Charlie Munger: The Biography by University Press

Thank you University Press for providing an advanced copy of this short biography of Charlie Munger. This review expresses my own personal opinion. I have not been asked to post it by the author, University Press, or anyone connected with the book or author. 

This is a quick read about the life of Charlie Munger, one of the most influential financial wizards in the world today. If you are interested in how the Berkshire Hathaway conglomerate got to where it is today and what makes it so successful, then you have to know the men behind it and Munger is the other part of the fantastic duo. 

Many successful people have a right-hand person, their wing-person so to speak; General Ulysses S. Grant had William Tecumseh Sherman, Jimmy Carter had Rosalyn Carter, and Warren Buffett has Charlie Munger. 

Surprisingly, the book points out, Munger did not start out in finance, far from it. After serving a stint in the army, as a meteorologist, he followed in his father’s and grandfather’s footsteps becoming a lawyer, a very successful real estate attorney. The journey from working in Buffett and Sons grocery store in Omaha, Nebraska as a kid, a store owned by Buffett’s grandfather, although the two never got to know each other during those years, to now the best of friends, and second brain behind the Berkshire juggernaut is an interesting tale, one with ups and downs, losses and sadness (a divorce, loss of his oldest child and only son to leukemia, nearly losing all of his eyesight), yet Munger, as the book makes clear, did not let those adversities stop him. To quote Munger, “When troubles come, face them head-on. However bad it is you fix it best you can.”  This attitude, view of live, is what has and continues to define who Charlie Munger is. 

While not a stoic, Munger has sage advice for all of us, like, “To get what you want, you have to deserve what you want. The world is not yet a crazy enough place to reward a whole bunch of underserving people.” Recognizing value“Recognize value when you see it - appreciate it, and always give what it’s worth. 

While not an in-depth piece of work, books by University Press are on general very high-level works on the subject matter presented, this book does provide an informed and personal account of Charlie Munger. If you want a brief glimpse into the man beside Warren Buffett, this will give it to you. 

I rate the book as a solid 3 for it did what was intended, which was to give you a short and interesting read on the life of Charlie Munger, the second Oracle of Omaha.