ANDY DID IT AGAIN

[marlinls]

Of Permanent Value: The Story of Warren Buffett/2014 Endless Extra Edition is a sweeping look at investor Warren Buffett and his company Berkshire Hathaway -- the firm with the $200,000 stock price. The book is a revised version of the 2014 Endless Edition which sold out. The work opens with a look at Berkshire's annual meeting, the largest and most famous in the world. The earlier edition began with a chapter about Heinz which has been expanded and moved to a later spot in the new book. Some chapters have been deleted from the earlier edition and replaced with fresher material. Many new color photos have been added. With more than 1300 pages and 340 newspaper story-like chapters and more than 2000 photos, the book is, as one Berkshire shareholder says, "ridiculously complete." Endless, actually. New vignettes range in topic from a recent large insurance investment to Buffett's casual evening out in Omaha with Paul McCartney. Another episode tells of how the purchase of a rare penny kept it in the Berkshire family. The rise of Buffett from his precocious youth to his exalted post as an elder statesman of business and philanthropy is chronicled in this readable, highly entertaining book.

 

YES ANOTHER BOOK

REVISED.

CAN BUY IT ON AMZN.COM

[Guest longinvestor]

It will take me quite a while to get thru the 2014 book. I love the snippet approach Andy has taken. You can start anywhere in the book. Only complaint is the weight, I made the mistake of buying at lunch time at Omaha and had to lug it around. But once at home, couldn't keep my hands off.

[Kraven]

Just out of curiosity, what's going to happen when Buffett finally dies assuming those seances he's scheduled don't work?  What are people going to do with their time?  Are they going to idolize people like Tracy Britt Cool?  Are people going to still want to go to the meetings?  It will be like those bands where the lead singer is replaced and everyone shows up to realize it just isn't the same.

 

There was a comedian I remember from many years ago who had this great bit.  I don't remember his name, but he said he went to see Phantom of the Opera (back when that was the biggest show on Broadway) and expected to see Michael Crawford, the original star, and instead it was Robert Guillaume from tv's Benson instead.  He said it was like going to see the Boss and standing in for him was (no pun intended) Who's The Boss' Tony Danza or going to see Madonna and instead it was Family Ties' Tina Yothers. 

 

Maybe instead of Buffett it will be someone like Sam Waterston, the guy from the TD Waterhouse commercials.  Better might be James Earl Jones, but he's getting old too.  Perhaps Morgan Freeman for that presidential air about him.  Maybe they can go a bit younger and it can be someone like Matt Damon.  Or a little edgy with Alec Baldwin. 

[oddballstocks]

Just out of curiosity, what's going to happen when Buffett finally dies assuming those seances he's scheduled don't work?  What are people going to do with their time?  Are they going to idolize people like Tracy Britt Cool?  Are people going to still want to go to the meetings?  It will be like those bands where the lead singer is replaced and everyone shows up to realize it just isn't the same.

 

There was a comedian I remember from many years ago who had this great bit.  I don't remember his name, but he said he went to see Phantom of the Opera (back when that was the biggest show on Broadway) and expected to see Michael Crawford, the original star, and instead it was Robert Guillaume from tv's Benson instead.  He said it was like going to see the Boss and standing in for him was (no pun intended) Who's The Boss' Tony Danza or going to see Madonna and instead it was Family Ties' Tina Yothers. 

 

Maybe instead of Buffett it will be someone like Sam Waterston, the guy from the TD Waterhouse commercials.  Better might be James Earl Jones, but he's getting old too.  Perhaps Morgan Freeman for that presidential air about him.  Maybe they can go a bit younger and it can be someone like Matt Damon.  Or a little edgy with Alec Baldwin.

 

Yup, like Genesis without Phil Collins.  I mean sure the guitarist and keyboardist are the same, but everyone knows it's "different".

 

Does anyone actually read these books cover to cover? I went to the local business library and have browsed two editions of this book.  It's massive and seems to be the equivalent of someone's bookmarks being exported into a book format.  The thing is so big and so disjointed I wouldn't be surprised if a few articles about Jimmy Buffett or the Old Country Buffet snuck in there without anyone ever noticing.  It's like this guy Googled "Buffett" and then proceeded to print off every article and mention and jam them together into a book.

 

If Buffett were a rock start this level of fanaticism would border on stalker-ish behavior.  Somehow it's accepted for Berkshire Hathaway, weird.

[Liberty]

You know Buffett is big when he even has Buffett-hipsters who have to publicly complain about people liking him too much ;)

[merkhet]

Hahaha. Buffett-hipsters. I love it.

[oddballstocks]

Or maybe there are just a few of us investors who would rather think for ourselves verses toting the value investor party line that everything Buffett says/mumbles/breathes is awesome and incredible and the-best-thing-we've-ever-heard.

 

Maybe I'm just having a bad day.  This morning as I was riding my bike to get my organic coffee and muffin made from stone crushed hand sewn weathered grain grown in small batches in Iowa my flannel got caught in my bike and it yanked me to the ground crushing my black horn rimmed glasses.  I might have scuffed up my vintage boots as well....

[Liberty]

Or maybe there are just a few of us investors who would rather think for ourselves verses toting the value investor party line that everything Buffett says/mumbles/breathes is awesome and incredible and the-best-thing-we've-ever-heard.

 

I didn't realize those were the only two choices.

 

Maybe I'm just having a bad day.  This morning as I was riding my bike to get my organic coffee and muffin made from stone crushed hand sewn weathered grain grown in small batches in Iowa my flannel got caught in my bike and it yanked me to the ground crushing my black horn rimmed glasses.  I might have scuffed up my vintage boots as well....

 

Well, that explains it! :D

[oddballstocks]

I have come up with a fantastic new Buffett book idea.

 

I will be selling a book that when you open it you see a giant picture of Buffett and the song from the Lego Movie starts blaring "Everything is awesome, everything is cool..." 

 

For those of you who don't have young kids:

 

You can thank me later for getting that song stuck in your head...

[Palantir]

I think Berkshire after Buffett might look much more like Manchester United after Ferguson's hand-picked successor David Moyes.

[merkhet]

I have come up with a fantastic new Buffett book idea.

 

I will be selling a book that when you open it you see a giant picture of Buffett and the song from the Lego Movie starts blaring "Everything is awesome, everything is cool..." 

 

For those of you who don't have young kids:

 

You can thank me later for getting that song stuck in your head...

 

Damnit. I didn't even have to open the link and the song got stuck in my head. (Great movie, though.)

[Parsad]

I think Warren jumped the shark after sitting in on the "Money Team" with Mayweather on the weekend!  Very funny, and only he could do it, but at some point...damn it man, get a grip!  Seeing Munger in a gold, metallic track suit with gold chains on was bad enough, but it's time for some decorum from these two old hipsters.  Soon they'll be hanging out with PDiddy and Two Chains.  Cheers!

[Liberty]

Real value investing histpers only follow Ben Franklin, he's the OG.

[Guest longinvestor]

You know Buffett is big when he even has Buffett-hipsters who have to publicly complain about people liking him too much ;)

I have no qualms reading Andy K's book or attending Berkshire's meeting, or quoting Buffett/Munger. And even following their investment method, concentrating in BRK which allows me to concentrate my reading habits. And I'm not a bit bored doing all the Berkshire fanfare while the magic of compounding is working for me. Getting used to this weirdness and don't really care if this does not meet others' approbation. I know, I know, this is not original thinking befitting value investors of another ilk but I'm loving it.