A humorous and keen look at the roller-coaster boom and bust of the 1960s and 1970s by the New York Times–bestselling author of Business Adventures John Brooks blends humor and astute analysis in this tale of the staggering “go-go” growth of the 1960s stock market and the ensuing crashes of the 1970s. Swiftly rising stocks promised fast money to investors, and voracious cupidity drove the market. But the bull market couldn’t last forever, and the fall was just as staggering as the ascent. Including the astounding story of H. Ross Perot’s loss of $450 million in one day; the tale of America’s “Last Gatsby,” Eddie Gilbert; and the account of financier Saul Steinberg’s failed grab for Chemical Bank, this book is replete with hallmark financial acumen and vivid storytelling. A classic of business history, The Go-Go Years provides John Brooks’s signature insight into the events of yesteryear and stands the test of time.

Please note: This is a companion version & not the original book. Sample Book Insights: #1 On April 22, 1970, Henry Ross Perot of Dallas, Texas, suffered a paper stock-market loss of about $450 million. He still had, on paper, almost a billion dollars left after the loss, but that wasn’t the point. The point was that his one-day loss amounted to more than the total assets of any charitable foundation in the country. #2 On April 22, Earth Day, a group of conservationist leaders had picked April 22 as a day of national dedication to the cause of eliminating pollution. #3 The first My Lai revelations were five months old, and the New Haven riot was about to begin that same day. The stock market had fallen drastically, and the dollar was in bad shape in the international markets. #4 The parallels between the crashes of 1929 and 1969 are clear. In each case, there were insider manipulators who used privileged information and superior market technique to manipulate stock prices and deceive the public.

A collection of true stories about money, the stock market, and high finance from the Gerald Loeb Award–winning “unbelievable business writer” (Bill Gates). For decades, author and New Yorker staff writer John Brooks was renowned for his keen intelligence, in-depth knowledge, and uniquely engaging approach to the dramas and personalities of the financial and business worlds. With a style of prose that “turns potentially eye-glazing topics . . . into rollicking narratives,” Brooks proved that even the bottom line can be moving, hilarious, and infuriating all at once (Slate). Here are three of his most fascinating works, which still resonate today. Business Adventures: This collection of entertaining short features is a brilliant example of Brooks’s talents, covering subjects such as the Edsel disaster, the rise of Xerox, and how corruption may be an irreparable part of the corporate world. “Brooks’s deeper insights about business are just as relevant today as they were back then.” —Bill Gates, The Wall Street Journal Once in Golconda: An incisively examined chronicle of the euphoric financial climb of the twenties, the ruinous stock market crash of 1929, and the unbelievable hardship and suffering that followed in its wake. “Brooks is truly willing to give up his own views to get inside the mind of all his subjects.” —National Review The Go-Go Years: A humorous look at the staggering “go-go” growth of the 1960s stock market and the ensuing crashes of the 1970s in which fortunes were made overnight and lost even faster. “An unusually complex and thoughtful work of social history.” —The New York Times

Die 20er und 30er Jahre sind eine unvergeßliche Epoche aus der Geschichte der Wall Street. In diesem faszinierenden Buch erklärt der Autor die Metapher dieser Finanzepoche von Hochkonjunktur und Konkurs: "Golconda, heute eine Ruine, war einmal eine Stadt im Südosten Indiens, wo - der Legende zufolge - jeder reich wurde ....eine ähnliche Legende war mit der Wall Street zwischen den beiden Weltkriegen verknüpft." "Once in Golconda" analysiert Entstehung und Zerstörung des Reichtums von Richard Whitney, dem Vorstandsvorsitzenden der New Yorker Börse, dessen persönliche Geschichte eng mit den Schwankungen am Aktienmarkt verbunden ist. Der Autor untersucht Dramatik, Rücksichtslosigkeit, Gier und Illusion der 20er und 30er Jahre, die die Wall Street nachhaltig verändert haben. Angefangen beim Wertpapierrecht, das die modernen Märkte beherrscht, bis hin zu den schwärmerischen Visionen der Hausse-Anleger - Brooks zeichnet die zeitlosen Themen der Wall Street nach wie kein anderer. (09/99)

"The wondrous invention that changed a world and spawned a corporate giant"--Jacket subtitle.

'The best business book I've ever read.' Bill Gates, Wall Street Journal 'The Michael Lewis of his day.' New York Times What do the $350 million Ford Motor Company disaster known as the Edsel, the fast and incredible rise of Xerox, and the unbelievable scandals at General Electric and Texas Gulf Sulphur have in common? Each is an example of how an iconic company was defined by a particular moment of fame or notoriety. These notable and fascinating accounts are as relevant today to understanding the intricacies of corporate life as they were when the events happened. Stories about Wall Street are infused with drama and adventure and reveal the machinations and volatile nature of the world of finance. John Brooks's insightful reportage is so full of personality and critical detail that whether he is looking at the astounding market crash of 1962, the collapse of a well-known brokerage firm, or the bold attempt by American bankers to save the British pound, one gets the sense that history really does repeat itself. This business classic written by longtime New Yorker contributor John Brooks is an insightful and engaging look into corporate and financial life in America.

NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY San Francisco Chronicle • The Plain Dealer The inspiring true story of a group of young men whose lives were changed by a visionary mentor On April 4, 1968, the death of Martin Luther King, Jr., shocked the nation. Later that month, the Reverend John Brooks, a professor of theology at the College of the Holy Cross who shared Dr. King’s dream of an integrated society, drove up and down the East Coast searching for African American high school students to recruit to the school, young men he felt had the potential to succeed if given an opportunity. Among the twenty students he had a hand in recruiting that year were Clarence Thomas, the future Supreme Court justice; Edward P. Jones, who would go on to win a Pulitzer Prize for literature; and Theodore Wells, who would become one of the nation’s most successful defense attorneys. Many of the others went on to become stars in their fields as well. In Fraternity, Diane Brady follows five of the men through their college years. Not only did the future president of Holy Cross convince the young men to attend the school, he also obtained full scholarships to support them, and then mentored, defended, coached, and befriended them through an often challenging four years of college, pushing them to reach for goals that would sustain them as adults. Would these young men have become the leaders they are today without Father Brooks’s involvement? Fraternity is a triumphant testament to the power of education and mentorship, and a compelling argument for the difference one person can make in the lives of others.