A Book with Legs

What is the Smead Capital Management team reading, and what’s up next?
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.
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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?
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 genetics are to blame for our actions. The two also analyze findings from studies led by Paige and the mental frameworks of some of history’s greatest theological minds to guide their discussion
Harden is a professor of psychology at the University of Texas, where she directs the Developmental Behavior Genetics lab. She conducts research on how genes and environments combine to shape children's mental and physical health. She is the author of over 150 scientific publications and two books: The Genetic Lottery and Original Sin. Purchase a copy of “Original Sin: On the Genetics of Vice, the Problem of Blame, and the Future of Forgiveness” here: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/714593/original-sin-by-kathryn-paige-harden/
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What is the divine, and what can the distinctions between AI learning and human cognition reveal about it?
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.
Griffiths is the Henry R. Luce Professor of Information Technology, Consciousness, and Culture in the Department of Psychology and Computer Science at Princeton University.
Purchase a copy of The Laws of Thought: The Quest for a Mathematical Theory of the Mind here: https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250358356/thelawsofthought/ Sign up to be notified about new A Book with Legs episodes: https://hubs.ly/Q0452V800

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.
In this week's episode of A Book with Legs Smead Capital Management CEO and Portfolio Manager Cole Smead is joined by Amy Gamerman, author of “The Crazies: The Cattleman, the Wind Prospector, and a War Out West." Gamerman has written about real estate and culture for The Wall Street Journal for more than two decades. Her work has earned multiple awards from the National Association of Real Estate Editors and has appeared in Vogue, Redbook, and Departures. She attended Yale University and King’s College, Cambridge.

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.”
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 economy. Keep an eye out for a recording of the live episode, which will be posted today.