A Book with Legs

“Once you know where to look, you start to see it all around you in present day life. Whether it’s the Federal Reserve Bank, whether it’s the company Goldman Sachs… It’s remarkable how the degree to which we are living in this world they helped build.” In this episode, Cole is joined by author Daniel Schulman to discuss his book, The Money Kings. Daniel’s book is the story of the German Jewish imm...

“You have to have a drive and a willingness to get bloody by standing up for something greater than yourself.” Former NASA Deputy Administrator Lori Garver joins Cole to discuss her book, Escaping Gravity: My Quest to Transform NASA and Launch a New Space Age. Lori’s book is a firsthand account of her career at NASA, highlighted by her role in the private sector’s involvement in the nation’s space...

Randall Sullivan joins Cole and Bill for a conversation about his book, Graveyard of the Pacific: Shipwreck and Survival on America's Deadliest Waterway. The book describes the haunting history of the Columbia River Bar, one of the deadliest bar crossings on the globe, where the Columbia River meets the Pacific Ocean. The discussion covers the dangers associated with the area, the shipwrecks and l...

Chris Yogerst joins Cole and Bill for a conversation about his book, The Warner Brothers. Yogerst’s book chronicles the lives of four brothers – Harry, Albert, Sam, and Jack and how they built one of Hollywood’s most distinguishable studios, which now stands as one of the largest media conglomerates in the world. The discussion covers how the family’s values shaped the movies they c...

BONUS EPISODE: David Zaslav, CEO and President of Warner Bros. Discovery joins Cole and Bill to continue the conversation about The Warner Brothers by Chris Yogerst. Zaslav gives insight into how the brothers positioned the company for success, the power of film in today’s society, and how the media giant is building towards the future. Zaslav also shares a story involving Robert Evans, Frank Sina...

Interested in the Smead  Capital  Management book list? Listen in to hear Cole and Bill Smead list the books they have recently read, what they’re currently reading, and the books they have on deck. Also in this episode, v alue investing  gurus, Bill and Cole, discuss the role higher interest rates are playing in today’s equity markets, how rising rates affect  stocks , the inc...

“FDR was brilliant in recognizing there is a connection between a fair economy with well-regulated markets and a strong democracy with broad public support. He saw those as inextricable, and that’s why his financial reforms were the heart and soul of the New Deal.” Award winning author Diana B. Henriques joins Cole to discuss her book, Taming the Street: The Old Guard, the New Deal, and...

New York Times Best Selling author Peter Stark makes his second appearance on the podcast, this time to discuss his book Gallop Toward the Sun. Peter’s book highlights the widely unfamiliar conflict between Tecumseh and William Henry Harrison. The conversation covers how the two men became exceptional leaders, why a struggle between local politics and a young federal government...

The discussion surrounding Michael Thomsen’s book, Cage Kings, continues as former mixed martial artist Matt “The Law” Lindland joins Cole to talk about his path to the Olympics, the Supreme Court, and the UFC.

Michael Thomsen joins Cole in this episode to discuss his book, Cage Kings: How an Unlikely Group of Moguls, Champions & Hustlers Transformed the UFC into a $10 Billion Industry. Michael’s book highlights the cast of characters who built the UFC from the ground up. The conversation covers why these executives believed in mixed martial arts despite going through a variety of hurd...

“The name Fugger in Germany is like the name Rockefeller in the US.” Greg Steinmetz joins Cole and Bill for his second appearance on the show, this time to discuss his book, The Richest Man Who Ever Lived. The book explores the life of German banker Jacob Fugger. The discussion focuses on how Fugger built his empire of wealth, the partnerships he created along the way, and the lasting le...

“Does it matter if you pay with cash, card, iPhone, or Bitcoin?” Cole and author Brett Scott delve into that question when discussing Scott’s book, Cloudmoney: Cash, Cards, Crypto, and the War for Our Wallets. Scott’s work explores the idea of how a digital monetary system has resulted in anti-cash messaging. The conversation covers the players in the current financial sys...

In this episode, Barry Strauss joins Cole to discuss his book, The War That Made the Roman Empire: Antony, Cleopatra, and Octavian at Actium. Barry’s book recounts the fierce conflict at the Battle of Actium in 31 BC. The conversation covers the events leading up to the civil war, how the historic naval battle at Actium was fought, and what may have happened to the Roman Empire had Antony and Cleo...

Interested in what is on the Smead Capital Management book list? Listen in to hear Cole and Bill list the books they have recently read, what they’re currently reading, and the books they have on deck. Have a book you would like to recommend for the podcast? Email suggestions to  podcast@smeadcap.com .

Author Dror Goldberg joins Cole and Bill to discuss his book, Easy Money: American Puritans and the Invention of Modern Currency. Dror’s book explores the history of modern money and its origins in colonial America. The conversation includes the idea of “siege money”, the role Massachusetts played in creating modern currency, and why the dollar system is so powerful.

Former journalist Henry Sanderson joins Cole to discuss his book, Volt Rush: The Winners and Losers in the Race to Go Green . Henry’s work examines the realities of building a green energy economy, the supply chain requirements, and the geopolitical implications of transitioning into a greener world. The conversation covers clean energy’s role in today’s economy and how its pos...

Former Cazenove Chief Executive Robert Pickering joins Cole and Bill to discuss his book, Blue Blood: Cazenove in the Age of Global Banking. Pickering’s book dives into the distinctive history of the former prestigious investment bank. The conversation touches on Pickering’s first-hand experiences managing the company and how it ultimately became part of J.P. Morgan.

Mark Mills makes his second appearance on the podcast, this time to discuss his book, The Cloud Revolution: How the Convergence of New Technologies Will Unleash the Next Economic Boom and A Roaring 2020s. Mark’s work dissects how advancing technology will provide an economic upswing in the near future. The conversation covers the progress of recent technology and how the everchangin...

Part 2 The second part of Cole and Bill’s conversation with Author Margaret O’Mara on her book,  The Code: Silicon Valley and the Remaking of America , covers early software, manufacturers of AI and computers, and communications between technologies and people, as well as different technologies themselves. They take a deep dive into what really made Silicon Valley as we know it today.

Part 1 “Gilded age money is actually the money that fuels the growth of Silicon Valley.” Author Margaret O’Mara joins Cole and Bill to discuss her book,  The Code: Silicon Valley and the Remaking of America . O’Mara’s work tracks the history of the people who built Silicon Valley and the explosion of big tech in America. The conversation covers the institutions that provided the framework for...

Interested in what is on the Smead Capital Management book list? Listen in to hear Cole and Bill list the books they have recently read, what they’re currently reading, and the books they have on deck. Have a book you would like to recommend for the podcast? Email suggestions to  podcast@smeadcap.com .

“The globalization of the last forty years is changing. Overall, these changes will lead toward more regionalization.” Author Shannon K. O’Neil joins Cole to discuss her book, The Globalization Myth: Why Regions Matter. Shannon’s work highlights the world’s shift to regionalization and the economic benefits that come along with it. The discussion covers why globalization i...

In this episode, Cole and Bill are joined by Perry Mehrling, author of the book, Money and Empire. Mehrling’s work tracks the life of Charles P. Kindleberger, an international economist from the twentieth century, whose deep interest in history and economics fed his appetite to learn how the global financial system worked. The conversation covers Kindleberger’s background and upbringing, his exper...

CNBC Senior Markets Correspondent Bob Pisani joins Cole and Bill to discuss his book, Shut Up and Keep Talking. Bob’s book is a collection of real-life stories and firsthand encounters over the course of his 33-year career in the financial industry. The conversation covers Bob’s time as a journalist, the technological evolution of the New York Stock Exchange, the major players and key investors Bo...

Author Amity Shlaes joined Bill and Cole for a live podcast recording at the 2023 Smead Investor Oasis to discuss her new book,  Great Society . During their conversation, they discuss comparisons between the failure of the Great Society’s idealism of the 1960s and today's challenges. The conversation covers topics such as socialism, capitalism and today’s relevance to the thoughtless id...