Strategy.

1. This book presents Buffet's and Hagstrom's portfolio allocation methods. I say Hagstrom's because I think that much of Buffet's allocation methodology remains between Buffet's ears -- and not that of Hagstrom the author. Also, I believe Buffet is more opportunistic; he acts decisively when opportunities present themselves.
   
   The author adds discussion of technology stocks, an anathema of Buffet's, and the obligatory discussion of complex adaptive networks which might not be Buffet thinking but more along the lines of Charles Munger, his cohort.
   
   Nevertheless, there are many interesting points in this book. I listened to the audio tapes and they excellent. I then took the book out from the library and liked the tapes more.
   
   The author covers several important topics, in a summarized way, but also in a very interesting way. One topic done well was thinking in terms of probabilities. Another was diversification: don't over-diversify.
   
   The author also quoted from several books outside of the financial area and have become intrigued with them. They were: Fire in the Mind (Johnson), Full House (Gould), Against the Gods (Bernstein).
   
   I think Hagstrom is a very good author but his works seem to lack the detail that I like to see. He's one that can pull the strands of many topics together but perhaps skates over their details. I would have liked more detail on subjective probabilities as applied to the stock market for example. More on how Bayes, etc.
   
   John Dunbar
   Sugar Land, TX



2. Go right to the heart of the matter with Graham and Dodd's "Security Analysis" if you want to know how Buffett started. Hagstrom's book is a poorly executed fifth grader's book report on the primary investing philosophy of Buffett. Don't waste your money here. You'll regret it. This doesn't even scratch the surface of relevant information.



3. I bought it, by the title mentioning W.B.
   Wasted money: Whenever it comes to the details, he refers to his other book "The W.B way" (which I do not have, amazon ratings are poor though). Nothing wrong with the contents, but nothing new either. Just read the Berkshire Hathaway Annual Letter to the Shareholders (free on the web), with more and actually useful info. This book has ZERO value after reading the Letters, and this book ALONE does not quite help you picking stocks (although makes a good point in favor of WB's way)



4. The book is short, but gives you a lot to think about. I was interested in it mainly because Munger and Buffett gave it a nod. Many of the concepts were enlightening, he presents some good empirical evidence to support his arguments, and he hits all of the main points of the focus investment strategy which Buffett uses. He could have gone into a little more detail in the mathematics section, where I found myself dissatisfied with his unnecessarily vague and subjective treatment of the core concepts of probability. I say unnecessarily because I realize the purpose of the book is to give investors a mental framework for successful investment, but he could have easily included some practical information for investors on how to actually implement these strategies. For instance, a short example of his own, describing in detail the use of expected value (a simple statistical measure he alludes to but never mentions), would have helped to remedy the situation. He actually shows a simplified form of the Kelly Criterion (where payout is fixed), but failed to also include the more useful formula, which would have better shown the critical link between payout odds and probability (which together make up expected value), and optimal betting size. Sometimes little things like this make all the difference in our understanding, but in certain instances in the book he presents them as isolated concepts, and the informed reader is left believing the author doesn't really have a strong grasp of what he is writing, or at least didn't do a very good job of connecting his ideas together. He leaves it up to you to do the work of integrating the ideas into one. Still, he gives you the basic models you need, and does do a really good job incorporating his interviews with Buffett, Munger, Ruane, etc. into the book. If you will take the time to investigate and fill in the details, his theories will solidify nicely into one very powerful model, and this book will have served its intended purpose well.



5. I wonder what the aim of this book really was... It appears the author was impressed with Buffett's use of probability theory and expectancies of outcome on investments, and he wanted to share it with the world. But it seems the author has written this book before he fully understood the concepts, because this book is little more than a ragtag of quotes. The book lacks detail and practical how-to guide-lines. It often tries to draw irrelevant analogies. And the writing style of this author is generally confusing, because he relies so heavily on quotes instead of making a coherent explanation of the concepts himself. I've given this book 3 stars because it does have some interesting points for further consideration for people already experienced in Value / Focus Investing.

No comments about Pilgrimage to Warren Buffett's Omaha: A Hedge Fund Manager's Dispatches from Insi the Berkshire Hathaway Annual Meeting.

5 comments about How to Pick Stocks Like Warren Buffett: Profiting from the Bargain Hunting Strategies of the World's Greatest Value Investor.

1. 1) The first quote on the back cover is from Mary Buffett. Mary's claim to fame is that she divorced Warren's son and then got into the investment book business. If you can't do that 'math' or you buy into the '*****' reviews for this book I've got a bridge I'd like to sell you. 2) Throw out the chapter on 'Warren on Arbitrage'. I've worked in equity arb. Most of this chapter is either outright false or highly misleading. 3) Entire sections of this book read as if they were excerpted from Hagstrom's or John Train's books. 4) The only reason I didn't give this book zero stars was it had some nice quips about value investing in general.



2. This is book says it about Buffet's way of picking stocks, but it is not. I'm sure Buffet would scream if he ever read this book. It not only isn't Buffet's strategy, it is bad advise too. Don't buy this book. If you've read it, disregard everything you learned before you lose money. Read Buffet or Graham and get it straight from the horse's mouth, and learn the intelligent way to pick stocks. This book stinks!



3. I am an avid reader of Warren Buffett's writings, and I believe that Warren Buffett would disagree with many items in this book. For example, Warren Buffett previously described his method of discounting companies in other articles, and it does not match the author's description.
   
   I can see how this book would be highly rated to someone not familiar with the details of Buffett's own articles and letters. But in my opinion, the book appears to only about 80% in agreement Buffett's previous writings. This book can give the reader a good overview of Warren Buffett's methods if they do not pay strict attention to the author's details.



4. A $10,000 investment in Warren Buffett's original 1956 portfolio would today be worth a staggering $250 million ... after taxes! What are his investing secrets?
   
   How To Pick Stocks Like Warren Buffett contains the answers, and shows, step by profitable step, how any investor can follow Buffett's path to consistently find bargains in all market conditions: up down, or sideways. Relatively short and easy to read, How to Pick Stocks Like Warren Buffett is an excellent introduction to the world of value investing.The book is relatively short and should provide a satisfying read.



5. I've read about 5 "Buffett" books and they ranged from utter garbage (the daughter-in-law books) to the mildly interesting. None really helped me invest better.
   
   This book is different. I've read it probably 10 times now. Every chapter can change they way you think about investing.
   
   The writing is clear and simple.
   
   What follows is a totally groundless statement - i have zero evidence of this - but... the only other writer I know who writes so clearly on investment is Buffett himself, which leads me to suspect he may have been involved in the writing of this book ...or maybe Buffet is the real writer. (apologies to mr vick - take my comment as a compliment if you really did write this)
   
   Even if Buffett isnt the real writer, my guess is that this is the book he would write.
   
   It's my favourite book on investment. I have five or so copies at any one time and hand them out to friends who ask me for investment advise.