The Essential Buffett

Robert G. Hagstrom's Buffett title, which follows his earlier The Warren Buffett Way and his Warren Buffett Portfolio, applies Buffett's methods to the new economy. Hagstrom sets out four principles: analyze a stock as a business, insist on a margin of safety with every purchase, run a focus portfolio, and guard against the emotional and speculative forces of the market. He then carries that thinking into technology stocks, international investing, small caps and socially responsible investing. For the technology and international material he draws on case studies of fund managers such as Bill Miller of Legg Mason. He also examines the psychology behind focus investing. Sidebars summarize key Buffett ideas so readers can compare his core tenets quickly.

Mohnish Pabrai recommends reading all of Hagstrom's books on Buffett in sequence, with this one last, after Latticework and the two earlier Buffett titles.