Business & Finance Books > Michael Lewis Business & Finance Books

liar's poker

Advantages: Reads like a novel whilst also giving a great insite into the powerhouse institutions of the 80's
Disadvantages: technical terminology could be a problem for some, occaisionaly loses focus

One of my electives at university is Technical Analysis and market psychology, and my lecturer (a very successful trader in his own right) recommended this book to all of us students. I can now say that i am very glad that i followed his advice and bought it! Written by former Salomon Brothers employee and trader Michael Lewis, this semi-autobiographical book is a wonderful account of life for the financial powerhouses of the 1980's, a period which ...
...Saloman brothers. From the very start it is a gripping account of the culture that dominated the company, including delicious details of the abuses suffered by the newly hired 'trainees', as well as the hilarious excesses of the top brokers, or self named 'big swinging dicks'. A large section of the book illustrates the importance bonds, and charts the Salomon Brothers rise to complete dominance of the market, and then onto the period of complete ...

curious_george 11.03.2007 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful
Review of Liar's Poker - Michael Lewis

An eccentric billionaires mind at work

Advantages: Well written insight into the mind of a billionaire
Disadvantages: none

...Lewis sets out to find the worlds most important technology entrepreneur, the man who embodies the spirit of the coming age. He finds him in Jim Clark, who is about to create his third billion dollar company, Healtheon. After already successfully navigating his two other companies to entrepreneurial stardom, Silicon Graphics and Netscape, he sets out to create a shake up in the American health care system. Although One would think, that Jim Clark ...
...the planet. His near obsession with his yacht, Hyperion has him in trouble more than a few times as his willingness to spend hours on creating computer programs to run this vessel leads him to entrust the running and the building of the concept which is Healtheon. This story is basically the building of Healtheon and is seen through the eyes of Michael Lewis who was Jim Clarks sidekick for months in order to track Clarks every move. Lewis writes ...

aitchison21 04.02.2001 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of The New New Thing - Michael Lewis

I'm Having Fish Tonight...?

Advantages: Very thought provoking and informative
Disadvantages: Not neccessarily the easiest book to read

...dragged it at speed across the plains of Africa. This fantastical assemblage would scoop up everything in its way: predators, such as lions and cheetahs, lumbering endangered herbivores, such as rhinos and elephants, herds of impala and wildebeest....Picture how the net is constructed, with a huge metal roller attached to the leading edge. This rolling beam smashes and flattens obstructions, flushing creatures into the approaching filaments. The ...
...within terrestrial environments, yet in the marine realm it’s commonplace. For centuries the seas have been seen as inexhaustible, with debates raging from as early as the 1800’s as to whether the effect of fishing would have either direct or indirect impacts on either the fish stocks being exploited or the surrounding environment. In fact for many years the majority of the world’s fisheries have been treated as open access resources – where fisherman ...

AC1986 03.12.2009 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of The End of the Line - Charles Clover

Did You Spot the Gorilla?

Advantages: Easy to read, entertaining and very interesting
Disadvantages: None!

"DID YOU SPOT THE GORILLA?" "Did you spot the gorilla" is a clever little book designed to help you recognise hidden opportunities in your life. It is based on a psychological study which makes it both fascinating and inspiring, and will most likely help you keep an open mind and spot many gorillas around you. Why gorillas, you must be wondering? Gorillas in fact are a metaphor for the obvious opportunities that constantly pass us by. Let me explain. ...
...where volunteers were asked to watch a 30-second film in which some people are playing basketball. The volunteers had to count the number of passes. However, halfway through the film, a man in a gorilla suits walks in, wanders around the players and walks off. Surprisingly, very few people noticed the gorilla. Had they just watched the film with no instructions, they would have spotted it right away, but as they were focusing on something else, they ...

Pomcamgirl 27.10.2009 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Did You Spot the Gorilla? - Richard Wiseman

Educational and Corporate Politics

Advantages: written in simple language nand is very interesting
Disadvantages: I dont know of any

...characteristic way in his book, Re-imagine! For you who probably have seen some wrongs done in your orgaanisation, and even elsewhere and believe it is time something was done about it, then this views by a man who share s your views and more would be a great read. He rants about how people who are in areas such as enterprise and government who are well intentioned about rendering better services to people are thwarted by absurd organisational barriers ...
...the organisation created has become tyrants that have taken over., holding us back and creating barriers against our progress in our business. In Re-imagine, he predicts that a workplace revolution which is underway would be embraced by every single person who ndoes not want to spend a lifetime in a single corporation. However, the need to have will, passion and know-how to take the responsibility lying with us-whether we like it or not. So we need ...

donnaheff 23.10.2009 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful
Review of Re-imagine! - Tom Peters