Damn Right: Behind the Scenes with Berkshire Hathaway Billionaire Charlie Munger

Book Description

Praise for Damn Right!
From the author of the bestselling WARREN BUFFETT SPEAKS. . .
"Charlie Munger, whose reputation is deep and wide, based on an extraordinary record of brilliantly successful business strategies, sees things that others don't. There is a method to his mastery and, through this book, we get a chance to learn about this rare individual." -MICHAEL EISNER, Chairman and CEO, The Walt Disney Company
"Janet Lowe uncovers the iconoclastic genius and subtle charm behind Charlie Munger's curmudgeonly facade in this richly woven portrait of our era's heir to Ben Franklin. With a biographer's detachment, an historian's thoroughness, and a financial writer's common sense, Lowe produces a riveting account of the family, personal, and business life of the idiosyncratically complex and endlessly fascinating figure." -LAWRENCE CUNNINGHAM, Cardozo Law School, Author of The Essays of Warren Buffett: Lessons for Corporate America
"For years, Berkshire Hathaway shareholders and investors worldwide (me included) have struggled to learn more about Warren Buffett's cerebral sidekick. Now we can rest and enjoy reading Janet Lowe's book about this rare intellectual jewel called Charlie Munger." -ROBERT G. HAGSTROM, Author of The Warren Buffett Way
"Charlie has lived by the creed that one should live a life that doesn't need explaining. But his life should be explained. In a city where heroism is too often confused with celebrity, Charlie is a true hero and mentor. He lives the life lessons that he has studiously extracted from other true heroes and mentors, from Ben Franklin to Ben Graham. This book illuminates those life lessons." -RONALD L. OLSON, Munger, Tolles & Olson llp
"Janet Lowe's unprecedented access to Charlie Munger and Warren Buffett has resulted in a first-class book that investors, academics, and CEOs will find entertaining and highly useful."-TIMOTHY P. VICK, Money Manager and Author of How to Pick Stocks Like Warren Buffett

Customer Reviews:

Dam Right!.......2007-07-03

This book gave me insight into lives and thinking of both Charley Munger and Warren Buffett. It contains important information for Berkshire Hathaway students and fans.

Must read book.......2007-05-18

The book brings out the mysterious personality of Charlie Munger and his progress as an investor. It is not a book to read if you want to learn Charlie's approach to investing but can be a great guide if you want to model your life on the likes of Charlie and Buffett. It gives insights into the mind of two great people who have had the courage to stand against one and all when they thought they were right.

light reading........2007-02-18

i don't typically write reviews, though it is alway nice to contribute. having read quite a few excepts from other books about Mr Munger i was blown away by his simple straight forward logic. It really does put alot of education that we are receiving today into context. I have often challenged my old Marketing Profs. during my MBA etc, to try and explain what makes coke work. None are able to do it in the way that munger can. This book will not give you those insights, though from what i got out of it, it gives you an understanding into the environment and upbringing he had to dervive these thoughts.

It is a good read, sometimes abit fluffy with wording, though you get over this. If you are a Berkshire fan - apart form the annual reports and compilations (ie. Cunningham) the best book by far is Of Permanent Value.

Anyway enjoy and as i said it is a nice light read.

Snore fest.......2007-02-07

Charlie told her it would be a boring book and as usual he was Damn Right!

You know this is a guy with interesting biz and fishing tales Im sure that could have been weaved into something good. The author's problem is she got so caught up in trying to write a time line of every little fact without much in the way of editing nor narrative. Its like fact vomit. Read this if your sleeping pills fail you.

Little Investment Help Here .......2007-01-30

A decent biography of Charlie Munger if you are interested in his life and family. However, as an investor, I had hoped for more insight into his investment philosophy. If that's your focus you'll find this book disappointing. You are probably better off chasing down his various letters written to shareholders over the years for that type of information. Still, the book is well-written and well-researched and interesting if you are a biography junkie. I'm not.

DAMN RIGHT: BEHIND THE SCENES WITH BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY BILLIONAIRE CHARLIE MUNGER.

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DAMN RIGHT: BEHIND THE SCENES WITH BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY BILLIONAIRE CHARLIE MUNGER.

Manufacturer: Wiley
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000HKUZBW

Book Description

The developing economies of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Council (APEC) have been the recipients of a considerable volume of capital inflows in the 1990s. Given the increased integration of capital markets, it is not surprising that monetary control became more difficult for many developing APEC economies. Formulating an appropriate policy response has naturally been important. The three papers that make up this Occasional Paper each examine different aspects of these issues.

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Bittker on the Regulation of Interstate and Foreign Commerce
Boris I. Bittker
Manufacturer: Aspen Law & Business Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Commercial | Business | Law | Subjects | Books
Commercial | Business | Law | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0735542244

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Bittker on the Regulation of Interstate and Foreign Commerce, 2002
Boris I. Bittker
Manufacturer: Aspen Pub
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Law | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0735522669

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Bittker on the Regulation of Interstate and Foreign Commerce

Manufacturer: Aspen Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 0735555281

Product Description

This is 2006 Cumulative Supplement.

Book Description

This Elibron Classics book is a facsimile reprint of a 1837 edition by William Pickering, London.

Book Description

Dieses Lehrbuch bietet eine umfassende Einführung in die moderne Elektrische Messtechnik. Behandelt werden: die Fehlerrechnung systematischer und zufälliger Fehler, die Erfassung von dynamischen Messfehlern und ihren Korrekturen, Geräte und Verfahren der analogen Messtechnik, wie z.B. Standard-Messgeräte, elektronische Messverstärker, Messbrücken.

Anschließend werden Analog-Digital- und Digital-Analog-Umsetzer sowie digitale Messgeräte beschrieben. Ein weiterer Schwerpunkt des Buches ist die ausführliche Behandlung der modernen computerunterstützten Messdatenerfassung und Messsignalverarbeitung.

In der 3. Auflage wurden u. a. die Kapitel zur rechnergestützten Messdatenerfassung dem allerneuesten Stand der Technik angepasst und erheblich erweitert. Neu ist eine CD-ROM mit Übungsaufgaben zur rechnergestützten Messdatenerfassung sowie zur Programmierung von Speicherprogrammierbaren Steuerungen (SPS). Via Internet kann der Leser eine am Lehrstuhl für Sensorik aufgebaute SPS programmieren sowie weitere Übungsaufgaben und Lösungen zu den Programmieraufgaben auf der CD-ROM herunterladen. Die CD-ROM enthält außerdem eine Studentenversion von LabView 8.0.

Das Buch eignet sich in Verbindung mit dem Werk "Elektrische Messtechnik/Übungsbuch" für Studierende der Ingenieur- und Naturwissenschaften sowie für den in der Praxis tätigen Ingenieur auch zum Selbststudium.

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Wonderful!

Wry humor

Loopy: A Novel of Golf and Ireland
Dan Binchy
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Griffin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Comic | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0312352018
Release Date: 2006-03-21

Book Description

Dan Binchys first two novels were delightful stories of small town Ireland and filled with a range of eccentric and hilarious characters. Both books received warm praiseThe Washington Post called The Neon Madonna terrifically funny and a hilarious read. Booklist called The Last Resort an endearing and entertaining combination of warmth and wit. Loopy has all of those attributes and more. Follow a young golfer with an unique hitch to his swing as he learns the game of golf. Along the way, our hero must deal with a whole host of problems on and off the course. Through it all, Binchy imbues the work with a wonderful feel of small town Ireland and, of course, the Irish spirit.

Customer Reviews:

Wonderful!.......2007-01-23

This is a lovely story. Dan captures the essence of golf, the Irish, and a great yarn. I loved every minute of it.

Wry humor.......2005-09-01

Wryly observed, fast moving and well told, Loopy is a novel for anyone with a sense of humor. Binchy smacks the ball straight down the middle.

1st Goopy, Goofy, Loopy Adventure (Balloonatiks)

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1st Goopy, Goofy, Loopy Adventure (Balloonatiks)
Erica Orloff
Manufacturer: Tandem Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Comic Strips | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

General | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

General | Graphic Novels | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1417600799

Book Description

If only they had listened to Nicole Gonzales `. . . she was against the afterschool frog experiment in the first place. But now, in a high school science class, a chain of events has been set in motion and five ordinary teens--Nicole, Randy, Roosevelt, Sandy and Gary--have been transformed into Balloonatiks . . .` rubbery, comic, crazy, shape-stretching heroes. In this first adventure, they must learn to set aside their differences and become a team. Because Hot Air City needs them! Book includes Professor Swellhead`s secret notebook! Get to know Flator, Squeeker, Sparky, Airbrain, Bouncer, and Leaky. . . .the characters everyone is talking about!

BOOM BOOM LOOPY AND THE RAINFOREST REMEDY

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BOOM BOOM LOOPY AND THE RAINFOREST REMEDY
Mark Foster
Manufacturer: The Bodley Head
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

General | Graphic Novels | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0370319478

Book Description

To the Gates of Richmond charts the Peninsula Campaign of 1862, General George McClellan's grand scheme to march up the Virginia Peninsula and take the Confederate capital. For three months McClellan battled his way toward Richmond, but then Robert E. Lee took command of the Confederate forces. In seven days, Lee drove the cautious McClellan out, thereby changing the course of the war. Intelligent and well researched, To the Gates of Richmond vividly recounts one of the bloodiest battles of the Civil War.

Customer Reviews:

How and why the Union failed to win the Civil War in 1862.......2007-10-17

This 1992 book is a narrative of the Peninsular Campaign of 1862 which brought a large and splendidly equipped Federal army to the outskirts of the Confederate capital and should, by all reasonable expectation, have ended the American Civil War with victory for the North. In its 468 pages of text, appendices on Federal and Confederate orders of battle, sketch maps, contemporary artists' impressions, notes and index, "To the Gates of Richmond" attempts to explain how and why that didn't happen.

At this book's date of publication, author Stephen W. Sears had published volumes on the Battle of Antietam (or Sharpsburg to my unreconstructed Confederate ancestors), a biography of Major General George Brinton McClellan (aka The Young Napoleon, aka Little Mac) and a tome of McClellan's Civil War papers. Since the Peninsular Campaign and Antietam are McClellan's two great crises in command, it may be assumed that Sears' mind was firmly fixed on--even obsessed by Little Mac.

In point of fact, Sears seems utterly to despise McClellan. Here are a few examples:

On April 20, 1862, McClellan wrote to Washington. "He had heard, he told President Lincoln, that [Confederate field commander] Joe Johnston was now under the command of Robert E. Lee, and that greatly encouraged him. `I prefer Lee to Johnston,' he explained. To his mind, General Lee was `too cautious & weak under grave responsibility . . . wanting in moral firmness when pressed by heavy responsibility & is likely to be timid and irresolute in action. (He added the opinion, a few days later, that `Lee will never venture upon a bold movement on a large scale.') McClellan did not elaborate on how he had arrived at this singular appraisal; mercifully for him, it was never made public during his lifetime." [Page 57, hardback edition]

The text of the book demonstrates that Sears regards "this singular appraisal" as being dead on--provided that one exchange the name "McClellan" for "Lee."

On June 30, 1862, the Young Napoleon was in the midst of being hammered by Robert E. Lee, now the VERY resolute field commander of Confederate forces in Northern Virginia, in a series of battles that have come to be known collectively as the "Seven Days." The Federals had pulled back from Richmond to a place called Glendale. "By any reckoning, here was the moment for the Young Napoleon to fulfill the pledge he had made to his army after [the Battle of] Seven Pines: `I ask of you now one last crowning effort . . . Soldiers! I will be with you in this battle, and share its dangers with you' . . . . General McClellan, however, would not be sharing any dangers in this battle. Instead he was five miles away . . . without telegraphic communications and too distant to command the army. . . . At four o'clock that afternoon, distancing himself even further from the responsibilities of command, General McClellan boarded the gunboat Galena. . . . That evening the general would dine at Commander John Rogers table aboard the Galena, where . . . the linen was white and there was `a good dinner with some good wine'. . . .

"The truth of the matter is that George McClellan had lost the courage to command. With each day of the Seven Days his demoralization had increased, and each day his courage to command decreased accordingly. By Day Six the demoralization was complete; exercising command in battle was now quite beyond him, and to avoid it he deliberately fled the battlefield. . . . Brigadier General Andrew A. Humphreys wrote his wife, `never did I see a man more cut down than Genl. McClellan was . . . . He was unable to do anything or say anything.'" [Pages 280-281]

Well, maybe. This harsh judgment based on twenty-twenty hindsight does not actually founder but it is certainly heavily buffeted by the facts that McClellan remained in command to fight another day at the greater battle of Antietam and that he continued to be admired (even loved) by both the generals and the soldiers of the Army of the Potomac. The very same kind of demoralization attributed to Little Mac can be seen not long after in General John Popes' utterly inept handling of his army at the Second Battle of Bull Run. Pope was summarily tossed into the Union Army's trash heap to fight Indians while the real soldiers battled to preserve the nation. During the Seven Days, the greater part of the actual fighting was borne by the corps commanded by McClellan's friend, General Fitz John Porter. Porter was unlucky enough to be at Second Bull Run, too. He was court-martialed and cashiered from the army on charges far less damning than those made by Sears against McClellan.

McClellan was a highly competent military man who lacked a true warrior's heart. He was not alone in this. George Gordon Meade, one of his successors in command of the Army of the Potomac, fought at Gettysburg for three bloody days and was not defeated. He thought that good enough reward for his three days' work--much to the fury of Lincoln who wanted victory, not the mere avoidance of defeat.

And finally, there is the fact that when Grant assumed supreme command, he went out of his way to offer a high command to McClellan. Whatever his failings in other spheres, Grant was a Great Captain and he knew the true worth of soldiers. Little Mac should have been the Chief of the General Staff--if only such a thing had existed in the 1860s. Or he might have been great as leader of a Training Command, if such a thing had then existed. McClellan would even have been an excellent field general, just as Meade turned out to be, provided a Grant or a Sherman or a Sheridan stood close behind to give him backbone.

The harsh treatment of Little Mac aside, this is an excellent narrative of the massive failure of the Peninsular Campaign. I know of no better untangling of the knotted goings-on of the Seven Days. (D. S. Freeman, alas, views it strictly from the Southern perspective.)

Four stars.

Sears is a great historian.......2007-03-08

I first came to the writing of Stephen Sears when I read Chancellorsville, which was a truly absorbing history of the period leading up to and including that battle. Since then I have read Landscape Turned Red and Gettysburg, and now To The Gates of Richmond. They all stand up as some of the best history written about the war, and while they have some letters and personal sentiment, they are not full of the folksy yarns that Shelby Foote resorts to. I would recommend all of Sears books for anyone looking for a solid understanding of the nature of the war, written in a clear and concise voice, rich with opinions but not sentimentality.

War is Bloody.......2007-01-19

Sixty thousand men lost their lives or where severely wounded in the Peninsula campaign of 1862. No question the American Civil War was a bloody affair, but this campaign was probably the bloodiest. These were kids fighting, kids who should have been in school, instead of marching into battle for the first time.

This book chronicles General George McClellan's plan to take Richmond and Lee's brilliant strategy of splitting the Northern General's forces, thus stopping him. Mr. Stephen Sears has written a commanding book, one that will teach you a lot about the war that took more American lives than any other. But the book is not written like dry history. I felt like I was really there with those soldiers. The black and white photos, especially the one of the big guns, really made the period come alive for me, as did Mr. Sears writing. If you want to learn a bit about the Civil war, because you were asleep during history class in College, as I was, this is a good place to start.

Bravo!.......2006-09-13

In the early summer of 1861 things looked grim for the young Confederacy. Nashville had fallen as had New Orleans and the Army of Tennessee was on the retreat. Worst of all though was the presence of the Army of the Potomac on the outskirts of Richmond. The Union army was so close in fact that the troopers could clearly hear the church bells of Richmond when they rang. It was at this crucial point of history that Robert E. Lee took command of the Army of Northern Virginia and everything soon changed.

Stephen Sears is well known for his expertise when it comes to the person of George McClellan and overall this book is a study of this man's attempt to live up to his nickname of Little Napoleon. His strategy was simple; he would land his army at Fort Monroe on the tip of the Virginia peninsula and take Richmond from the east. It was a plan that should have worked and probably would have if the man who came up with the idea had let someone else command the campaign. Unfortunately for the Union though, McClellan remained in command and his timidity was his doom.

Sears doesn't concentrate on Little Mac exclusively though and he spreads credit and blame around as he tells his story. He tells of McClellan's equally timid opponent Joe Johnston who retired in front of the Yankee army all the way up the peninsula until he had almost retreated through the capital city. When Johnston finally fights he is wounded himself, which brings on the appointment of Lee who is determined to seize the initiative and drive the invaders back. Thus begins a series of bloody battles fought over seven days that results in huge casualties but ends with the Yankees in retreat and the Confederate army in possession of many much needed supplies abandoned by the Federals.

This author could have easily gotten bogged down with details much as both armies got bogged down in the Virginia mud. Many Civil War historians fall into this trap and their readers get lost and confused or just plain bored. Nothing like this happens in this lively narrative as Sears clearly makes his points. He is very critical of McClellan but Lee doesn't escape unscathed either. He is particularly observant of Stonewall Jackson's failings during this series of battles and although he doesn't make excuses for Jackson he does offer some very possible explanations for the mighty Stonewall's lackluster performance. Most enjoyable is the authors telling of how Confederate General Prince John Magruder basically put on a play for McClellan at Yorktown and brought the whole Union invasion to bay while very badly outnumbered. Sears also provides very clear and easy to read maps that other authors might do well to emulate.

In short, this is an easy, fun and highly informative read that will be a classic in its field for years to come. Sears has outdone himself with this one and has made a complicated military campaign come to life in a way that will not soon be equaled.

Another great one from Sears........2005-06-15

"To the Gates of Richmond" should be on any Civil War (or American History) enthusiast's bookcase. It is a true page turner and I read it in under a week (which for me is an oddity). My only complaint about this book is the lack of quality maps. There are maps, but not very good ones. This does not detract from the quality of the text however.

I have yet to find any books on this particular campaign in the Civil War, and now I don't think I will have to look any farther than this.

To the Gates of Richmond: The Peninsula Campaign

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To the Gates of Richmond: The Peninsula Campaign
Stephen W Sears
Manufacturer: EASTON PRESS
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000VFFJ3M

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To The Gates of Richmond The Peninsula Campaign
Stephen W. Sears
Manufacturer: Ticknor & Fields
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000PRSVG8

Book Description

A controversial look at wartime atrocities, by a group of distinguished historians.

Including original contributions from distinguished European and American historians such as Saul Friedländer, Omer Bartov, John Dower, Christopher Browning, and Marilyn Young, Crimes of War surveys wartime atrocities committed by the United States, Germany, and Japan across the twentieth century. Available now for the first time in paperback, the book presents startling new evidence of the killing of unarmed Koreans by American troops at No Gun Ri, of atrocities committed by Nazi soldiers on the Russian front, and of Japanese barbarity in China during World War II. Emerging from these accounts is a distinctive, repeated pattern, which typically includes a half-century of denial before the truth is confronted.

Book Description

There is now a large body of theory concerning algebraic varieties over finite fields, and many conjectures in this area are of great interest to researchers in number theory and algebraic geometry. This book deals with the arithmetic of diagonal hypersurfaces over finite fields, with special focus on the Tate conjecture and the Lichtenbaum-Milne formula for the central value of the L-function. It combines theoretical and numerical work, and includes tables of Picard numbers. Although this book is aimed at experts, the authors have included some background material to help nonspecialists gain access to the results.

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