Mr. Mayer's Bookshelf

Chris Mayer talks reveries with Rousseau, deals from hell and his own general semantics...

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Joel Bowman, checking in today from Buenos Aires, Argentina...

Welcome back to another Sunday Session, dear reader, that time of the week when we gather at the local watering hole to examine the myriad confusions and conundrums of the day. 

Big news down on the Pampas this week was the attempted assassination of vice president Cristina Fernández de Kirchner on Thursday evening. Video footage shows a man pointing a gun at the former president while she was mingling with supporters on the street. 

To the relief of some, the consternation of others and the surprise of many, the firearm malfunctioned... 

No sooner had the event been reported when speculation began circulating as to whether the whole thing was staged as an attempt to garner public sympathy for CFK, who just happens to be facing 12 years jail time on various corruption charges stemming back to her own time as president.

“It wouldn’t surprise me in the least if it was all a set up,” one Argentine friend said at a picnic in the park yesterday. “She’s deeply unpopular. And she’s probably going down for misuse of public funds. Seems like theatrics to me. A way to distract voters from her real crimes.”

“It’s no wonder we can’t get anything done down here,” added another friend, also a porteño. “We can’t even carry out a simple political assassination. No wonder nobody takes us seriously.”

Schools were closed on Friday, whether because of the attempt... or because it failed... we have no idea. Either way, we took the day off and enjoyed an unhurried lunch with dear daughter and wife. 

We did notice, if only in passing, that the peso strengthened against the dollar in the wake of the incident. 

Meanwhile, back in the U.S. of A., a nation which has managed four successful presidential assassinations – Abraham Lincoln (1865), James A. Garfield (1881), William McKinley (1901), and John F. Kennedy (1963) – it’s Labor Day Weekend!

So in lieu of our typically unhurried scribblings, we’ll leave you with an unhurried conversation, instead...

Last week we caught up with one of our favorite thinkers, writers and investors, Christopher Mayer. Long time readers will know Chris as the portfolio manager of the Woodlock House Family Capital Fund, which he co-founded with Bill Bonner back in 2018 as a vehicle to manage a portion of the Bonner family estate.

We’ve known Chris for almost two decades now, going back to our early days working together at Agora Financial. Among his many accolades, Chris is an omnivorous reader who always has a few interesting books, usually spanning a range of genres, on his desk. We’ve taken a few virtual strolls through his library before and always profit from his insights on any number of subjects. 

In today’s conversation, he talks us through Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s Reveries of a Solitary Walker, Robert Bruner’s Deals From Hell: M&A Lessons that Rise Above the Ashes and his own latest publication, Dear Fellow Time-Binder, Letters on General Semantics. 

So pull up a chair, get comfy and enjoy our latest Fatal Conceits podcast with a good friend of ours, Mr. Christopher Mayer. Oh, and don’t forget to share our work with avid readers and podcast enthusiasts alike…

Chris Mayer talks Deals from Hell, Reveries with Rousseau and his own take on General Semantics

We’ll return next week with your regular Sunday Session programming, including an essay we’re penning all about why living in a country with a government that can’t seem to get anything done is not such a bad thing after all. 

Until then, enjoy your holiday weekend.

Cheers,

Joel Bowman