Now eighty years old, T. Boone Pickens is a legendary figure in the business world. Known as the "Oracle of Oil," he built Mesa Petroleum, one of the largest independent oil companies in the United States. When Pickens left Mesa after a downward spiral in the company's profits, many counted him out. What followed for him was the loss of 90 percent of his investing capital. But Pickens was far from out.
He went on to stage one of the most impressive comebacks in the industry, turning his investment fund's remaining $3 million into $8 billion. That made him, at age seventy-seven, the world's second-highest-paid hedge fund manager. Today, Pickens is making some of the world's most colossal energy bets.
In this audiobook, Pickens not only presents a comprehensive plan for American energy independence but also provides a fascinating glimpse into key resources. The First Billion Is the Hardest is both a riveting account of a life spent pulling off improbable triumphs and a report back from the front of the global energy and natural-resource wars.
Listeners can expect a mixture of folksy aphorisms, Pickens's grandmother's advice, and abundant doses of self-aggrandizement. Here and there the author shares pearls of business wisdom he calls "Boonisms." There are even some lessons for CEOs, for those who need them. Narrator Arthur Morey hardly sounds like the rural Texas tycoon whose story he tells. Rather, his sandy voice sticks to the no-frills approach some listeners prefer. Pickens's simple vocabulary and writing style pose no challenge to Morey or the listener. Morey modulates his speaking just a little, never daring to try for a characterization or accent. Such a lackluster memoir could have benefited from a more colorful narration. As for getting rich after hearing it, good luck. J.A.H. (c) AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine
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All copies of this title, including those transferred to portable devices and other media, must be deleted/destroyed at the end of the lending period.
The First Billion is the Hardest
by T. Boone Pickens
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