4 comments about The Bin Ladens: An Arabian Family in the American Century.

1. What a tale. Except it is all true. Whereas Mike Moore threw out facts without much context, Coll provides well-researched history and explanations, making our weird relationship with The House of Saud that much more clear. And Murky.
   
   The Bin Laden Family is far more complex and interesting than I would have thought possible, and as alien and strange, when compared to western society, as you could imagine.
   
   This is an important book, one that provide the curious with information, background, and a glimmer of understanding as to how Osama became who he was, and how his family life, Muslim marital and divorce practices, and the strange, complex, and bizarre entity we know as the Bin Laden family came to be.
   
   The only thing worse than learning how US policies led to 9/11 is seeing how we have coddled and knowingly supported one of the most corrupt family dictatorships in the world - the Sauds. Eye-opening, fascinating and hard to put down. I highly recommend this book.



2. Here are 671 well written pages about the family we wish we did not know. Unfortunately, the American (and World) public know of the evil Osama even if none of the other family members rest in our memories.
   
   Steve Coll gives us more insight into that family than we really need, but, we are craving to know. He does it so well that it does not take as long to read over 600 pages than one might think.
   
   The reader will be "pleased" when it is revealed that Osama's father died in a plane crash in 1988.
   
   Author of Mr. NewHeart (New Heart): Heart Attack to Transplant and Beyond
   
   
   I also recommend A Step of Faith - an inspiring story to help get you through the month.



3. I enjoyed this book a lot - It's a fascinating history of a family's rise from nothing to high influence in Saudi Arabia. Steve Coll and his team have researched this very well and provide a high resolution story of the Bin Laden family. By their close association to the Royal Family, we find out about the secretive ways in which decisions are/were made.
   
   The middle east is a vastly different place from any other on earth - here's a great insight into a very different culture. If you're into the history of interesting places that influence your every day life, this will not disappoint.
   
   Not sure why a previous reviewer felt compelled to review his life in Saudi instead of the book, but for sure the book is more interesting than his life.



4. As someone who lived in Saudi Arabia for 12 years, and who personally knew members of the royal family, including two of their Kings, I rushed out to purchase this book the first moment I heard about it. Additionally, my friends in the royal family used to share plenty of stories about the Bin Laden family and their reputation for being the "pet company" of King Abdul Aziz and his two kingly sons, Faisal and Fahad. Therefore, I have greatly enjoyed the read which brought back many memories of my 12 years in the Kingdom. I was there when King Khalid, one of the nicest men in the Al Saud family ruled, and when he died my boss, Dr. Nizar Feteih, was in Taif with Khalid, so I heard firsthand everything that happened on the king's deathbed. Dr. Feteih loved King Khalid like a second father, and from my years of observing, I believe that King Khalid loved Dr. Feteih like a son. King Fahd then assumed the reins and I always found him to be a very kindly person who could not turn down helping anyone with a sad story. He even listened to me when I complained about the tragedy of so many homeless animals in Riyadh, even as my boss was standing to the side seething that I had brought up such a topic to the king! But, King Fahd was patient and kind and listened to me with a sweet smile on his face and later even made a few changes in the way homeless animals were treated by the municipal authorities. Now, they have King Abdullah, who is one of a kind. The Kingdom is in good hands with their current king, and I am hoping to see stability and good change in various arenas. But, enough of the memories. I would like to say that I admire the author for all the time devoted to this writing project. It's clear that he has done extensive research, and that he has written well on these two very important, wealthy, and influential families. I see where the author states that he was unable to get cooperation from the Bin Laden family, so that takes away slightly from the credibility of any personal accounts, because unless it is from a member of the family, it is delegated to "hear-say." Despite this one drawback, I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the the history of Saudi Arabia and of the ruling family, as well as the Bin Laden story. I admire the author for his hard work and first rate book. Princess: A True Story of Life Behind the Veil in Saudi Arabia;Mayada, Daughter of Iraq: One Woman's Survival Under Saddam Hussein;Love in a Torn Land: Joanna of Kurdistan: The True Story of a Freedom Fighter's Escape from Iraqi Vengeance

5 comments about Confessions of an Economic Hit Man.

1. The British wore their empire proudly, we as Americans try to deny our dark side. Whether you finally choose to play down this dark side or come to the conclusion that things must change, you should at least read this insider's story and weigh his conclusions.
   
   What this story reveals is painful at times, but Perkins writes with an engaging and deeply personal style. What some reviewers are interpreting as egoistic actually is breaking new ground. His work is a twist on the traditional Calvinistic "confessional" tract: a call for a secular spirituality that can embrace and make demands on capitalism for the sake of democracy.
   
   It is hard not to feel jealous of Perkins, however, as he travels the globe with all his power, money, and privilege. It is as if he is a successful Faust: he made his bargain with the devil and yet has never had to pay his pound of flesh.
   
   Perhaps he has now made a bargain with the Light Side to speak and write and lead us all to find a better way. He's got his work cut out for him, since most of us participate in some way in the present system. We all need conversions. I basically trust the guy, but each reader must reach his/her own very personal judgments about his story.
   
   The way to read his story is with an open mind and heart: does what he is saying help to explain things you have read and seen? What defensive reactions are you experiencing and why? What inner work do you need to do to free yourself from the mentalities of empire? Or would you rather go on denying, willing to make the compromises of a hitman even though the world has had enough of that game?
   
   Or, perhaps, his piece of the puzzle is too dark, too one-sided, or not exactly what we need as a world right now? Is the truth too hard to stomach, or can it motivate us to change? Those who disagree with Perkin's call to change need to come up with their own way to understand the failures of the West in our engagements around the world. The statistics of failure are too stark. The cries of anger and pain are too clear.
   
   Just as our international corporations have pillaged other countries, this same corporations-government has blatantly pillaged us in Iraq. I was deeply offended as an American citizen by the irresponsible "use" of money. Their(our) behavior made it clear to me before I even read this book that this was business as usual for them, so I was not surprised by John's confession. Much of what John reveals is actually crying out in the newspapers and around us day after day.
   
   Ultimately, this is a book about spirituality. If we reflect deeply on what each of us have experienced, read, seen, and know about the present state of our society, and our corporate, governmental, and institutional culture, we have to admit that we have slid down the wrong track over the last decades and need to embrace change with courage, a clean heart, and a new commitment to our deepest principles and values.



2. I picked up the book in Abu Dhabi, where it was prominently displayed in that corpotacracy Western cultural imperialist bastion the "Virgin Megastore"... in Abu Dhabi Mall (built by Australian imperialist construction firms!!!)
   
   While I found part of the book interesting (he is a good storyteller, and his accounts of Trujillo in Panama in particular are fascinating) the book was incredibly disappointing as a whole.
   
   This is due primarily to:
   
   1. The lack of any substantive facts about his "EHM" work or the results of it, for which we are left to simply take him at his word;
   2. His deeply self-centered and dangerously oversimplified notions of how the world economy works, colored with further personal narratives of dubious factual quality and very weak sourcing; and
   3. The relentless self-aggrandizing and redemption-seeking that just kills the style and completely erodes his credibility.
   
   As a memoir naturally whole book is about the author, John Perkins, but this does not keep him from including an additional 4-page timeline of his life and his achievements, and 3 more pages about... himself. I mean, this guy has such an ego I am certain having lunch with him would be a nightmare, just from reading the book.
   
   
   Throughout the whole book, Perkins dubiously links himself to major world events, another reflection of his pathologically self centered world-view.
   
   In the chapter "Pimping and Financing Osama bin Laden", he somehow links his brief and negligible work in Saudi arranging an escort for an unnamed member of the royal family to Osama bin Laden.
   
   He links himself an his work to Osama via... a US News and World Report article and another article in Vanity Fair - which he probably picked up at a supermarket check-out isle.
   
   Overall the book weaves a decent story and provides an interesting look at some of the many evils of US foreign policy - but it is by no means credible, and by no means well balanced or complete.
   
   Perkins, based on his numerous other titles on Amazonian spirituality et al, may have had a bit much ayahuasca to remember all of the events clearly enough and as such, his book makes for a bit of a waste of time compared to the many other titles on the subject.



3. This was my first introduction to the dark side of globalization, so I was fascinated with the stories despite the author's obvious love affair with himself. I have read some of the other reviews attacking the book's credibility, but I believe that the despicable interventions into developing economies to make a quick buck are real. Why wouldn't they be? We see that sort of slash-and-burn capitalism rewarded every day in the US. Companies are bought, sold, and merged with no regard for peoples' jobs or local economies. Shareholders and CEOs are the only concern. I started with Perkins' other book on the topic, The Secret History of the American Empire, which is more of the same.
   
   That said, it is really important for smart people to start reading credible accounts of the failure of Chicago School economics, which will be revealed as one of the biggest frauds of our day and a true threat to democracy. Selfishness wins in the short term, but true self interest dictates that we invest in fair play, sharing resources, and placing justice above all. In the long run, the success of the community benefits the individual the most. Market forces do not naturally tend toward peace and equal rights, which people universally demand and deserve. Sorry to ruin the frat party.



4. Thank you for talking John.
   
   Turn off your desperate housewives, and American idol long enough to see what is really going on in our world.
   
   Wake up people!



5. I bought this book in hardcover a few years ago, and only read it recently after I started looking into why globalization has so many critics (despite its inevitability, and the fact that the IMF and the World Bank are benevolent organizations). I came away with the conclusion that Perkins is an utter charlatan.
   
   Put aside the big whoppers (that Perkins was secretly working for the NSA because he once interviewed there, that the CIA killed two Latin American leaders within a three-month period recently, or that the U.S. had no evidence against Manuel Noriega, who was tried and convicted in a public trial in Miami.) It is the small fibs that give him away.
   
   Perkins claims that he went to Brown on an athletic scholarship. This would make him the only person who has ever received an athletic scholarship from any Ivy League college, in history. OK?
   
   What does the U.S. hope to obtain when it coerces third world countries into signing crushing loan agreements that will bankrupt them with debt? To Perkins, it is leverage to obtain these countries' votes at the U.N. Huh? Since when does the U.N. vote on something in which the U.S. depends on the individual votes of Latin American and African countries? It's not like the U.N. enacts legislation that the U.S. is pushing. Perhaps Perkins was referring to the U.N. Security Council, where any member country can veto a proposal. Problem is, the third world countries he discusses are never on the Security Council.
   
   How about this one: the reason American economics professors do not teach the truth about what the U.S. does in the developing world is because American colleges are run by multinational companies, and these professors would be fired if they taught the truth. Seriously, I am not making this stuff up. Has Perkins ever heard of tenure? How does he explain Noam Chomsky or Howard Zinn?
   
   In the course of "Confessions," Perkins is visited in a dream by Jesus, who is actually a South American peasant. Shortly after 9/11, Perkins has a mysterious conversation with a Afghani pedestrian near Ground Zero in New York, and he explains the truth about American peridy.
   
   This is an utterly goofy book. I suppose it is what one would expect from someone who thinks that illiterate cultures can teach us how to travel through time. (My one star reflects that fact that I found myself engaged as I noted how many unbelievable claims leaped off the pages.) In the preface, Perkins described how one publisher recommended that he publish this as a novel. Any doubt why?

5 comments about The Millionaire Next Door.

1. I wish everyone would read this book. You assume someone to be rich because of their car, or clothes. That just proves that they waste more money and probably go into debt for it.
   
   I spent time as a financial analyst for a commercial lending department. Part of my job was to go through people's personal financial statements. My boss, a CPA, recommended this book to me. On of our wealthiest, millionare clients wore sweat pants, had a mullet, and drove an old beat up vehicle. We had another client who was always sporting the latest fashions and drove a Porsche, but was broker than broke and always pleading with us to not return her checks.
   
   The key is to have the self confidence to not spend the money to fix the way people judge you. Would you rather have 10 million dollars and look like crap or be on the edge of bankruptcy and look like a million bucks? I refuse to spend that kind of money to impress someone I probably don't even like or people I don't even know.
   
   Read this book, it will shed some clarity!



2. A Great book with expert advice- too many charts, but the case histories were great and wonderful advice for parents tempted to spoil their children by financing their lives after they are finished with their education. Married children get to living way beyond their means and then resent it when parents stop paying 10 to 20 thousand a month for them. It is clear that those who succeed do it better when they are responsible for their OWN finances and learn to live within their budget.



3. Financial books providing insight into the attitudes and mannerisms required to accumulate wealth generally focus on a lot of theory. The Millionaire Next Door presents a straight forward account based on research and feedback from qualified millionaires.
   
   The information presented in this book focuses on the habits that create millionaires from ordinary people who often have ordinary incomes. The authors show that to be wealthy, you do not necessarily require extraordinary skills or require ardent pep talks; you just need financial discipline and a willingness to live within your means and avoid certain amounts of debt.
   
   The information in the book is substantiated with a number of graphs, charts, and summations of data that will limit one's ability to push through the information quickly. The content of the book is very reliable and will be eye opening for many readers. There is no doubt this book presents a very formidable foundation for wealth that anyone with grand financial aspirations should be aware of, making this book rather worthwhile



4. This book was written based from research that was conducted through the usage of surveys that were taken in 1995. They basically accumulated information from 1000 american millionaires regarding their methods of house-hold finance, behavior, spending habits etc. Simply an analysis of the American millionaire demograhpic in the year 1995. No practical wisdom. Useless info in becoming wealthy.
   
   The whole book could've been summed up to: "be modest, cheap, and save as much as possible".
   
   IN CONCLUSION: If you're looking to learn to make more income, save your money and time, this one sucked. If you want a lesson in history, go right ahead.



5. I had always heard about this book and was eager to finally read it. Unfortunately it was somewhat disappointing. The data is getting dated. The message, while sound, is so oft repeated that it gets a little boring. However, I enjoyed very much the passages dealing with how to (or more accurately - how not to) handle wealth issues and transfers with children. Overall it is a book everyone should read, but I wish they would release a newer edition with more recent data, etc.

5 comments about The Age of Turbulence: Adventures in a New World.

1. Too much of the criticism and accolades for Alan Greenspan's THE AGE OF TURBULENCE smell of political inflexibility. For those that don't like his negative comments regarding our current president, there seems to be a propensity to disregard 500 pages of historical economic perspective because one page doesn't read exactly how they would like. Others have claimed that Greenspan was only capable of considering conservative perspectives. As far as being self-serving - it is an autobiography. The reality is that there is a lot of useful and interesting information presented in this book. I would highly recommend this book, and ask that the reader leave their political presuppositions behind.



2. Greenspan's memoir is surprisingly readable, applicable, and enjoyable, even for someone with only an undergrad course in economics. This book is a great way to learn how the Fed works, as well as the motives behind major decisions made by Greenspan and other politicians during his career.
   Highly recommended!



3. The first half (more or less) is mostly autobiographical and extremely interesting. Greenspan is able to provide the reader with many insights on a plethora of economic events and world leaders. The second half (again, more or less), is Greespan's take on many contemporary economic phenomena. Overall, Age of Turbulence is written clearly and succinctly and is a must read for anyone interested in the world economy.



4. This book is a mixture of autobiography, economic history, and future prognostication. (In the final chapter of the book, the author forecasts what the world economy will look like in 2030---a daunting task even for the likes of Alan Greenspan.)
   
   Alan Greenspan traces the course of his life from his teenage years (he originally wanted to be a jazz musician) to his chairmanship of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve. He also covers his years as a private consultant.
   
   What will be of more interest to most readers is Greenspan's extensive experience with so many presidents. (According to the ex-Fed chairman, our two most cerebral presidents of recent decades were Richard Nixon and Bill Clinton.)
   
   Greenspan is a libertarian Republican, but he has plenty of criticism for current GOP economic policies. Like many Americans, Greenspan laments the swelling of the deficit under George W. Bush.
   
   A few other points and observations from the book:
   
   Greenspan is an advocate of free trade orthodoxy. Like many in this camp, he glosses over the fact that free trade in the context of China means that American workers compete with Communist prison labor, and state-subsidized enterprises that are not subject to any environmental or workplace safety regulations. His assessment of free trade is textbook Adam Smith/Ricardo theory. (Free trade is beneficial, of course---provided that there is a truly level playing field, which is not the case at present.)
   
   Greenspan says we should pay math teachers more. Since mathematics teachers have more opportunities in the private sector (compared to English literature teacher, for example), schools should pay them higher salaries. This makes sense to me.
   
   Monetary authorities should hold down inflation despite political pressures. Once again, I agree with Greenspan. During economic slowdowns, the Fed is often pressured to pump more cash into the economy through monetary policy. The overuse of this technique is a major factor behind the hyperinflation of economies in the developing world. To support this argument, Greenspan discusses the history of Paul Volcker's inflationary restraints during the Reagan years. Volcker tamed inflation---but it cost us a recession in the early 1980s.
   
   If you have an interest in economics, U.S. history, or Alan Greenspan, then you will enjoy this book. Although I don't agree with every one of his positions, Alan Greenspan is a brilliant man. Almost anyone can learn something from The Age of Turbulence.



5. This book is well worth reading. It is the easiest read for an important nonfiction work that I can ever remember reading. It is difficult to put this book down. The first part of the book is an autobiography/History of Economics In Greenspan's lifetime. The last chapter contains his predictions.
   
   The autobiographical part is well presented and interesting. Mr. Greenspan seems neither especially modest nor especially self-serving. But he doesn't seem to bare his soul, unless he is quite a simple man. Which may be true. He portrays for the reader a man who is a mathematician. A mathematician who diligently works to master Economics with statistics. He doesn't ever seem to really believe that Economics is at its core, a social science and not a hard science.
   
   You should not mistake simplicity for shallowness however, there can be great depth in simplicity. Mr. Greenspan presents complicated ideas in a simple, straightforward way that makes them clear although fairly devoid of emotion or social context. The question one is left with is if he has been so powerful and durable in our country's upper crust because he is the reliable, guileless expert economist or if he is indeed a more subtle, politically aware expert who knows how to present everything in such a neutral manner that no one can object.
   
   One example of this is the so-called surplus that happened at the end of Clinton's term of office. The Federal Government borrowed more money than it needed to balance the budget (from the Social Security trust fund) and named the excess borrowed money a surplus. Purists would argue that borrowing more money than you need, naming it a surplus, and spending it is absurd twisting of words and financially short sighted. Mr.Greenspan holds that the SS trust fund is in reality not a trust fund, that it is just another tax revenue stream for Congress to do with as it will. From the simplest practical viewpoint this is true. Congress has taken the Social Security fund moneys and spent them on whatever occurred to them for decades. From an unemotional, mathematical point of view there is no trust fund because no one treats it as such. For a political realist, words on paper mean nothing when preempted by the reality of unalterable government actions. So is he dispassionately describing the current situation or is Mr.Greenspan the savvy politician, knowing that both the Republicans and Democrats would like to claim they were responsible for the surplus and it would not do to publicly puncture both their balloons? He has stripped away any (politically charged) description of our current process and talks of possibilities for now that are devoid of any history or reason for how we arrived at now. No one in power will be offended or feel the need to defend themselves by his writing. No one will find any insight into avoiding the current financial ills of our country either.
   
   In the last chapter Mr. Greenspan presents his predictions. His knowledge and expertise and style make very good reading again. Mr. Greenspan very neatly identifies the important forces acting on our future. Even if you know nothing of Economics you will be well prepared to understand this chapter after reading his book up to here. He also demonstrates the truism that if you laid all the world's economists end to end, they still would not reach a conclusion. He in fact has no conclusion, merely possibilities. He does mention, but glosses over the greatest weakness in America's economic future in such a way that you may not even notice it. It may be that it is no coincidence that it is a process that is not easily understood using statistics nor one that is correctable without actually identifying the groups that are causing the problem. The first is his only tool, while the second he can't bring himself to do.
   
   This neutrality is really the weakness of this very interesting book and of his closing predictions. The Oracle of Delphi once told Croesus, a powerful king, that if he invaded his neighbor a great empire would be destroyed. She just left out whose empire would be destroyed. Croesus made the obvious error of misinterpretation. Mr. Greenspan's neutrality leaves the reader with no more information then that king whose ambition blinded him to the different interpretations possible for that vague prediction.
   
   In a way the book helps you see the mindset that no one is ever responsible, no decision is ever faulty, there is only the "What are we going to do now?" that weakens the modern American scene. The parties and groups in Government and business vie to be the next great answer to our problems without ever acknowledging their part in their creation.
   
   So readable, so engrossing, don't miss this book.

5 comments about Liar's Poker: Rising Through the Wreckage on Wall Street.

1. OUTSTANDING!! This is the single best book I've ever read for learning the basics of life in a Wall St. investment bank. Very accessible and humorous, yet informative as well.



2. This is a great book. I mean, everyone else says so, so they can't be wrong. Yes, I want a job on wall street.



3. I thought this would be more interesting. I still haven't finished the book and I bought it over 6 months ago. It's just dry. If you've ever worked on the floor of an actual exchange this is like kissing your sister. I have a totally different view of trading in the 80's and institutional trading isn't it



4. Much of what Lewis' writes about is true. Particularly as a trainee investment banker you are thrown in and expected to know how financial markets work. I have been a banker for 20 years and can only now confidently say I know half of what I am talking about. Mind you most clients I talk to really don't have a clue - another anecdote that Lewis brings to life. This is a great read for those with insight or interest in the Wall Street set, fast paced and so funny because its true. On top of it all, it offers great insight into an interesting part of financial history, much of which has parallels to the 2007 Credit Crisis - happy reading



5. When I bought the book, I expected it to be a funny narration of the wall street life in 80s. And the first 70-80 pages kept me quite entertained. Well written and funny ! Its the second half of the book which becomes more rhetorical with a dull narration of the events and developments on the Wall street. Perhaps my expectations from the book were unrealistic. I would recommend Monkey Business if someone wants to have a real laugh at the wall street world.

5 comments about The Secret History of the American Empire: The Truth About Economic Hit Men, Jackals, and How to Change the World.

1. John Perkins was a Economic Hitman for many years. He was one of the bad guys who quit to expose the problems. It's the answers to all the questions you've had about why the world hates the USA.
   Read and empower yourself with the truth.



2. I just finished this book after having previously read "Confessions of an Economic Hitman". Perkins does a good job of relating his personal experience and opens the door to a world that most people don't know exist.
   
   When I read "Confessions of and Economic Hitman", I went away hungry for more information and details. This made me really look forward to reading this book. "The Secret History of the American Empire" builds on "Confessions" in narrative form. It is footnoted, but does not rely heavily on outside sources to substantiate the author's perspective. This is "Secret History's" drawback. Still, John Perkins never claims in either of this book or "Confessions" that his intention is to extensively back his experience with outside sources. He simply tells his story from his perspective and recommends a path forward.
   
   It tells a shocking story in a very sincere way, but, for greater understanding of the subject matter, I would recommend a book with a more academic approach. Regardless, this book is a great starting point for those seeking to better understand the world.



3. Funny how all the deniers and thos who rate this author's books as "impossible" or "a fabrication" do so, I am willing to bet, from the comfort of having never left their own zip code. How can it be, if their scred "free market" and the government are forces of "freedom and justice"???
   
   As a fomer officer of the Guatemalan Army, charged at one time with guarding those "advisers" and "experts" recommended by the US Embassy, witnessing the granting of unfathomable amounts of money and visas to the US for ministers and their families, as rewards for granting this or that contract to a selected few companies, I can assure you everything Perkins says is true. For those who ask for ironclad proof, it should be an invitation to get off their behinds and do some research of their own, the facts are out there but that would be too much to ask. There is a saying in Guatemala: No hay peor ciego que el que no quiere ver. "The worst kind of blindness is the one that refuses to see"
   I really despair when I see the situation the country and the world are in nowadays and still there are those who claim it's all good. But as far as these books, they are an eye opener to how business is REALLY done outside the golf and country clubs of the US.



4. The Secret History of the American Empire: The Truth About Economic Hit Men, Jackals, and How to Change the World
   In the post-1984 world of doublethink press (Wikipedia-To tell deliberate lies while genuinely believing in them), the only way we have of knowing what our military, our government, and the very large segment of our society living as camp followers around the world are doing, is to hear from disaffected career professionals who choose to come out of the closet and share the dark side of their career work. John Perkins, who began his career in the Peace Corps, and went on to be tempted by the lush lifestyle as an agent for the IMF-Worldbank / corporate engineering collusion indenturing a long list of trusting 3rd world countries trying to rise out of colonialism, has now come full circle to work connecting awakening Americans with indigenous peoples who are now finding creative new ways of responding to the pressures of US global hegemony, through his Dream Change Coalition. For those of us who believe in the US Constitutional declarations of liberty, this is a must read.



5. Anyone who wants a glimpse of the tactics used to control other countries needs to read this book. The methods reveal the depths to which the power structure will go to acquire whatever resources they want. The CIA works for Wall Street and the multinational corporations. This is a part of the dark side of US foreign policy. It's difficult to support this kind of activity.

5 comments about Banker To The Poor: Micro-Lending and the Battle Against World Poverty.

1. Muhammad Yunus was born in 1940, the third of fourteen children, to an extremely devout Muslim family in Chittagong, the largest port city in Bangladesh. After studies at Chittagong University, and then University of Colorado and Vanderbilt (where he earned his PhD in economics), Yunus returned to help nation-build in Bangladesh, which had declared its independence from Pakistan in 1971. The independence movement had taken its toll; three million people were dead and 10 million were refugees. In 1974, a famine struck.
   
   As he tried to alleviate the broad and deep poverty in his homeland, Yunus came to "dread" his economics lectures. They were tragically far removed from the everyday lives of normal people. In a theme that would characterize much of the rest of his life, Yunus almost completely abandoned classical book learning in favor of listening to and learning directly from the extreme poor -- the millions of Bangladeshis living off two cents a day. In 1976 he loaned $27 to 42 villagers, and thus was born what eventually became the Grameen Bank (grameen means rural). As of the publication of this revised autobiography in 2003, Grameen and its many replicants had made $3.8 billion of micro-loans to 2.4 million families in over 100 countries. The borrowers themselves own 93% of the bank equity, 95% of the loan recipients are women, and the repayment rate on the loans is 98%. For all that, in 2006 Yunus and Grameen won the Nobel Peace Prize (not to mention more than two dozen honorary doctorates).
   
   Yunus is an excellent writer and story-teller. He shares at length about the many criticisms, myths, and prejudices he's had to face, especially from the "obtuse ineptitude" of governments and the sclerotic bureaucracy of aid organizations (he's particularly critical of the World Bank). He has tremendous faith in the initiative, skill, resilience and creativity of the poor. They're the ultimate entrepreneurs. "Not one single Grameen borrower requires any special training" (205), or any collateral, for that matter. Conversely, Yunus also believes that the poor have many things to teach the rich. When the World Bank's president Barber Conable bragged to Yunus about hiring the best minds in the world, he responded that "hiring smart economists does not necessarily translate into policies and programs that help the poor." Spurning conventional wisdom about development aid and economic categories of the liberal left and the free market right, Grameen's success speaks for itself. As a follow up, see Yunus's newest book called Creating a World Without Poverty: Social Business and the Future of Capitalism (New York: Public Affairs, 2008).



2. I had wanted to read this book for awhile and when I finally got to it I was not disappointed. Yunus tells a captivating story that pulls the reader in. While the tone of the book is outspoken, Yunus can back up his tone with real results and a compelling vision for the future of social entrepreneurship and a world without extreme poverty.
   
   He comes down pretty hard on well meaning but ineffective organizations and individuals that are out of touch with the poorest of the poor that he works with. Throughout the book, Yunus shows the depth of his trust in the poor to work for themselves and better their lives without charity.
   
   Definitely a recommended read!



3. 
   There is no doubt that the author seems to have done a lot of hopeless people a great service. However, this book really struck me as being more about him, why he is so amazing, and how he repeatedly overcame odds dealing with short-sighted, ignorant, selfish bankers doing things the traditional way. The book would have appealed to me a lot more if he had gone further in explaining why traditional methods failed but were maintained. Also, there was very little frank discussion of the strengths and weaknesses of microfinance. Sounds like maybe I should have read the Wilson Quarterly article instead.
   
   The book was a repetitive sales pitch and could have been a lot more.



4. Yunus with his Grameen Bank initiative has brought a new notion that the bank can be truly too at the total dedication to the poor not just the rich one. Rural poor women are changing the face of the family situation through this initiative of Grameen Bank that not only bring micro-credit to poor people but also keep introducing new opportunities and creative assets for quenching poverty.



5. Banker to the Poor, is by written Nobel peace prize reciepent, Muhammad Yunus. As a professor in Bangladesh, Yunus, with just twenty-seven dollars of his own money, was the "mid-wife" to micro-lending movement. He parlayed his success into remarkable achievements which have bettered the lives of millions.
   
   It wasn't always easy, and his telling of the story, is inspirational, if somewhat repetitive. You can easily imagine the tears of joy of villagers, who with micro-lending, are able to rise above mere substience living.
   
   He makes the case that much misery is alleviated when micro-lending is available to the poor in the Third World. While Yunus does not say so directly it is easy to extrapolate, that poor people leading better lives do not take up violence. America would be a lot more secure if it took a few millions from "military assistance" and instead invested it in micro-lending.
   
   However, Yunus claims, "everyone" benefits when trade barriers are dropped. Trade barriers have largely been lifted in the apparel industry Consequently, the textile industry in the US employs a mere fraction of workers than it used to. Guess "everyone" doesn't include the tens of thousands of former American texitle workers.
   
   There must be a way, to support the developement of the Third World, without America losing jobs. While Yunus doesn't answer that question, he does have a lot of answers. A five-star book.
   

5 comments about Bringing Home the Birkin: My Life in Hot Pursuit of the World's Most Coveted Handbag.

1. This is a sweet story in that the author found his "Mr. Right" and we share in in his family's support and ultimate trials. However, if your primary interest lies in finding out more about the Birkin bag--how it's made, what makes it worth the asking price, the colors, the leathers, the true details of the Icon Bag, you may wish to pass on this book. True, there is a way to get around the waiting list, but it takes money--which you must spend at an Hermes store. It is NOT necessary to buy these bags in the back alley, which is clearly demonstrated in this book. One simply must spend a bit up front--but that's for the reader to find out.
   
   Another small gripe, the author focused on buying the crocodile Birkins in order to make the most profit. I think most women would like the smooth leather bags, which are much cheaper and easier to come by.
   
   If globe-trotting and true love found are your things, enjoy this book. If you're a Birkinista, you may want do online research instead.



2. Michael is at his absolute best! What a fun, fun, fun book to read -- as a personal journal with hysterically funny moments -- and as just simple entertainment! 5 STARS!!
   Thanks, Michael, for such great FUN!
   Debbie Dupire-Nelson



3. ...purses do exist and lots of people seem to own lots of them, you'll enjoy this book. Michael writes a fun story of a time in his life when he "played" Hermes in order to make a living. That the women in the book - I assumed he changed names - spent so much money on purses, scarves, and other "name" items were the ultimate "Fashion Victims", is maybe what they deserved to be. But, well, it's their money and if that's what they chose to spend it on...Michael just helped them in their quests for the ultimate "croc".
   
   I enjoyed the book.



4. I read this on a flight earlier in the week and finished the book that evening in our hotel room. On the return flight home my husband read the book and just finished it last night. Both of us (he was skeptical when i handed him the book) laughed out loud throughout the book and enjoyed the travel and food chapters (along the lines of "A Year in Provence") as well as the author's social commentary (the salesclerks are hysterically funny). I'm sending the book to my daughter in NYC to read on her subway commute (she loves those Shopaholic books). Easy, breazy, like a giant box of bonbons, you just don't want to stop reading and it's great fun all the way through to end. Highly recommended! (and Michael, if you read this, I'd love to have dinner with you in Barcelona)



5. Some books are candy-like in terms of nutrition. We buy them because they have a decent hook, we read them quickly and five days later barely recall the characters or their exploits. I assure you, Bringing Home The Birkin is not one of those books.
   
   This is a wonderful, wild ride that spans years, continents and exchange rates; and most important, teaches us that absolutely anything is possible. You do not have to be confined to the state or the country in which you were born. You do not have to kowtow to the buying "rules" of a fashion empire, even one that makes over two billion dollars a year. Therein lies the hook. Michael Tonello finds out the Waiting List for the elusive Birkin bag is camouflage. An interesting invention of Hermes, the prestigious, privately held company that handcrafts these goods. When he discovers he can get Birkins, he becomes a sort of Robin Hood, allowing people around the globe to purchase them. But this book is more than the sum of its hook, it's an enlightening, hilarious read. Everything is described in a manner that literally make you want to pack your bags for Spain, France and Beyond to experience the food, wine and sights he recounts.
   
   Recently my two nieces came to my apartment for a sleepover. As usual, I try to introduce them to new things to even out the fast food, pop music, reality TV, Reality of Teenage Life. We ate sushi (which they now love.) Cognizant of college looming, I talked about finding a job that you love, thinking outside the box, and being open to new places and people. (Okay I don't see them much so I'm guilty of trying to cram a lot into one visit.) When they were wary of my speech, we talked books and I told them about Bringing Home The Birkin. I explained that it's a true story about a hair and make-up artist that did a job in Spain, realized he wanted to live there and moved. He didn't ponder over the negatives to the point of distraction or let people stop him. I told them he didn't speak Spanish and didn't know what a Birkin was but he educated himself and suddenly became a seller of all things Hermes. Not only did he make money, travel and find the love of his life but he Wrote A Book About It. I think they listened. It was hard to tell. At that point, we were walking by a clothing store and the music was blaring so whatever I said literally fell on deaf ears (why do stores have speakers that face outward nowadays?)
   
   The next morning I dropped the college future/career goals and dreams talk. I laid out breakfast, put on the TV and there, on the CBS Early Show, was Mr. Tonello being interviewed about his book! My nieces looked from the TV screen to the book on the table and suddenly everything I spoke of was real to them. If he could do it, why couldn't they do whatever `it' was they wanted to do?
   
   I thought Bringing Home The Birkin was an absolute inspiration. It made me laugh my face off. It educated me about food, wine and travel. It demystified the mystical Birkin Bag. It is making me seriously consider a move abroad, and it has already opened the minds of my nieces who haven't even read it yet!
   
   What more could I ask for?

5 comments about The House of Mondavi: The Rise and Fall of an American Wine Dynasty.

1. Julia Flynn Siler's The House of Mondavi starts with everything that makes a great story: a wonderfully complex and larger-than-life character, a lush wine-country setting, a conflicted family, and a great undertaking. She brings the story to life with a journalist's eye for the telling detail and a fine fiction writer's sense of plot, pacing, and instinct for the great tragedy that so often results from excesses of pride. The result is a page-turner that leaves the reader not just with the sense of having enjoyed a satisfying story, but also with a deep knowledge of the history of the rise of California's wine industry and a better understanding of human nature. I would recommend this book to anyone.



2. Intriguing story -- three generations of a famous, semi-dysfunctional winemaking family. The book is easy reading, though it is a little long; but the tale itself carries the day. Recommended.



3. I just LOVED this book. I wasn't sure I would, simply because I read almost nothing but literary fiction. But it was so readable, and had so many of the things I love about fiction - a great story, interesting characters, good writing, evocative settings - that I couldn't put it down.
   
   There is something so epic about the story of the Mondavi family. As you read, you can't help but think of all the family dynasties that have self-imploded; there are echoes of King Lear, of Oedipus, of all the founders whose basic character flaws are the seeds of the family's undoing. To watch the Mondavi family rise so spectacularly from its' immigrant roots, and then fall from its' own weight, is so timeless, so sad, and so compelling.
   
   One of the book's great strengths is its' perfect blend of journalism and storytelling. The Mondavi story is full of juicy facts - wild parties and love affairs and alcoholism - that a lesser author would milk for profit. Siler, however, treats them with the even-handedness of the journalist she is. At the same time, Siler elevates the book well above the dryness of much non-fiction with her skillful storytelling, and brings to vibrant life so many scenes in the lives of the Mondavi family and the Napa Valley.
   
   Witness, for example, the masterful storytelling of the prologue, set in a wine auction in June 2005. This scene encapsulates a turning point for the Robert Mondavi Corp., the beginning of the end. The aging Robert Mondavi, in his wheelchair and bolero hat, has sold his lot of wine at a fire-sale price, while a boutique wine has just sold for a quarter-million per lot. "Robert and Timothy (Mondavi) stared up at the screen, silent in the midst of the raucous celebration of the bid. They seemed isolated, as the Hoopla Commitee and the television camera moved elsewhere. For that moment the Mondavis were no longer the center of attention. When the spotlight returned in the the months to come, it would blaze mercelessly on the dismemberment of their empire." Wow.
   
   I highly recommend this book. It is readable, interesting, well-written, and a fascinating story. And it's fun to discuss over a glass of wine.



4. "The House of Mondavi" is a quintessentially American tale. A penniless immigrant couple travels to the new world, where they become so successful they are able to send their two sons to Stanford University. The family buys a decrepit winery, turning it into a success. The patriarch dies: war erupts in the family -- leading to one of the most famous court cases in California history. Then, the cycle repeats itself, and successive generations of siblings battle again. This is a must-read for anyone interested in families, fortunes, or the wine business -- and the sensational aspects of the story that make this a true-life "Falcon Crest."



5. Julia Flynn Siler has accomplished something amazing with the House of Mondavi. It is clear the book was meticulously researched. Her experience as a reporter for the Wall Street Journal obviously guided her writing. Unlike some nonfiction books in which the author speculates where the facts end, Ms. Flynn Siler supports each element of the story with multiple sources. The book is not about Ms. Flynn Siler's opinions of what could have happened. It is about the complex, fascinating web that is the Mondavis. That said, the story reads almost like a novel, and at times is a page-turner. Some reviewers have complained about typos in the text, but any typos are due to a lapse at the copyediting stage and have little if anything to do with Ms. Flynn Siler or the quality of the story being told. The House of Mondavi is a engaging, compelling read which deserves accolades for its substance.

5 comments about The Warren Buffett Way, Second Edition.

1. es uno de los peores libros que he leido, no esta ni cerca de ser interesante, de hecho lei 10 libros desde que empece a leer este y aun no lo termino. Si necesitan saber algo mas de Warren busquen otras opciones.



2. I like the cover of this book. The phrase, "The Way",
   appears in Red Letters: Whereas 'Warren Buffett' appears
   in white.
   
   I think this book is the best book I read on investing,
   not counting any book written by Buffett or Charles T. Munger.
   It makes more sense than the writings of Benjamin Graham, who
   was Buffett's mentor. What I learned reading Graham was that
   just because equipment is worth $$$ on paper, it may go for
   significantly less at a garage sale, because not everybody
   wants a widget. This book considers how valuable intangibles
   are, such as brand names, or mindshare. It stands as a
   contrast to Ben Graham's approach, but there are similarities.
   Namely, what you want to do is find investment opportunities
   which can be characterized as follows: LOW RISK, HIGH YIELD.
   
   
   Some people like to use slogans such as "Equal pay for work of
   equal value" but if you try to think about what those slogans mean,
   they make very little sense, and are almost hypnotic. PAY EQUITY
   is not the same thing as WORK EQUITY. Are not most if not all
   coal miners paid the same? Yet, if you ask those guys I think
   they would much rather work in air-conditioned "office-like"
   environments. Most office workers are female. Most coal miners
   are male. Some choose to work out of necessity rather than
   preference. For some, choices are limited. Buffett likes to
   say, PRICE IS WHAT YOU PAY, VALUE IS WHAT YOU GET. And that is
   not a slogan, it is a truth.
   
   Money is a virtual concept: What you call a "penny" is a piece
   of metal. Some, have lots of food stamps but contribute little
   to "society" in terms of products and services. Why is that?
   
   Hagstrom's book is the best book on what Buffett does, and
   how he does it, not counting Buffett's own writings, such
   as those found in Berkshire Hathaway's annual reports.
   Buffett has also given interviews for magazines such as
   Forbes and Fortune. Aside from this book, if you want
   another, go with a book which Buffett himself has written.
   
   How many "value investors" have asked, "What would Warren
   Buffett do", and then done the opposite, while believing
   they had not? How many "value investors" have actually
   READ and FOLLOWED Warren Buffett's advice on how to pick
   stocks?
   
   
   The comedian Steve Martin once said the following, "I will
   now suck, this stool, into my lungs, with this straw. Oh,
   darn." Can you do what Warren Buffett can? Buffett has
   actually said that it is doubtful that most, if anybody
   else, in the investing world, can do what he can do. But
   he does offer people advice, a way, an intelligent approach
   to investing. But who has listened to him? Besides Charlie
   Munger and Bill Gates, and maybe eight others? If you want
   to be like Buffett a good place to start is his writings.
   But as Charlie Munger once noted, "The person you really
   want to admire is yourself". Ask not, WWBD. Ask, WHAT
   SHOULD I DO? Try reading. Consider the value of a book
   before enquiring after its price. Of course, Willingness to
   Pay, is not the same as Ability to Pay.



3. Possibly the best Buffet book ever written. If you only have two investment books, this should be one and the Intelligent Investor the second. Mr. Hagstrom covers several famous Buffet transaction's. The basis of Buffet's investment philosophies and several relatively easy examples of how to judge a company. A novice book but a fun read for experienced professionals.



4. Clearly, Warren Buffet has a gift for picking great stocks! If it was easy, we'd all be rich! This book is a great way to understand what Buffet looks for when he's buying. But, as Buffet is never interviewed for the book, (although he did read it before publishing, apparently), one has to wonder how accurate a depiction it is. That being said, if you're looking to learn from a master, this is a must read!



5. I would recommend an abridged audio CD or Cassette instead of a printed version of this book. The printed version is quite lengthy and is mainly based on the Buffet's letters to shareholders, freely available.
   
   The abridged audio version exposes all the key aspects of Buffet's investment principles, for example: is the company in an industry with good economics, i.e., not an industry competing on price; is the debt-to-equity ratio low or is the earnings-to-debt ratio high, i.e. can the company repay debt even in years when earnings are lower than average; does the company have high and consistent Returns on Invested Capital; does the company retain earnings for growth; is the company free to adjust prices for inflation; and so on.
   
   There is another, better book on this topic: "Buffetology" by Mary Buffett (former daughter-in-law of Warren Buffet). It not only addresses the questions above mentioned, but examines in details additional issues, like: a consumer monopoly vs a commodity; does the company have a consumer monopoly or brand name that commands loyalty; can any company with an abundance of resources compete successfully with the company; which formulas to use to differentiate a potential good investment based on projected compounded future earnings; and so on.