4 comments about Robert K. Greenleaf: A Life of Servant Leadership.

1. This is a splendid book that beautifully captures the spirit, the ideas, and the intellect of an American giant in management thought. Don Frick is a masterful biographer whose grasp of his subject matter treats us to tantalizing pieces of information about Greenleaf even as he recreates the complex, often paradoxical mosaic of his life, artfully illuminating the man and the extraordinary legacy he left behind. Engaging, insightful, deeply fascinating and, ultimately, prophetic, this book is not about management in the 20th Century when its subject lived, but about managing in the Information Age of the 21st century. Fortunately, Frick's biography is no hagiography, which makes it all the more powerful, but the careful consideration of a man's life-a man who had a deep impact on society, yet who wrestled with inner demons and speaks to us out of his humanity. Frick gives us a feel for Greenleaf himself by inserting excerpts of his writings throughout the book, yet he never disrupts the continuity of the text. It's as if Greenleaf has whispered something in our ear at just the right moment. The real story here is not just servant-leadership, but what Greenleaf can teach us about living as well as about managing in today's turbulent environment. I can't get over how well Frick has told his story, how engaging he has made it, and how much he has to offer us in its pages. I enjoyed the biography immensely and am grateful to Don Frick for creating a comprehensive portrait of Greenleaf's remarkable life. The book is a pleasure to read as well as a exciting journey of the mind and spirit. Enjoy!



2. In the wake of the Martha Stewart and Ken Lay trials it is important to keep in mind that this behavior is the exception and not the rule. In my experience, the people who succeed in business are those who are aware of the contribution that they make to society. Robert K. Greenleaf: A Life of Servant Leadership sketches a history of the evolution of the concept of Servant Leadership, a concept that has been a cornerstone of thought for many great philosophers such as St. Francis, Lou Tzu, Confucius, Rumi and Gibran. The life of Robert Greenleaf is a living testimony to how the principles of Servant Leadership can be successfully applied to ones professional and personal life. From Greenleaf's example, we learn that effective leaders, lead out of service to their fellow man. Just imagine the strength of a business community that embraces this standard of conduct. The impact that Robert Greenleaf has had on corporate America is truly revolutionary. Robert Greenleaf was an enlightened, twentieth-century business executive practitioner and a twenty-first century visionary whose work is rooting in fertile ground in a global economy and WORLD PEACE!



3. As a University Professor, what I really like about Robert K. Greenleaf: A Life of Servant Leadership is how well Don Frick reflected on the people, historical events and experiences that evolved Greenleaf's management style and ultimately the Servant-Leadership Philosophy. It is one thing to understand the concept but the richness of that understanding is greatly enhanced with an understanding of the experiences that supported Greenleaf's theories. I think the book will have a very broad appeal. It is a "How To: management book that comes alive in the form of a BIO. I think it will appeal to a broad audience. The Greenleaf bio with appeal to research scientists, because of how effectively Greenleaf understood the human factors of scientific research and how those factors drove results and the success of large corporate projects. Bob was a research scientist for ATT. Finally in terms of a broad appeal, this is a story of a man whose integrity and personal values were reflected in how a corporation managed a business. His priority in life was to serve his fellow man. The corporation can be tool of service and everyone benefits. It is a great contrast to the ENRON and TYCO stories in which the lack of integrity and personal values ultimately resulted in the demise of the company and the retirement funds of thousands of people.



4. This book is a labor of love and will likely stand for a very long time as the definitive biography of Robert Greenleaf. The author had access to Greenleaf's family and private papers. You will learn how and why Greenleaf was able to develop his ideas about leadership and their vital connection to altruistic service, stewardship and a higher standard of ethics in our world today. Frick relates how he grew up, what his family life was like, what his career in corporate America was like and how his unusual 'second career' as a writer and consultant shaped his thinking. If you wish to understand servant leadership, Greenleaf's gift to humanity, and perhaps our only true hope of finding the leaders we need to create a better planet, then you need to read this book. FIVE STARS EASILY!

5 comments about Success Never Smelled So Sweet: How I Followed My Nose and Found My Passion.

1. I am the owner of a grass roots natural hair care company. I read this book for inspiration and direction and it lived up to my expectations. It told about a great deal of her life experiences outside of building Carol's Daughter but it was all tied together well. I recommend the book to anyone with similar aspirations.



2. I had recently saw Lisa along with Jada Pinkett-Smith and Mary J. Blige on the Tyra Banks show. I was inspired by what Lisa said so I picked up this book I got 2 Christmases ago.
   
   I read this book in less than 2 days. I thoroughly enjoyed it. It inspired me to pursue my passions even more. Lisa was real and raw in this book about the trials and tribulations she faced before she began a multi-millionare. From bankruptcy to deaths to success, Success Never Smelled So Sweet was a beautiful read to me.



3. Lisa Price; bath and pampering products; Carol's daughter. All are metaphors for her life. Her mother, Carol, left Lisa the gift of smell and the passion for aroma. Now as the President and CEO of a multi-million dollar empire (Carol's Daughter), Lisa Price's skills as a businesswoman, entrepreneur and all-around success story embody the new Black history case study. Readers may identify with having life challenges while building a business for present and future success.



4. Lisa Price gives a very honest and candid account of her insecurities and obstacles faced as she grows into a woman who is discovering herself and dreams. Her own account of taking responsibility for bad choices in men, debt, and IRS Woes starts the world spinning in her direction. She then surrounds herself with positive take charge people who help he see the realization of her dreams. Her homemade body and bath products that are made "with love" for personal and family use becomes the road to her success.
   
   Although the book started out a bit slow while leaving me to wonder where it was going, by the second chapter, it was difficult to put down. This is a must read for any woman who faces insecurities and self doubt - you are not alone, for any woman who is thinking of starting a business - all it takes is a dream and perseverance, for any woman who is stuck in the blame game and has yet to take responsibility for her own actions - try it and watch how things change, and for those women who love body products - try Lisa's honey&lime scrub from www. carolsdaughter. com - it is to die for! I'm sure Carol is quite proud of Lisa.



5. As one who truly believes in mind-body-spirit connection, I have always enjoyed aromotheraphy and natural skin and hair care products, as a result, when I discovered Carol's Daughter in an issue of Essence a few years ago--I was immediately smitten. At the time, of course I had no idea that Lisa Price was the beloved Lisa..Lisa...Lisa (says Oprah), I was just extremely drawn to the quality of her homemade products and the originality of her business concept. After reading Success Never Smelled So Sweet--I am so delighted that I followed my heart and supported such a positive and rewarding enterprise. Success Never Smelled So Sweet is the most inspiring and authentic book/memoir that I have read in a long time. In it you will follow the life of Lisa Price and her journey toward becoming the woman God created her to be. With persistence, personal reflection, and the ability to stay positive, overcome adversity, with the support of family and friends and much prayer, she took a hobby (creating homemade aromotheraphy products) and created a cult following. This book will remind you--and women everywhere to never give up and to follow your dreams, never money. Then money and success truly follows. How sweet success really is when you do what you love.
   I loved this book--it has positively influenced my life as I continue on my journey toward fulfilling my dreams. Don't miss your chance to own a copy and buy a copy for a friend who has a dream brewing in her heart but lacks the courage or resources to act on them. Where there is a will, there is a way.
   
   Reviewed by M. Lorraine for The GOOD GIRL Book Club www.goodgirlbookclubonline.com

5 comments about God in the Pits: Confessions of a Commodities Trader.

1. This isn't much about trading or Christianity. More about this guy's somewhat unusual life story. A nice little read but it won't rock your world. What I found interesting was the unresolved issue of what happened to the people who lived before the time of Christ, when Ritchie was raised to believe that salvation only comes through Christ. This is a perplexing question for a Christian who believes this--it certainly says something about the nature of God as such or the belief structure which holds this as a tenet.



2. A very engrossing, candid, and well written work by a man who has commanded credibility and respect from his own achievements as a commodities trader. This is about his life's journey, of which many people will find a great amount of common ground especially in the formative years. The reader will find it difficult to lay this one down as Mr. Ritchie describes one experience after another from his early years in Texas, moving with his family to Aghganistan, then moving to the Oregon coast to complete high school. Also a lot of interesting trader stories from the Chicago commodities business. What is most striking about this book is not so much the content, but the writer's stark honesty and humility as he addresses the numerous life issues all of us have encountered, but seldom talk about. Evidently he made a lot of right decisions. This, coming from a very successful trader who could just as well have taken the money and ran. This is a book every MAN (and woman) should have on his desk. When you realize who this man is and what he has to say, you might even shed some tears. Much thought-provoking stuff here from a guy you will inevitably admire and respect.



3. There are about 20 pages having anything to do with trading. The rest of the book was about his experiences with his Christian faith. What's funny is that for all his searching, he basically concludes that one has to invent Christianity for themselves, so it's not even a good book FOR a religious Christian to read. His brief account of his experiences getting started trading were good, but, after a day or so of flipping through this book I threw it on the floor where it stays until I got over wasting my money on this.



4. I read this book with Great fascination because I know the Family.
   
   My wife's brother was in business with Mark & Joe Ritchie in the beginning, but left to pursue a PhD in Linguistics at Univ. of Chicago. Joe was best man at Wes's wedding. My wife lived on the third floor of Joe & Sharon's house for a year before we were married.
   
   I absolutely loved this book, all the struggles as kids of missionaries, Mark's struggle with his personal theology, vs. the evangelical community's magic words, "Jesus Christ Personal Savior" stories about the Ethical failures in "the Business", and finally finding peace and purpose with wealth.
   
   Now that I have a favorite son just out of college/Econ School & entering the business, I would like to get another copy and co-re-read it with him.
   
   There are alot of valuable life lessons in this book.
   
   
   So I have a special interest another copy, Contact me if you have one.



5. To give you an accurate idea of the book, I would like to quote from the last page of it: "The story would tell how twenty years had shown me that Christianity was true, that it worked for me, and could work for anyone else willing to try it." That's it. For those who want to read something like Pit Bull, Baruch: My own story, Reminiscences of a Stock Operator type of stuff, you will be absolutely disappointed. However, if you want to read some spiritual stuff, this is it.
   
   p.s. As usual, I would do some copy and paste of messages I like the most for your reference. (Though it's not easy for this book)
   
   You will be amazed at how much common sense you'll have to drop in order to understand this business. pg 8
   
   There is an important lesson to be learned from the silver debacle of 1979. The lesson is old, simple and taught by every kindergartenteacher: Share with others. It applies to stocks and commodities as much as it does to crayons and toys. pg 24
   
   It is a world of make believe, where money grows on trees, dreams become reality, a Disneyland for adults. Almost everyone I meet wants to know how they can get into the business and make a fortune. When I discourage them from doing so, they only become more convinced, thinking that I am just trying to preserve a greater portion of the pot of gold for myself. Little do they know that the gold is not held by a few as a result of their ability to keep others away. It is held by a few because the others find consistent ways to lose. And the futures industry is a most convenient place for the public to lose their money. pg 181

5 comments about Being Martha: The Inside Story of Martha Stewart and Her Amazing Life.

1. I could not put this book down as the story-telling style is engaging and it introduces me to a woman who is so amazingly strong minded and driven. This book humanizes Martha Stewart as a person who has gone through heartbreaks, disappointments, letdowns and lots more just like the rest of us, yet her positive attitude and loyalty towards her beliefs remain unwavering. I enjoy this book tremendously as I can get to read a lot of "behind the scenes" stories.



2. First I must state I am not particularly a fan of Ms. Stewart. On the other hand, I really have absolutely nothing against her. I don't know her, and in all likelihood never will. I do know that she has received some pretty bad press and a lot of hack writers have made a bit of money taking cheap shots at her. That being said, I rather enjoyed this work. I see absolutely nothing wrong in a friend writing about a friend and saying nice things about the friend they are writing about. The author's style is a little too gushy for my taste i.e. "to die for" is not the way people I know describe cookies. On the other hand, the author's world is different than mine, and that is okay. I dare say the author never uses phrases such as "damn, this is good stuff" when describing cookies. I do admit to finding Ms. Stewart a fascinating individual, and while, as I said, I am not a particular fan, I do admire what she has accomplished. The author gives us yet another view of this woman's life, and that is always refreshing. Like her or not, she certainly has made an impact on our society. It is people such as her we should all know about. This is a fast read and you certainly will not be the worse for wear by reading it and might even enjoy it. Overall, recommend.



3. As some other reviewers have previously stated, this book was written by an old friend of Martha Stewart's which may be cause for wondering if things are not a bit tweaked. The author has this "goody two shoes" style of writing that can be annoying at times.
   
   However, the book reads very fast and is entertaining, though it may be a bit biased.
   
   The story of Martha's life makes for interesting reading any way you slice it (no pun intended!!). She has worked hard, so hard in fact that it is almost impossible to believe that any one individual could possess such stamina, energy and focus. I am always inspired by people who start with modest beginnings and build an empire.
   
   I also read the book Just Desserts by Jerry Openheimer, which is an unauthorized biography and paints an entirely different picture of Martha.
   
   Read this one with a grain of salt! (again, no pun intended!!)



4. I was so impressed to finally read writings about Martha that were neither sappy and artificial nor spiteful and mean spirited. Allen is a true friend to Martha the kind that sees her how she really is faults and all and obviously still respects her. I love that he doesn't immortalize her as some sort of goddess but yet you can sense that he has a great deal of respect and admiration for her. I have always been a huge fan of Martha especially after she was, in my opinion, held up a bit unfairly as an example of how the government was cracking down on big business. This book takes a true and accurate look at the women, wife, mother, friend and incredible business women that Martha is. She has a temper like most of us, she is moody just like most of us, she likes nice things just like most of us. The difference is that her every move is scrutinized in most cases negatively and out of context. Yet she handles it all with grace and dignity as best she can and strives more recently to open herself up and let us her fans in. I highly recommend this book to her fans as well as those who through negative press have decided they do not like her. Give it a chance it might change your mind. Thank you Allen for an excellent view into the true Martha. Thank you Martha for Being Martha.



5. I really enjoyed the book. It certainly gave me a new perspective on Martha. I mean I never paid much attention to Martha and her story. I just heard what other people had to say about her occasionally. It is unfortunate that people tend to be swayed by what they here on the gossip mill. What a great thing Mr. Allen did for Martha! I am really glad he wrote the book and I am really glad I read it. Martha certainly deserves respect and admiration.

2 comments about Bernard M. Baruch: The Adventures of a Wall Street Legend (Trailblazers, Rediscovering the Pioneers of Business).

1. James Grant does a fair job. Baruch does come across as a likeable personality. The author perhaps could have been a little more critical in his analysis and also focussed on Baruch's private life and public years after 1945 a bit more.



2. The story is fascinating and you can't help but like Baruch despite his ego. Grant does a nice job although more because he was truly interested in the man rather than because he's a great biographer.

5 comments about Lessons from the Legends of Wall Street : How Warren Buffett, Benjamin Graham, Phil Fisher, T. Rowe Price, and John Templeton Can Help You Grow Rich.

1. This book has a refreshingly commonsense approach to investing. It contains a great deal of worthwhile advice and wisdom from some of the world's best investors. I am not an experienced investor, however I found it to be understandable and learned useful information from it. I would highly recommend it.



2. Nikki Ross has documented principal strategies and investing advice from the great Wall Street legends of our time. I have found the underlying principals of Buffet and his mentors as well as Price and Templeton to be very helpful. It is an easy to read enjoyable book. It may not be for day traders in general, but they could benefit from the list of questions asked by the masters before investing. I believe that had many investors read and applied this book prior to and during the recent crash, they might have saved a lot of money.

   Blake Conant




3. This book discusses on the techniques Warren Buffet (value/growth), Benjamin Graham (value), Phil Fisher (growth), T. Rowe Price (growth), and John Templeton (growth use or have used to make their fortunes.

   The book is divided into 6 parts on one each of these legends and another on how to combine the knowledge of these experts. The sections are organized in an interesting way first off you learn what some of the stocks the well known investor has bought and why they met their purchasing criteria. There is also a nice 3 steps to how you can use their methods in your investments, this in turn is organized by:

   1. Gathering information (this part it almost worthless in my opinion since it is very similar for each of the investors)

   2. Evaluate (this is the best part of each of the areas in the book, you learn the questions these masters would ask a company and themselves. It's very good.)

   3. Making decisions discusses how the masters decide when to buy and sell the stock.

   This book and "The Money Masters" by John Train are interesting reads if you enjoy learning about the careers and wisdom these masters are willing to share.

   I believe this book wouldn't be very useful for strict CAN SLIM investors or day traders but good for the buy and hold or long term growth and value investors it definitely shows you some of the possibilities.

   Reed Floren




4. This book is worthless. The true 'lessons' make up only a few pages of the book and these lessons are not detailed enough to make financially sound decisions. For example, a lesson such as "What is the PE Ratio?" is similar to what you would find in the book. OK, the PE ratio is 3. Is that good? Is that bad? How about 40? What is high? What is low? Do current interest rates effect PE ratio levels? What is an acceptable PE ratio for a growth stock? What is an acceptable PE ratio for a cyclical stock? You'll get no answers from this book.

   The best "lessons" section (though still unacceptable) came from John Templeton. But these were a direct quote from an interview Templeton gave the Christian Science Monitor. The author must have spent a few weeks writing this book.

   Most of the book is babble, reproduction of articles/reports, duplication of previous sections, and educational definitions for the newbie.

   My lesson to you is to take the money you were going spend on this book and go buy a U.S. Savings bond. You will be richer and wiser in the end.




5. ...- I bought the book BUT Nikki Ross gives a basic three-step approach to investing, that is repeated throughout the book. 1. Collect info, 2. Analyse info, 3. Make a decision. And that's about as complex as the book gets.

   Don't waste your money, unless you're after a very simplistic overview of investing. ALL OF THE FIVE STAR REVIEWS OVERRATE THIS BOOK - 1 Star (at best).

   ...

   If you're after real value on practical management implementation tools that link strategy & financial numbers then YOU HAVE TO INVEST IN "Performance Measurement & Control Systems for Implementing Strategy" by Robert Simons.

No comments about Legends: Pioneers of the Amusement Park Industry.

1 comments about Lives of the Laureates, Fourth Edition: Eighteen Nobel Economists.

1. The book's whole idea (having a lot of Nobel laureates write about themselves) might have worked well for, say, six to eight such laureates, but it just doesn't scale to the 18 that are now writing -- a kind of dull repetitiousness falls upon the whole work by about the halfway mark or earlier. If you do get this book, and that may be worthwhile since each individual essay is useful and readable, by all means read it in small snippets (1-2 autobiographies at a time) with long waits in-between: trying to just read it cover to cover is a mistake.

5 comments about A Dash of Daring: Carmel Snow and Her Life In Fashion, Art, and Letters.

1. A very good biography of one of the legendary fashion editors of the 20th century. After reading 'Always in Vogue' by Edna Woolman Chase, her former boss, editor of Vogue and Bettina Ballard's own fashion biography this completes the picture of fashion in the 20th century. I enjoyed it, especially after seeing 'The Devil wears Prada' a couple of months ago. Having been in involved in Fashion as a designer and as a lecturer in design and creative cut for over 50 years it was also a trip down memory lane.
   Stuart Aitken



2. Carmel Snow is an extraordinary subject and Ms. Rolands did a marvelous job in recementing her legendary status in the fashion industry. The research she did for this book is outstanding but her writing skills could be more polished at times. I feel that the size of the book could be trimmed down a little bit, perhaps they should split it into two books, one biography and one coffee table book of photographs and illustrations. Ms. Rolands' view are also very biased throughout the book. She tried to discredit all Carmel Snow's competitors and critics in order to show Snow's greatness. It's unnecessary as Snow's work certainly speaks for itself and her contribution to the fashion industry is unquestionable. I highly recommend this book for fashion historians and fashion students.



3. When you crack open a 500 page book, it better be good. This biography of Harper's Bazaar fashion editor Carmel Snow is everything a heavy tome should be: entertaining, insightful, and thouroughly researched. The writing style is a perfect match for the subject matter: Penelope Rowlands' prose is as sharply defined as a couture garment, and, as a result, reading her book is the next best thing to actually owning a Dior original.
   
   But the most rewarding part of the book is the revelation that elegance is all about gutsiness. In fact, if you look objectively at the clothes women wore back then (the book is rife with photographic documents) all those proper little wool suits and belted silk dresses look quite frumpy in restrospect. But what poise those girls had! Where did their get their attitude? Reading A Dash of Daring is a lesson in real coolness.



4. This beautifully produced and perceptive biography of Carmel Snow, arguably the greatest fashion editor who ever lived, is a sheer delight to read. The author focuses our gaze on both the biographical subject and the milieu in which Snow lived and worked. Penelope Rowland's impressive research and extensive interviews, combined with her sure touch as a storyteller, have yielded an engaging and compelling story.



5. I have bought many copies of this book to give to friends. I think it is a very special. It is a fascinating story, beautifully told. It is not just for those interested in fashion. It is a masterpiece of biography.

5 comments about The Real Deal: My Life in Business and Philanthropy.

1. Russell Palmer in his "Ultimate Leadership" suggests that a full leadership development program would include biographies of great leaders, as well as leaders who failed. "There is probably no better model for would-be leaders to learn from than leaders in the past, some who have succeeded spectacularly, some of whom have failed spectacularly." With this in mind, Sandy Weill's and Judith Kraushaar's "The Real Deal" is a must read for all would-be leaders.
   
   "The Real Deal" is a rich case study and fascinating story of Sandy Weill, possibly the single most important figure in the financial services industry over the past half century. The book provides insights to how he consistently stayed ahead of the curve and built two leading companies from scratch. Weill pursued more transformational acquisitions, created more shareholder value, and enjoyed more respect from his peers than any other contemporary.
   
   Weill's career spans an age when:
   * partnerships were dominant to the rise of the modern corporate form of ownership;
   * the rules of regulation were rapidly changing (some of which he spearheaded);
   * the growing appetite for investment mirrored the rise and empowerment of the individual in making financial decisions;
   * globalization rapidly changed the financial services industry.
   
   The book provides great detail on Weill from his early years through the creation of CitiGroup. He writes openly of his relationships with Jim Robinson at AmEx, John Reed at CitiGroup, and his protégés Peter Cohen and Jamie Dimon. He addresses gaps and misperceptions in the public record on these relationships and his highly publicized, time-in-the-box with Elliot Spitzer.
   
   An interview with Weill's wife, Joan, is also included. She is a shrewd observer having served as a personal sounding board for husband. She talks of the good times and the tough times; the influence of Arthur Carter; the difference in the casual Shearson culture and the formal AmEx culture (Robinson's wife even established a pecking order of who would ride with whom for a luncheon she hosted for the wives of executives); and several of Weill's strengths and weaknesses (smart, intuitive, pragmatic, able to integrate a lot of information, but also vulnerable, self-centered, controlling, and far too loyal to people).
   
   "The Real Deal" is a complete book as it is not just about strategy and execution. The authors painstakingly fully capture the human dimension - arrogance, mistakes, good fortune, and the trappings of wealth and prestige. Weill and Kraushaar have combined to provide an excellent read about business history and managerial success.



2. A great read for anyone interested in the life and history of Citigroup leadership before their current run of defaults, credit markets and overall bad press for the last several months. Important for anyone in the industry.



3. For all its girth, this book is shockingly shallow and a huge disappointment for anyone hoping to learn real secrets behind the author's successful business career. There is a lot of score-settling and finger-pointing at those who he felt mistreated him (like proteges Peter Cohen and Jamie Dimon), but very little in 'take-away' value about what to look for in building a successful business. I was reading this book simultaneously with Danny Meyer's "Setting the Table" and the contrast could not be more striking. In a much shorter but infinitely richer and more rewarding volume, Meyer painstaking reveals all his business success secrets; the reader feels totally cared for which emulates the experience of being in his restaurants, whereas the Weill volume left me feeling that Mr. Weill cared not one whit for his readers because it imparted so few useful insights.



4. This is actually quite an interesting book and a fairly good and fast read. However compared to the previous two books on Weill, this offers maybe only 5% new information and some extra personal view on events that were reported by other authors.
   
   My main gripe with this book is that it shows everything in a very biased view. Everyones "leaving" Sandy for whatever reason gave him a feeling of betrayal and as someone who did not appricate what was done for them by Sandy.
   Jamie Dimon is depicted as a strong personality, maybe inflexible (Joan Weill also cites this as reason for why everyone close to Jamie left him), but this is not considered the reason why everyone (and really everyone) close to Sandy left and did not continue working for him.
   While a lot of associates were described as people who could not change the way they worked, Sandy himself writes about having "issues" leaving day to day runnning of Citibank to Chuck Prince.
   
   And frankly, Joan Weills section on giving her perspective of things seems to be another attempt to defend the actions of Sandy Weill.
   
   Maybe the only way for a really different perspective on this will be if other executives (especailly Jamie Dimon) ever pen down their side of the story.
   
   Sandy Weill - A really interesting character - achieved a lot despite his humble beginning and background; a maverick who shook up the biggest financial industry. But as a book on him, I prefer other books, especially "King of Capital"



5. I have read in the past biographies of famous businessmen of the 19th/early 20th century. Names of businessmen that can be easily recognized because their names were immortalized with their products and/or services (Chrysler, Gillette, Ford, Edison, Marconi, etc.). The driving force behind the success of those men was innovation/creativity in their products and services that resulted in great benefits to the public in general.
   
   After reading this book, you can only conclude that Sandy Weill's driving force in life has been Greed. The only innovations and creativities displayed by Sandy where those directed to play or manipulate the stock market, and those for self-promotion. Create, merge, inflate the stock value and profit from the above.
   
   It did not matter what the name of the company was, or the benefits to the customers, just merge make a big name, inflate stock value and reap the benefits of that. His practices were investigated by the Federal Trade Commission. He says he was exonerated, but very likely Feds were unable to put a case together.
   
   Family life with his children did not appear to have any meaning. Although he names and blames many others for having poor inter-personal skills for team work within the company, I think he top them all. People who helped him to progress in his "career" within the company ended without jobs.
   
   His name will be forgotten soon, if ever recognized. His only legacy will be the billions of dollars left to his progeny. Money created in a quite bizarre way, jumping from company to company, morphing in this and morphing in that. Is that business?
   
   Good psychotherapy book for those who value other things in life, beside money and power.
   
   Frank (bids2005@aol.com)
   
   PS. The "philanthropy" word in the title of this book is deceiving. Philos= Love; Anthopo= Humans. Love for Humans, this is the only thing lacking in this book. He only loves money.