A Book with Legs
In each episode, we explore value investing through an entirely unique lens, bringing in authors to discuss books that have directly or indirectly influenced the decisions the Smead Capital Management team has made on their investments in stocks and equities. The podcast is for the curious-minded looking for worldly wisdom. Investing is the last great liberal art, and the team at Smead wants to learn as much as they can. Any level of investor, business person, or thinker, whether personally or professionally, will be intrigued and engaged by these discussions.
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The Smead Book List - Spring Book List
<p>What is the Smead Capital Management team reading, and what’s up next?</p><p>In this new quarterly ‘book list’ episode, value investors Bill and Cole Smead discuss memorable takeaways from books they have recently read – covering topics from financial crashes and speculative manias to genetics, technology and human behavior. They also discuss what they’re currently reading and preview what’s next on their list, while offering perspectives on today’s current market questions, including energy, housing, and where opportunities may lie next.</p><p>Sign up to be notified about new A Book with Legs episodes: https://hubs.ly/Q0452Lh70</p>
Kathryn Paige Harden - Original Sin: On The Genetics of Vice, The Problem of Blame, And the Future of Forgiveness
<p>How much of our temperament and behavior is passed through DNA, and how do we punish those whose behavior may be shaped by genetic forces outside of their control?</p><p>These concepts are explored in the latest episode of A Book with Legs, where Smead Capital Management CEO and Portfolio Manager Cole Smead is joined by professor, scientist, and author Kathryn Paige Harden to discuss her book, “Original Sin: On the Genetics of Vice, the Problem of Blame, and the Future of Forgiveness.” Cole and Kathryn discuss the ideas of right, wrong, and sin, and how much our gene...
Tom Griffiths - Laws of Thought: The Quest for a Mathematical Theory of the Mind
<p>What is the divine, and what can the distinctions between AI learning and human cognition reveal about it?</p><p>These concepts are explored in the latest episode of A Book with Legs, where value investor Cole Smead, CEO and Portfolio Manager of Smead Capital Management, is joined by author and professor Tom Griffiths to discuss his book, “The Laws of Thought: The Quest for a Mathematical Theory of the Mind.” The two discuss the history of attempts to understand human behavior through a mathematical lens and engage in thought-provoking conversation on the differences between machine and human learning.</p><p...
Amy Gamerman - The Crazies
<p>How much trouble could a wind farm cause? Turns out, a lot. When Rick Jarrett decided to capitalize on strong gusts around his land in Big Timber, Montana, the prospect of a wind farm in the shadow of the Crazy Mountains upset hyper-wealthy neighbors who were more concerned about property aesthetics than multi-generation locals looking to make a living. It also caught the attention of Crow Tribe activists, for whom the Crazy Mountains held deep cultural significance.</p><p>In this week's episode of A Book with Legs Smead Capital Management CEO and Portfolio Manager Cole Smead is joined...
Tim Wu - The Age of Extraction
<p>Smead Capital Management Chairman and CIO Bill Smead and CEO and Portfolio Manager Cole Smead sat down with author and Columbia Law School professor Tim Wu for a special live taping of the A Book with Legs podcast at today’s Smead Investor Oasis. The three discuss Tim’s new book, titled “The Age of Extraction.”</p><p>The book unpacks one of the defining challenges of our time—the growing power of tech platforms. In this live episode, they explore the benefits and risks of that power, and what it will take to reclaim control and restore balance to the eco...
Kenneth R. Rosen - Polar War
<p>In this episode, learn how today’s geopolitics, climate change, and key happenings in the Arctic affect people and countries around the globe. The Arctic plays a complex role on the world stage, impacting everything from Russian national identity to shipping routes and military aspirations. Understanding these themes requires a comprehensive look at Arctic history, its exploration, and why it’s considered an important territory for major world powers.</p><p>Smead Capital Management CEO and Portfolio Manager Cole Smead is joined by Kenneth R. Rosen, author of “Polar War: Submarines, Spies, and the Struggle for Power in a Meltin...
Trent Preszler - Evergreen
<p>In this episode, learn about how evergreen trees have uniquely shaped America as we know it today, impacting how we build our homes, celebrate holidays, and more. In fact, the American Revolutionary War might have really started with the Pine Tree Riot, which happened a year before the Boston Tea Party! Smead Capital Management CEO and Portfolio Manager Cole Smead is joined by Trent Preszler, author of “Evergreen: The Trees That Shaped America.” Trent is also a professor of practice in the Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management at Cornell University and serves as director of the Henry Davi...
The Smead Book List - Winter 2025
<p>In this special quarterly ‘book list’ episode, Cole Smead is joined by Smead Capital Management’s analyst team. Together, they discuss the books that they have recently finished and what they are reading now, including titles from authors such as Andrew Ross Sorkin, Roger Lowenstein, and more.</p><p>The Smead team also shares their perspectives on current markets and what shapes their points of view.</p>
David McWilliams - The History of Money: A Story of Humanity
<p>In this episode, Cole Smead is joined by economist and author David McWilliams to discuss his book, “The History of Money: A Story of Humanity.” McWilliams outlines the thesis of his book, that “money is the foundational technology that explains human progress.” The two examine through historical and contemporary lenses the meaningful ways that currency has shaped our society, impacted quality of life, and more.</p>
Charles Murray - Taking Religion Seriously
<p>In this episode, Bill Smead and Cole Smead are joined by author Charles Murray to discuss his book, “Taking Religion Seriously.” The three discuss Murray’s personal journey with religion and Christianity, as well as how modern explanations of the universe’s origins align with biblical accounts, what it means to be “tone-deaf spiritually,” and more.</p>
