The Greed Merchants: How the Investment Banks Played the Free Market Game

By Philip Augar

Book Overview

After the dot-com crash, investment banking was an industry on the run, chastened by falling profits and chastised by investigators like New York's Eliot Spitzer. Scandal swirled around Wall Street... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1591840872
• ISBN13: 9781591840879
• Release Date: April 2005
• Publisher: Portfolio
• Length: 241 Pages
• Weight: 1.00 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 6.4" x 9.4"

Customer Reviews

Surprisingly Informative, sometimes dull though

This book is a very informative book and would prove useful for someone who wants a critical perspective on modern investment banking. The author's facts are based up with citations. Furthermore, he takes a very balanced approach to making his point, don't let the title fool you, the book is not as moralistic as its title. Occasionally, the writing lack vitality, but the author is not a professional writer, he is a veteran i-banker and this is probably as about as good writing as you are going to get out of a banker. His insider perspective is very useful and he tells it as it is without resorting to jargon. My biggest concern is that this book takes too negative a view of investment banks. It seems to assume that investment bankers must play an altruistic role and look out for everyone's interest except their own. This is unrealistic, no other company does this. [......]

Hats Off For The Greed Merchants!

Few books honestly expose the investment banking game for what it really is. It is all about maximizing compensation for those who run the investment banks, regardless of the expense or toll it takes on ordinary citizens or an actual country. Investment bankers and all Wall Street have an insiders edge and they use it to overcompensate themselves. Bankers and investment bankers have no qualms about looting investors, a company or country and driving it into bankruptcy so they can make their Christmas bonuses... Philip Augar's The Greed Merchants: How the Investment Banks Played the Free Market Game is a wonderful and simple expose on all the inherent conflicts of interest in banking, whether it be commercial or investment banking. I highly recommend it. Sincerely, Barry J. Dyke, RIA Hampton, NH

A Fresh Insider's Look at Investment Banking

This is a thoughtful analysis of the new integrated model investment bank that seems to have taken over the world financial system. Whether you want to work for one of them or tear them down, this is an essential read.