Editorial Review

For her six years as CEO of technology giant Hewlett-Packard, Carly Fiorina was one of the most public faces in business, consistently chosen as the most powerful woman in corporate America. But after being ousted by the HP board of directors in early 2005, she stepped away from the spotlight. She returns to the public eye with her new memoir, Read more

Reviews (25)

Wonderful Book
I had very little knowledge of Carly and her time at HP prior to reading her book.I picked it up because I had the opportunity to hear her speak at a convention in Las Vegas and I was very impressed.This book really was enjoyable from page 1 all the way through the end.Many may disagree with her style and candidness, but I found great inspiration in this book.It is well written (a page turner)!!Pick it up, you won't regret it or put it down!

No self-awareness here
Carly is a talented executive who made some big mistakes at HP. She could learn from them and move on to be a great executive, but she doesn't appear willing to acknowledge her mistakes, much less learn from them. She throws a lot of blame around in this book seems blinded by her own arrogance. I personally hate when people talk about making "tough choices" as if it shows gutsiness, or proves character. I'd rather hear some discussion about making correct choices, or informed choices. Since Carly is reported to be considering a run for office, this arrogance and disinclination to accept responsibility or blame for bad choices, should be kept in mind.

An excellent biography
This book is much, much more than the story of corporate greed and corruption at the Board of Dirctor's level.This is a very interesting and easy to read story of one peron's life as she earned her way from secretary to Chairman and CEO of one of the world's largest and most powerful companies. I highly recommend this book as a biography, not just a tell-all on corporate scandal. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Biography    2. Biography & Autobiography    3. Biography / Autobiography    4. Biography/Autobiography    5. Business    6. Fiorina, Carly    7. History Of Specific Companies    8. Leadership    9. Personal Memoirs    10. United States    11. Women    12. Women executives    13. Biography & Autobiography / Personal Memoirs   

Reviews (12)

the nice guy finaly finishes first
I just read the book iWoz. If you are a Mac-head, or just a computer geek who is intrigued by the origins of the PC industry, thisbook is definately a must-read. It gives a great, human approach to the subject of Steve Wozniak, inventor, and the people in his life who helped draw him out and create the Apple I, the computer that really signified the true arrival of small, affordable computers for the masses. The prose is written in a very informal and relaxed style, as if Steve is sitting across from you and telling you his story himself. I found it very engaging. I am a very tough critic, but this is definately a book I will read again.

Gives you a great sense of the Woz.
This is an excellent book about a truly interesting and innovative man. It provides real insight into his work, his style and his personality. I had the pleasure of seeing Steve on his speaking tour and I was really impressed by how the book captures his style, tone and spirit. Steve has a real childlike quality to him which shows through alternatively as playfulness, humor, goofiness and innocence.He also has a long history with promoting education and teaching.
Great Promise but Poor Delivery
The real problem with the book is that it's packaged and sold as an adult book but it's actually a children's book. Stories are toned down for the child audience and at one point, even self-censored, as not being appropriate for a "family audience," as though Woz imagines the family drawn up around father's easy chair to listen to the evening reading. As if... The book ends, as all good children's books do, with the ending that he hoped his twelve-year-old audience will be as lucky as he was...sort of a go though and do likewise.
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Subjects:  1. Biography    2. Biography & Autobiography    3. Biography / Autobiography    4. Biography And Autobiography    5. Biography/Autobiography    6. Business    7. Computer engineers    8. Computer industry    9. Computers - General Information    10. History    11. History Of Technology    12. Industries - Computer Industry    13. Inventors    14. Personal Memoirs    15. United States    16. Computers / History    17. Miscellaneous Items   

Reviews (3)

You Catch a Glimpse of the Man
Business memoirs are usually way too self serving to tell you anything useful, but this one is an exception. Weill has many dramatic stories and, despite the co-author, conveys enough of what appears to be his real thoughts to be interesting. This is one of the toughest and wiliest - no pun - players on Wall Street, but one actually feels for him when he describes the trap New York attorney-general Spitzer set for Citigroup just as Weill thought the bank's legal problems were under control. Analyst Grubman's emails were leaked, the scandal was all over the press, but Weill and Citigroup couldn't really respond. He was like a mouse trying to dodge a menacing cat, while forbidden to make any noise. So powerful a chief executive was forced into a pitiful situation--yet the government didn't have a case with the Grubman revelations and nothing came of it. In the meanwhile, Citigroup's stock tanked. Some poor innocent investor who happened to own it lost money as the prosecutors played with Weill until they decided there was no case against him. Life isn't fair and the government much less so. Not that Weill has reason to complain, all in all: he went to the bank and came out with a fortune. As distinguished a career as possible, through the ups and downs and despite the tribulations toward the end with Spitzer. Definitely worth reading.

Real insight on business
Fascinating man who has changed the face of the financial services industry...I couldn't put his book down!Great insights from a driven individual and the businesses he drove.

Great Read
This was the most fascinating business book I've read in years.The extremely interesting content and the superb writing style makes it a great read.I enjoyed every page. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Bankers    2. Biography    3. Biography & Autobiography    4. Biography / Autobiography    5. Biography/Autobiography    6. Business    7. Corporate Finance    8. Financial services industry    9. History Of Specific Companies    10. Personal Memoirs    11. United States    12. Weill, Sandy    13. Women    14. Biography & Autobiography / Business   

Reviews (1)

Andrew Mellon was the greatest of the Mellon investors, treasury secretary to three presidents, and created the National Gallery
This is one of those big biographies that I wanted to spend a bit more time with because of the way the life that is the subject of the book connects with the age in which he lived, how the generations before conditioned his opportunities and how the way he lived and affected his times echoed into the next generation.Andrew Mellon is an enigmatic character that has great complexities and yet at the same time seems to be not fully realized in his personal life.At his economic zenith, he paid more personal taxes than all but two men. While never nearly as rich as Carnegie or the senior Rockefeller, he was still amazingly wealthy.
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Subjects:  1. Biography    2. Biography & Autobiography    3. Biography / Autobiography    4. Biography/Autobiography    5. Business    6. Cabinet officers    7. Diplomats    8. Politicians    9. Social Stratification    10. U.S. Federal Executive Bodies    11. United States    12. Biography & Autobiography / Business   

Editorial Review

It began with a simple $27 loan. After witnessing the cycle of poverty that kept many poor women enslaved to high-interest loan sharks in Bangladesh, Dr. Muhammad Yunus lent money to 42 women so they could purchase bamboo to make and sell stools. In a short time, the women were able to repay the loans while continuing to support themselves and their families. With that initial eye-opening success, the seeds of the Grameen Bank, and the concept of microcredit, were planted.Read more

Reviews (20)

Straight from the Founder
If you are interested in microfinance, this book is a prerequisite.Dr. Yunus gives a historical account of the rise of micro-credit and the Grameen Bank.Of course, he is also the biggest advocate of the program.Therefore, most of his arguments are pro-expansion of micro-credit.In spite of this, he manages to show a clear and compelling picture of the micro-finance industry.But, make sure you balance the information with other microfinance books that does not proselytize as much.A good example is "Beyond Micro-Credit" by Thomas Fisher.
Great book!
Yunus tells a great story about his bank and its battle against poverty.Outstanding business model for someone interested in micro lending.

a must read
This was an absolutely amazing book.It has given me renewed hope that poverty can be eliminated from this earth and will redirect my contribution dollars.I am heartened by what one man could accomplish through his own initiatives.A must read for all economists and humanitarians. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Banks & Banking    2. Biography / Autobiography    3. Business    4. Development - Economic Development    5. Political Science    6. Politics/International Relations    7. Public Policy - Economic Policy    8. Biography: general    9. Development economics   

Editorial Review

John Perkins started and stopped writing Read more

Reviews (431)

Yawn...
While it does contain a few interesting bits here and there (mainly in the first half of the book) this book fails to live up to the buzz surrounding it. There were few actual "insider" details (or details of any kind, in fact) and the author's voice grated on my nerves -- very self-serving. I suppose those interested in U.S. foreign and overseas development policy during the Cold War and post-Cold War era will find it worth reading, but getting through it is something of a chore. It took all my will power to plow through the last quarter of the book...

Sadly not the book it's been touted to be
The premise for "Confessions Of An Economic Hitman (COHM)" couldn't be more intriguing and the book did after all sell tons of copies and has remained on most booksellers' recommended reading list for ages. So my expectations were high for John Perkins' blow out confessional, the product of a conscience that struggled with but manfully prevailed against the temptations of a financially lucrative and high flying career as an "economic hit man".
enlightening insight into US foreign economic policy
I am so glad I read this book. While it has been critized for relying largely on the testimony of the author, John Perkins' book fits squarely into a lineage of books that are beginning to reveal the United States' plans for "global empire." Like Chomsky, Perkins reveals the actions behind the double-speak and PR-sanitized language that occludes the economic domination that is really going on in the form of "aid," "development," etc.
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Subjects:  1. Biography    2. Biography & Autobiography    3. Biography / Autobiography    4. Biography/Autobiography    5. Business    6. Conspiracy & Scandal Investigations    7. Economists    8. Energy consultants    9. Foreign Relations Of Developing Countries    10. Government & Business    11. Intelligence officers    12. International - Economics    13. U.S. Government - Intelligence Agencies    14. United States    15. Business & Economics / Economics / International   

Reviews (16)

Entertaining, Realistic, Sarcastic
If you want to get a peek at the investment banking world, then this book is the one.I found the book to be entertaining and insightful.It is difficult to find detailed, objective accounts of Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley, and Jonathan provides that here.
Stay on Story
As an I-Banker at a regional firm I always enjoy reading books such as this.This is a mixed bag.Knee starts the book discussing his internship in London, what a "rookie" does, what he did well, what he did not do well, and why he didn't want to do this forever.But, after an MBA and a short career with an airline, he's back at it again, and with success.He "accidentally" fell into a role and used his wit to carve out a successful niche.This is where this book is at its best and an excellent, fast read.
Entertaining and Insightful
The Accidental Investment Banker is an excellent and entertaining history of investment banking.Mr. Knee uses his experience and knowledge to accurately describe both the intricacies of the job and the role investment bankers actually play.Most importantly, he provides thoughtful insight on trends in the industry over the past ten years witnessing firsthand the decline of relationship banking and the impact of the internet bubble.
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Subjects:  1. Banks & Banking    2. Business    3. Economic History    4. Economics | Business   

Reviews (181)

Required reading for anyone serious about working on Wall Street.
Everyone has read this, and its easy to understand why. One of the best written books about Wall Street ever, Michael Lewis is superb as he goes about describing his experience at Salomon Brothers during the 1980's as a bond salesman. Introduces us to the legendary trader John Meriweather before he started Long Term Capital Management.

Interesting and well written...
This should be required reading analysts and associates along with `Monkey Business: Swinging Through the Wall Street Jungle' and `Goldman Sachs: The Culture of Success'. Each gives a different and illuminating perspective on the ups and downs of the many different departments that make up large, institutional finance organizations. Moreover, there are in totality especially useful if you have no idea about how finance actually operates on a day-to-day basis beyond what you see in your economics courses (definitely the case at Harvard, U Chicago, MIT and the like, where these firms heavily recruit). Can definitely give those without and an internship or direct experience the ability to level the playing field to a large degree.

Wall Street Demystified
For those of us that have an innate disbelief for brokers, traders, advisors and the likes working from Wall Street, this is a must read.For those of you who take lessons and advise from financial advisors, money experts, radio and TV charlatans, this book should be mandatory.
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Subjects:  1. (Michael M.)    2. Biography    3. Biography & Autobiography    4. Bonds    5. Brokers    6. Business    7. Business / Economics / Finance    8. Business/Economics    9. Corporate & Business History - General    10. Investments & Securities - General    11. Investments & Securities - Stocks    12. Lewis, Michael    13. Salomon Brothers    14. United States    15. Business & Economics / Economic History   

Reviews (13)

Wow!
I had heard of Bowerman from the Nike brand of shoes I've worn and from the Pre movie "Without Limits".I had no idea what an amazingly big life Dave Bowerman had.The major events in his family's and his own history make for a good read.Kenny Moore is an able writer and you can tell he's spent time with the familly and friends to come up with this history of the father of the modern day running shoe.But he shows him to be more than a shoemaker.His experiences during WWII, the various Olympics (including Munich), founding and running BRS/Nike, and his battles against the Bhagwan (!) were a surprise that filled out my knowledge of the man and the Men of Oregon.Worth reading esp. if you love anything about running and track and field competition.

Great read!
Kenny Moore writes as only Kenny Moore can in this wonderful account of Bill Bowerman and the history of running at Oregon. Great book!Thanks Kenny!

Comprehensive Portrait of a Coaching Legend
Well-written and researched, this biography paints virtually every facet of Bill Bowerman's life and character across a canvas as broad as the Western skyline.From Bill's adventurous ancestors' settlement in Oregon, to his fatherless upbringing, to his high school sports and military successes, to his coaching, and finally to his entrepreneurial undertakings as a Nike founder, the narrative progresses in a logical, well-organized fashion.Even knowing that Kenny Moore, as one of Bill's unwavering supporters over the years, must have skewed this character study a bit toward the positive, I turned the last page convinced that Bill Bowerman was a multi-talented man of high principle and inquisitive Promethean temperament, who left the sport much better than he found it.
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Subjects:  1. Biography    2. Biography / Autobiography    3. Bowerman, William J    4. Business    5. Business History    6. Corporate & Business History - General    7. Running    8. Running & Jogging    9. Sports    10. Sports & Recreation    11. Sports - General    12. Track and field    13. Track and field coaches    14. United States    15. University of Oregon    16. Sports & Recreation / Running & Jogging   

Editorial Review

Since 1987, Starbucks's star has been on the rise, growing from 11 Seattle, WA-based stores to more than 1,000 worldwide. Its goals grew, too, from the more modest, albeit fundamental one of offering high-quality coffee beans roasted to perfection to, more recently, opening a new store Read more

Reviews (105)

Marketing Master, yes. Quality Coffee roaster.....Now he's full of ____!
Being a specialty roaster since 1975 and being part of a local specialty roaster group. I can tell you that starbuck's main accomplishment is their marketing ability. The coffee they distribute is garbage, and this doesn't have to come from my mouth, it comes from people who come to me after tasting their supposed "specialty coffee."Starbucks lost their specialty status the moment you could find them on every street corner and/or supermarket. Where they beat most is their non stop advertising and brainwashing of people. The reason starbucks got big was because there was noone around to fill that demand, or more importantly, due to the nature of the specialty market, noone who wanted to fill that position.The amount of coffee they are forced to produce lead to only one scenario, inferior quality.Concepts of mass production. Economics 101. The higher the demand, the less likely quality is to have influence.

How Starbucks changed the World
What a great read! This is a story of how Starbucks changed the world. Howard Schultz, the CEO, tells the history of Starbucks starting with its founding in 1971 up until 1999. Schultz tells how he came on board,later bought the company and its sky-roacketing growth.
One of the Greatest Models of Superior Business that Cares About People
This is a FANTASTIC book about passion behind business, dealing with major growth, serving the customer, helping people from the heart, actually caring about the consumer, and caring about humanity at the same time.
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Subjects:  1. Biography / Autobiography    2. Business    3. Business & Economics    4. Business/Economics    5. Corporate & Business History - General    6. Corporate & Business History - Strategies    7. History    8. Industries - Hospitality, Travel & Tourism    9. Restaurants    10. Restaurateurs    11. Schultz, Howard    12. Starbucks Coffee Company    13. United States    14. Business & Economics / Corporate History    15. Business & Management    16. Food manufacturing & related industries   

Subjects:  1. Australia    2. Biography    3. Biography & Autobiography    4. Biography / Autobiography    5. Biography/Autobiography    6. Business    7. Golf    8. Golf - General    9. Golfers    10. International Business    11. Sports - General    12. Success in business    13. Biography & Autobiography / Business   

Reviews (64)

Eternal truths (and lies)
This is the most candid and honest record of Trump's deals by the great master to date, or so it seems. This impression can be attributed, however, to the great job Tony Schwartz did on this book. Compare this to Trump's "How to get rich" and you know what I mean.
Written After The Early Years: Good Trump Entertainment
Let us give him his due. He has great style and tenacity and the nerve. This book was written in better days before his fall. I have visited a number of his buildings - which I understand that he was closely and personally involved in the design and construction - and they are beautiful.
For What Its Worth
You never know whether to ever really trust what Trump says or not. I actively avoided reading this book for some time. I just resisted it. I must have felt that it is a propoganda piece and I was right. It is just another win for Trump. Another chance to boast about himself and his competence. And the ironic thing is the lesson to be learned by the man on the street is exactly that. In real estate, it is simply connection and bravado after a certain level of core competencies have been achieved. This book does not go into the details of how to do what he has done.....as step by step approach beside being boring would have been ridiculous. First thing to do is go back in time and be born in a family where your father is a wealthy builder. And be born to a father who was historically in the right situation himself--building homes when the soldiers came home and started families. The second thing is go to the premier business school in the nation. After that, you do a few deals with your father and learn the business inside and out. After that make some connections through your father's friends. And the most important thing is to start your career and venture when the real estate market is absolutely deppressed. You can't help but make money.
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Subjects:  1. Biography & Autobiography    2. Biography / Autobiography    3. Biography/Autobiography    4. Business    5. Personal Memoirs    6. Real Estate Finance    7. Rich & Famous    8. Business & Economics / General   

Editorial Review

How can you join the ranks of America's wealthy (defined as people whose net worth is over one million dollars)? It's easy, say doctors Stanley and Danko, who have spent the last 20 years interviewing members of this elite club: you just have to follow seven simple rules. The first rule is, always live well below your means. The last rule is, choose your occupation wisely. You'll have to buy the book to find out the other five. It's only fair. The authors' conclusions are commonsensical. But, as they point out, their prescription often flies in the face of what we think wealthy people should do. There are no pop stars or athletes in this book, but plenty of wall-board manufacturers--particularly ones who take cheap, infrequent vacations! Stanley and Danko mercilessly show how wealth takes sacrifice, discipline, and hard work, qualities that are positively discouraged by our high-consumption society. "You aren't what you drive," admonish the authors. Somewhere, Benjamin Franklin is smiling. ... Read more

Reviews (674)

Wow- I had no idea!
I guess that when you think of millionaires, you think of flashy people with nice cars and a lot of bling, but I had no Idea that there were so many BORING millionaires!I guess it's not really pboring to have over a million dollars, but I want to be able to enjoy my monye.THeat's the purpose of this book , though- to show that you have to be boring and then you can get to be a millionaire with all the money you didn't spend on fun stuff!I almost fell asleep a couple times reading this, but when I stayed awake it was really eye-opening.I won't scoff at those people who don't have "big hats" but have a lot of cattle anymore.

Common Sense
Nothing really groundbreaking here.Mostly common sense.You can visit a few websites and virtually get the same info presented in this book.

Unrealistic, repetitive, couldn't finish
This book was interesting at first.It shatters what most of us think the typical millionaire looks and acts like, but that only takes a chapter.After that, it just keeps repeating itself over and over."Who do you think bought the $1000 watch and who bought the lower priced watch?"Yeah, yeah, I get it; the millionaire has a lower priced watch than the overspending, no real wealth guy.
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Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business/Economics    4. Consumer Finance    5. Finance    6. Millionaires    7. Personal Finance - General    8. Rich people    9. United States    10. Wealth    11. Advice on careers & achieving success    12. Biography & Autobiography / Business   

Reviews (55)

My Life as a Quant: Reflections on Physics and Finance
One needs to consider what they want out the book before buying it.If your looking for a book with market trading tactics and think this book will provide that, then my score would be a "1"Its not about how to make YOU money and its title implies that.In fact, its title is a quite honest answer to what is inside, the reflections of this Quant on his life in physics and finance.While he does not give the reader any CLEAR suggestions on how to make money in the market, he does give a good view of life as a professional in the hard sciences most of them would find it boring, the book would be a goodfor some super high school achiever that is contemplatingor announced committment to a life as a PHd in hard science.He does do a good job of relating all the "posturing", the "idea stealing", and general BS that is the real world of both science and commerce.His descriptions of his finance modeling efforts and the difficulties does show why many big firms can go bust.But other than messing up your own trading, you have to know when a big firm had bad Quant.So, unless you can think beyond what your reading as to making money in the market and learning to make money is your goal, then pass on this book.I gave it a "3" as it is good at exposing BS. More BS exposure type books may some day help us all.But you won't find specific maket making money ideas in this book, thus no "5"
An interesting world line
It is very uncommon for scientists to be revealing of their personal lives, and even more rare for them to make written commentary on the people they have interacted with over the span of their careers or even a portion thereof. The author of this book, who began his career as a physicist and then chose to be a financial engineer, is thus a statistical outlier in this regard. His transparency has allowed the reader to gain insight not only into how it is to live, study, and work in academia, but also in the financial world. All personal life histories are subjected to random perturbations, to events and people that are unplanned and unexpected, but as this book clearly shows, with pertinacity, with determination, one can smooth out even the strongest of these perturbations, and trace out a world line that is personally satisfying and dignified.
intense modelling in finance
As a Physics PhD who left physics, I read Derman's book with especial interest. He too faced this career choice after getting his doctorate and doing a stint in academia. The book shows the sometimes [often?] intense nature of academia, with emphasis on getting a tenured position. Whereas some industries can offer much higher salaries.
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Subjects:  1. Biography    2. Biography / Autobiography    3. Business    4. Business & Economics    5. Business/Economics    6. Derman, Emanuel    7. Futures And Options Trading    8. Investment advisors    9. Investments & Securities - General    10. Mathematical Physics    11. Options (Finance)    12. Personal Memoirs    13. Physicists    14. Scientists - General    15. Business & Economics / Finance    16. Finance & Accounting