1 comments about The Great Pierpont Morgan.

1. A surprisingly sympathetic biography of J.P. Morgan. He was a steadying force in the marketplace, especially in the area of the railroads where the competition was cut-throat. The author tells of cases where Morgan would re-acquire ownership of a Railroad at a loss, because Morgan thought the owner was not running it correctly. Time and again Morgan would risk money to uphold his business principals often losing money in the deal. Eventually in later years the government stepped in with their regulatory agencies and performed much the same task that Morgan was performing. The author gives some personal insights such as his style of art collecting and his lifestyle. It is very well written, interesting, and appears to be well researched, Morgan's scandals are also mentioned, but overall I am surprised at how straightforward and upright J.P. Morgan appears. I had scant knowledge of J.P. Morgan, and this is the first book I have read by this author, but the viewpoint of this book is so different from what I expected it left me a little skeptical. This book will make the reader think twice that maybe J.P. Morgan is receiving a bum wrap from the reputation he has with the average man on the street's opinion of him. Call it cynicism, but this reader can not shake the feeling that there must more to this guy.

5 comments about Anatomy of Greed: The Unshredded Truth from an Enron Insider.

1. Brian Cruver has an axe to grind, but not where you would think. Cruver, a former Enron employee, takes aim at the corporate culture which led to the downfall of Enron (as well as Adelphia, Global Crossings and others).
   
   Though Cruver is on the inside of Enron at the time of its collapse, it is hard to term him an "insider." Instead, Cruver provides an even more valuable viewpoint - that of man standing at the precipice staring into the amoral abyss of corporate greed. Unlike his character of "Mr. Blue" he does not fall into that abyss. Cruver himself states that unlike Jeffrey Wigand there was no "heroic" insider in the Enron tragedy. Instead (and unfortunately), Cruver provides a sterling ethical post-mortem of the corproate greed which was Enron's undoing.
   
   The narration by Mel Foster is astounding. Foster speaks in Cruver's voice - accentuating humor, irony, and outrage. Foster is utterly engaging to the point that in the narration when you just know that person on the phone calling Cruver is his friends Bickers, you say "Duuude" in a New York accent in unison with Foster (Bickers typical greeting for Cruver).
   
   This book is highly recommended and should be required reading in any business and accounting class.



2. Midway through Anatomy of Greed, as author Brian Cruver described the increasingly bizarre mood on the Enron trading floor after the company imploded, I began imagining this memoir as the basis for a very funny HBO movie. All the elements are there, particularly the farcical nature of life at the company as it went under.
   
   Mr. Cruver is to be commended for conveying the mentality of Enron, and all the hubris that came with it. That is, I think, the ultimate value of the book: as a testament to the culture of this company. And he doesn't shy away from a bit of personal indictment, recounting for example how he decided to - after being laid off - leave his utility bills, unpaid, at his desk.
   
   This is not the book to turn to for a definitive account of all that Enron did. Cruver is a bit too junior and a bit too late to the game. His account of Enron's many crimes is based on other sources.
   
   Some parts of the book are a bit disappointing. I was let down by his treatment of Enron's role in the California energy crisis, which basically reproduces the company's (now discredited) official line. He doesn't say anything about the vicious energy traders who monkeyed with energy prices, causing blackouts in the process. Nor does he mention Jeff Skilling's infamous joke about California. This is a shame, since Enron probably did more harm to California than it did to its own employees.
   
   Nor did I think the scenes with Cruver and his psychiatrist added much.
   
   The scenes I will take away from this book will probably be the conversations that Cruver had with his Wall Street friend Bickers. Bickers, a college classmate, periodically called Cruver up to ply him for inside information; Cruver would disinterestedly fend off his inquiries. It's truly frightening to think that Bickers would, in turn, use these conversations - between himself and someone who had bought hook, line, and sinker into the Enron Kool-Aid - as a basis for investment recommendations. Something to think about when you invest for yourself.



3. Most readers will know that Enron was once the 7th largest company in the world. The same readers will know that its corporate collapse destroyed many lives. Those of us fortunate enough to be observing from afar wondered why, and how this could happen.
   
   There are a number of lessons to be learned from reading this book. The first, perhaps, is that corporate values are only words that need to be given meaning through congruent corporate actions. There was nothing wrong with Enron's actual stated corporate values : 'Respect, Integrity, Communication and Excellence'. The corporate culture was simultaneously fatally flawed yet deeply attractive on a number of levels to ambitious recruits. The frenetic activity and apparent corporate energy served to mask a great many flaws in accounting, accountability and risk management.
   
   Brian Cruver worked in Enron during its last year. His book is well worth reading by those with an interest in business ethics as well as those who need to be reminded of the consequence of failure of risk management.
   
   Hihgly recommended.
   
   Jennifer Cameron-Smith



4. Cruver worked on the trading floor as part of a new business group at Enron and his account in "Anatomy of Greed", built around his firsthand experience, offers a look at the company from within the ranks. This is combined with personal elements of his life, with reflections on corporate responsibility, employee relationships, and company policy. The result has something for everyone: those curious about Enron, involved in debates about what corporate ethics, or just interested in the financial slight of hand played by the buisness.
   
   Cruver begins by describing how he came to work for Enron. We are also given an introduction to how work was structured at Enron and a look at the infamous "rank and yank" employee review system.
   
   Cruver avoids most technical details on the financial wrong doings. A minor complaint is that Cruver doesn't go deeper into the financials. To really understand the nuts and bolts of Enron's version of Off Balance Sheet Accounting I suggest Conspiracy of Fools: A True Story by Kurt Eichenwald. If you are still curious about how it works read Hidden Financial Risk: Understanding Off Balance Sheet Accounting by J. Edward Ketz.
   
   The failure of Enron left over 4,000 people without jobs, and wiped out 20,000 employees and retirees savings and pensions. The company ended up owing over $65 billion dollars. And Ken Lay, as chief executive office, a man once admired, was charged with fraud by federal prosecutors.
   
   Enron is nicely laid out and has obviously been carefully edited.



5. I thought Mr. Cruver did a spectacular job bringing an insider's perspective to this story. Nice work.

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

5 comments about Siberia Bound: Chasing the American Dream on Russia's Wild Frontier.

1. I decided to spend last winter in Siberia (Kemerovo), and before I left I read this book and found a LOT of useful cultural cues and insights. Sure, many things have changed quite a bit in Russia generally since this book was written, but not the people and their cultural ethos.
   
   The story the author tells of his time in Siberia is very interesting, and a once in a lifetime experience that I envy the author for having had the chance to enjoy. I often wonder if he has been back since, and what his thoughts are about Siberia now compared to then...
   
   For me, one great thing about Siberia is that it has preserved the Soviet-era look much more than other parts of Russia (which I really love - it is like stepping into a different time). My adventure in Siberia was nowhere near as interesting as the described in this great book, but I can say sincerely that I loved spending the winter in Siberia - the place is an absolute dreamland or white icy splendor - a great change from the Detroit snow, melt, rain cycle that makes winter here so depressing and gloomy. I even have my very own Mink fur hat, which is a REALLY great thing to wear when the temp gets below -30, as it usually does in Siberia. I plan to return again to Siberia this fall before the snow comes this time.
   
   Whether you plan to visit Siberia yourself, or are just looking for a great "real life" travel adventure book I would highly recommend reading Siberia Bound.



2. This book is amazing. The author's writing style is really unique and the way he describes the details and emotions of his time in Russia will not be forgotten by any reader. It captures a time and place in a way few writers can match. Anyone who is young at heart with an adventurous spirit will enjoy this book. Anyone interested in Russia will enjoy this book. There is not much else to say without spoiling the fun. I wish the author would have some more adventures and write a few more books. He has a serious talent for this type of writing and needs to keep it up.



3. I suppose you could call this a business book, and I did find it in the business section of the bookstore. But it is really a memoir, a travel narrative of sorts, and a love story.
   
   Blakely goes to Siberia with a brand new university degree in economics. He became interested in the economics, especially capitalism, as the Soviet Union was collapsing. But it might have been just a passing interest if he had not fallen in love with a Russian woman on a university-sponsored trip. So when capitalism came to Siberia, he was ready. He had learned Russian and he wanted to be a pioneer of the New Russian Capitalism.
   
   Blakely comes across as an optimistic and friendly Minnesotan who is game for anything. He loves the extremes of Siberia: the weather, the hard-drinking, the physical challenges. He and his Russian business partner, Sasha, don't really care what business they get into, as long as they make money. Capitalism for capitalism's sake. Blakely feels like a trail-blazer, bringing nourishing capitalism to the hungry socialists.
   
   Blakely's writing style is easy and light, with lots of conversations and no flowery descriptions. He tells us about the food, the social life, the crime, the beauty of Siberia. It's fascinating.
   
   Particularly revealing is the description of western missionaries in Siberia, who flood the country along with the capitalists. They impose, cajole, pressure, and trick their way into the Siberians' homes and their souls. Blakely has no patience for them at first, then finds that they are so pervasive that he has to deal with them on occasion. They are as zealous in bringing Christ to the Russians as the capitalists are in bringing free enterprise.
   
   Blakely has mixed feelings about the changes capitalism brought to Siberia. He says he knows how Dr. Frankenstein must have felt, as he sees Siberia becoming more like America, with traffic jams and billboards. I think he gives himself a bit too much credit though. Capitalism would have come to Siberia and changed it, with or without Blakely.
   
   Siberia Bound is a readable, enjoyable memoir that, along with The Other Side of Russia by Sharon Hudgins, about pre-capitalist Siberia, and So Many Enemies, So Little Time by Elinor Burkett, about post-9/11 Central Asia and beyond, will begin to give you a real picture of how Americans affect and are affected by people on the opposite side of the planet.



4. If you haven't read Siberia Bound - you should. This book restored my faith that America can produce authors on a level with Scott Guggenheim and Arash Padahn. This book exudes a heightened sense of awareness of what it means to be American in a foreign land - a concept oft forgotten in today's gingoistic USA - and above all, what it means to be part of the larger community. Humanity.
   
   Kudos to Blakely. This work is epic.



5. I stumbled across this book while looking for books on the Aral Sea and thought it sounded interesting. I found the writing, descriptions of life, and the adventures very interesting. I would be very interested in a follow-up book since at the end of the book we learn he is living in San Francisco. I can envision a Siberia - San Francisco comparison and perhaps his wife's thoughts on life in San Francisco area. Thanks and it was well worth my time to read.

No comments about The House of Zondervan: Celebrating 75 Years.

1 comments about The King of Clubs.

1. As a kid, Jay Bildstein had a dream. It wasn't stepping up to home plate at Yankee stadium, flying to the moon on an Apollo mission or winning an Academy Award. Jay Bildstein wanted to be a part of the glittering, exotic New York nightclub scene.
   
   El Morocco. The Copacabana. Studio 54. The Limelight. Au Bar. These were the places that fired Jay Bildstein's imagination. The King of Clubs is a spellbinding - sometimes chilling and sometimes humorous - account of his ten-year climb to the top of the nightlife industry, culminating with the opening of his brainchild - Scores, the first topless gentlemen's club in New York City.
   
   Giving up a lucrative career as an investment banker, Bldstein set out to make even more money. He would create a club where guys in one-thousand-dollar suits and Rolex watches could unwind after a hard day on Wall Street, be offered th finest liquor, the tastiest food, and the chance to ogle the most beautiful topless dancers in America as they strutted their stuff.
   
   The King of Clubs is also the story of those exceedingly gorgeous women. Women like Tyler and Alicia, the objects of so many men's fantasies whose own dreams often turned into nightmares.
   
   Here is a bold insider's look at a segment of the sex industry that prospers today even in the era of AIDS. Not only did Scores do millions of dollars in sales, it spawned dozens of imitatons across the country.
   
   Men will be titillated by the revelations and closeup look at the kinds of women glamorized in the pages of Playboy and Penthouse over the years. Women will be intrigued by the heart-rending chronicle of the women of Scores, women with brains, beauty, and the ability to make great sums of money yet never be able to find happiness.
   
   All will be touched by the effect the world of fantasy sex had on Bildstein and surprised by his eventual decision.
   --- from book's dustjacket

5 comments about Fire Into Ice: Charles Fipke & the Great Diamond Hunt.

1. Living, and having been in several of the countries and places described in the book, I could not help thinking that Charles Fipke could well have been there, but the author had not. It also seemed more about CF than the discovery of Etaki and all that went before that.



2. Have you seen the Indiana Jones trilogy? Well, Chuck Fipke is that man. In fact, if Hollywood had made a film about Mr. Fipke, people would have discounted the events as "impossible, incredulous, non-believable"! I've only read a few chapters at this point and cannot put the book down. Simply an extremely exciting book. I want to buy a couple books for friends.



3. Fire Into Ice is three books in one, principally it is a stimulating insight into the mind of an exploration geologist/explorer; however, it is also an introduction to anthropology and the stresses and strains of marriage. An excellent read, but you should keep an Atlas close at hand.



4. I live in Chucks hometown and have met him on occassion. Having lived in the artic for many years, and worked in the stock market arena, doing private placements many times, few people know what it has really taken for this man to accomplish what he did especially in the diamond industry. No overnight success many years in the making, hard work ingenious thought. It takes a special person to do it. Call him eccentric if you will, Hats off to him, great read, as adventourous and different as the prospector himself. And NO I am not a friend of his at all, met him twice. If you have the chance to meet him personally maybe you can listen to a personal snippet of what the backbone of the Canadian mining industry is all about, borrowed cups of coffee meals on tabs in local restaurants, long nights in cold dark places, plain hard work, which sometimes doesn't get rewarded, and this time did.

   Super good read, and tells it like it is.




5. This book is an exciting story about a modern-day adventurer.
   This book follows Chuck Fipke all around the world and ends up in the Arctic.
   I could not put this book down.

No comments about Legacy in Wood: The Wahl Family Boat Builders.

No comments about Iron in Her Soul: Elizabeth Gurley Flynn and the American Left.

No comments about Women in Leadership.