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.
Listen in the Podli app 🎧
Follow your favourite podcasts, listen offline and in the car with CarPlay and Android Auto, and always pick up where you left off. Free to try.
Sep 28, 2026 · 56:15
In this episode of A Book with Legs, Cole Smead, CEO and Portfolio Manager at Smead Capital Management, is joined by Chairman and Chief Investment Officer Bill Smead for the…
Sep 14, 2026 · 1:11:44
In this episode of A Book with Legs, Cole Smead, CEO and Portfolio Manager at Smead Capital Management, sits down with Dr. Kenneth Rogoff to discuss his book, "Our Dollar, Your…
Aug 31, 2026 · 1:17:47
In this episode of A Book with Legs, Cole Smead, CEO and Portfolio Manager at Smead Capital Management, sits down with Adrian Wooldridge to discuss his book, “The Revolutionary…
Aug 17, 2026 · 1:10:08
In this episode of A Book with Legs, Cole Smead, CEO and Portfolio Manager, welcomes back Bryan Burrough to discuss his book, “The Gunfighters: How Texas Made the West Wild.”…
Aug 3, 2026 · 1:05:13
In this episode of A Book with Legs, Cole Smead, CEO and Portfolio Manager, and Bill Smead, Chairman and Chief Investment Officer at Smead Capital Management, sit down with…
Jul 20, 2026 · 1:01:08
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…
Jul 6, 2026 · 1:13:29
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.…
Jun 29, 2026 · 1:08:28
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…
Jun 15, 2026 · 52:51
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…
Jun 1, 2026 · 1:07:22
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…
May 18, 2026 · 1:20:19
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…
May 4, 2026 · 1:16:45
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…
Apr 20, 2026 · 1:05:28
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…
Apr 6, 2026 · 1:19:39
What happens when brilliant minds disagree not just on answers, but on the very rules of how answers can be found? These questions are addressed in the latest episode of A Book…
Mar 30, 2026 · 1:05:47
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…
Mar 16, 2026 · 1:25:45
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…
Mar 2, 2026 · 1:24:07
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,…
Feb 16, 2026 · 1:10:28
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…
Feb 2, 2026 · 1:02:13
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…
Jan 19, 2026 · 1:12:46
In this episode, learn how today’s geopolitics, climate change, and key happenings in the Arctic affect people and countries around the globe. The Arctic plays a complex role on…
Jan 5, 2026 · 1:10:35
In this episode, learn about how evergreen trees have uniquely shaped America as we know it today, impacting how we build our homes, celebrate holidays, and more. In fact, the…
Dec 29, 2025 · 49:08
In this special quarterly ‘book list’ episode, Cole Smead is joined by Smead Capital Management’s analyst team. Together, they discuss the books that they have recently finished…
Dec 15, 2025 · 1:13:41
In this episode, Cole Smead is joined by economist and author David McWilliams to discuss his book, “The History of Money: A Story of Humanity.” McWilliams outlines the thesis of…
Dec 1, 2025 · 1:03:15
In this episode, Bill Smead and Cole Smead are joined by author Charles Murray to discuss his book, “Taking Religion Seriously.” The three discuss Murray’s personal journey with…
Nov 17, 2025 · 1:17:42
In this episode, Cole Smead is joined by author James Grant to discuss his book, “Friends Until the End: Edmund Burke and Charles Fox in the Age of Revolution.” The book details…
Nov 3, 2025 · 1:10:12
In this episode, Cole Smead is joined by author Brian Potter to discuss his book “The Origins of Efficiency.” The two discuss the importance and profound impact of efficiency…
Oct 20, 2025 · 1:23:00
In this episode, author and professor Mark Blyth sits down with Cole Smead to discuss a book he co-authored with Nicolò Fraccaroli titled “Inflation: A Guide for Users and…
Oct 6, 2025 · 1:33:09
In this episode, professor and author Amitav Acharya joins Cole Smead to discuss his book “The Once and Future World Order: Why Global Civilization Will Survive the Decline of…
Sep 29, 2025 · 39:50
In this special quarterly ‘book list’ episode, Bill Smead and Cole Smead discuss memorable takeaways from books they have recently read, share what they are reading now, and…
Sep 15, 2025 · 1:38:00
In this episode, author and professor Toby Stuart sits down with Cole Smead to discuss his book “Anointed: The Extraordinary Effects of Social Status in a Winner-Take-Most…
Sep 1, 2025 · 1:20:43
In this episode, Cole Smead sits down with author and former President and CFO of SoftBank Group International, Alok Sama, to discuss his book, “The Money Trap: Lost Illusions…
Aug 18, 2025 · 1:11:22
In this episode, Cole Smead sits down with professor and author James Romm to discuss his book, “Plato and the Tyrant: The Fall of Greece's Greatest Dynasty and the Making of a…
Aug 4, 2025 · 1:16:43
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…
Jul 21, 2025 · 1:35:10
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…
Jul 7, 2025 · 1:22:50
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…
Jun 30, 2025 · 51:57
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…
Jun 16, 2025 · 1:09:22
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.”…
Jun 9, 2025 · 38:10
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…
Jun 2, 2025 · 1:42:59
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…
May 19, 2025 · 1:21:42
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…
May 5, 2025 · 1:22:26
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…
Apr 21, 2025 · 1:32:20
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…
Apr 7, 2025 · 1:14:38
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…
Mar 31, 2025 · 1:01:23
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…
Mar 17, 2025 · 56:07
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…
Mar 3, 2025 · 1:20:53
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…
Feb 17, 2025 · 1:25:29
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…
Feb 3, 2025 · 1:05:00
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…
Jan 20, 2025 · 1:17:12
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…
Jan 6, 2025 · 1:08:48
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…
Dec 30, 2024 · 55:27
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…
Dec 16, 2024 · 1:10:47
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…
Dec 2, 2024 · 1:10:46
In this episode, financial psychologist Brad Klontz joins Cole Smead to discuss his book, Start Thinking Rich: 21 Harsh Truths to Take You from Broke to Financial Freedom , which…
Nov 18, 2024 · 1:23:53
In this episode, investment analyst Brett Gardner joins Cole and Bill Smead to discuss his newly released book, "Buffett’s Early Investments," which explores Warren Buffett’s key…
Nov 4, 2024 · 1:12:55
In this episode, seasoned investor-turned-commerce secretary Wilbur Ross joins Cole and Bill Smead to discuss his new book, "Risks and Returns," where he delves into the complex…
Oct 21, 2024 · 1:15:07
In this episode, author Michael Craig joins Cole Smead and Bill Smead to discuss his book, "The Professor, The Banker, and the Suicide King," which dives into the world of…
Oct 7, 2024 · 1:17:59
In this episode, wealth manager Megan Gorman joins Cole Smead to discuss her newly released work title “All the Presidents’ Money”. The book offers a fascinating dive into the…
Sep 30, 2024 · 46:02
In this episode, Smead Capital Management CEO Cole Smead and CIO Bill Smead talk about the firm's quarterly book list. They also discuss the state of markets and the economy,…
Sep 16, 2024 · 1:17:42
In this episode, author Dan Slater joins Cole Smead to discuss his recently published book, "The Incorruptibles", which explores how Jewish immigrant communities played a…
Sep 2, 2024 · 1:19:29
In this episode, Professor Anne Murphy joins Cole Smead to discuss her latest work, "Virtuous Bankers,” which explores the foundations of banking in 18th century England. Murphy…
Aug 19, 2024 · 1:20:35
In this episode, author Richard Blakemore joins Cole Smead to discuss his newly published book, "Enemies of All", which explores the world of 18th-century piracy through a blend…
Aug 5, 2024 · 1:11:25
In this episode, businessman Steve Green joins Bill and Cole Smead to discuss his work, "This Beautiful Book," in which he delves into the transformative impact of the Bible on…
Jul 22, 2024 · 1:19:19
In this episode, author Eric Weiner joins Cole Smead to discuss his newly released work, “Ben & Me,” which explores the life of Benjamin Franklin through research and reflection.…
Jul 8, 2024 · 1:14:16
In this episode, psychologist Nicky Hayes discusses her newly released title, "A Little History of Psychology," which offers an engaging overview of key figures and concepts when…
Jul 1, 2024 · 1:12:23
In this episode, the Arizona Chamber of Commerce & Industry CEO Danny Seiden joins Cole Smead and Seamus Sullivan to talk about the firm's quarterly book list while providing…
Jun 17, 2024 · 1:12:35
In this episode, distinguished historian Martin Goodman joins Bill and Cole Smead to discuss his latest work, "Herod the Great," in which he documents the Jewish king's ability…
Jun 3, 2024 · 1:22:06
In this episode, writer David Bellos discusses his latest work, "Who Owns This Sentence", which provides a detailed history of copyright law by questioning who owns the meaning…
May 20, 2024 · 1:24:26
In this episode, author and journalist Bryan Burrough joins Bill and Cole Smead to discuss his classic work, "Barbarians at the Gate." The book is a detailed narrative of the…
May 6, 2024 · 58:23
In this episode, reporter Rob Copeland joins Cole Smead to discuss his book, "The Fund," which provides a detailed account of the rise of Ray Dalio and the founding of…
Apr 22, 2024 · 1:26:35
In this episode, activist Benji Backer joins Cole Smead to discuss his newly released book, "The Conservative Environmentalist," which makes the case for the economic benefits of…
Apr 8, 2024 · 1:21:11
In this episode, historian Jennifer Burns joins Cole Smead to discuss her book "Milton Friedman: The Last Conservative," which provides an in-depth analysis of Friedman's…
Apr 1, 2024 · 32:03
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…
Mar 18, 2024 · 1:17:35
In this episode, author and Professor Ekaterina Pravilova joins Cole Smead to discuss her book, “The Ruble: A Political History.” Ekaterina’s book explores the evolution of the…
Mar 4, 2024 · 1:06:16
In this episode, author and historian Harold James joins Cole Smead to discuss his book, “Seven Crashes: The Economic Crises That Shaped Globalization.” Their discussion delves…
Feb 19, 2024 · 1:05:14
In this episode, author Chris Roush joins Cole Smead to discuss his book, "The Future of Business Journalism," which explores the evolving media landscape and its impact on…
Feb 5, 2024 · 57:37
Live from the 2024 Smead Investor Oasis, venture capitalist George Gilder joins Bill and Cole Smead to discuss his latest work, "Life after Capitalism," in which he redefines…
Jan 22, 2024 · 1:12:23
In this episode, Professor Andrew Pettegree joins Cole to discuss his newly released title, "The Book at War." The book is a captivating analysis of the power of print in society…
Jan 8, 2024 · 1:01:45
In this episode, retired U.S. Army general David Petraeus joins Bill and Cole to discuss the recently released book that he co -authored titled, "Conflict." The book explores the…
Jan 1, 2024 · 29:27
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…
Dec 18, 2023 · 1:21:10
"What about our system of liberal meritocratic capitalism is good and useful? What about it is worth preserving, expanding and fixing, so that we can be prepared for the…
Dec 4, 2023 · 1:13:44
“If you read it, you will realize that many of the arguments being made against American capitalism are invalid. You will realize that this country of ours is even greater than…
Nov 20, 2023 · 1:26:13
“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…
Nov 6, 2023 · 1:14:29
“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…
Oct 23, 2023 · 1:12:21
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…
Oct 9, 2023 · 25:24
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…
Oct 9, 2023 · 1:25:39
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…
Oct 2, 2023 · 29:25
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…
Sep 18, 2023 · 1:32:34
“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…
Sep 5, 2023 · 1:19:03
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…
Aug 21, 2023 · 36:49
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,…
Aug 21, 2023 · 1:35:12
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.…
Aug 7, 2023 · 1:15:05
“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…
Jul 24, 2023 · 1:28:49
“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,…
Jul 10, 2023 · 1:10:57
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…
Jul 3, 2023 · 43:02
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…
Jun 20, 2023 · 1:08:12
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…
Jun 5, 2023 · 1:05:33
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…
May 22, 2023 · 1:17:14
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…
May 8, 2023 · 1:19:50
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…
Apr 24, 2023 · 1:06:16
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,…
Listen in the Podli app 🎧
Follow your favourite podcasts, listen offline and in the car with CarPlay and Android Auto, and always pick up where you left off. Free to try.
Your podcast? Get the Podli badge for your site
