Andrew Kilpatrick's 1,874-page, 1,400-photo 2-volume set is being called a "surprisingly lively read" and the most complete work ever written about Buffett's extraordinary career as an investor and as a philanthropist.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (Business Wire EON) March 18, 2008 --
Andrew Kilpatrick’s 1,874-page, 1,400-photo 2-volume
set is being called a “surprisingly lively
read” and the most complete work ever written
about Buffett’s extraordinary career as an
investor and as a philanthropist.
The
book begins: “Out of the primordial ooze
of dollars from a struggling textile mill called Berkshire
Hathaway, Warren Buffett took some small cash streams from the
business and, using investment wizardry honed during his early years
working with limited funds, literally ‘spun’
money through mergers and acquisitions. Those financial maneuvers
jump-started unequaled returns on capital, which multiplied by the magic
of compounding, created today’s Berkshire --
an unimaginably large cosmos (and hence the theme of the book).
“With the roll of the years, today's Berkshire
is a powerhouse generating earnings at a breathtaking pace of $2 billion
to $3 billion per calendar quarter with a stock market value of more
than $200 billion.
“This accomplishment, as it turns out, is of
great value to more than Buffett and Berkshire shareholders because
Buffett has arranged for his shares to ‘go
back to society.’ This gift outright is the
largest philanthropic donation in history. Ever!”
The book has more than 330 chapters and of the 1,400 photos more than
100 are in color. Other features include not only a regular index but a “Cosmic
Photo Index” as well. The front cover photo
shows Buffett in front of a NetJet
fuselage (with the cosmos in the background) and the back cover features
an exclusive photo of the 19 people who work at the headquarters at
Berkshire called “the most respected company
in the world” by Barron’s.
Also, the work has seven chapters related to Berkshire’s
Vice Chairman Charles Munger, interviews with scores of Berkshire
shareholders, a chapter about Buffett’s trips
to Canada, China and Korea as well as a chapter about Berkshire’s
multibillion-dollar purchase of Marmon Holdings, a conglomerate of more
than 125 “nuts and bolts”
businesses. An interview with Buffett’s
physical fitness trainer is a highlight.
Editorial reviews:
“A surprisingly lively read.”
-- Midwest Library Review
“A heavy read. Literally.”
-- The Wall Street Journal
“The definitive story.” -- London
Daily Telegraph
“Needs fleshing out.”
-- Warren Buffett
To read the first chapter online, follow this link.
About the author:
Andrew Kilpatrick is a 1965 graduate of Washington & Lee University. He
served in the Peace Corps in India from 1965 to 1967, earned a master’s
degree in English from the University of Vermont, and was a U.S. Navy
officer for three years. His 20-year career with newspapers in
Birmingham, Alabama, included eight years as a business reporter. Since
1992, he has subsisted as a stockbroker with Wachovia Securities in
Birmingham.
Book specifications: ISBN 978-1-57864-455-1 7”
by 10” Royal Blue Encased Hardcover, 2-volume
set
Price: $60
Available on Amazon.com here.
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