Customer Reviews

Boone

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

A quick, enjoyable read, Boone provides the reader with insight regarding the motivations of corporate executives -- self preservation. T. Boone consistently highlights one theme -- creating shareholder value -- as the justification for his actions throughout the 1980s. The book provided an altogether different slant than that portrayed by the media and by corporate America. The reader should be prepared however, as T. Boone is self praising and absorbed throughout the majority of this book. In fact, one should consider this book to be the "other-side" of the corporate raider story.

Overall, Boone is a read which provides a glimse into the personality which exemplifies the corporate raider. Upon finishing the book I was taken two things: 1. The names of some partners: Ivan Boesky, Michael Milken, and so forth. 2. The continued "bloatedness" of big business (regardless of the industry) in America -- apparently things have not changed much in the last 15 years since Boone was originally written.

Despite Pickens constantly patting himself on the back this
turned out to be a very good book. You are able to get a good
history of Picken's very own company,Mesa Petroleum.You also get
an insight into Picken's marriages and life. Most of the book
was taken up with the various corporate raids that Picken's had
a hand in initiating on some of the bigger companies in America.
It is a very interesting look at the actions of a corporate raider.Pickens also gives you his insight on the management of some of the big companies that he was raiding. All in all a very
interesting book.

A great story about T. Boone, his dreams and his company. T.Boone, like David is not afraid to take the Goliaths head on. This book has some great quotes, like "Is you is or is you ain't, my baby". I also learned why you should never borrow neckties or shotguns. Really an enjoyable read about a great corporate raider.

I thought this was a great book with lots of stories of corporate raiding. T. Boone Pickens is an amazing man with lots of what I would call street smarts and then some. It is an autobiography with a little family history but mostly dwells on the later business years with Mesa Petroleum. He tells of the ups and the downs of the numerous businesses he was in including the cattle business and commodity trading. Lots of good stuff that will keep you interested in what is going to happen next. Pickens also is quick to tell his point of view on how a Corporation should be run in order to give the stock holders, those who actually own the business, some profit. I think you will enjoy it.

The first half of his career makes this book worth the read. It shows a young man going on out there and getting things done. He was like the early oil prospectors making his own fortune. He had a nose and knack to go where there would be money.

The second half of his career: there were no new oil fields to be discovered, it was more difficult for independent oil men to compete against big corporations and foreign countries were nationalizing their country's oil.

Boone's answer to this was to raid the big oil corporations. It was the era where a smaller company, could get together with other investors and arrange debt financing from banks and attempt to buy out much bigger oil companies.

Boone described himself as a champion of shareholder rights, which was laughable and self-serving. He was in it for the money. He also described himself as a risk-taker but that is debatable. Yes his company was at risk and yes he was a large shareholder in his company, but it was a publicly-traded company, separate and apart from his personal wealth. (He got a percentage of the corporate raids, I learned from the New York Times not his book.)

This autobiography of T. Boone Pickens drew my interest partly because of the recent publicity of Mr. Pickens with his energy plan.

This book is very readable and entertaining. Mr. Pickens comes across as a common country boy rather than an extremely wealthy oilman/financier.

Part of his success appears to be rooted in his using new ideas and procedures that are now commonly known and used.

I have read a few other books that touched on the Business Roundtable, Mr. Pickens has a scathing view of that organization.

He explains that the energy "crisis" of 1979 was manipulated by withholding supply rather than an actual shortage.

The author also elaborates on some of the corporate take-overs he was involved in. That offers an insider view that shares not only the part he and his company played but also the affected CEOs as well as the outside counsel and investment bankers.

He also shares some of his business philosophy.

Some of the quotes that I enjoyed the most were these;
"Looking back, it seems as though I have spent my whole life raising money for a deal. One thing that you learn fast; you may not find money, but you're sure to meet some interesting people."

"A CEO shouldn't leave until quitting time, just like everybody else. If he makes the biggest bucks, he ought to put in the longest hours."

"The biggest hurdle in American corporations is the CEO's ego. Nowadays we talk about restructuring and "downsizing" companies, but what we really need is a way to downsize the egos."

This may be a 22 year old book, but it was an enjoyable read and Pickens shares some common sense and wisdom throughout the book that applies to today.