Buffett & Gates Go Back to School

Business tycoons Warren Buffett and Bill Gates hail from different eras and backgrounds, and they built their fortunes in vastly dissimilar ways, yet both share certain key philosophical principles and have great affection for each other. In this hour-long PBS special, filmed last year during a Q&A session before a live audience at the University of Nebraska's College of Business Administration, Buffett and Gates each display qualities for which they've become American icons: energy, enthusiasm, and a profound confidence in the ability of any man or woman to achieve success with the right combination of intelligence, training, hard work, perseverance, and—yes—luck. The pair candidly discuss the accumulation of wealth and power, but they also stress the importance of philanthropy and achieving inner peace. Not that every word is wisdom, mind you—some of their answers are clichéd and others disappointingly banal. But for the most part, what Buffett and Gates have to share is both inspirational and practical. A fine follow-up to their earlier filmed chat Buffett & Gates on Success (VL-1/99), this is recommended. Aud: H, C, P. (E. Hulse)