Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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64 of 71 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A Classic Look at the Inside of Milken's World, December 6, 2000
This book, "Barbarians at the Gate" by Burrough and Helvar, and "Den of Thieves" by Stewart fully depict the defining events of Wall Street in the 1980's. Of this triumvirate, Ms. Connie Bruck's book is the only one that is more read than reported (both "Barbarians" and "Thieves" were written by WSJ reporters), and it really delves into the personal lives and backgrounds of the major players at Drexel. In reading this text you are provided with a full description and understanding of Milken and the driving forces behind the firm, above all, you understand the trap he worked himself into through his own success and how he wound up victimized by the financial system that he worked within.My version of the text is labeled on the front cover as, "The Book Wall Street Couldn't Stop," in reference to attempts to prevent its publishing. I believe that those persons that wanted to do so are now content with their failure, as the book does a good job of explaining the brilliance of Milken, the market that he created and nurtured, and the catch-22 that led to his criminilization. As someone who works in banking, it is awe-inspiring to read the descriptions of Milken's deal-making capabilities and strategies, and at the same point disappointing to see how he slipped from operating in shades of grey to areas of wanting morals. The author does a very good job of illustrating the power Milken had within Drexel, how his office on the West Coast went from being a backwater to accounting for the bulk of the firms revenue, and how Milken's subsequent removal left Drexel crippled past the point of healing. The inter-office dynamics that Ms. Bruck writes on are present everywhere, but it is difficult to imagine anywhere that they are seen in such extremes. I highly recommend this book.
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25 of 26 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A groundbreaking book in its day. One that is still great, February 14, 2003
This book was the first real insight into the world of junk bonds, Drexel Burham Lambert and what an important role they played in the business world. Written at a time when Drexel was at its peak, it was a groundbreaking, highly acclaimed book.Connie Bruck ranks along with Joe Nocera as one of the world's best business writers. This book is tremendously readable and gives a balanced but insightful look at Michael Milken. I came away from the book with the idea that Milken was a genius who earned his great fortune with 18 hour work days. and I still believe he had a tremendous and positive contribution to the world. the Some of my friends came away from the book with the idea that Milken was a horrible human being who was ruining the country. The beauty of the book is that it you can read it and draw your own conclusions rather than a writer's preconceived ideas. Buy it and read it again. It is worth always owning. Don McNay...
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15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Good and important reading but indiscerned writer, May 23, 1999
Predators ball by Connie Bruck is a recommended reading for the already discerned person, who has some knowledge of the real Milken story. Bruck makes it clear how much her contempt for Milken and "his" Drexel company is, and yet she does not fail to point out the great achievement he made viable : giving capital to companies that had been previously disclosed from any kind of lending ability. Her contempt for Milken and his working style is so deep, that she blames him of faults that have never been the cause of accusations against him, neither publicly nor through the DA or State attorneys. This is in particular sad, since up to a certain point she discovers the good sides of the Drexel revolution, but for example the fact that Drexel admiettedly rendered callgirls to its top customers at the socalled predators balls in LA makes in her mind every punishment acceptable and worth the effort. Although the afterword was written long after the indictment and abjudication of Milken, the author does not invoke the causes of Milkens sentence, which were merely political and not based on a real assumption of the commitment of a crime. It should have come to the mind of any author, that a sentence that starts with the words "You have been the cause of the greedy century" is not a acceptable reasoning in legal terms, rather a description of contempt spurred by the sudden revelation of an extraordi- narily high salary. So we have to blame the author not only there but also in other areas of poor journalism; a book, on a living person in particular, should be based on facts rather than gossip of clients trying to get their heads out of the scaffold and prosecutors trying to wrench out a candidature for president of the prosecution of a single man. Mrs Brook has undoubtedly written the first book on Milken, however it should be the first to get out of print unless she rewrites the important conclusion on the persons described. Dr. Rudolf C. King CEO, princeandprince.com Ltd Owner of HouseOfCommerce Indonesia HouseOfCommerce@ibm.net Munich Germany
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