A Book with Legs

Smead Capital Management
  • 4.3 (1.1K)
  • Investing

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.

  1. 1d ago ·  Video

    David Williams - The William E. Boeing Story: A Gift of Flight

    In this episode of A Book with Legs, hosts Cole Smead, CEO and Portfolio Manager, and Bill Smead, Chairman and Chief Investment Officer at Smead Capital Management, sit down with author David Williams to discuss his book, “The William E. Boeing Story: A Gift of Flight.” The conversation traces Bill Boeing’s path from a wealthy heir working timberland in Hoquiam, Washington, to founding both Boeing and United Airlines almost by accident, chasing a hobby with no clear business model at the time. Along the way: a prohibition-era wiretapping scandal that helped shape modern privacy law, a government breakup of his company in the 1930s that was reversed within a decade when Roosevelt needed thousands of bombers built for WWII, and the origin story of the modern flight attendant through Ellen Church, a woman who was told no when she asked to be a pilot and created an entirely new profession instead. David is a former executive director of the Hydroplane and Raceboat Museum near Seattle and has written 10 books on motorsports and aviation. For this project, the Boeing family gave him unprecedented access to their private archives, thousands of never-before-seen photos, diaries, and personal letters, making this the first full-length biography of the father of commercial aviation. “The William E. Boeing Story: A Gift of Flight,” is available now on https://www.hydromuseumstore.org/books-and-magazines/ Sign up to be notified about new episodes: https://hubs.ly/Q0452V800

    David Williams - The William E. Boeing Story: A Gift of Flight

  2. Jul 6 ·  Video

    Alex Wright - Empire of Ink

    What can the history of newspapers teach us about today's media landscape? In the latest episode of A Book with Legs, Smead Capital Management CEO and Portfolio Manager C. W. Smead, CFA is joined by author Alex Wright to discuss his book, Empire of Ink: The Printers, Rogues, and Radicals Who Invented the American Newspaper. Cole and Alex trace the evolution of American newspapers from the Revolutionary era through the rise of mass media, exploring how technological disruption, government policy, advertising, and human behavior shaped the way information spread. They also discuss the parallels between the early newspaper industry and today's digital media ecosystem. Sign up to be notified about new episodes: https://hubs.ly/Q0452V800

    Alex Wright - Empire of Ink

  3. Jun 29 ·  Video

    The Smead Book List - Summer 2026

    What is the Smead Capital Management team reading, and what ideas are shaping their view of today's markets? In this quarterly Book List episode of A Book with Legs, Smead Capital Management CEO and Portfolio Manager Cole Smead is joined by longtime listener Steve to discuss the books that have recently captured their attention. Cole and Steve discuss their recent reads which cover a range of topics from investor psychology, Chinese history, mathematics and intelligence, to business turnarounds and cooperation. They also share the books currently on their nightstands and discuss what they hope to learn from future reads. Along the way, the conversation touches on energy markets and the role of history in understanding today's investment landscape. Sign up to be notified about new episodes: https://hubs.ly/Q0452V800

  4. Jun 15 ·  Video

    The Long View: Defining Intelligence

    Can a human being’s behavior and personality be fully explained by a machine, chemistry, biology, or data? Or is there something intangible left over? These questions and the different conversations they can spark were the inspiration behind this special episode of A Book with Legs. Smead Capital Management CEO and Portfolio Manager Cole Smead revisits highlights from conversations with experts offering unique perspectives on the topic, including a computer scientist, a geneticist, a neuroscientist, and a cognitive scientist. Check out the full episode to hear from names like Paige Harden, author of "Original Sin: On the Genetics of Vice, the Problem of Blame, and the Future of Forgiveness" and Charles Murray, author of "Taking Religion Seriously." Smead Chairman and CIO Bill Smead also shares his perspective on what past manias have had in common and why those lessons remain relevant for investors today. Sign up to be notified about new episodes: https://hubs.ly/Q0452V800

  5. Jun 1 ·  Video

    Howard Gardner - Frames of Mind

    Can an IQ test comprehensively define an individual’s intelligence? Are there aspects of human capability that tests fail to take into account? In the latest episode of A Book with Legs, Smead Capital Management CEO and Portfolio Manager Cole Smead is joined by professor, psychologist, and author Howard Gardner to discuss his book, titled "Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences.” Cole and Howard explore how we measure and think about intelligence, highlighting that there is a spectrum of abilities beyond a single test score. They discuss the origins of intelligence testing, why an individual's role in society should not be conflated with their intelligence, and some of the less-often-considered forms of intelligence, such as musical and interpersonal skills intelligence. Howard Gardner is the Hobbs Research Professor of Cognition and Education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. He is an expert on intelligence, creativity, leadership, and professional ethics; former Co-Director of Project Zero; and co-founder of The Good Project. Both a memoir (A Synthesizing Mind) and a study of higher education co-authored with Wendy Fischman (The Real World of College) were recently published by MIT Press. In 2024, Teachers College Press published a two-volume collection of his work, The Essential Howard Gardner on Mind and On Education. An updated edition of his book Frames of Mind was published by Basic Books in Spring 2026 with a new preface. Purchase "Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences” here: https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/howard-gardner/frames-of-mind/9781541608528/?lens=basic-books Visit Howard Gardner's Website and Blog - https://www.howardgardner.com Sign up to be notified about new A Book with Legs episodes: https://hubs.ly/Q0452V800

    Howard Gardner - Frames of Mind

  6. May 18

    Justin Baer - House of Fidelity

    How did one family build Fidelity into one of the most powerful forces in American investing, and what allowed it to endure across three generations? In the latest episode of A Book with Legs, Smead Capital Management CEO and Portfolio Manager Cole Smead and Analyst Will Keenan sit down with journalist and author Justin Baer to discuss his book, titled "House of Fidelity: The Rise of the Johnson Dynasty and the Company That Changed American Investing." Cole and Will explore the 80-year rise of Fidelity with Justin, tracing three generations of the Johnson family and the various investing styles of Fidelity leadership throughout the years. They also discuss the closed-door battles that shaped the firm's direction, the rise and legacy of Peter Lynch, and what this story tells us about active management businesses that last. Justin Baer is an award-winning journalist and an editor for The Wall Street Journal. In a career that includes stints at the Financial Times and Bloomberg News, he has covered almost every significant financial event over the past two decades, including the dot-com bubble, the 2008 financial crisis and the economic fallout from the pandemic. Along the way, Baer has chronicled the ups and downs of such major institutions as Goldman Sachs, J.P. Morgan Chase, Citigroup and Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway. Purchase “House of Fidelity: The Rise of the Johnson Dynasty and the Company That Changed American Investing” here: https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/justin-baer/house-of-fidelity/9781538766958/ Sign up to be notified about new A Book with Legs episodes: https://hubs.ly/Q0452V800

    Justin Baer - House of Fidelity

  7. May 4

    Andrew Seth Meyer: To Rule All Under Heaven

    What makes a civilization endure, and how did a Chinese empire that conquered everything fall apart in 15 years? In the latest episode of A Book with Legs, Smead Capital Management CEO and Portfolio Manager Cole Smead is joined by professor and author Andrew Seth Meyer to discuss his book, titled "To Rule All under Heaven: A History of Classical China, from Confucius to the First Emperor." Cole and Andrew explore one of the most consequential periods in Chinese history, a 200-year era of warring states that began with Confucius and ended with the rise and swift collapse of China's first empire. They also discuss the role of philosophy in shaping power, Confucius’ works in a modern context, and what this story reveals about the world we navigate today. Those who would like to learn more about Professor Meyer can visit: https://www.andrewsethmeyer.com/. Sign up to be notified about new A Book with Legs episodes: https://hubs.ly/Q0452V800

    Andrew Seth Meyer: To Rule All Under Heaven

  8. Apr 20

    Gaurav Suri - The Emergent Mind: How Intelligence Arises in People and Machines

    What in the subconscious mind informs our actions, and what are our neural networks capable of that distinguishes them from machines such as LLMs? Gaurav is a computational neuroscientist, experimental psychologist, and an associate professor at San Francisco State University. He also co-authored “A Certain Ambiguity: A Mathematical Novel” and holds a master's in mathematics and computer science and a PhD in psychology. Purchase “The Emergent Mind: How Intelligence Arises in People and Machines” here: https://www.amazon.com/Emergent-Mind-Intelligence-Arises-Machines/dp/1541605268 Sign up to be notified about new A Book with Legs episodes: https://hubs.ly/Q0452V800

    Gaurav Suri - The Emergent Mind: How Intelligence Arises in People and Machines
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out of 5
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About

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.

Information

  • Creator
    Smead Capital Management
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    130
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 Smead Capital Management
  • Show Website
    A Book with Legs

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