Financier, The Biography of Andre Meyer: A Story of Money, Power, and the Reshaping of American Business [Hardcover]

Cary Reich (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: 1983

"A first-rate biography of an extraordinary man." --Andrew Tobias.
David Rockefeller once deemed Andr? Meyer "the most creative financial genius of our time in the investment banking world." Andr? Meyer was also known as "The Picasso of Banking" and "The Incomparable Investor," but probably his most notable achievement was his ability to completely and single-handedly revitalize American business after World War II. Cary Reich presents an illuminating portrait of this ferociously energetic, charming, and ruthless businessman who was a trusted advisor of the Kennedys and an intimate of William Paley and Katherine Graham. Reich goes into detail about Meyer's immigration from Nazi-occupied France, his prowess on the Monopoly board of business, and some of Meyer's lasting business legacies--now household names--including Avis and Holiday Inn.
* Includes a new foreword by Cary Reich.
Cary Reich (New York, New York) is the former executive editor of Institutional Investor. His most recent book, The Life of Nelson A. Rockefeller, was a finalist for the National Book Award. Mr. Reich is the recipient of numerous journalism awards, including the Overseas Press Award and the John Hancock Award for Excellence in Business and Financial Journalism.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

A new edition of Cary Reich's engaging biography of Andre Meyer. In this new edition of Financier, Cary Reich presents an illuminating portrait of this ferociously energetic, charming, and ruthless businessman who was a trusted advisor of the Kennedys and an intimate of William Paley and Katherine Graham. Reich goes into detail about Meyer's immigration from Nazi-occupied France, his prowess on the Monopoly board of business, and some of Meyer's lasting business legacies-now household names-including Avis and Holiday Inn. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

From the Inside Flap

Fortune magazine deemed him "the most important investment banker in the Western world." A ferociously energetic, charming, and ruthless businessman, he had, by the age of forty, helped save the foundering auto giant Citro?n, established France's first consumer finance company, and been awarded the Legion of Honor. He was a trusted adviser of the Kennedys and an intimate of Lyndon Johnson, William Paley, and Katharine Graham. His numerous business accomplishments included the building or revitalizing of such corporate giants as Avis, Holiday inns, Warner-Lambert, and Engelhard Minerals & Chemicals. One of the world's savviest individual investors, he amassed a personal fortune of well over $200 million, yet to his dying day never gave up the search for the ultimate buck. Andr? Meyer, "The Picasso of Banking," was all this-and much more. A man of seemingly endless contradictions, he was respected and admired by many, scorned and disliked by many others. In this riveting, classic biography, renowned author and National Book Award finalist Cary Reich skillfully captures the many facets of this colorful and complex figure, painting an illuminating and captivating portrait of an enigmatic icon who climbed his way from modest beginnings to become what David Rockefeller called "the most creative financial genius of our time in the investment banking world." Born in 1898 in Paris, Andr? Benoit Mathieu Meyer was saddled with adult responsibilities early on, having to provide for his family when his father, an inveterate gambler, "left a vacuum at the head of the household." After getting his professional start at a small Paris bank, he quickly caught the attention of the eminent private banking firm Lazard Fr?res, whose prestigious ranks he joined in 1925. Within a year, Meyer was made partner. With the advent of World War II, Meyer was forced into exile by the Nazi occupation. Resettling in the United States, he took over Lazard's New York operation, building it into the most venturesome investment bank in America. During the 1940s and 1950s, when industry was thirsting for capital for its relentless growth, he financed anything and everything from Texas ranchland to New York City real-estate projects. In the sixties, when it became clear the big corporations could get bigger only by gobbling up other corporations, Meyer masterfully got the merger-and-acquisition ball rolling, and became the world's most prolific marriage broker for countless corporate combinations. Financier brilliantly captures Meyer's financial wizardry, a phenomenal talent that was tempered only by the volatile tantrums, ruthlessness, and insatiable greed that went hand in hand with his genius. Unveiling the dueling sides of his complex personality, this absorbing account shows Meyer at his best-as a father figure for the likes of Felix Rohatyn, his most famous prot?g?, and for Jacqueline Onassis in the years after the assassination-and presents him at his worst-as a tortured and possessive father and a cruel, often vindictive boss. Financier is a work that is as compelling, unforgettable, and monumental as its inimitable subject. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 396 pages
• Publisher: William Morrow and Company; 1st edition (1983)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0688015514
• ISBN-13: 978-0688015510
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.5 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,725,527 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars You should buy this book if:, August 30, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Financier: The Biography of Andr Meyer: A Story of Money, Power, and the Reshaping of American Business (Trailblazers) (Paperback)

1) If you've ever thought about going into the investment banking/ Venture Capital business 2) If you enjoy history - of any type 3) If you enjoy well-written books that are more than a dry summation of the "agreed upon" facts 4) if you want a book that is more interesting and has more plots and schemes than any detective/spy thriller

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good book that details the the "Old Boys" Network, July 1, 2004

By 

Derek Johnson (Irvine, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Financier: The Biography of Andr Meyer: A Story of Money, Power, and the Reshaping of American Business (Trailblazers) (Paperback)

Overall this book provided great historical details into the mind of one of Investment Bankings greatest personalities. Andre Meyer's networking skills were 90% responsible for his success with the remaining 10% being attributable to his sheer tenacity.

The book does drag in some spots, but the author definitely did his homework.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great read with facinating mix of famous characters, March 17, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Financier: The Biography of Andr Meyer: A Story of Money, Power, and the Reshaping of American Business (Trailblazers) (Paperback)

A great read with a facinating mix of famous characters ranging from fiancial world to the political world from the 1940s to the 1970s. The book offers great gossip about New York society as well as the wheeling and dealings of the M&A world. Mr. Meyer is portrayed as a strong, determined and respected man who was certainly not saint but the author offers a truthful perspective. The book is a easy read, and focuses on Meyer's business and personal relationships rather than heavy finacial jargon. It's a great read, I couldn't put it down.