The most important investment you can make is in yourself.
That’s one of the numerous nuggets of wisdom provided by Warren Buffett, who is arguably one of the most profitable investors in the world today.
Born in Nebraska in 1930, the “Oracle of Omaha” is the CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, the conglomerate of which he took control over half a century ago. Today, Buffett has a net worth of more than $60 billion.
So do you want to know more about how Buffett became so successful? If so then there are plenty Warren Buffett books (both by and about him) to choose from.
But which one should you read first?
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How These Books Are Rated
The answer largely depends on exactly what you are trying to accomplish. Are you interested in Buffett’s life story, or are you trying to absorb some of his business knowledge? Are you looking for a comprehensive tome detailing his strategies and milestones, or just a fun and entertaining read?
Today, we’ll review five of the most popular books about Buffett and evaluate them based on these five categories:
- How much does it tell us about the life of Warren Buffett?
- How much does it tell us about Warren Buffett’s business strategies?
- How much previously-unknown information does it tell us about Warren Buffett?
- How timely and relevant is the information contained in the book?
- How easy or difficult is it to read?
Below is an overview of the Warren Buffett books we will be focusing on.
Click on any title to read more about the book on Amazon. Please note that these are affiliate links, meaning this site will get a small commission from any purchase (which then goes towards paying for the hosting costs for this site).
More details about each book can be found farther down here as well.
Warren Buffett Book | My Thoughts |
|---|---|
The Snowball: Warren Buffett and the Business of Life by Alice Schroeder | Best book for learning about Warren's life |
Tap Dancing to Work: Warren Buffett on Practically Everything by Carol J. Loomis | Decent look at some of his specific decisions over the years |
The Warren Buffett Way: Investment Strategies of the World's Greatest Investor by Robert G. Hagstrom | Best book for learning about Warren's methods for succeeding as an investor |
Buffett: The Making of an American Capitalist by Roger Lowenstein | Decent book for learning about Warren's investing methods as well as some of his life |
The Essays of Warren Buffett: Lessons for Corporate America by Warren Buffett and Lawrence Cunningham | Best book for learning about Warren's methods for succeeding in business |
The Top 5 Warren Buffett Books
The Snowball: Warren Buffett and the Business of Life
by Alice Schroeder
The author, Alice Schroeder, was given unprecedented access to the billionaire, who answered countless questions on a wide range of topics. The title of this 832-page book is based on Buffett's observation about life: “Life is like a snowball. The important thing is finding wet snow and a really long hill.”
Pros:
- Arguably the most comprehensive collection of the life of Warren Buffett
- Details several of the important lessons he learned throughout his business career
- Conversational writing makes it enjoyable to read
Cons:
- Doesn’t provide specific insights into how Buffett amassed his fortune and the decisions he made that helped him do it
- Often strays into areas which may not interest the reader, such as the estrangement from his wife and minute details about places and events
- It’s a very long book and tends to drag in places, which may discourage people from completing it
Tap Dancing to Work: Warren Buffett on Practically Everything
by Carol J. Loomis
This book approaches Buffett from the perspective of Fortune magazine, given that the author, Carol Loomis, wrote one of the first articles about the business mogul for that publication. It’s a collection of some two dozen Fortune pieces written by and about Buffett between 1966 and 2012. The title is from the way Buffett views his job (he “tap dances to work” every day).
Pros:
- Provides a clear picture of Buffett’s genius and business acumen
- Explores a diverse array of topics and subject matter
- Chronological format helps give context to his decisions and shows his evolution as a businessman
Cons:
- Given the age of many of the articles, much of the information in the book is outdated
- Little new information about Buffett or unique insights into his business practices
- Complex jargon and prose make it a bit difficult to read
The Warren Buffett Way: Investment Strategies of the World's Greatest Investor
by Robert G. Hagstrom
As the subtitle implies, Robert Hagstrom’s book focuses mainly on the investment strategies made by Buffett and how they resulted in large returns (or not). This best-seller chronicles the stock choices made by Buffett throughout his career and demonstrates why he is one of the brightest business minds in America.
Pros:
- Focuses almost exclusively on Buffett’s business strategies toward picking companies with great potential
- Formatted in a way which breaks down the tenets that underpin Buffett’s approach to the stock market
- Written for a mass market audience, so it’s easy to read without a lot of complex industry verbiage
Cons:
- Most recent edition only published in 2005, so much of the information may not be applicable to today’s market
- Appears to read as a self-help investment guide rather than a biography
- Uneven pacing makes it difficult to plod through in places
Buffett: The Making of an American Capitalist
by Roger Lowenstein
Journalist Roger Lowenstein penned this book about Buffett’s rise to the billionaires’ club, beginning when the young Buffett amassed the equivalent of $53,000 – when he was 16 years old. Buffett also touches on the Oracle of Omaha’s philosophies and accomplishments, business and personal relationships, and views on social awareness and philanthropy.
Pros:
- Outlines Buffett’s method of investing in simplistic terms, which makes it easy for the reader to embrace
- Shows the evolution of Buffett’s strategies from his teen and early adult years until his time as a billionaire
- Easy to read for people who have some level of knowledge about the business world
Cons:
- Doesn’t provide much of an understanding of Buffett’s investing secrets
- Hones in on personal details which may be uninteresting for readers who are hoping to glean knowledge about Buffett’s business acumen
- Runs for 512 pages, making it a cumbersome read
The Essays of Warren Buffett: Lessons for Corporate America
by Warren Buffett and Lawrence Cunningham
Lawrence Cunningham acted as more of a collator than an author for this book, which is a collection of portions of the annual letters that Buffett has written over the years as CEO of Berkshire Hathaway. The subject matter of these essays ranges from bubbles and economic crises to valuation models and basic tenets of business.
Pros:
- The third edition of the book offers information on more timely and relevant information pertaining to the modern markets
- Contains a large amount of useful information for investors
- Offers plenty of homespun sayings, quips, and bits of wisdom from Buffett that makes it an entertaining read
Cons:
- For Buffett fans who have already read the mogul’s annual letters, the book provides no new insight
- Cunningham doesn’t put any of the essays’ information into any context
- Since the letters date back decades, much of the information is obsolete and irrelevant
What Is The Best Warren Buffett Book?
To be honest I'm not sure I can pick a favorite. I enjoyed all of them and I think there are unique tidbits of information to be found in each.
That said, I recommend that you opt for The Snowball or Buffett: The Making of an American Capitalist if you’re looking for an enjoyable biography.
Or if you’re a businessperson looking to learn something new, either Tap Dancing to Work or The Warren Buffett Way will be more beneficial for you.
Finally, Essays of Warren Buffett is probably best if you want to learn straight from the masters own words.
You can't really go wrong with any of them. Just pick one and enjoy!
Also, please share your thoughts on the best Warren Buffett books to read below.
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