A Must Read! Fascinating Book About a California Financier.
580469
Frances Dinkelspiel has written a fascinating account of the life of Isaias Hellman, her great-great grandfather and a man whose banking skills seemingly transformed California. The Hellman name is well-known in the Bay Area - Warren Hellman, a billionaire merchant banker - puts on the free, three-day Hardly Strictly Bluegrass concert every year in Golden Gate Park - but I didn't know anything about this Hellman.
 Isaias Hellman came to Los Angeles from Germany in 1859 and started the region's first successful bank, the Farmers and Merchants Bank. Los Angeles was just a small settlement back then. The streets were unpaved, the only way to get there from San Francisco was by steamer, and a murder a day was common. By starting a bank, Hellman brought much-needed credit to the region and helped start its transformation into one of American's biggest cities.
  He goes on to do many important things, like donating the land to start the University of California, lending funds to Harrison Gray Otis to gain complete control of the Los Angeles Times, and spinning deals with the railroad tycoons Collis Huntington, Henry Huntington, and Edward Harriman. In fact, his friends read like a "Who's Who" of the 19th century and include Levi Strauss, Mayer Lehman, and Jacob Schiff.
 In 1905, Hellman took over the Wells Fargo Bank in San Francisco. That was just one of the banks he controlled. According to Dinkelspiel, he headed up or served on the board of dozens of other institutions, including the Nevada Bank, and controlled more than $100 million in capital. This guy clearly had a brain for business.
 Dinkelspiel does a wonderful job of bringing history to life. There are lots of great scenes in Towers of Gold. There are earthquakes, fires, droughts, assassination attempts, betrayals and love affairs. It has all the elements of a great modern movie.
  The title refers to a time when Hellman single-handedly stopped a bank run in Los Angeles in 1893 by piling his own money into towers of gold on the counters of one of his banks. The sight of all that glistening gold calmed panicking depositors, who then return their money to the vault. If only we had someone like Hellman around today.
3625701
Everyone should read this book!  It is a very well written and gripping investigative report on the hidden history of the billionaires behind the rise of the radical right, their largely libertarian agenda and their ongoing attempts to purchase elections and control politics.  Without the information in this book I did not fully understand the current political environment or the last 50 years of political history.  It is hard to believe just how soullessly and singularly focused on their money the billionaires who contribute to and control this network are until we understand what they do with their money.  It is an invaluable book that should win a Pulitzer.  I keep listening for her TV news counterparts to quote from this book and use this information daily.  Hats off  to Jane Mayer!
3501708
This book is a must read! It's everything you've always wanted to know about Wall Street. The author, Eric J. Weiner, has you captivated. Get it now, before the Holiday rush!!!
2405428
An amazingly compelling read for a book that is designed around America's biggest spoiler. The plot is driven by the charisma of Danny Lewin, and draws one into a deeper understanding of how the internet, and thus how modern life, works.

Molly Knight Raskin weaves the tale with the complexity of a computer science textbook, supported with the fastidious research of a The New Yorker article, and ultimately gives voice to the true story of an amazing entrepreneur.

After reading it, I felt compelled to bring it up in a wide variety of situations - it's depth and breadth are that far reaching.

I highly recommend it!
506043
I could not put this book down! It's an easy read, but the points he gets across are huge. Definitely read this book if you are ready to start a new financial chapter in your life. The process he outlines is not easy but the real life stories found throughout the book give you hope that it is possible.
2986612
Great read! Exciting story of the latter stage of the evolution of financial hedging and its entry into the mainstream.  The book presents a wonderful history and background of the characters and financial/economic environment underlying the events.  The narrative is so good you almost forget that those are real people in real situations!
1095963
There's a lot here -- both for the business entrepreneur or MBA student seeking insightful commentary from a powerful tycoon, AND for anyone interested in global sociology and learning about what makes the richest man in the world tick. Carlos Slim has many incisive comments to offer on a range of topics, from business and investment to philanthropy and education. Tanni Haas does a marvelous job of using Slim's words to present a very comprehensive picture of a man whose sheer wealth and influence make him an irresistible subject. Highly recommend!
1913640
Lars Kroijer tells his inspiring life story from his years working in the hedge fund world. It provides a fascinating insight into the secretive finance sector of hedge funds and its a good tool for people new to the industry - it clearly explains the dynamics of the industry and how hedge funds make money in a simple and clear manner.
A must read for people who are interested in the real doings of the hedge fund industry.
2509414
This book is a very interesting and well written view of the culture of greed and exorbitance on Wall Street over the past decade as seen through the eyes of someone who lived in and wrote about it. Lane experienced what he calls the insanity on a daily basis as he built his magazine publishing business catering to the excessive spending behaviors and grandiosity of those on Wall Street during the decade.  There are explanations of much of what happened to the economy and why it happened. He writes about how he was also caught up in the fever and how it led to bankruptcy of his company and personal financial losses for himself, his employees and partners. Some of the decade's excesses are well known but this writer adds unique insights. Lane's portrayal of and colorful stories about many public personalities, including athletes, financial kingpins and politicians adds to its appeal. A fun read as well as a cautionary tale, this book has something for everyone from Wall Street to Main Street!
213732
A compelling and insightful glimpse into the lives of a Wall St mogul as narrated by the wife of said mogul!  The glimpse is like a kid in the candy store window as we see images of things not easily obtained for the average person!  Of course the story is fiction but it mirrors a non fiction couple that fleeced millions of dollars from unsuspecting investors.  In this version we see what the wife and family knew and how it grew to be the enormous scam that is it.  Fascinating, entertaining and very timely, don't miss this one!
4071281
Andrew Ross Sorkin has given scope and arc to inside information involving both CEOs and the FED.  This book gives us a rare glimpse into the lives and ethos of some of the smartest, shrewdest and richest bankers that Wall St. has to offer.  His depiction of Fuld, Dimon and the rest seem to be spot on.  Several high ranking individuals in this book wonder how he gained access to lots of the information in this book.  His extensive research has paid off.  This is a great book and at a great price here on Amazon!
3938890
A fascinating story told in Lewis' riveting style, I couldn't put the book down. The book takes you into the world of High Frequency Trading and I'm amazed that these people find meaning in work that does nothing more than make money from algorithms which front-run investors. More importantly, you're introduced to a group of people who demonstrate the courage of their conviction and put their careers on the line to extinguish the un-level playing field created by HFT.
3818715
I will admit to being a co-author with Henry Devries a few years ago (Pain Killer Marketing), but I am truly impressed with the level of insight in this book. Warren Buffett is revealed to be a man of keen intelligence and focus. He does more than due diligence, he understands how people think when he does business with them. This is key to making a deal that benefits everyone, the best kind of deal.

The book is well-written and easy to read, whether you want to just understand a major figure in American business or really study what he does so well. As an Adjunct Professor in Marketing and Market Research at UCSD Extension, I appreciate the level of detail available in the book for business students to digest and understand.

This book is a good read, a valuable book, as well as an in-depth look at the workings of an important figure in American business. You may not like everything Warren Buffett does or says, but you will admire his passion for knowing what it takes to get the "deal" accomplished.
4494058
I live, breathe, eat, and sleep real estate - everything from the single family homes to the development deals to the commercial turn-key acquisitions.

There are few books that are must reads in the world of the cookie-cutter industry that is dangerously overplayed.  That is why Steve Bergsman's book is a must read (several times over).  Financing, especially in the world of commerical lending, is a complicated subject that many investors across the spectrum do not put enough thought into.  Bergsman offers great insight on not only the mavericks that pioneered (or help to pioneer) the concepts, but he also provides great examples of deals done in every creative, yet ethical and legal, way to structure financing.

As the owner of a capital funding group - this is what makes me tick - this book should be refreshing for those that are fed-up with the over-leveraged (and often danagerous) ways to finance real estate.  This is a long-term success book that highlights how multi-million dollar deals that keep you in business are structured.  Donald Trump's most famous saying regarding thinking big fits this book.  You can reach it if you just know what to look for.

I believe in meat-and-potatoe reviews, so here is the meal:

- Sale-leasebacks are discussed

- REITs

- Commingled Capital

- Raising Capital/Equity Financing

and much more are discussed in impressive detail.  So think big by buying this book.  Stay in business by buying this book!

Real Estate Business People - This is Your Must Read!
4114093
Outstanding content!  Should be required reading for anyone interested in investing!  I think that the best Warren Buffett book ever written is Roger Lowenstein's The Making of An American Capitalist.  But this book is incredibly insightful and worth the time to read it.
2656643
This book is a must read for anyone interested in demographic stock market trends from the early 1900's to present.  His analysis of the coming boom in the stock market, specifically the large capitalization equity markets, is both insightful and mesmerizing.  The author does an excellent job in showing demographic/technology driven market cycles and how they CAN be forecasted accuratly. He manages to do it in a way that keeps the reader interested and makes some startling comparisons to the roaring 20's stock market boom and the last great boom cycle that we are currently experiencing.  Harry S. Dent proves that the baby boom generation will change the world we live in and the economic market conditions for decades to come.  When you read this book, these economic cycles become both exciting and frightful. This book is highly recommended and it is hard to put down.
2202517
Simply one of the BEST financial books I have ever read.  What I enjoyed most was the historical view of how the SEC Acts of 1933 & 1934 came about.  How the media, democrats, and yes even liberal progressives tried to halt capitalism and their complete failure to do so.  Progressives get in the way of growth and advancement.  Great Book.