1 comments about The Marshall Fields: The Evolution of an American Business Dynasty.

1. This is intriguing read about one of the most powerful capitalists in the history of this country. For those who love to shop at Marshall Field, or those just interested in Gilded Age history, you must get read this book. This biography covers five generations of the fascinating Field family.

5 comments about The King's English.

1. Co-owner Betsy Burton has captured the store's own story in her book, The King's English. Complete with book lists, this hardback is loaded with tales of author signings gone wrong, success stories, and hardships. With so few independent booksellers still holding on in a land of giants, The King's English tells of a time both readers and writers long for.
   
   I highly recommend a visit to The King's English bookstore, but if you can't make the distance, the book of the same title is the next best alternative.



2. After reading "The King's English", I decided it would have to live on my bedside table indefinitely as a resource for all things readable. The only thing that would be better is a second edition!



3. I'm a lover of books and bookstores, but for all of the author's enthusiasm, she didn't turn me into an unqualified supporter of the independent bookstore. If anything, I came away with a negative attitude. I found the book overly preachy, and the positions not fully explained. I did enjoy the entertaining stories about various author visits. And the descriptions of the authors that Burton likes were enlightening. I do admire her devotion to the business - the unfathomable amounts of money she must have sunk into it over the years, and the determination she has to keep it going. But much of the book rubbed me the wrong way, culminating with the Harry Potter book release story: Buying up the chains' stock to sell at their own store sounds like an unseemly business practice to me.



4. Betsy Burton writes a lively, humorous book about her experiences as an independent bookseller. You are there when Isabel Allende talks to her audience; you feel Betsy's humiliation when John Mortimer arrives and she has some problems with "Mum's car." She also writes about serious topics such as censorship and competition with chains and superstores. The one criticism I have is that there isn't an index with a listing for all the authors she writes about. If you've never been to a bookstore to meet an author, you will after reading this book.



5. This book is a delight. Passionate, strong-willed, full of love for literature and liberty --especially for our First and Fourth Amendments -- Betsy Burton gives an account of her first twenty-five years as one of the owners of The King's English, an independent bookstore in Utah's Salt Lake City.
   
   For the person who wants to learn more about the book industry, you'll learn about sales reps and what goes into getting on to various bestseller lists. For the person concerned about protecting our rights, you'll learn about some of the threats that have been made to bookstores, from both individuals and the government. For the person who simply adores reading, you'll learn a bit about how your precious books make it into your hands, and if you took the process for granted, you will take it for granted no longer.
   
   You'll also learn some of the pitfalls of opening a business with little (or no) experience, how to deal (or perhaps how not to deal) with the press, and how to work (or not work) with partners and employees, and last, but not least, how to maintain conviction in the face of cut-throat competition (where the competition is likewise mysteriously cutting its own throat).
   
   Finally, you will enjoy Betsy Burton, and the way she barrels down on problems. I laughed out loud when I read about how she could not get a key to open the trunk of a car (a problem I have also experienced - glad to see I'm not alone) and how she dealt with a Harry Potter crisis.
   
   Well worth reading!

1 comments about Trammell Crow: A Legacy in Real Estate Innovation.

1. Characteristic of authorized biographies, the reader quickly realizes that Crow's involvement was concerted and leads to a contrived book -- inspite of the author's claim in the Preface: "When Trammell asked me to write this book, I said that, to me, business histories usually fall into two types: sanitized, self-serving, documents blue-penciled by the company, and documents in which the author, unfettered, calls the facts as he sees them. 'What kind do you want?' [asked Crow] 'The second.' [answered the author]"
   
   If the author chose the second, then he lacks the sophistication to follow-thru with that grand stand. On pg 3, he describes Crow's mother "... was a saint, tall, and beautiful, with such penetrating eyes..." Those are kind words for a woman he never met! Or on pg 39 concerning McFadden and Miller who were Crow's early general contractors, "over the long years of their association, they never had a disagreement." Even if we assume there were no lawsuits, the reader is left in disbelief. If the author just illustrated more through examples of this critical relationship, Crow's character would've been better portrayed and the objectivity and thoroughness of research more convincing.
   
   The author fails to demonstrate any financial or business acumen when discussing Crow's projects or deal-making. On pgs 39-40, he describes Crow's first deal on Cole Street with rent "about 60 cents a square foot" and constructed "at four dollars a square foot". The reader can only question: 60 cents "per year"? construction cost includes financing? Land cost was diminished? How much leverage? What did McFadden and Miller make? Moreover, the round numbers and an implied 15% cap-rate in industrial properties (even then), only cause the reader to question the seriousness with which the author analyzes his subject and his understanding of real estate investment.
   
   On pg 46, he lists 11 do/don't of the Crow Way. #5 states: "Depreciate enough to wipe out your income tax..." Then, #7 states: "Pay off debt out of income." This illustrates the sloppy writing of the author. Depreciation is a required accounting method, so there is no such thing as "enough", but what he probably meant to say is that Crow applied Accelerated Depreciate Rates as much as possible and did aggressive Cost Segregation on fixtures and fittings. If Depreciation wipes out income tax, then there would be no "income" to pay off debt... so what the author probably meant there was Net Cash Flow, Free Cash Flow, or Funds from Operations. Even if the author isn't a CPA, again, poor research leads to sloppy writing.
   
   Regarding the two "types", the vast majority of biographies and business histories fall between these two extremes. And, good books are not simply black/white portraits. This book's simple depiction is demonstrative of the author's lack of and disregard for subtlies within Crow's life and overall story. This book is a mixture of verbalized spoon-fed recollections from Crow, anecdotal stories about business history, homespun 8th-grader-level simple writing style, and fairly poor business analysis. It is unfortunate because Trammell Crow must have a better story to tell and more colorful life to learn from. Don't buy this book.

5 comments about The New Investment Superstars: 13 Great Investors and Their Strategies for Superior Returns.

1. Contains useful background information and insights on managers, and the industry though it is of limited use regarding the strategies those managers use. Two really glaring errors (page 48 & 49 on incentive fees, and Page 65 on correlations - perhaps a misquote or a quote out of context) cast doubt on the reliability of other statements in the book for me. Consequently I recommend reading it, but with more than the usual level of skepticism.



2. This book contains an almost painful amount of detail concerning the organizational structure as well as the investor base of the hedge funds whose managers it profiles. Unfortunately, as far as actual trading strategies are concerned, it is a complete failure. It will tell you in which areas a fund is active, but give you excactly zero detail about the strategies and tactics used by its managers. Even some rather bad books I have read at least contained one or two ideas that were worth investigating, but I couldn't gain anything at all from this book. Also, some of the track records really aren't that impressive. Not really bad, but definitely not what you'd expect from "Superstars".



3. Very poorly written. Comments were too general. Offered little insight regarding reasons for the success of the managers. Best part of the book was the compilation of track records for each of the managers.



4. complement to the John Train/Jack Schwager series of books on managers. This book measures up well with its well-regarded peers. Lois Peltz has collected interesting information on hedge fund manager, most of whom are unknown even to investment cognoscenti. They are in her book because of their stellar records, despite the low profile many share (due to strict marketing regs for these investment pools). For readers who want a peek behind the hedge fund curtain, this book is ideal. It captures the personalities and backgrounds of the managers, and it benefits from Peltz's analysis of commonalties and future thoughts on the industry. If you are investment professional looking to add a couple of nuggets to your repertoire, you might feel slightly let down (hence 4, not 5, stars). The eye opening aspect for me was the annual returns revealed for each of the managers. This information is not widely available, and the magnitude and consistency of the annual returns was amazing for several of the managers. The extent of and rationale behind leverage is explored as well. Overall, the book was excellent, and I was happy to add it to my extensive collection of investment related tomes.



5. It is rare to be able to read one book on a complex topic and have it contain information of use to both the novice and the veteran. Lois Peltz has done it in regard to hedge funds...the most erudite of investment arenas. Whether it be basic information (definitions, tables showing manager spin-offs, industry disasters) or advanced (the irony of having the objective of superior performance over the long-term being measured in 90 day intervals), this easily readable and fascinating treatise delivers. From her overview of superstar managers (including the counter-intuitive observation that they're not in it for the money but rather because they love the challenge) to the side-bars concluding each that allow the reader to compare highlights, the profiles are enlightening. Specific insights on managers (Bruce Kovner's analogy of managing money to painting, Paul Singer's analysis of model and herding risk, to Raj Rajaratnam's requirement that analysts performing due diligence fax in a daily "What I've learned" or risk not being reimbursed for their expenses) provide enormous understanding of each manager. Finally, her own perspective, including highlighting the issue of manager capacity, offers unusual help in selecting/understanding managers. A must-read!

5 comments about Murdoch.

1. Rupert Murdoch is one of the most interesting business men of our day. His growth at the Fox Network and other various news outlets has made him one of the most powerful men on the planet. Shawcross does an excellent biography telling about his life in Australia up through his dominant position in America today. It covers the start of the fourth network as well as the New York post and battles with government regulators. It stops before the Fox News Channel really gets going but this still remains the best biography on Murdoch that has been done to date.



2. When I read William Shawcross' "Murdoch" back when it was originally published (early 90s), I thought it was one of the best biographies I had read. I especially liked the author's focus on his subject's "pre-News" days, most notably a very memorable discussion on Murdoch's infatuation with Marxism during his university days.

   Murdoch explains that period away with the following answer: "If you're 20 and not a communist, you have no heart; and if you're 40 and not a capitalist, you have no head."

   Shawcross then painstakingly builds a portrait of a man who - over the next 30 years - slides clear across the spectrum to become Maggie Thatcher's biggest champion. There's a great blow-by-blow of Murdoch's battle with the press unions at Wapping, with Thatcher's tacit support.

   Of course, things in Murdoch's world move quickly, so Shawcross put out an update edition (this one) in 1997. Now, we need an update to the update. So much has transpired in these six years. We need Shawcross' take on:

   - The continued rise of the Fox Network (expecially Fox News)
   - Lachlan and James Murdoch's increasingly large roles at News Corp.
   - The DirectTV takeover attempts (Part 1 and 2)
   - Continued efforts to penetrate India and China
   - Wife #3 Wendy Deng + two new young children

   ...and much, much more. Never a dull moment with the man who fellow (now ex-) mogul Ted Turner heads up the world's leading "evil empire."




3. Very well documented personal (a combination of gambling instinct and dour puritanism) and business biography of the media tycoon. The rise of Murdoch from an owner of a small newspaper in Australia to a global media tycoon. His motif: "power, not money." The power to influence political/social history through his colossal media empire. Murdoch believes that the Americanizing of the world is not only profitable for his business, but a great good in itself.
   The author situates the ascent of Murdoch within the world political history (cold war, Thatcher, Reagan ...) and gives an incisive portrait of some of his collaborators: Barry Diller and Kelvin Mac Kenzie (editor of his milk cow 'The Sun').
   Written with a good sense of humour, e.g. "... Giles should assume the title of Editor Emeritus ... Giles asked Murdoch what this title really meant . It's Latin, Frank. E means exit and meritus means you deserve it." Or, after Murdoch banned alcohol on the working place, someone replied "Free drunks produce better newspapers than sober slaves". The tycoon was even asked by the Vietnamese government to make communist-controlled television more popular!
   Besides, the author gives a sneer at Unesco for attacking freedom of information. One minus point: on different occasions, the author refers to big financial troubles for the media empire without giving the numbers.



4. The book is quite exhaustive about his beginnings - and his attitude towards competition, employees and enemies, I was hoping to read more about the political favors that he most definitely got in other countries besides the US, Aus and the UK.
   I also wanted to know how these political wheelings and deelings have helped him - because lets fase it - with the amount of money/ business that he inherited, it may not have been too difficult for a few others to achieve the greeatness that Murdoch has achieved in his lifetime.
   Also the fact that he is still working might have taken away some of the liberty from the author to shed more light on the ugly side of Murdoch. I would have also liked more coverage of the 90s, when the floodgates were opened for him to capture Europe and Asia.



5. Murdoch is, to say the least, one of the more controversial figures in media today. His name still inspires visions of the pitched battles that have arisen around the pieces of his empire and the ethical debates about the role of journalism and issues of media ownership. There is a tremendous amount to be learned from studying Murdoch and the way he built his kingdom, and this book is not to be missed, particularly for people studying media history or the media industry.

   Shawcross presents a very balanced picture, light on both censure and praise, and manages to give enough personal detail to illuminate the public Murdoch without veering into a personal melodrama. The writing is occasionally a bit dry, but generally of a high quality & the source notes and bibliography are quite valuable in and of themselves.

5 comments about The Man Who Made Wall Street: Anthony J. Drexel and the Rise of Modern Finance.

1. If your teacher wanted you to find reseach about business biography. This is the book for you. Because Wall street is part of trade center today. And finding about who's invented the system, and how life is hard back than. This book tell one of the most important History.



2. I am glad to see that such a good book was written on such an important figure in American Finance. The book kept me wanting to read more and more. From beginning to end. Read it, for it's a must have for any one interested in Finance and it's worth every penny.



3. As a great-great-great grandson of A.J. Drexel, it was a pleasure to read this book and to learn about my famous ancestors. It is crazy to think that many of his progeny have a difficult time balancing their checkbooks today. Before this book, my knowlege of the Drexels had been limited to family lore.



4. I thoroughly enjoyed reading Dan Rottenberg's informative book The Man Who Made Wall Street. The book contains all there is to know about the wise and amazingly successful nineteenth century financier Anthony Drexel and the profound role he played as a mentor to the young J. Pierpont Morgan. I especially enjoyed reading about financial systems and processes in nineteenth century America that author Rottenberg describes so well in his new book.



5. "The Man Who Made Wall Street" is exceptionally written. Not an esoteric financial biography, yet deep enough for an intellectual discussion. Within the folds of 200 pages, you get a sense of the real person behind the financial machine. It is a brilliant biographical account of the leading figure in the financial world of the nineteenth century. There are many things you can take from this book. For me, it revealed that even 'starving' artists can find creative ways to make it and that there is often more to the person who chooses to remain behind the scenes.

2 comments about Hoffa.

1. Sloane takes us on a journey through Hoffa's life. From his early childhood, to the end. Sloane spends time on Hoffa's relationship with Ferral Dobbs and the tactics and strategies that he learned in Minneapolis that Made Hoffa one of the most effective Union organizers of all time. This book literally cuts through the crap and vilification and shows Hoffa the man, the Union organizer, and the Union leader. A must read



2. Good book, well I don't know much else to say, I read it a long time ago, but I remember being enthrulled with it; I couldn't put it down!

2 comments about Kellie's Book: The Art of the Possible.

1. "Kellie's Book" is an inspiration! I've purchased several copies for gifts as well as show-and-tell. Kellie's art work brings each page to life, offering encouragement and wisdom to children and adults alike. Thanks Kellie!



2. Kellie's Book: The Art of the Possible is the children's picturebook autobiography of Kellie Greenwald, born with Down syndrome and a hole in her heart, now age twenty-nine with a successful career, friends in her group home, a cat she takes care of, and a loving family. Kellie's Book is a positive affirmation of love, hope, and the joy of life, told in Kellie's own words and illustrated with her color artwork. "I used to work at Roush's Drug Store. I helped with customer services. I would take them to the aisles to get products from A to Z." Since Kellie's Book uses a direct transcript of Kellie's printing by hand rather than a typeface, very young children might need a little help reading the words aloud. Enthusiastically recommended for personal and library children's collections.

4 comments about Benjamin Graham: The Memoirs of the Dean of Wall Street.

1. This book concerns Benjamin Graham, the man (well, he wrote it). There has been virtually no mention about investment principles other than his career. But I like the book because I wanted to find out more about the man who was arguably the greatest original thinker in security analysis and investment. [And I do derive consolation from the fact that one does not have to be good at everything to be a good investor - Ben does has his dose of shortcomings as well! :P] Sadly, it is out of print; I am fortunate that I obtained a pristine used copy at a reasonable price. Nowadays the book can fetch a very high offer price.



2. The book is very appropriately titled. The story is told directly by Ben, and it covers his life from his family when his father passed away to his education at Columbia after losing his scholarship the first time.

   Ben was a colorful person, and reading an autobiography like this allows the reader to see the paths a great person chose in life to really become what we remember him for.

   Of course, the fact the Warren Buffet was his best student and biggest advocate was probably the reason I picked the book up in the first place, but after reading it, I discovered the Ben was wise in more than just Wallstreet. My favorite wisdom derived from Ben is on the subject of sex and relationships, as he had so many of the latter while becoming the great investor that we first associate with him.

   I feel that I learned skills that will help me grow to be wiser by reading his bio. I definitely suggest the book to anyone who is interested in not only Ben's life but in contemplating how to improve his or her own.




3. The Dean of Wall Street confesses. That would be a great lead, except that Benjamin Graham has little to confess. Rather, Graham, considered the father of modern security analysis, tells us about his life, career, and his intellectual passions. He shares his thoughts about a range of issues, and about his experiences. For instance, did you know that he valued his intellectual pursuits more than making money? Or that he was a Broadway playwright? These memoirs are more concerned with Graham's story than with his investment techniques. We [...] recommend this book to those who want to learn more about Ben Graham, the man. It is not for those who want to learn more about Ben Graham, the founder of value investing.



4. I bought this book after reading Roger Lowenstein's book 'Buffett: The Making of an American Capitalist' (1996) to read on value investing. Unfortunately, this book covers very little about techniques. And I mean VERY little.

   If you want to get to know the person Graham is, get this book. You can skip this book and still produce superior investment returns (this, known as rational allocation of capital). For value investing, read Intelligent Investor, by Ben Graham.

   This book gets 3 stars bcoz it serves its purpose as a biography but at the same time managed to discourage me from spending time finishing it, despite my passion for Graham's investment principles.

No comments about It Was Never about the Ketchup: The Life and Leadership Secrets of H. J. Heinz.