A Book with Legs

A Book with Legs

Welcome to A Book with Legs podcast, hosted by Smead Capital Management. In each episode, the folks at Smead Capital Management explore value investing through an entirely unique lens, bringing in authors to discuss books that have directly or indirectly influenced the decisions the Smead 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.

Episodes

August 4, 2025 76 mins

In this episode, author and professor Graham Taylor sits down with Cole Smead to discuss his book, “Imperial Standard: Imperial Oil, Exxon, and the Canadian Oil Industry from 1880.” Their conversation takes an in-depth look at the history of Canada’s Imperial Oil and its complex relationship with Exxon Mobil. Additionally, Cole and Graham discuss their expectations for the future of Imperial Oil, including if they foresee a time wh...

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In this episode, Cole Smead sits down with Bloomberg Editor Duncan Mavin to discuss his book, “Meltdown: Greed, Scandal, and the Collapse of Credit Suisse.” The two explore the founding of Credit Suisse and its morally questionable history, which found the bank involved in a long list of scandals, including the laundering of Nazi funds and stolen assets, banking relationships with drug dealers and dictators, and the incineration of...

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In this episode, Cole Smead sits down with Stephen Clapham, founder of the London-based investment research and training consultancy Behind the Balance Sheet, to discuss his book “The Smart Money Method: How to Pick Stocks Like a Hedge Fund Pro.” Their conversation explores Clapham’s investment philosophy and methodology, his perspective on legendary investors such as Warren Buffett, and more.

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June 30, 2025 51 mins

In this special quarterly ‘book list’ episode of A Book with Legs, Smead Capital Management’s analyst team, including Seamus Sullivan, Nick Garcia, and Will Keenan, joins Cole Smead to discuss memorable takeaways from books they have recently read, share what they are reading now, and preview what’s next. They also offer fresh insights for investors on opportunity in homebuilders, oil prices with Israel and Iran’s 12...

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In this episode, Cole Smead sits down with independent scholar and writer Jill Eicher to discuss her book, “Mellon vs. Churchill: The Untold Story of Treasury Titans at War.” Their conversation explores the never-before-told story of heated debates between Andrew Mellon and Winston Churchill over post-WWI debts. Eicher and Smead discuss how each side of the dispute crafted narratives to shape public opinion, their differences in le...

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June 9, 2025 38 mins

In this special bonus episode, Cole Smead and Conor O’Callaghan sit down with former Taoiseach of Ireland Enda Kenny to dive deeper into Ireland’s rich history and the Great Famine. They also explore the spread of the Irish people and their modern identity. Kenny reflects on his experience as a politician, including run-ins with U.S. Presidents and what it means to be a leader.

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In this episode, Cole Smead and Conor O’Callaghan sit down with Author and Educator Padraic Scanlan to discuss his book, “Rot: An Imperial History of the Irish Famine.” The three explore the history of the Great Famine, explaining how Ireland’s position in the British Empire and reliance on the potato made it uniquely susceptible to starvation, and more.

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In this episode, Cole Smead speaks with author and historian Russell Shorto about his latest book, ”Taking Manhattan: The Extraordinary Events that Created New York and Shaped America,” discussing the birth of New York City, originally a Dutch-controlled settlement called New Amsterdam on Manhattan Island, until English takeover. Their conversation explores this pivotal transfer of power, and the key figures involved, explaini...

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May 5, 2025 82 mins

In this episode, Cole and Bill Smead speak with journalist and author Kyle Paoletta about his book, American Oasis: Finding the Future in the Cities of the Southwest.” Their conversation explores the unique history of the American Southwest and its most iconic cities. The discussion spans from Spanish colonialism to the impact of railroads and suburbanization. They also examine the region’s key drivers of economic growth...

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In this episode, author, professor, and Council on Foreign Relations member Amar Bhide, joins Cole Smead to discuss his book, “Uncertainty and Enterprise: Venturing Beyond the Known.” Their conversation explores the relationship between profit and uncertainty when investing, the old and new schools of thought emerging from the Chicago School of Economics, artificial intelligence, and more.

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In this episode, writer and medievalist Mary Flannery joins Cole Smead to discuss her book, “Geoffrey Chaucer: Unveiling the Merry Bard.” Their discussion explores the life and work of English writer and poet Geoffrey Chaucer, a father figure in the English literary tradition, covering his most influential and controversial works, numerous titles and royal affiliations, impact on the modern English language, and more.

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March 31, 2025 61 mins

In this special quarterly ‘book list’ episode of A Book with Legs, Cole and Bill Smead revisit the most memorable takeaways from the books recently featured on the podcast, share what’s on their current reading list, and preview what’s next. They also offer fresh insights into inflation, tariffs, investment opportunities in oil, and more!

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March 17, 2025 56 mins

In this episode, author, speaker, and radio host Eric Metaxas joins Cole Smead to discuss his book, “Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy.” Their discussion explores the remarkable life of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a dedicated pastor, unwilling to waver in his convictions, even when facing the Nazi regime. Bonhoeffer’s story spans continents and finds him playing a role in a plot to kill Hitler, pr...

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March 3, 2025 80 mins

In this episode, Lucy Santos, freelance historian, writer, and consultant, joins Cole Smead to discuss her book, “Chain Reactions: The Hopeful History of Uranium.” Their discussion covers topics such as the history of the element, the impact on culture, its role as an energy source, and more.

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February 17, 2025 85 mins

Max Frumes, author and Global Head of Distressed and Restructuring at 9Fin, joins Cole Smead and Conor O’Callaghan to discuss his book, “The Caesars Palace Coup: How A Billionaire Brawl Over the Famous Casino Exposed the Power and Greed of Wall Street.” In this episode, they discuss the 2015 bankruptcy brawl for Caesars Entertainment in Las Vegas, the key figures involved, and more.

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February 3, 2025 65 mins

In this special taping, live from the 2025 Smead Investor Oasis, legendary Wall Street analyst Doug Terreson joins Portfolio Managers Cole Smead and Bill Smead to explore his book "Can't Deny It". They will be discussing Terreson's successful market predictions in the past, what the demand and figure growth of the industry look like, and will also be taking questions live from the audience.

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January 20, 2025 77 mins

In this episode, journalist and historian Vaudine England joins Cole Smead to discuss her book, “Fortune's Bazaar: The Making of Hong Kong,” discussing pivotal moments throughout Hong Kong’s complex history, the multicultural origins of its population, business culture, recent political changes, and more.

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In this episode, writer and historian Adrian Tinniswood joins Smead Capital Management CEO Cole Smead to discuss his book, “The Power and the Glory: Life in the English Country House Before the Great War.” Tinniswood explores the opulent world of British country houses, detailing the lifestyles of aristocratic families, the integration of new wealth into traditional societies, and more. This conversation offers insights into the ke...

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December 30, 2024 55 mins

In this episode, Smead Capital Management CEO Cole Smead and CIO Bill Smead reflect on the books they have recently read, what they are currently reading, and what they look forward to reading next. Additionally, they provide their expert perspectives on financial euphoria, energy and more!

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December 16, 2024 70 mins

In this episode, author and former lawyer John Oller joins Cole Smead to discuss his book, “White Shoe: How a New Breed of Wall Street Lawyers Changed Big Business and the American Century.” Oller explores the evolution of elite law firms in America and their influence on business and politics, delving into key historical figures, pivotal legal cases, and the rise of the modern corporate lawyer.

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