The First Billion Is the Hardest: Reflections on a Life of Comebacks and America's Energy Future - Hardcover

Pickens, T. Boone

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0307395774 ISBN 13: 9780307395771

Publisher: Crown Pub, 2008

Synopsis

The legendary hedge-fund manager describes his battle back from financial disaster as he entered his seventh decade of life and the many vital lessons he learned along the way, including how to believe in oneself even if those around you do not. 100,000 first printing.

About this title

Review:

"A fascinating, eye-opening book by one of America's greatest iconoclasts and entrepreneurs. Boone Pickens' sense of daring and innovation has never been sharper. Readers will quickly realize that this billionaire's extraordinary achievements are but a warm-up for what he is about to do now."
--Steve Forbes, President and CEO, Forbes Inc., and Editor-in-Chief of "Forbes" magazine
"Boone's analysis of America's energy situation is 100% on the money. In easy and colorful language he tells us where we are going wrong and what we must do about it. The country should listen to him -- now!"
--Warren Buffett, Chairman and CEO, Berkshire Hathaway
"It is inspiring to see Boone Pickens tackling the big issues, daring himself to think bigger, putting forward wind, water and energy ideas that are nothing less than paradigm busters. This absorbing and illuminating book shows why Boone has been more successful than just about all his competitors, and, more crucially, why the problem of resource scarcity may not be as insoluble as some think."
--Jeffrey Immelt, CEO, General Electric
"Boone Pickens was among the first to grasp that corporations can be marvelous catalysts for progress if individual investors are given a say in what their priorities should be. Today, as humanity faces resource scarcity and dwindling supplies of cheap energy, the responsibility that has devolved to entrepreneurs, and the investors who back them, has never been more immense. Yet, in recounting his own story of comeback after comeback and tackling some of history's biggest oil, wind and water projects, Boone shows that sometimes all it takes is rejecting the 'usual' and striking out across virginterritory. In that sense, Boone is a pioneer, and this is a pioneer's story. Even now, the man they call the Oracle of Oil is blazing new paths that may, indeed, lead us out of the predicament we find ourselves in."
--Carl Icahn, Chairman, Icahn & Co., Inc.

"From the Hardcover edition."

Entertaining both Adam Smith and Horatio Alger would find something to like in the rise of T. Boone Pickens.
Wall Street Journal
The latest memoir from the Texas oilman Pickens sauciness does entertain.
Time magazine
Sassy breezes along salted with earthy aphorisms.
Bloomberg.com
Self-deprecating and audacious overall, it s decidedly informative about the machinations of business.
Dallas Morning News
A fascinating, eye-opening book by one of America's greatest iconoclasts and entrepreneurs. Boone Pickens sense of daring and innovation has never been sharper. Readers will quickly realize that this billionaire's extraordinary achievements are but a warm-up for what he is about to do now.
Steve Forbes, President and CEO, Forbes Inc., and Editor-in-Chief of Forbes magazine
Boone s analysis of America s energy situation is 100% on the money. In easy and colorful language he tells us where we are going wrong and what we must do about it. The country should listen to him now!
Warren Buffett, Chairman and CEO, Berkshire Hathaway
It is inspiring to see Boone Pickens tackling the big issues, daring himself to think bigger, putting forward wind, water and energy ideas that are nothing less than paradigm busters. This absorbing and illuminating book shows why Boone has been more successful than just about all his competitors, and, more crucially, why the problem of resource scarcity may not be as insoluble as some think.
Jeffrey Immelt, CEO, General Electric
Boone Pickens was among the first to grasp that corporations can be marvelous catalysts for progress if individual investors are given a say in what their priorities should be. Today, as humanity faces resource scarcity and dwindling supplies of cheap energy, the responsibility that has devolved to entrepreneurs, and the investors who back them, has never been more immense. Yet, in recounting his own story of comeback after comeback and tackling some of history's biggest oil, wind and water projects, Boone shows that sometimes all it takes is rejecting the usual and striking out across virgin territory. In that sense, Boone is a pioneer, and this is a pioneer s story. Even now, the man they call the Oracle of Oil is blazing new paths that may, indeed, lead us out of the predicament we find ourselves in.
Carl Icahn, Chairman, Icahn & Co., Inc.

From the Hardcover edition."

"Entertaining...both Adam Smith and Horatio Alger would find something to like in the rise of T. Boone Pickens."
--Wall Street Journal

"The latest memoir from the Texas oilman...Pickens' sauciness does entertain."
--Time magazine

"Sassy...breezes along...salted with earthy aphorisms."
--Bloomberg.com

"Self-deprecating and audacious...overall, it's decidedly informative about the machinations of business."
--Dallas Morning News

"A fascinating, eye-opening book by one of America's greatest iconoclasts and entrepreneurs. Boone Pickens' sense of daring and innovation has never been sharper. Readers will quickly realize that this billionaire's extraordinary achievements are but a warm-up for what he is about to do now."
--Steve Forbes, President and CEO, Forbes Inc., and Editor-in-Chief of Forbes magazine

"Boone's analysis of America's energy situation is 100% on the money. In easy and colorful language he tells us where we are going wrong and what we must do about it. The country should listen to him -- now!"
--Warren Buffett, Chairman and CEO, Berkshire Hathaway

"It is inspiring to see Boone Pickens tackling the big issues, daring himself to think bigger, putting forward wind, water and energy ideas that are nothing less than paradigm busters. This absorbing and illuminating book shows why Boone has been more successful than just about all his competitors, and, more crucially, why the problem of resource scarcity may not be as insoluble as some think."
--Jeffrey Immelt, CEO, General Electric

"Boone Pickens was among the first to grasp that corporations can be marvelous catalysts for progress if individual investors are given a say in what their priorities should be. Today, as humanity faces resource scarcity and dwindling supplies of cheap energy, the responsibility that has devolved to entrepreneurs, and the investors who back them, has never been more immense. Yet, in recounting his own story of comeback after comeback and tackling some of history's biggest oil, wind and water projects, Boone shows that sometimes all it takes is rejecting the 'usual' and striking out across virgin territory. In that sense, Boone is a pioneer, and this is a pioneer's story. Even now, the man they call the Oracle of Oil is blazing new paths that may, indeed, lead us out of the predicament we find ourselves in."
--Carl Icahn, Chairman, Icahn & Co., Inc.

From the Hardcover edition.

About the Author:

T. BOONE PICKENS is, in his ninth decade, the very active strategic and managerial force behind BP Capital, one of America’s most successful energy-investment companies. Currently, Pickens ranks among the world’s richest men. He lives with his wife, Madeleine, in the Dallas–Fort Worth area and at his ranch in the Texas Panhandle.

About this edition

• Publisher: Crown Pub
• Publication date: 2008
• ISBN 10: 0307395774
• ISBN 13: 9780307395771
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 260