Book Description
A grand and revelatory portrait of Wall Street’s most storied investment bank
Wall Street investment banks move trillions of dollars a year, make billions in fees, pay their executives in the tens of millions of dollars. But even among the most powerful firms, Lazard Frères & Co. stood apart. Discretion, secrecy, and subtle strategy were its weapons of choice. For more than a century, the mystique and reputation of the "Great Men" who worked there allowed the firm to garner unimaginable profits, social cachet, and outsized influence in the halls of power. But in the mid-1980s, their titanic egos started getting in the way, and the Great Men of Lazard jeopardized all they had built.
William D. Cohan, himself a former high-level Wall Street banker, takes the reader into the mysterious and secretive world of Lazard and presents a compelling portrait of Wall Street through the tumultuous history of this exalted and fascinating company. Cohan deconstructs the explosive feuds between Felix Rohatyn and Steve Rattner, superstar investment bankers and pillars of New York society, and between the man who controlled Lazard, the inscrutable French billionaire Michel David-Weill, and his chosen successor, Bruce Wasserstein.
Cohan follows Felix, the consummate adviser, as he reshapes corporate America in the 1970s and 1980s, saves New York City from bankruptcy, and positions himself in New York society and in Washington. Felix’s dreams are dashed after the arrival of Steve, a formidable and ambitious former newspaper reporter. By the mid-1990s, as Lazard neared its 150th anniversary, Steve and Felix were feuding openly.
The internal strife caused by their arguments could not be solved by the imperious Michel, whose manipulative tendencies served only to exacerbate the trouble within the firm. Increasingly desperate, Michel took the unprecedented step of relinquishing operational control of Lazard to one of the few Great Men still around, Bruce Wasserstein, then fresh from selling his own M&A boutique, for $1.4 billion. Bruce’s take: more than $600 million. But it turned out Great Man Bruce had snookered Great Man Michel when the Frenchman was at his most vulnerable.
The LastTycoons is a tale of vaulting ambitions, whispered advice, worldly mistresses, fabulous art collections, and enormous wealth—a story of high drama in the world of high finance.
Customer Reviews:
Oh, the memories.......2007-07-27
This book brought back so many memories of the time (late eighties/early nineties) and place. Looking back while reading this book, I realize how much I learned about people and industry while working in investment
banking (albeit a bit remotely) in NYC in those years. The level of detail
that Bill Cohan brings to the topic of Lazard is noteworthy. It's a fun
read for insiders and non-insiders alike. I hope things are better for
women now - my daughter wants to be an investment banker when she grows up!
A great book for "warped" people (like myself)!.......2007-06-11
660+ pages about the 150+ year history of Lazard Feres might put most people to sleep. Not me! As someone who actually likes this stuff, I found this book fascinating. The history of big money and finance is actually one of big personalties, and this book gives an inside look at several of the major players. Although tedious at times to read, I made it through the entire book in a couple of days. The most fascinating part of the entire story is simply that money at the levels discussed in this book doesn't seem real--most people could never fathom how corporate finance is conducted. I recommend this book to anyone interested in the subject of investment banking, especially those considering a career in that arena.
Long but worth it.......2007-05-30
extremely long, but it gives you a great description of how an organization rises and falls with the times and the great men who are at the wheel.
Destined to be a Classic.......2007-05-24
Cohan has brought to life a vivid and spellbinding tale of the legendary giants in the investment banking field (Meyer, Rohatyn, David-Weill, Rattner, and Wasserstein) at Lazard, offering a compelling and revealing portrait of the relentless personalities that invented, dominated and defined the last few decades of M&A banking. At the same time, The Last Tycoons is, at its core, a saga of ambition, egotism, greed, vanity and pride of Shakespearean proportions played out on the grand stage of corporate takeovers and national politics.
What emerges is not a noble picture of what these ostensibly "Great Men" purported themselves to be. Instead, it is apparent that at Lazard, the black arts of power and greed were the currency used to exhort and extort men of high ambition and intellect to achieve stature and enormous fees. The long shadow of Andre Meyer (unquestionably a Sith Lord) looms over the Lazard partnership and his protégés and successors, Felix Rohatyn and Michel David-Weill. Meyer was a brilliant financier with no peer with the exception of Bruce Wasserstein and it's fitting and deserving that the story of Lazard begins and ends with these two men. In between, Michel and Felix weave a complex and fascinating legacy of fear and loathing in the intervening decades.
For bankers and professionals in the field, Cohan's detail and emotional and psychological nuances will be tantalizing and relevant. For those aspiring to enter the field, it's a cautionary tale - it's very hard to play on the big stage on Wall St without darkening your soul. This story is destined to be a Classic amongst Barbarians and Den of Thieves
barbarians at the gates of central park .......2007-05-19
maybe the first casualty of wealth is self-knowledge. that is the takeaway from William Cohan's fine history of the fabled lazard freres banking house. in these pages we watch titans of finance gloat and preen while their castle crumbles from corruption and mismanagement.
Its a terrific story peopled with fascinating characters. who wouldn't, after reading this book, want to dine with the formidable felix rohatyn. He fled the Nazis as a boy, rescued New York from financial ruin and ditched Lazard at just the right moment to serve the nation as Bill Clinton's Ambassador to France. His intellect and achievement dominate the book, just as Felix dominated wall street for a generation. His departure from the firm caps the end of "the great man" era in investment banking. In Rohatyn's day only a select handful of wise men could be trusted to guide transactions. Nowadays all you need is armani and a spread sheet.
Even as he maps the tectonic movement in investment banking, Cohan keeps it light with plenty of well-researched dish on criminal investigations, love affairs, fabulous art collections, New Yorkana and the occasional drop to earth by some of Lazard's wax-winged partners. I closed the book -- a whopping 750 pp's -- edified and thoroughly entertained.
Average customer rating:
- Popcorn
- good book, although not Stone Barrington's best
- Reminds me of an old 1940's mystery writer with voluptous women and lots of sex!!
- What a stinker!
- not any more
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Fresh Disasters (Stone Barrington Novels)
Stuart Woods
Manufacturer: Putnam Adult
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ASIN: 0399154108
Release Date: 2007-04-10 |
Book Description
With Dark Harbor, Stuart Woods proved yet again that he is the master of the popular crime novel. Now he outdoes himself with the newest addition to the series.
Stone Barrington embarks on his most dangerous adventure yet when he takes on a job as a lawyer for a sleazy and clueless con man-and ends up getting embroiled in the underworld of the New York mafia. It started out as just another late night at Elaine's, where Stone was eating a porterhouse steak and enjoying the company of his friends. But when Herbie Fisher, a notoriously not-so-sharp swindler, walked in, the pleasant atmosphere turned to ice.
Herbie convinces Bill Eggers, the managing partner of Woodman & Weld, to sign him on as a client-with the goal of taking down the infamous mafia boss Carmine Datilla. And even though Stone doesn't want to have anything to do with Herbie-or the mafia, for that matter-he is soon coerced into being Herbie's lawyer.
With the help of his ex-partner, Dino, Stone investigates "Datilla the Hun," and the rest of the mob family, encountering intrigue and danger at every turn. Will Stone finally take a stand, or will he end up at the bottom of Sheepshead Bay?
With the swift action, razor-sharp characters, and crackling dialogue that are Stuart Woods's hallmarks, Fresh Disasters is Woods at the very height of his storytelling powers.
Customer Reviews:
Popcorn.......2007-10-02
Like a big bowl of popcorn, this installment of the adventures of Stone Barrington delivers a lot of fun without much real substance. Since I don't read mysteries for substance it delivers exactly what I wanted. A fun fast paced read, with some of my favorite characters. All in all a good time.
good book, although not Stone Barrington's best.......2007-09-28
Good book, entertaining read. Maybe I've just read too many Stone Barrington stories, but this one made Stone into a superman, and everything was a little too coincidental and convenient. For this, I give the book 4 stars, not the usual 5.
Reminds me of an old 1940's mystery writer with voluptous women and lots of sex!!.......2007-09-22
Stuart Woods has gotten progressively redundant with Stone Barrington's sexual escapades in his books. Although I don't mind a little sex in them, too much is very distracting from the mystery. Maybe, he should start writing Harlequin romances!! I doubt that I will read any more of the Barrington books even though they used to be my favorites. It's just a little too trashy for my taste. Guess I will stick with Follett or DeMille for real excitement.
What a stinker!.......2007-09-16
Stuart Woods used to be a favorite author of mine, but his latest book, FRESH DISASTERS, is so poorly written I found myself skimming over most of it just to finish it. The dialogue is juvenile, characters goofy, and the events in the book defy belief. Mr. Woods must have churned it out in one day, if it even took that long to construct. How sad to see such a poor quality read delivered by an author of Mr. Woods reputation. Don't waste your time, or your money... this book is a "Fresh Disaster" of its own.
not any more.......2007-08-28
This once awesome author may want to RETIRE. He has completely lost his skills of storytelling and character developement. The last few books have been an effort to read even though I have been a serious fan from the first book. I will be buying no more and suggest if a tree has to give its gifts for books the public support a real author!
Book Description
John J. Murphy has now updated his landmark bestseller Technical Analysis of the Futures Markets, to include all of the financial markets.
"If one could read only one book on technical analysis, this should be the one." --Knight-Ridder Financial Products and News (on the first edition, Technical Analysis of the Futures Markets, 0-13-898008-X)
This outstanding reference has already taught thousands of traders the concepts of technical analysis and their application in the futures and stock markets. Covering the latest developments in computer technology, technical tools, and indicators, the second edition features new material on candlestick charting, intermarket relationships, stocks and stock rotation, plus state-of-the-art examples and figures. From how to read charts to understanding indicators and the crucial role technical analysis plays in investing, readers gain a thorough and accessible overview of the field of technical analysis, with a special emphasis on futures markets. Revised and expanded for the demands of today's financial world, this book is essential reading for anyone interested in tracking and analyzing market behavior.
"One way to get started in technical analysis is to read a good book on the subject. One of my favorites is Technical Analysis of the Financial Markets: A Comprehensive Guide to Trading Methods and Applications by John J. Murphy. It's an easy read." Ralph J. Acampora, CMT, Managing Director, Prudential Securities Inc.
Customer Reviews:
Reference.......2007-08-13
If you use the charts to look for trades, you have to buy this book. It's an awesome reference for charting.
Good Even for a Random Walker.......2007-07-22
This book is a very well written introduction to the Technical Analysis of the financial markets. It covers a lot of ground and for a text book style layout, it is surprisingly easy to read. Murphy starts with a solid introduction including the philosophy of technical analysis and a defense against the criticisms from academics and followers of the Random Walk Theory. The meat of the book is a comprehensive treatment of the core components of technical analysis including Trendlines, Reversal and Continuation Patterns, Moving Averages, and Oscillators. The author continues to dig deeper with Point & Figure Charts, Japanese Candlesticks, and Eliott Wave Theory.
As a big fan of Malkiel's "Random Walk Down Wall Street," I started reading this book with some healthy skepticism. While I was not converted to the chartist's philosophy, I felt like I did pick up some tools that could still be useful in a buy-and-hold strategy.
Everything a beginner needs to know.......2007-07-07
John Murphy's book explains nearly everything anyone who is looking to understand the technical side of the market could ask for.
PROS: Easy to follow. Starts from the ground up into the complicated stuff. Feels like a year's worth of college courses finished in a few weeks time. This is far and away the best overall stock book I've read to date. I'm making money now!
CONS: Spends a bit too much time on futures trading (for which the book was originally written) Doesn't get far enough into how much time should lapse as a pattern unfolds. Doesn't get much into the psychology of the trader's mind. Somewhat outdated on computer advances (not a big deal)
Classic Technical Analysis Book.......2007-06-28
I received 4 copies of this book during my course work at the NYIF, its an excellent referance manual for anyone applying Technical Analysis to the financial markets.
Excellent introduction to TA - an easy read.......2007-06-27
This is the first book I bought on TA and, honestly, it looked intimidating. It's not. Open it up and it reads cover to cover very quickly. Not too technical - not too basic. Just right. This is an excellent introduction to technical analysis: easy to read language, large print, nice heavy bright white pages. Oh, and the content is excellent as well: worded well, good organization, understandable examples and illustrations.
Average customer rating:
- short but sweet
- Better and Better
- Another Excellent "In Death" Book
- jd robb
- Great Series
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Innocent in Death
J.D. Robb
Manufacturer: Putnam Adult
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ASIN: 0399154019
Release Date: 2007-02-20 |
Book Description
The phenomenal series set in a future New York City returns as NYPSD Lt. Eve Dallas hunts for the killer of a seemingly ordinary history teacher-and uncovers some extraordinary surprises. Craig Foster's death devastated his young wife, who'd sent him to work that day with a lovingly packed lunch. It shocked his colleagues at the private school, too, and as for the ten-year-old girls who found him in his classroom in a pool of bodily fluids-they may have been traumatized for life.
Eve soon determines that Foster's homemade lunch was tainted with deadly ricin, and that Mr. Foster's colleagues have some startling secrets of their own. It's Eve's job to sort it out- and discover why someone would have done this to a man who seemed so inoffensive, so pleasant . . . so innocent.
Now Magdalena Percell . . . there's someone Eve can picture as a murder victim. Possibly at Eve's own hands. The slinky blonde-an old flame of her billionaire husband, Roarke-has arrived in New York, and she's anything but innocent. Roarke seems blind to Magdalena's manipulation, and he insists that the occasional lunch or business meeting with her is nothing to worry about . . . and none of Eve's business. Eve's so unnerved by the situation that she finds it hard to focus on her case. Still, she'll have to put aside her feelings, for a while at least-because another man has just turned up dead.
Eve knows all too well that innocence can be a faade. Keeping that in mind may help her solve this case at last. But it may also tear apart her marriage.
Customer Reviews:
short but sweet.......2007-09-28
As always, J.D. Robb has created a fast paced mystery featuring our favorite murder cop, Eve Dallas and her deliciously sexy, wealthy husband, the inimitable Roark. Although Robb's focus on the single storyline omits the antics of some of this series's more colorful characters whom we have come to love, she retains the flavor of the "In Death" novels through the personalities of her main characters. "Interlude" is a must have to complete your "In Death" collection.
Better and Better.......2007-09-27
I've read just over half of the books in this series, and this was my favorite so far.
I think the relationship issues with Eve and Roarke were much more true to life than they have been in previous books. Don't get me wrong, I like the series alot, but sometimes the fights between them seemed to be just staged to get to the 'making up'. This book made their conflicts seem more real, and even knowning they'll get their 'happily ever after' in the end (they just have to!) there is some serious tension and tears! There was also more on the other characters this time around (and Summerset's shell cracks a little more)
Some reviews said that the ending was too predictable, but even though I thought I knew 'whodunit' I really couldn't quite believe it until reading the end!
Another Excellent "In Death" Book.......2007-09-27
This latest installment in the In Death series takes us into the minds of both Eve and Rourke. Throw in a murder at an exclusive private school and you have Innocent in Death. This book gets more into Eve and Rourke's relationship. Someone from Rourke's past comes to visit and Eve gets jealous. I really liked how in the end Rourke puts Maggie into her place. A right cross from Eve placed on Maggie's nose didn't help either.
My sister says the book has a predicitable ending. I did not see who the murderer was.....
jd robb.......2007-09-27
Absolutely love this series. Have read every book twice and can't wait for the next one to come out.
Great Series.......2007-09-26
A great book from a great series. How is it possible that this series just keeps getting better and better? Love that we're getting more into the emotional and intimate aspects of Roarke and Eve's relationship.
JD Robb/Nora Roberts is amazing!
Average customer rating:
- Worst I've read from him
- Not up to Patterson's standard
- Couldn't put down
- Is James Patterson back?
- "Could this get any more bizarre?"
|
The Quickie
James Patterson , and
Michael Ledwidge
Manufacturer: Little, Brown and Company
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Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 0316117366
Release Date: 2007-07-02 |
Book Description
Lauren Stillwell is not your average damsel in distress.
When the NYPD cop discovers her husband leaving a hotel with another woman, she decides to beat him at his own game. But her revenge goes dangerously awry, and she finds her world spiraling into a hell that becomes more terrifying by the hour. In a further twist of fate, Lauren must take on a job that threatens everything she stands for. Now, she's paralyzed by a deadly secret that could tear her life apart. With her job and marriage on the line, Lauren's desire for retribution becomes a lethal inferno as she fights to save her livelihood--and her life.
Patterson takes us on a twisting roller-coaster ride of thrills in his most gripping novel yet. This story of love, lust and dangerous secrets will have readers' hearts pounding to the very last page.
Customer Reviews:
Worst I've read from him.......2007-10-01
I have read basically all of Patterson's novels, and this one just
couldn't get me into it.
Not up to Patterson's standard.......2007-10-01
I'll be happy when Patterson starts to author his books by himself again..this book was interesting but it was Patterson in name only. And if you think I did not like this novel...let me tell you that "you've been warned" is worse.
Couldn't put down.......2007-10-01
There are tons of great reviews already. I just wanted to add that I couldn't put this book down. It was extremely suspenseful with tons of twists & turns. Lauren is extremely likable & a great character. Another excellent book by Patterson & Ledwidge!
Is James Patterson back?.......2007-10-01
Is James Patterson Back? Lately I have been skeptical when buying any of Patterson's books. While his books are great airport reads sometimes I wonder if he has run out of ideas. Quickie opens with NYPD detective, Lauren Stillwell going to Manhattan to surprise her husband for lunch, only to find him leaving with a statuesque blonde and heading into the St. Regis Hotel. Lauren is lamenting over her husband's apparent affair and her lack-luster marriage when a younger, attractive co-worker flirts with her. She finds it difficult to resist. But things begin to go wrong. I will not ruin the book for you but it is actually a good read by James Patterson.
"Could this get any more bizarre?".......2007-10-01
The phrase above, uttered by the main character, is exactly what I was thinking while reading this novel. It is fine to have a mystery with plenty of twists and turns, and surprises popping up and catching the reader off guard. But in this case I think that the authors just put together a storyline that lacks inherent logic and therefore damages the overall quality of the story. It kind of reminded me of Beach Road, a book that made me feel cheated by the end of it.
The story has to do with a marriage that is falling apart and the consequences of Lauren, the wife and main character, trying to get even by having an affair of her own. This one-night-stand ends up with a dead body and a whole array of repercussions that last throughout the novel. Here is also where the plot starts to go astray, since the decisions made by the main character are unreal, and the way in which many other characters get fooled is laughable. One question that came to my mind while reading this book was: Is it logical to have a character that always makes the wrong decision?
Besides the aforementioned issues with the plot, the fact that most characters are morally flawed may be a turn off for some people. It does not bother me all that much, but I know that some readers will find this unacceptable. On the plus side, if you are looking for a thrill, and do not care all that much about the internal logic of some of the leaps in the plot, this is a novel that will satisfy you.
Average customer rating:
- My favorite JR book yet!!!!
- I liked it
- NOT AS GOOD AS THE OTHERS
- Book 4 of The Black Dagger Brotherhood Depicts a Soulful Bond Between Brothers & Intense Romance Between the Leading Couple.
- Loved this book!
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Lover Revealed (Black Dagger Brotherhood, Book 4)
J.R. Ward
Manufacturer: Onyx
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No Rest for the Wicked (The Immortals After Dark, Book 2)
ASIN: 0451412354 |
Book Description
Butch O'Neal is a fighter by nature. A hard-living ex-homicide cop, he's the only human ever to be allowed in the inner circle of the Black Dagger Brotherhood. And he wants to go even deeper into the vampire world-to engage in the turf war with the lessers. His heart belongs to a female vampire, Marissa, an aristocratic beauty who's way out of his league. And if he can't have her, then at least he can fight side by side with the Brothers.
But fate curses him with the very thing he wants. When Butch sacrifices himself to save a civilian vampire from the slayers, he falls prey to the darkest force in the war. Left for dead, he's found by a miracle, and the Brotherhood calls on Marissa to bring him back, though even her love may not be enough to save him.
Customer Reviews:
My favorite JR book yet!!!!.......2007-10-02
I loved this book!!!! Butch is my all time favorite character (so far), I knew he would end up with Marissa. But the dynamics and intimacy between Butch and V was awesome, great, fantastic. I loved the way JR wrote the story and created that intimacy between the two guys without it being overtly sexual. I am so glad Marissa finally grew a back bone and stood up to her brother. I can't wait to read the next book in the series.
I liked it.......2007-09-30
I liked this book. Actually I have enjoyed all of the BDB books by JR Ward (1-4).
NOT AS GOOD AS THE OTHERS.......2007-09-25
THIS BOOK SHOULD HAVE BEEN ABOUT V AND BUTCH. THEY HAD THE BEST RELATIONSHIP. I WAS READING HOPING TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THEM. THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN BUTCH AND MARISSA DID NOT DO MUCH FOR ME. HAVING SAID THAT, I LIKED THE BOOK, CAN'T WAIT TO READ ABOUT V LOVE HIM
Book 4 of The Black Dagger Brotherhood Depicts a Soulful Bond Between Brothers & Intense Romance Between the Leading Couple........2007-09-21
Black Dagger Brotherhood Series (Definitely Read Them In Order!):
Dark Lover
Lover Eternal
Lover Awakened
Lover Revealed
Lover Unbound
If you have not been reading this series, be sure to start with the first book and follow the series from there. By the time you reach book 4, you've come to know all of the characters well. Each character has a distinct personality that stays the same from book to book. J.R. Ward keeps them consistent, so you are always glad to be reunited with "the guys". The continuing story is terrific. The bonds between the characters get deeper with each book.
In Book 4, "Lover Revealed", our hero is Butch. He's a man with a big heart, who will do anything to help out a friend. Because he is human, the brothers are very protective of his life. Butch loves his buddies, but he feels he is useless in their world. As an ex- cop, Butch needs to be in the battle. He has been in love with a vampire female, Marissa, for months. With his heart broken over her, Butch feels he has nothing to lose if he is killed.
While attempting to save civilians from enemy slayers, Butch is captured, taken prisoner, tortured, and left for dead. His roommate and best friend, "Vishous", is the only one with the means to find him. The evil enemies have put a poison in Butch's body. Vishous will use his gifts to heal Butch, and he will do all he can to reunite Butch with Marissa. Fierce loyalty and trust between Butch and Vishous make it possible for Butch's dreams to come true. However, the means for making those dreams happen could also cause Butch's death.
Marissa has been cast out by her family. With no place to go, The Brotherhood offers her shelter. When the love between Marissa and Butch intensifies, she begs him not to take part in the war with the brothers' enemies. Butch is devastated. He has to choose between the woman he loves, and the only true family he has ever had. His bond with Marissa is soul- deep, but his love for his brothers and his chance to make a real future for himself are worth any price.
Keeping with the trend of this series, "Lover Revealed" is exquisitely romantic. The love scenes are intense, and the ties between the leading couple are binding. The brothers are loyal to each other, and to Butch, without fail.
Ward writes her characters with personalities that are funny, direct, realistic, and moving. They seem like the kind of men you could meet in everyday life. They pick on each other in good natured teasing, as real brothers tend to, and they back one another as real brothers would. I genuinely like these guys. That makes the books addicting.
Also in this edition:
John's story is continued. Vishous's character plays a major role, preparing readers for his story in the next edition. Mr X is back, but he has a new and surprising scheme.
Loved this book!.......2007-09-20
I wasn't crazy about having a book about Butch, but it's so central to the whole BDB series that I ended up loving it. My favorite part is the close relationship between Butch and V, and am dying for V's story to come out next week!
Customer Reviews:
The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly.......2007-09-30
The Good - the Emperor's Children is a moving tale about a select group of people in New York in 2001. It skillfully intertwines their lives, giving the reader an insight into a lifestyle that is unknown to most of us. This keeps the book moving and keeps the reader's interest.
The Bad - The writing style was very disconcerting and, at times, difficult to follow. The use of, in the case of this book - should the reader decide to tackle it, commas and dashes made following the train of thought very cumbersome at times.
The Ugly - The characters were almost all totally unappealing. Most were Ivy League graduates who were so self-centered that they became totally repulsive. For me, this makes the book rather unpleasant to read. It would have been nice if at least one of the major characters, with the possible exception of Bootie, was even marginally sympathetic.
Generally a waste of time.......2007-09-26
I have to agree with all the posters who question why this book was rated so highly by so many critics. It just wasn't enjoyable to read, plain and simple. Excessively long sentences that in actuality said very little, annoying characters that experienced zero growth over the entire 500 pages, and no sense of plot. But I will say Messud certainly has a talent for being able to use more commas than words. I finished it because I kept waiting for the book to become interesting, but sadly that never happened. Not worth the time.
Goodbye to all that.......2007-09-24
The year is 2001, and the month is March, so the characters in "The Emperor's Children" aren't aware that their lives won't be in the same in six months. Had they had the ability to foresee the future would they act differently? Would Marina work harder in her book? Or Danielle, not have an affair with the father of her best friend? Would have Bootie moved to New York? So many questions, so much speculation.
Since she can't tell what they would do, but what they did, writer Claire Messud keeps her two feet on the ground in her latest novel "The Emperor's Children". She is an author of amazing skills to bring to life her characters - only one of them is not thoroughly developed, but that doesn't diminish the quality of this novel.
If the narrative begins as an interesting comedy of manners, as the year passes times become darker, and lives, sadder - and "The Emperor's Children" deeper and deeper. At its core, this is a novel about our times, about what people have become, or how they lost their dreams and souls in order to achieve a higher ground.
Was it worthy it? Messud is not interested in bringing simples answers, not even leading readers to find them. This is a device that makes the reading of "The Emperor's Children" a
Overgrown senses of entitlement.......2007-09-21
I am in the process of reading this book. It's funny - it's almost more satisfying to read the heated debates between the praisers and detractors than to actually read the book. I must say the point is that the characters are self-absorbed, self-righteous and have overgrown senses of entitlement. At the same time, Messud delicately reveals how many adults never shed certain 'childish' insecurities. The characters' thought streams enhance the reader's ablility to emphasize with them. Even though I think the characters need to grow up, I enjoy seeing the world through their eyes with Messud's sharp style.
a bore............2007-09-17
I'm trying very hard to finish reading this book but -oh my god- is it bad. The writer tries so hard to be clever but it ends up being pompous and over-inflated with it's own importance. Blech... I have to physically put the book down everytime I read certain passages it's so nauseating. And this book was on every critic's list of a have to read book? My, my....
Average customer rating:
- What an interesting philosophical dissertation
- Way Too Much To Think About Sometimes....
- Eating oysters with boxing gloves, naked, on the nth floor.
- best koolhaas ever, man
- the culture of congestion
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Delirious New York: A Retroactive Manifesto for Manhattan
Rem Koolhaas
Manufacturer: Monacelli
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ASIN: 1885254008 |
Amazon.com
In this fanciful volume, Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas, founder of the Office for Metropolitan Architecture (O.M.A.), both analyzes and celebrates New York City. By suggesting the city as the site for an infinite variety of human activities and events--both real and imagined--the essence of the metropolitan lifestyle, its "culture of congestion" and its architecture are revealed in a brilliant new light. "Manhattan," Koolhaas writes, "is the 20th century's Rosetta stone . . . occupied by architectural mutations (Central Park, the Skyscraper), utopian fragments (Rockefeller Center, the U.N. Building), and irrational phenomena (Radio City Music Hall)." Filled with fascinating facts, as well as photographs, postcards, maps, watercolors, and drawings, the vibrancy of Koolhaas's poignant exploration of Gotham equals the heady, frenetic energy of the city itself. Anyone who loves New York will want to own this book.
Customer Reviews:
What an interesting philosophical dissertation.......2007-02-05
through the exhaustive historiography of the phases of congestion coney island brought to manhattan, koolhaas provides a rather cynical view of the Grid as being an ulimatley neutral zoning system of constraining ideas that represent the continual decline of a phantastically realistic civilization, represented as mutated symbols of architecture in the "void" of repeated "pregnancies."
it's really well written. funny. uses, like above, a somewhat inefficient vocabulary but remains in the same vein throughout. it is also a graphic design hubris consuming every page, even the left-justified text, showing off koolhaas's interpretation of the importance to combine scholarship and marketing.
buy it. it's a very good book.
Way Too Much To Think About Sometimes.... .......2006-11-09
A very inventive concept of New York's "culture of congestion" and how people are affected by the architecture they create. It is heavily researched and exhaustive, and after pretty much the third page I agreed with his concept of NY being "totally fabricated by man". What could of been a fascinating article becomes a spastic, heavy-handed read with a sledgehammer effect to your brain. (However,for those of us reading it for school, there are plenty of pictures that fill up the almost devastatingly vast 300+pages quickly.) It will scramble your brain with its thousands of nearly bumper-stickerish statements ("It hides life." "The Mountain MUST become architecture.") written with pretentious glee. However, I believe an independent scientific study has concluded that when pretending to read this book on the train people around you will assume your IQ is 40% higher than truth.
Eating oysters with boxing gloves, naked, on the nth floor........2005-05-25
The quote written above is excerpted from Delirious New York. It is a perfect example of the lyrical quality of the writing prevalent throughout this amazing book. Delirious New York is not an objective chronological listing of New York's development, but a collection of manifestos and stories with opinionated perspectives about a city founded on the idea that maximum congestion is a desirable factor. It is informative, funny (the midget firefighters of Coney Island had me laughing aloud for a solid minute or two), twisted, and inspiring.
Rem Koolhaas is edgier and far more interesting literary figure in architecture than say, Le Corbusier. Koolhaas's analytical yet shockingly refreshing writing style is a blessing for architecture, since he stays away from academic incoherent writing style that most architectural historians and architects tend to employ.
Get a copy of this book if eclectic (and at times disturbing) tales of architecture and urban development is something you think you will enjoy.
best koolhaas ever, man.......2004-01-30
koolhaas is a bit over-the-top for me, but this I think is is best work. it's worth checking out if only for the story of coney island. once you get past blisteringly pretentious phrases like "coney island is a fetal manhattan", you'll find it gloriously entertaining as both a narrative and theoretical work.
the culture of congestion.......2002-12-24
This is by far Koolhaas's most accessible work, as it is rooted so clearly in detail from the city's past. Further, the book is simply brilliant. His take on urban history is to Jane Jacobs what Socrates is to common sense. New York is a special case of modernism that sprang from a special constellation of poltiical and technological forces that collectively create a cultural "big-bang" at the turn of the century. Read it. Blow your mind.
Book Description
Wicked is not just a musical, it is a phenomenon. Every week 15,000 people pack New Yorks Gershwin Theatre to see the show. The most successful musical on Broadway in 2004, Wicked is based on the bestselling novel of the same name by Gregory Maguire. It tells the story of Elphaba, the headstrong Wicked Witch of the West, and Glinda, the good witch, growing up in the Land of Oz. The show has cast a spell on fans, many of whom return for second and third viewings. In 2005, the show begins an extensive tour across the United States and Canada, hitting major cities such as Toronto, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Washington, D.C., and many more. This beautifully packaged, whimsical keepsake is designed to resemble the Grimmerie, an ancient book of spells that Elphaba uses in the show. Wicked: The Grimmerie offers fans a behind-the-curtains peek at the musical, profiles of the cast and creative team, and inside stories, with full-color photographs throughout. Some of the irresistible special features include an Ozian glossary, spells, the shows libretto, an illustrated family tree, and a step-by-step look at how Elphaba gets green before each showeverything fans need to relive the Broadway experience day after day.
Customer Reviews:
Wickedly Wonderful.......2007-09-28
This is a totally wonderful book. The look, the feel, the photos....every Wicked fan will want this. Simply gorgeous.
Great keepsake of popular musical production.......2007-09-10
This is a wonderful souvenir for WICKED fans of any production. It would also be a great pre-viewing gift for anyone who has yet to see the innovative musical "prequel" to THE WIZARD OF OZ.
The Grimmerie.......2007-08-15
After just having seen "Wicked" performed live on stage, this is the perfect companion to relive the experience.
WICKED SMASH .......2007-08-13
The book was awesome and very detailed with the making of the stage play and its bio of the characters. I would highly recommend this book.
Very good!.......2007-08-01
Full libretto, huge pictures, a history of "the Wizard of Oz" from concept to book series to musical to movie... more info than I was even hoping for on "Wicked." It's a LOT like the "Rent" book, if you've seen that.
Amazon.com
Fans of Augusten Burroughs's darkly funny memoir Running with Scissors were left wondering at the end of that book what would become of young Augusten after his squalid and fascinating childhood ended. In Dry, we find that although adult Augusten is doing well professionally, earning a handsome living as an ad writer for a top New York agency, Burroughs's personal life is a disaster. His apartment is a sea of empty Dewar's bottles, he stays out all night boozing, and he dabs cologne on his tongue in an unsuccessful attempt to mask the stench of alcohol on his breath at work. When his employer insists he seek help, Burroughs ships out to Minnesota for detoxification, counseling, and amusingly told anecdotes about the use of stuffed animals in group therapy. But after a month of such treatment, he's back in Manhattan and tenuously sober. And while its one thing to lay off the sauce in rehab, Burroughs learns that it's quite another to resume your former life while avoiding the alcohol that your former life was based around. This quest to remain sober is made dramatically more difficult, and the tale more harrowing, when Burroughs begins an ill-advised romance with a crack addict. Certainly the "recovered alcoholic fighting to stay sober" tale is not new territory for a memoirist. But Burroughs's account transcends clichés: it doesn't adhere to the traditional "temptation narrowly resisted" storyline and it features, in Burroughs himself, a central character that is sympathetic even when he's neither likable nor admirable. But what ultimately makes this memoir such a terrific read is a brilliant and candid sense of humor that manages to stay dry even when recalling events where the author was anything but. --John Moe
Book Description
From the bestselling author of Running with Scissors comes Dry-the hilarious, moving, and no less bizarre account of what happened next You may not know it, but you've met Augusten Burroughs. You've seen him on the street, in bars, on the subway, at restaurants: a twenty-something guy, nice suit, works in advertising. Regular. Ordinary. But when the ordinary person had to drinks, Augusten was circling the drain by having twelve; when the ordinary person went home at midnight, Augusten never went home at all. Loud, distracting ties, automated wake-up calls, and cologne on the tongue could only hide so much for so long. At the request (well, it wasn't really a request) of his employers, Augusten landed in rehab, where his dreams of group therapy with Robert Downey, Jr., are immediately dashed by the grim reality of fluorescent lighting and paper hospital slippers. But when Augusten is forced to examine himself, something actually starts to click, and that's when he finds himself in the worst trouble of all. Because when his thirty days are up, he has to return to his same drunken Manhattan lifeand live it sober. What follows is a memoir that's as moving as it is funny, as heartbreaking as it is real. Dry is the story of love, loss, and Starbucks as a higher power.
Customer Reviews:
Non-stop Craziness and Humor--Incredible!.......2007-09-20
Wow. How to write a review of this book...Augusten Burroughs' sense of humor and ability to take his life experiences and weave them into stories that are engaging, entertaining and at times a bit disturbing is absolutely incredible.
His style of writing and revealing of clips of his life endear the reader to him. I could not put down the book and I was truly sad when I read the very last word on the very last page. I wanted more of Augusten, I was hooked. I went out the next day and bought another one of his engaging pseudo-biographical book and devoured that in a day or two as well.
Augusten Burroughs has a gift and I am so very glad he chose the medium in which he did to share it with the world.
Augusten, if you are out there, I just want to say thank you for finding the motivation and determination to publish your stories. You are truly and inspiration and your words have touched me. Thank you.
Hilarious, horrifying, can't-put-it-down reading.......2007-09-16
This is a fantastic book, marvelously written, at once funny, bittersweet, terrifying and can't-put-it-down suspenseful. A memoir with the drama and emotional clutch of a novel. And written in a clean, clear, highly readable style that simply pulls you through the pages.
If you've read his earlier acclaimed memoir RUNNING WITH SCISSORS, then you know you have to find out what happened to that brilliant, warped boy after he survived his hellish loony-bin childhood and stumbled into adulthood. If you haven't read RUNNING WITH SCISSORS, feel free to start with this one -- it stands on its own. If you read DRY first, you'll run to grab RUNNING WITH SCISSORS. I greatly prefer DRY to SCISSORS, myself, and I thought that was a fine book.
DRY is that rare book that will save lives and bring great joy and insight into the lives of many people who read it. I came away loving Burroughs, and looking into my own life and wondering what I'm failing to do right and who I'm failing to love and appreciate. And being grateful to be alive.
But, hey, don't let that stop you. This is no tract. Trust me, it's huge fun and a great read.
Dry review.......2007-08-31
After having read Running with Scissors, which was recommended to me by a close friend, I became fairly obsessed with the work of Augusten Burroughs. The moment I had finished, I ran to the nearest bookstore to scour over all the other memoirs, novels, and collections of short stories that he had written. After reviewing a somewhat extensive selection of his books, I ended up selecting Dry, the sequel to Running with Scissors, to be my next endeavor. I felt a powerful need to pick up where his previous book had left off.
This book was morbidly humorous to the point where I had to stop reading it in public because I could not contain my spontaneous bursts of laughter. Augusten Burroughs' life has been so astounding that it almost makes the reader question his validity. He begins living on his own at the age of nineteen, having had no education past the seventh grade. However with the somewhat unnatural charm he possesses, he is able to walk into an advertising agency from off the street and talk his way into being hired on the spot. He soon becomes one of the agency's most valued advertising representatives with the worst substance abuse problem.
Augusten uses alcohol, cocaine, and crack to numb himself from the pain of his past and present. After falling into a state of squalor, which involved drinking two bottles of scotch a night and urinating repetitively in his bed, his friends decide to step in. Augusten is sent to a gay-friendly rehabilitation center where he is forced to deal with the unconventional upbringing that left him so unstable as well as the fight of a loved one against aids. After rehab Augusten must struggle to redefine his life in terms of sobriety and adapt to this drastic change. He gives a great effort to find a balance between work and leisure which excludes the stresses that caused him to turn to substances, while still dealing with certain issues that he cannot escape.
This book is utterly incredible. My only disappointment was that it had to end. Augusten Burroughs wrote this memoir to expose to his readers how bad life can get. He also intended to send the hopeful message that no matter how difficult things become, life can always get better. Dry shows the reader that no matter what their current situation may be, if they have the intrinsic motivation, they can always improve upon it. This memoir leaves the reader both motivated and comfortably optimistic. It is a tragic yet satisfying tale of a young mans life.
Burroughs has a natural gift for captivating the reader entirely by completely exposing himself. He is ashamed of nothing and embraces his flaws. He spares no details of when he hit rock bottom for it shows how far he had to come and how much of an accomplishment it was. Anyone who reads this is sure to fall instantaneously in love with the author for his wit, determination, and imperfections.
Book was fairly interesting.......2007-08-30
I read this book fairly fast..it must be pretty good book to read it as fast as I did..
Fantastic .......2007-08-25
Dry is a brutally honest account of a man's personal struggle to overcome demons imposed on him by life. Burroughs is a terrific writer and keeps you hooked until the end. It took me only two days to read the book because I couldn't put it down. Personal and powerful I would recommend it to anyone.
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