5 comments about Rigged: The True Story of an Ivy League Kid Who Changed the World of Oil, from Wall Street to Dubai.

1. Mezrich books have been fun in the past, blackjack etc. and I really enjoyed Ugly Americans. However, this book is one dimensional with the minus of exaggerated dramatic situations. I cannot complain too much as I read it in a day, definitely fast paced, but I kept waiting for something cooler or more interesting to happen, which never did. To save you the time; Ivy league Kid gets job at the MERC in NY, UAE is figuring out how to position themselves for the future as a tiny middle eastern country and want to set up oil exchange in Dubai, NY Kid goes to Dubai and helps set up mid east oil mercantile exchange. Woulda been a good magazine article. Anyways I cannot recommend this book. "Bringing Down the House" and "Ugly Americans" were definitely much more interesting.



2. I have read all of Mezrich's fiction books. This was the worst one of them all. I was waiting for the plot to improve and it never did. The ending was boring to say the least...



3. By the author's own admission, this "biography" is a composite profile and composite account of people and doings connected with the Mercantile Exchange. It's literally impossible to know how much of it is fiction and how much fact. It could be accepted as a work of fiction, with a few more thrills thrown in.
   
   It serves mainly to boost the image of Dubai as a paradise of capitalist extravagance and political stability in the war-torn Middle East. One wonders how much of a hand that country's boosters had in crafting these passages, as nothing is mentioned of the armies of "guest workers" there, indentured Indians, Filipinos and such, who keep the play palaces running.
   
   One fair question that the reader might ask, in these days of $4.00 a gallon gasoline, is why is it a good thing for Dubai to host a petroleum trading floor? There's no answer here.



4. Mezrich's skill as a writer is limited. His characters are shallow caricatures and his plot jumps from action packed scene to scene. At best, this is a screenplay for a fictional story about starting a new exchange.
   
   Skip Mezrich, look for something by Michael Lewis instead.



5. Okay for light reading, but this is not as good as Mezrich's other works. He gets over his breast fetish in this one.
   
   The setting is back and forth between New York and Dubai, with stops in playgrounds for the very very very rich in Europe.
   
   The premise of the book is how two young men with a foot in each culture (Broklyn Italian-American and Ivy League kid counter-partied with a European-educated Wahhabist-Muslim Saudi) through luck, perseverance, and connections were able to persuade reluctant partnerships into a groundbreaking earth shattering development: an open-outcry/electronic trading oil exchange in the Middle East!!!
   
   Errrrrrrhhhh aahhhhhh...
   
   Forex has been trading in the Middle-East in Bahrain on an organized exchange for decades.
   
   So the whole "innovation" and "revolution" GEE-WHIZ factor of the incessant theme of "The True Story Of An Ivy League Kid Who Changed The World Of Oil From Wall Street to Dubai" is lost on those of us who actually know something about international markets. These two kids aren't innovators, they simply extended an already established and proven successful model.
   
   For traders and those with pit experience or financial experience there are both some funny characters that will be instantly recognizable, some "boys with toyz" hi-jinks that is becoming standard for the genre, and some jaw-dropping whoppers of mistakes that reinforce that this is more "truish" than truth.
   
   But if you want to skip one of Mezrich's books, this is the one.

5 comments about God and Man at Yale.

1. First of all, I read an older edition of Buckley's book, but I assume the two are very close. In "God and Man at Yale", Buckley concentrates on how Christianity, individualism, and capitalism are looked at by different professors and textbooks. He feels that these beliefs and values are largely either underrepresented or outright attacked. I found Buckley's comments on individual teachers to often be quite interesting though these men are almost certainly retired or dead now. The discussion on economics textbooks was generally drier than the rest of the book, but someone who enjoys the topic may find it very interesting. Buckley's solutions to the problem make me a little uncomfortable though I feel some of those opposed to Buckley's ideals go pretty far themselves. In truth, conservatives will probably enjoy the book while liberals probably wont. I would recommend it to those interested in 1950s education, how students are influenced by what they learn, and probably to William Buckley fans (this is the first book I read by him so I admittedly wouldn't be the best person to judge in that department). Overall, it was an interesting read.



2. Implicit in a democracy is the free conversation of ideas. Ideas compete with each other for acceptance by individuals, society as a whole and institutions. One of these institutions is the University. Should the University form the argument or do the professors independently make arguments quite independent what the alumni or University president wants made. Does a University organize around a certain concept or school of thought. Does the University President and trustees form the bases of the argument or do they blindly hire people of a certain criteria and let the pieces fall where they will.
   
   William F. Buckley forms the argument that Yale University of the late 1940's and early 1950's has a school of thought about economics, religion, and society that are not consistent with the values and goals of the alumni of the period the book was written. To be sure the University President claims the values taught at Yale were quite by accident protecting the higher value of academic freedom.
   
   William F. Buckley goes into some detail about how religion and Christianity is expressed by various faculty who teach to the none theological student. One Professor agressively makes theoutdatedness of Christianity with apologetic type arguments, but mostly through characterization. While a Chrisian professor makes some apologetical arguments and careful not to be offensive to the none Christians. The author also goes into some great detail about the social studies department.
   
   William F. Buckley evaluates the economic training at Yale. The role of private enterprize and government in producing and distributing wealth. The author further explains that emphasis on the govermental role and wealth redistribution effect the political thought and occupational goals of the student and recent graduate of the University. He further believes a large portion of the alumni and parents of the student would not be comfortable with what is taught at the University.



3. What can one say of "God And Man At Yale" that has not already been said? (There must be something, otherwise, why should I start this review?) It is a classic in Conservative thinking, a primer for civilized debate, and a template for structured reasoning. This book came at the forefront of a wave of the new American Conservatism, which seemed like the last dying gasps of the old American conservatism when it initially arrived on the scene in 1951.
   
   Shortly following Buckley's cajoling of Yale, Goldwater ran for President, Phylliss Schlafly battled feminist tyrants and Reagan was swept into office as a result of it all. A whole world of conservative thinkers and pundits found a waiting fan-base, one that Buckley gently "broke in" for all of us.
   
   OK, so that is the history... but what of the book?
   
   Certainly, the names of the then teachers, professors and administrators that Buckley took to task are irrelevant and so is the course load descriptions this far removed from the days of "God and Man Af Yale". But the central argument has, if anything, gotten more acutely realized. That religion, economics and American exceptionalism is anathema to the properly arranged University professor is nearly accepted as axiomatic by everyone on both sides of the issue these days, 50 years after the book was first published. Few argue the point as they attempted to do in the name of "fairness" in Buckley's days at Yale.
   
   But, I will show here a quote from the book that shows Buckley's prescience: "I myself believe that the duel between Christianity and atheism is the most important in the world. I further believe that the struggle between individualism and collectivism is the same struggle reproduced on another level. I believe that if and when the menace of Communism is gone, other vital battles, at present subordinated, will emerge to the foreground."
   
   And that is just where we stand today. Certainly the struggle against Islamofascism is an important one, but we are seeing the University embattled by conservative students and parents more each day in the post Communist world, now that we have the luxury to do so. Communism is on the down turn and we now have the energy to address the sorry state of affairs in American education- as well as the tools with the internet. The building disgust about leftists in the Universities is palpable and growing. We are edging ever more toward "doing something" about it all at long last. Buckley should be excited about the immediate future for the turn around of American education.
   
   Also, this book is a great example on how to structure an argument. Using this book as a template would do any debater well.
   
   Thanks, Mr. Buckley. You have inspired many of us.



4. With all due respect to Mr. Buckley's respect for his religion, Catholicism, the revelation to me is that scholarly steeples at Yale apparently affect persons differently. Some see them as hallowed, others as mere obstacles to hurdle in pursuit of what are often portrayed as lofty ideals within the context of Godly acceptance. For most people those ideals do not easily include pedophilia, but when I once read a "scholarly" paper from the 1960's that defended the practice (though typically moreso in an effort to reconicile the dilemma), it became clear to me that God is not a universal perception at Yale, nor is humankind. Trying to appreciate the scholarship and insightful method of choosing so brave a topic during that period, I still found it hard to accept that anyone - well educated - could justify or minimize the harm done to an innocent. Today, in 2005 my opinions are unchanged, and in fact, perhaps are far more biased for learning of the extent to which Catholicism allowed such acts to become what could only be called a universal norm. The Biblical passage that comes to mind is one well known by most Christian, and the shorted in the Bible, it is said. "Jesus wept." This is the logic most expect from the quality of Yale regardless of how well written or scholarly it is done if Christianity is the objective.



5. It was an honor to read God and Man at Yale, by William Buckley, Jr. In his book, Mr. Buckley writes (in his incredible prose that is unmatched by any other political pundit around) that the 1950s Yale has reached a turning point: it can continue to move towards secularism and socialism, and ultimately work against the public good, or it can choose to proselytize the virtues of individualism and spiritualism (the Christian sort, according to Buckley).
   
   Buckley argues that Yale should stand for something. Skepticism is not a worthy virtue if it does not arrive at a conclusion. Skepticism should be in furtherance of conviction, Buckley argues, rather than skepticism for skepticism sakes. This is a departure from the Socratic method, where the entire purpose is proving how little we know, never arriving at a point or conclusion.
   
   Buckley is perhaps the modern architect of a conversation revolution that has been growing over the last forty years. Some of the theoretical prescriptions that Buckley has outlined have not been proven to be successful over time. Buckley urges Yale alumni to withhold providing support to the university so long as it continues to advance secularism and collectivism. This may well have modified the behavior of the administration at the edges, but it certainly has not changed the foundation of the modern university, let alone Yale. Yale is now at the epicenter of liberalism, spewing as much liberalism as a modern Berkeley classroom. It is arguable that most Yale alumni do not care about the values that Buckley had preached, and if this is so, Buckley is still vindicated since he argued that Yale alumni should simply investigate to determine if the university is furthering values that run counter to their own.
   
   It does make sense, though, that a university should not be a hot bed of crazy ideas simply to allow students the chance to make the right decisions as to what is the public good. Some causes are, simply put, not part of the public good - such as Nazis and socialism. Under Buckley's system, which I would support, the alumni of Yale (and most other universities) should withhold contributing to the university unless they fire communist and socialistic professors, especially those teaching classes such as Marxism, which gives students an unrealistically positive impression of Marx, as well as economics, where modern economic principles are likely to be slammed in favor of socialistic economic principles. This is one of the best books that I have read criticizing the malaise in academia.

5 comments about The Smartest Guys in the Room: The Amazing Rise and Scandalous Fall of Enron.

1. Very well researched account of the rise and downfall of Enron. It chronicles the start and the ultimate demise of this company, which never really had a great business model - (sorry Jeff Skilling). It is amazing that so many "smart" people did not understand basic business skills and the simple difference between economic and accounting gains. Jeff Skilling, a former McKinsey partner, should have stayed with the consulting firm where theory is safely differentiated from real world. Skillings' first mistake was not understanding his own limitations first and foremost. He breaks out a bottle of champagne to celebrate SEC's acceptance of a change in Enron's accounting system. Accounting does not create value - it does not appear that many Enron executives (especially Skillings who should have known better) understood this.
   
   McLean and Elkind do a nice job presenting some of the schemes and scams that Enron executives used to make themselves look good to investors, analysts, bankers and the general public. There are some scams that I had a hard time following, but the reader will grasp the general idea behind them. In light of recent accounting scandals, this is an important book to read for any investors and the public in general. Unfortunately the book ends around summer of 2002 and we do not find out what happens to some of the key characters. My interest was sparked enough that I researched some of the more recent findings after reading the book. Despite its difficulty to read at times I highly recommend it.



2. When one reads 'The Smartest Guys In The Room' there is one question that keeps recurring. How did no-one at Enron foresee the company's grizzly demise. The folly of mark to market accounting was reason enoough to expect certain problems, but the endless treadmill that Enron placed itself on concerning the stock price made those problems an inevitability.
   
   Although Elkind and Mclean portray the story well, they really don't have to do much with the material to make a fantastic story of the blistering story with which Enron rose and the calamitous pace at which it fell. The Enron tale is one of brash arrogance in almost every possible facet of a business, allied to a stubborn refusal to accept the economic reality even when it is staring you in the face. The real shame about the whole mess is that these were bright guys and this was potentially a great company. All they had to do was have a little common sense and regular business accumen and they could have been on to a real winner here.
   
   I would ultimately say to everyone that has an interest in business or the financial markets, however slight, that this book is a thumping good read and is worth some money ouot of anyone's pocket.



3. This is probably the best corporate bio of Enron you'll find, at least for now. Very readable, the pages turn quick and it never gets boring. Some of the technical accounting details were beyond me, but it wasn't difficult to understand the bottom line: These schemes were illicitly lining a few pockets with massive amounts of cash.
   
   The amount of work that went into this account is mind boggling. I can't imagine the hours of conducting interviews and poring through complex legal and accounting documents to understand what happened over Enron's 15-20 years of existence.
   
   However, as with most journalistic novels like this, you need to be careful to not be influenced by the slant of the prose. I wouldn't say that this account is neutral enough to be good for a "historical" perspective. It was written to sell first, inform second. There are countless statements throughout that could be construed as overly opinionated and even unfair to some of the players.
   
   This is the story of Enron for the layman, not for an MBA student performing a case study on the company. If you're an interested layman like me, do yourself a favor and read it!



4. An interesting story of how a corporate belief in hiring intelligent people, or at least people who boast they are intelligent, leads to hubris and eventual ruin.
   
   When everything finally collapses, no one is responsible and no one did anything wrong. A telling tail of how smart people can convince themselves of things better than they can convince the world.
   
   What might Enron have done differently? The authors feel that Enron's use of "mark to market" accounting (booking the entire profits long term deal up front, based on a model of the future; the company is then supposed to adjust their revenues as time passes and the model is tested) was largely responsible for losses that Enron then hid.
   
   The length, at 400 pages, is imposing but goes by quickly. However, the authors took the unusual step of listing all the players with their role, which really helps with getting all the names straight.



5. I still wonder if the title is supposed to be a play on the homonym "Smartest guise in the room."
   
   The authors step meticulously through the company's existence from the promising and fruitful beginnings of its energy operations to it's ultimate demise as America's largest bankruptcy with $10s of billions of debt.
   
   The most enlightening aspects of the Enron saga are the personalities and personal journeys of each of the key players behind Enron's existence. I think it's fair to say, in general, that most successful people in business are either 1) Brilliant, 2)Incredibly charismatic, or 3)Fortunate benefactors of nepotism. The founder (Ken Lay) wasn't very business smart, but had a good idea and was amazingly charismatic and quickly roped in his crack team.
   
   The reader very quickly sees what happens when incredibly intelligent people are put together towards a common goal in an atmosphere of amoral adherence to the "letter of the law". The operation was legitimately making money hand over fist the first year or so...but quickly after that, all "profits" were merely the magic of clever accounting.
   
   This is a story of brilliance turned to hubris and invincibility but yet no accountability. I think the theme of the epilogue "Is anybody to blame?" sums up well the personalities of the key players involved. Everyone felt as though they had done nothing wrong. It's almost impossible to pinpoint when any laws had actually been broken...the regime was one continual exploitation of loopholes and gray areas.
   
   The tale is truly terrifying in a very real sense. It's amazing to think that one of the worst businesses in American history was heralded as stable and as a "good buy" by many Wall Street analysts even up until the day before it imploded and ruined thousands of people's lives as well as the bottom line in some of the world's largest banks. It's amazing that brilliant accountants and relentlessly charismatic leaders can do more to bolster the stock of a company than actual legitimate earnings.

5 comments about Confessions of a Street Addict.

1. James Cramer wrote a great autobiography. I love the show and wanted to learn more about the host. After hearing about this book, I bought it and read it without stopping. Cramer begins with his childhood and describes all the seasons of his life. His time in college, LA and at Goldman Sachs. I enjoyed reading about someone who never quits. There were many times in his life when he could have given up, but he never did. He also shows the importance of having someone in your life who always believes in you no matter what. To me, this novel shows the hard work and grit that are required to become great: whether you are lucky or not.



2. I bought this book because I saw a recommendation somewhere together with One Up on Wall Street. I had my doubts when I saw the cover (close up of the author's face) and unfortunately when I began reading my fears became true. It is one big ad of Jim Cramer. I strongly recommend against buying it however One Up on Wall Street is highly recommended.



3. Takes you right into the heart and guts of this crazy business.Makes you feel you are in the room with him.A wild and crazy ride. Re-read it immediately after completing the first read.



4. Bought this for my husband as a Christmas present. He loves watching
   this guy every evening on TV. He couldn't put it down. Great book.



5. If you ever wondered how Jim Cramer became who he is today, this book gives you the low down. Very humerous and eay to read and follow. I recommend it to anyone who wants to know Jim Cramer better.

5 comments about Winner Takes All: Steve Wynn, Kirk Kerkorian, Gary Loveman, and the Race to Own Las Vegas.

1. I just visited Las Vegas and loved it, it was much better than I expected it to be after having toured all around Europe! I bought this book at the airport book store in Vegas as the assistant said that was the book everyone had been asking after. It was a fascinating and entertaining read, with particularly inside information on how Steve Wynn approaches business and also how it contrasts with that of Kirk Kerkorian and Gary Loveman at Harrahs.
   
   I couldn't put it down and recommend it to anyone who has visited Las Vegas and is wondering how it go to be the town that it is today.



2. Binkley presents an insightful and lively account of some of the players who operate in a world where nothing succeeds like excess. It is a world that the author knows well from her years of having covered the industry as a Wall Street Journal reporter, but, despite being granted unprecedented access to Las Vegas' movers and shakers, she remains a detached observer. From backroom deal-making to outsized egos to glitzy spectaculars, Binkley covers it all with a sprightly writing style, providing insights into what makes men like Steve Wynn, Kirk Kerkorian, and Gary Loveman tick.
   
   It was a world I knew nothing about other than a few business trips to Las Vegas, but I found the book highly entertaining and learned a lot about how about how three very different visionaries plotted a path to success. I will enjoy my next business trip to Sin City much more having read this book. I recommend it highly.



3. A great summation of the last 15 years of Las Vegas, the influences that made it what it is, and the big personalities that rule the land. One negative comment I have is the movie is really two stories in one, Wynn/Kerkorian their deal and influence, and how Loveman/Harrahs elbowed its way from a smalltime operator to major player.
   
   The majority of the book is about Wynn and his influence in Las Vegas and how it developed from the Mirage to the Bellagio to the Wynn. And of course the big occurrence is the buyout of Wynn's operation by Kerkorian when he senses the stock weakness caused by Wynn's lack of management skills. A very fascinating story!
   
   After completing the acquisition the book slows down somewhat as it tells the tale of middle market Harrah's and how it busts into the big time by acquiring Ceasar's. This book explores the mathematical focus at Harrah's and how it increases profitablity. While it's interesting reading how a glorified math professor rises to casino president while retaining his old lifestyle, this section is the least interesting at least for me.
   
   In summary this is a fascinating read of a fascinating city. Just a walk down the strip let's anyone see every part of American culture good and bad as Las Vegas is the mecca of most Americans at some point in their lives.



4. This was a very interesting book and the closest thing to reading an autobiography of any of the main three men profiled: Kerkorian, Wynn and Loveman. The writing was easy to follow although, I did feel that the information was not presented in an orderly way. The book didn't begin with a history and move forward and it didn't begin at the present and go back either; the information was rather free-flowing and jumbled. The insight into the three men and how they conduct business was fascinating, especially the interactions/business between Wynn and Kerkorian. It felt, at times, that the author was biased against Wynn as he was presented in a really ... negative light. There really isn't much personal info. about these men in non-fiction - aside from news articles, so if you have an interest in vegas corporate dealings this would be a good choice. I was surprised that Sheldon Adelson (ofthe Venetian) wasn't part of the group of men profiled, and was surprised also to learn that Wynn is basically blind.



5. I was looking for a good biography of Steve Wynn and stumbled upon this book - and was it ever a good find!
   
   I like Binkley's writing style and the fact that she doesn't "dumb it down" too much. Her book takes us through the large scale development and evolution on the Vegas strip over the last 20 years and it's three biggest moguls. We get an inside look at Wynn, Kirk Kerkorian (of MGM Mirage) and, to a lessor degree, Gary Loveman of Harrah's - as well as a number of other executives that came and went along the way.
   
   I definitely recommend it if you're at all into hotel/resort development or investing, Las Vegas history, Steve Wynn, people with money, business profiles or all of the above.

5 comments about Confessions of an Economic Hit Man.

1. John Perkins gives a good account of his understanding of how the building blocks of empire in this new age of global finance is achieved. There is one question that I tried to answer throughout the book, but could not find the answer. John seems to feel very guilty, and attempts to purge his sins with this book. ¿Are his economic "hits" just the tip of the iceberg? For that I'll have to wait to finish reading Chalmers Johnson's book Nemesis. John fails to deliver the broader vision that Chalmers does into the working of empire building and its relation to the failing republic.



2. John Perkins reveals his hits in the economic arena. The book narrates nicely with good description of events, places and conversations. However, it is loaded with fantasies, silly scenarios and unbelievable events. This book has no facts, when facts must have been the backbone of such allegations.
   When I started reading it, I though that it might be a good read like "Fundamentalist World: The New Dark Age of Dogma" by Stuart Sim who talks about the the economic fundamentalism of the World Bank. However, I was totally disappointed by the:
   1)Lack of facts
   2)Missing to tell us how he could convince other economists who were reviewing his work and did not agree on his economic growth arguments. What were his arguments against theirs?
   3)His conversations with different locals and his apologetic behaviour through out the book
   4)The fact that he told Claudine (his coach) that he will someday reveal all and she did not even rise an eyebrow. Logically, she would contact her superiors and terminate Mr. Potential Hitman.
   5)On one hand he says that the House of Saud does what it sees appropriate and does not tolerate other Saudis refusing the mentioned deal/contract with the States, and on the other hand he had to buy a Saudi through providing him with blondes.
   6)Other and other pieces in his narrative that makes the whole story seems not related to his true life.
   I stopped reading at page 98.
   This economic hit man thing might be a factual thing, but it definitely did not have John Perkins on its payroll.



3. Have you ever wondered how the world really, really, really works? Perkins attempts to show insight into the secretive world of global finance, emphasis on markets, and the quest for American Empire.
   
   I really wanted to love this book, yet at times it felt more than a bit shallow. It is hard to know what is true and what may be distorted. Perhaps Perkins cannot come completely clean.
   
   Having lived abroad for several years in the 1990's I can attest to the "Ugly-American" syndrome, and how some have contempt for foreign cultures.
   
   Debt burden and the rise of the Corporatocracy are true and attestable. If you don't believe it, search for "Project for a new American Century" on Google. Take a look at the membership, and you will find many of the cast of characters within Perkins book.
   
   Remember, "The greatest trick the Devil ever performed, is convincing the world he doesn't exist."
   
   Cheers!



4. Although this book is a highly self-centred and personal account of his role in the "corporatocracy", Perkins' account is an eye-opener and a great introduction into the current state of our world. Perkins has been criticised for publically airing his guilt over his actions, however this is his way of coming to terms with his actions. I don't believe this is fair criticism, as this book is a personal account. It is engaging because it is about John Perkins. It's like criticising an apple for being an apple. However, I do admit that including a three page resume about himself was a bit much. That's way too much ego! That said, I would still recommend this book to people seeking answers to why the world is in the state that it's in, and for anyone else in fact!
   
   Confessions of an Economic Hit Man is an extraordinary story of a modern man facing his inner demons, with the backdrop of a world gone mad. Highly recommended!



5. This is one of the worst books I have read in a long time. All his mistakes in life are someone elses fault (ie, his parents, school, wives, employer,etc.) It amazes me he stayed with the organization for 3 decades and FINALLY decided it was evil. He takes no responsibility for his actions. Sour grapes to me.

5 comments about Valley Boy: The Education of Tom Perkins.

1. Perhaps I'm the only one, but I found this book to be basically unreadable. (As such, I have only read a small part of it.) Tom Perkins is an impressive person with a successful career by many standards, and I am interested in what he does for a living even, but suffice it to say he is not one of our nation's best writers.



2. The book is a few interesting stories from his life told as if it were over several dinners and several glasses of wine.
   
   I personally like the conversational style and flow of the book and so highly recommend it.
   
   These are just a few vignettes from his life and I'm sure there are many more stories to tell.



3. Tom takes the opportunity to get his view of events in his life on the record. Very doubtful as biography, this book is more of an attempt to sway public interpretation of events in his long career, spanning early years in Hewlett Packard, the formation of the Kleiner Perkins venture capital firm, his sailing exploits, his marriage to Danielle Steele, and how he chose to use his vast wealth to influence events and people he encountered. Right up front he deals with the spying incidents at Hewlett Packard when Pattie Dunn was the chairwoman (very condescending), as well as his relationship with Carly Fiorina (very confrontational and rocky), but most of it comes off as self-serving and slanted to his view. Yet, the book is interesting as an peek into the restless and eclectic mind of the ultimate bootstrapper, a man who leveraged his times and opportunites into one of the most successful careers on record. Despite this, it also serves as a warning to those who believe great wealth is matched with great wisdom, since clearly, his wealth was poured into his world class collection of toys and houses. Take heed.



4. this book has more substance than is typical for the genre, and i was hooked on every page; wish there were more pages and illustrations :-)



5. One of the icons of Silicon Valley tells his story. It's great for an outsider looking in.

5 comments about The Turnaround Kid: What I Learned Rescuing America's Most Troubled Companies.

1. Very interesting read--both the business as well as personal. I felt as though the author was speaking to me on a one to one.



2. THE TURNAROUND KID: WHAT I LEARNED RESCUING AMERICA'S MOST TROUBLED COMPANIES recounts the high points of the author's career rescuing American business disasters - and in the process offers college-level business libraries the opportunity to understand the evolution of a business genius. Blending business management concepts with a memoir, THE TURNAROUND KID shows how the author turned around his own life as well as businesses, reshaping and restructuring the very foundations of big business procedures in the process. An inspiring, enlightening account.
   
   Diane C. Donovan
   California Bookwatch



3. I expected more. An exciting book that would provide insight on financial workouts. Well I didn't get, I wanted to close the book several times, but I hate leaving a book half read. If you are looking for a interesteing read, this isn't it.



4. Mr. Miller comes across as a hard-working, pragmatic, unaffected and down to earth guy who sees the big picture and cares about people in it. We can only hope that there are more executives like him at the top of F500 companies. I would recommend this book to any MBA programme as a supplement to their business ethics programme or anybody who has ever struggled to calibrate his/her own moral compass under pressures from various constituencies.



5. This is a thoroughly enjoyable autobiography of Steve Miller, a rising Ford executive who became the go to guy for companies in crisis over more than two decades. At Chrysler, the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Olympia & York, Morrison Knudsen, Federal Mogul, Waste Management, Reliance Group Holdings, Bethlehem Steel, Aetna and Delphi, he parachuted into companies on the brink of failure and tried to come up with the best solution. Sometimes the outcome is a roaring success, other times he has to settle for the best of a series of unpleasant choices, and other times he is ineffective.
   
   This book is more Miller's autobiography than a how-to guide to fixing broken companies. The book is only 230 pages long and each company's situation is only covered at a high level. Miller's strength as a businessman is his ability to take a fresh, hard look at the companies, face up to the cold reality and work with all parties to come up with the best possible solution. His book has many on the same strengths; he offers what appears to be an honest (sometimes brutally so) assessment of his own successes and failures, as well as those of the other parties in the drama.
   
   What emerges is the story of a leader who enjoys the excitement of trying to solve complex problems while trying, and succeeding, to do the right thing for his family and the people and companies that depend on him.

3 comments about Creative Capital: Georges Doriot and the Birth of Venture Capital.

1. I was in the General's class at HBS in 1961. When he discovered that I was an active duty military officer, he took an obvious personal interest in me (although he did not call me "Bernie", as he called Samuel Bodman "Sammy"). Nevertheless, I will never forget the inspiring interactions with him and his varied guests from many walks in life, including Jackie Cochran, pioneer aviator. The author has done a first-rate job of pulling together details that shed light on a great man, as well as his wife. I finished the book in record time.



2. I was General Doriot's student at Harvard in 1960. He and his views had a profound impact on my life, both in business and personally. His emphasis on ethics, patience, creativity and freedom led me, in my various roles in life, to pass on these same qualities to all my associates.
   The book is well written and provides a useful insight on the private man. It's too bad that this information was not available in 1960.



3. Americans always talk of saving France during WWII, yet at the same time, here was an intriguing French immigrant who rose to be a top professor of entrepreneurship at Harvard Business School, a founder of the venture capital industry, founder of INSEAD the European business school and to top it all off- played a critical role in saving countless American lives in WWII by leading the innovation and production of quality military equipment and supplies.
   
   Ante's portrait is one of a driven maverick, visionary and Renaissance man who made an astonishing contribution to the war effort and modern business culture, and yet he seems very human and at times poignant. I was especially moved by Doriot's tireless passion in helping American soldiers as well has his 48-year marriage to his wife Edna and how they spent their last years together.
   
   I loved this book because it's such an unusual and valuable contribution to our understanding of the 20th century. Doriot has been an unsung hero in many ways, and by bringing his life into focus, Ante weaves people and international events in a way that makes us see our world as ever more fascinating, multi-faceted and interconnected.

5 comments about Pour Your Heart into It : How Starbucks Built a Company One Cup at a Time.

1. I highly recommend this book to all new entrepreneurs and those interested in learning how successful companies are formed. I also know there are alot of people out there who hate Starbucks simply because it exists and succeeded- I challenge you to read this book. The business was created from the ground up by passion and perseverence, and it deserved to succeed, and I hope it continues to succeed for a very long time.



2. I found this book extremely interesting from a business perspective. Would recommend this book to anyone who is starting a business or has an interest in finance. Very inspirational



3. I read many company books. This is one of the gems. Howard did a fantastic job in writing the history of Starbucks, its root, its spirit, and its amazing achievement.
   
   There have been many coffee vendors. Starbucks sprinted from the pack. It actually revolutionized the coffee industry. While the business world has been looking for the next new hi-tech inventions, Howard creatively rejuvenated the coffee drinks by relentlessly pursuing the quality the culture and the experience. He did the mission-impossible in such a traditional industry. After reading this book, you will never look at Starbucks the same way. Yes, you realize that passion and quality can make a huge difference in this crowded world.



4. "If you pour your heart into your work, or into any worthy enterprise, you can achieve dreams others may think impossible." ~ Howard Schultz
   
   When Howard Schultz found Starbucks he had a dream of all Starbucks could be. After bringing back ideas from Milan he planned to infuse the company with a new energy. Instead of only selling coffee beans he wanted to open stores that sold espresso. When the owners of Starbucks didn't have the same vision, he opened up his own stores and then purchased Starbucks. The story is compelling and this book is one of the most exciting books on business I've ever read.
   
   "Without the romance of Italian espresso, Starbucks would still be what it was, a beloved local coffee bean store in Seattle." ~ pg. 53
   
   This book explains why franchising is a forbidden word at Starbucks. It also explains how special packaging had to be made to keep the coffee fresh. Stock options and an impressive health-care package also make working for Starbucks a positive experience.
   
   While Howard Schultz's own story is woven into the pages, this book is mostly about the positive steps that were taken to make Starbucks a success. This book will appeal to anyone with an entrepreneurial spirit.
   
   My own experience with Starbucks has been very positive. Once a reporter talked to me on the phone while he was at a Starbucks. My family loves buying Starbucks gift cards and we always make time to go to a Starbucks whenever we get together. It is like a family tradition. Yesterday I was at my local Starbucks drinking a tall chai tea and discovered they had the most delicious vanilla scones with icing. The girl at the counter told me she thought they tasted like sugar cookies and I must agree.
   
   If you are looking for another book about Starbucks, I can
   recommend: Starbucks Passion for Coffee
   
   ~The Rebecca Review
   
   P.S. The proceeds from this book go to the Starbucks Foundation to support literacy programs.



5. This is not a business book, it is the history of a company. Howard Schultz recounts the early years of Starbucks diving into the rich tale of how a small coffee roasting company quickly became a world-wide brand recognized for quality, service and responsibility. Filled with interesting details about Schultz's journey to the original Starbucks (roasting and selling beans only), to Il Giornale (Schultz's first attempt at recreating an Italian espresso bar in America) and finally to the Starbucks we now know, placing both elements together, "Pour Your Heart Into It," gives us a glimpse into the restless journey of an entrepreneur.
   
   Schultz goes into detail explaining the challenges behind creating not only a product, but a market. In the early years, the coffee shop boom had not yet occurred in America meaning part of Starbucks mission had to become educating potential customers on the joys of high-quality coffee. Setting out to build a great brand was secondary to Schultz who's first aim was to build a great company.
   
   "When I looked back, I realized we had fashioned a brand in a way no business-school textbook could have ever prescribed. We built the Starbucks brand first with our people, not with consumers-the opposite approach from that of the crackers-and-cereal companies. Because we believed the best way to meet and exceed the expectations of the customers was to hire and train great people, we invested in employees who were zealous about good coffee." - pg. 245
   
   All of us need a break from the bullet-format, bumper sticker business books that permeate the bestseller charts these days...something that will bring us back to why we even do business in the first place. This is that book. No catchy phrases or lists, just a story of how a few guys with a love for coffee decided to help the world catch their heart.