Summary of Barbarians at the Gate
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Qualities
- Innovative
- Background
- Engaging
Recommendation
Some things – namely, greed and reckless behavior – never change. The leveraged buyout (LBO) of RJR Nabisco occurred in the late 1980s, but the 20th anniversary edition of this classic tale of excess reads as if it were reported and written today. Money-hungry CEO Ross Johnson and power-grabbing financier Henry Kravis remain relevant archetypes of their times. Journalists Bryan Burrough and John Helyar vividly capture the behind-the-scenes maneuvering in the deal of the decade. getAbstract especially enjoyed the update on Johnson, Kravis and the rest, and recommends this book to those seeking a revelatory, page-turning account of high-profile greed.
About the Authors
Vanity Fair special correspondent Bryan Burrough and Bloomberg News columnist John Helyar have also reported for The Wall Street Journal.