[.ca] The Real Warren Buffett: Managing Capital, Leading People (ISBN 1857883322)

Packed With Knowledge!:
A sentence crafter happily at work, James O'Loughlin imparts clarity with literacy. On the rare occasion that his industrious research does not find just the right quote from Buffett or Munger (chapters average 90 footnotes), he uses their favorite metaphors from sports and life. This is excellent writing that falls short only on prophesy and damnation. Buffett must pass Berkshire on to an heir in the next decade, but exactly who might follow him is given short shrift. How this unknown magician might cope with Munger (too old to be an heir) is avoided carefully. The manuscript was begun before September 11, 2001, created insurance chaos, but O'Loughlin doesn't elaborate upon it, beyond suggesting that chaos benefits Buffett - whose main float derives from super catastrophic insurance and reinsurance. We recommend this volume highly - along with getting to know the Real Buffett, you will learn a tidy amount about economics.

Great Insight!:
Mr. O'Loughlin provides a high quality analysis of Mr. Buffett's leadership style, rational behaviour and critical self-appraisal. The book is well-researched. Even more important, it is well thought out. There is truth here. The challenge for the reader is to look in the mirror and acknowledge how little he knows, then go forth and allocate capital on that limited basis.

Great Insight!:
Mr. O'Loughlin provides a high quality analysis of Mr. Buffett's leadership style, rational behaviour and critical self-appraisal. The book is well-researched. Even more important, it is well thought out. There is truth here. The challenge for the reader is to look in the mirror and acknowledge how little he knows, then go forth and allocate capital on that limited basis.

Great Insight!:
Mr. O'Loughlin provides a high quality analysis of Mr. Buffett's leadership style, rational behaviour and critical self-appraisal. The book is well-researched. Even more important, it is well thought out. There is truth here. The challenge for the reader is to look in the mirror and acknowledge how little he knows, then go forth and allocate capital on that limited basis.

Another Warren Worshipper trying to get rich off the man.:
This book is simply a summary of all the other books about Warren Buffett. It is interesting & tries to distil the concepts, but doesn't really add to our investment knowledge, unless you haven't read anything about Warren before. The continual references to Jack Welsh also seem redundant. You would be much better off reading "Making of an American Capitalist" by Roger Lowenstein which is the definitive Warren text. However, it is easy to read & gives a good overall view of the Buffett approach, but a lot of it is assumption or extrapolation based on other writers, shareholder letters & a bit of psychology thrown in for good measure. No important players were actually interviewed & given that the writer is based in the UK it appears he just pulled out his collection of Warren books, a psych. text & Jack Welsh's biography then started writing. The Warren worship is getting a bit tired.