Liar’s Poker
May 15, 2007Close on the heels of “The New New Thing” by Michael Lewis, I picked up a copy of Liar’s Poker by the same writer this month. The book delves into the history of Salomon Brothers during the heady 1980s and the writer’s personal account of his transition from a geek to a salesman to a “Big Swinging Dick” while at the firm.
Starting with his serendipitous recruitment into the firm, the author takes you through the training programme he had to undergo, the colorful management characters, the trading floor, his interaction with customers, ethics, bond/mortage trading during the early 1980s and the subsequent decline of the firm.
The book is hilarious in parts with the author’s acute observations as he struggles to be one of the Wall Street family – a great read, highly recommended !
I plan to pick a copy up soon. A friend read it and said he was left with the impression that the protagonist didnt quite fit in, and was uncomfortable with some of the dealings, the ethics at his surroundings.
Thanks for the insight.