Confessions of a Wall Street Analyst: A True Story of Inside Information and Corruption in the Stock Market

Confessions of a Wall Street Analyst: A True Story of Inside Information and Corruption in the Stock Market
Average customer rating:

Good read on the inner workings of Wall Street but...

Interesting read

Not Since "Den of Thieves..."

Inside scoop on the telecomm industry

Good story about the job of a Research Analyst

Confessions of a Wall Street Analyst: A True Story of Inside Information and Corruption in the Stock Market
Daniel Reingold , and Jennifer Reingold
Manufacturer: Collins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
General | Investing | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
Stocks | Investing | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
General | Criminal Law | Law | Subjects | Books
True Crime | True Accounts | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
General | Criminal Law | Law | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Hedgehogging

The Accidental Investment Banker: Inside the Decade That Transformed Wall Street

Blood on the Street: The Sensational Inside Story of How Wall Street Analysts Duped a Generation of Investors

Inside the House of Money: Top Hedge Fund Traders on Profiting in the Global Markets

Wall Street Versus America: The Rampant Greed and Dishonesty That Imperil Your Investments

ASIN: 0060747692
Release Date: 2006-02-07

Book Description

Dan Reingold was one of the top analysts on Wall Street. Specializing in telecom companies like WorldCom and Qwest, Reingold believed in Wall Street, and was a part of it. But in this insiders memoir, Reingold describes how his enthusiasm gradually gave way to disgust when he saw how deeply corrupt Wall Street really was. Because big investors had the advantage of inside information, which companies shared with more accomodating analysts, Reingold saw how a straight arrow like himself was doomed to fail.

Reingold is like an incredulous minister who mistakenly finds himself in a whore house. He struggles with temptation: for example, his employer, Credit Suisse First Boston, wants him to sign a contract that would give him huge incentives in return for essentially selling out his clients. He seethes with resentment at being continually trumped by his nemesis, Jack Grubman, who was viewed as a superstar and only later, fined and thrown out of the industry.

Ultimately, Reingold comes to terms with the corrupted, insiders game that was his profession. In the tradition of Liar's Poker, this is a lively, insiders account of how things really work on Wall Street that will teach even Eliot Spitzer a few things. To complete his tale, Reingold even sat through the 2005 trial of one of the most spectacular losers of the 1990s, fallen WorldCom CEO Bernie Ebbers, who Reingold knew in his heyday.

Customer Reviews:

Good read on the inner workings of Wall Street but..........2007-08-10

..but each time I felt that I liked the author, he kept bringing up instances to support his extreme dislike of Grubman. This really took away from the content and message of the book. I think it would have been enough to state how different he was from Grubman and then let his own example of hard, clean work be benchmark for the reader to compare the 2 analysts. In the end, no one can say Grubman was as honest a man as Reingold.

Interesting read.......2007-07-30

Interesting read for anyone interested in learning more about the stock analyst profession and the conflicts of interest that occurred during the dot com bubble during the late 90s.

Not Since "Den of Thieves...".......2007-07-29

Not Since the book "Den of Thieves" has a Wall Street expose been created that details the lurid "behind the scenes" events and actions affecting a major part of our nation's financial industry.

Author Dan Reingold, a former Wall Street telecom analyst, takes the reader on an intimate journey through the telecom stock "boom" and subsequent "bust" in the 1990's.

I found this book to be very insightful with particular interest to those of us who specialize in "day-trading" and dabbling in trading of stocks and options (at any level). Author Reingold warns:

"Of all the lessons I've learned in my time on the Street, the most difficult one to swallow is that I no longer believe in the transparency of the American financial system. When I came to the Street, I saw it as a place where there were plenty of sharks, but also as a place where American capitalism reigned supreme, a place where everyone has a chance to do well if they were smart, hardworking, and a little bit lucky. It was a game I enjoyed playing--at least until how I realized how corrupted the game had become.

But I also came to realize that for people who don't have access to this inner sanctum, Wall Street is not a game at all. It's deadly serious, and it's rigged against most of its participants--everyone but the few with a seat at Wall Street's special tables. If you take anything away from this book, I hope it is this unfortunate truth (pp 314-15)."

Well done and rated at five stars for taking the uncomfortable position of trying to sound the alarm while uncovering the truth.

JP

Inside scoop on the telecomm industry.......2007-07-15

The author gives all the dirt on what it was like to work on wall street during the telecomm craze of the eary 1990's. all the players are named and the best part that he concludes and proves how slimy it all is with concrete examples. Good book.

Good story about the job of a Research Analyst.......2007-03-09

This is a good description of what research analyst's job entails. However, one has to read this book with a grain of salt as the author may not have been forthcoming about the activities that he has been involved in that are in a gray area. Otherwise, though, it makes for interesting reading. I wonder if it becomes fuel for more regulatory changes on Wall Street.

Also, the salaries spoken about in this book are shocking. Read it to find out what they earn on Wall Street :-).

Across the Wall: A Tale of the Abhorsen and Other Stories

Average customer rating:

Australian SF Reader
A lot of stories...
"I Am Going Back to the Old Kingdom, Uncle..."
New Stories Fall Short
Nicholas will do anything to get across the wall

Across the Wall: A Tale of the Abhorsen and Other Stories
Garth Nix
Manufacturer: Eos
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Short Story Collections | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Anthologies | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Teens | Subjects | Books

Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Teens | Subjects | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

The Abhorsen Trilogy Box Set
Sir Thursday (The Keys To The Kingdom, Book 4)
Abhorsen (The Abhorsen Trilogy)
The Keys to the Kingdom, Book 1: Mister Monday
Drowned Wednesday (Keys to the Kingdom, Book 3)

ASIN: 0060747153
Release Date: 2006-08-01

Book Description

Nicholas Sayre will do anything to get across the Wall

Thoughts of Lirael and Sam haunt his dreams, and he has come to realize that his destiny lies with them, in the Old Kingdom. But here in Ancelstierre, Nick faces an obstacle that is not entirely human, with a strange power that seems to come from Nicholas himself.

With "Nicholas Sayre and the Creature in the Case," Garth Nix continues to explore the magical world of the Abhorsen Trilogy. In additional short stories that range from two widely different takes on the Merlin myth to a gritty urban version of Hansel and Gretel and a heartbreaking story of children and war, Garth Nix displays the range and versatility that has made him one of today's leading writers of fantasy for readers of all ages.

Download Description

Nicholas Sayre will do anything to get across the Wall, back to the Old Kingdom.

Thoughts of Lirael and Sam haunt his dreams, and he has come to realize that his destiny lies there, along with all those he cares for. But here in Ancelstierre, far south of the Wall, the Charter is dormant, and among the obstacles Nick faces is one that is not entirely human, and which has a strange power that seems to come from Nicholas himself.

With ""Nicholas Sayre and the Creature in the Case,"" Garth Nix continues to explore the magical world of The Abhorsen Trilogy. In additional short stories that range from classic fantasy -- two widely different takes on the Merlin myth -- to a gritty urban version of Hansel and Gretel, to an unusual take on the role of nature in matters of love, and to a heartbreaking story of children and war, Garth Nix displays the range and versatility that have made him one of today's leading writers of fantasy for readers of all ages.

Customer Reviews:

Australian SF Reader.......2007-08-01

One mainstream war story here, and a couple of joke pieces done for appearances at different places, and a choose your own adventure parody for one of the good old Australian game magazines.

It also appears the novella in the book is related to his popular trilogy, none of which I have read, so a taste of that will be useful for some. Seems to be some sort of magic kingdom next to a Victorian technology type place with trains and guns, but still aimed at kids, so not really for me by the looks.

Across the Wall : Nicholas Sayre and the Creature in the Case - Garth Nix
Across the Wall : Under the Lake - Garth Nix
Across the Wall : From the Lighthouse - Garth Nix
Across the Wall : The Hill - Garth Nix
Across the Wall : Heart's Desire - Garth Nix
Across the Wall : Hansel's Eyes - Garth Nix
Across the Wall : Hope Chest - Garth Nix
Across the Wall : Three Roses - Garth Nix
Across the Wall : Endings - Garth Nix

Spymaster's murderous magic monster defeated by flower power.

3.5 out of 5

Demon Lady's Merlin deal.

4 out of 5

Luckily toy has right batteries and keeps going and going and going and going...

3.5 out of 5

Those old buildings make more than they seem to.

2.5 out of 5

Lightning Lad vs Lightning Lord.

3.5 out of 5

Greedy magic girl bad for Britain.

3.5 out of 5

Witchy would-be organlegger.

3.5 out of 5

Superspeed shootist sheriff slays sister on the way to silver bullet showdown with supervillain shyster.

3.5 out of 5

Dead wife is good for the garden.

3 out of 5

Same names again.

3 out of 5

Same names again.

3 out of 5

Family real estate deal.

4 out of 5

A lot of stories..........2007-02-14

I do recommend this book, but it's more an anthology than a book itself. When the title says "...and Other Stories", it means it. Only about 1/4 of the book is the story of going "Across the Wall", but everything else contains short stories that don't connect at all. I got to one that is sort of a game/maze kind of story, but I just stopped because about 1/4 of the book is of it.

I recommend this book if you like the story of the "Abhorsen" to read the first part, but I'm just telling you that all the other stories are okay, if you have to time and patience to read the other stories.

"I Am Going Back to the Old Kingdom, Uncle...".......2007-01-12

Most fans will find that the most exciting feature of this Garth Nix anthology is undoubtedly the short story "Nicholas Sayre and the Creature in the Case", set in the world of the Old Kingdom (the setting of the Old Kingdom trilogy; "Sabriel", "Lirael" and "Abhorsen") and acting as a type of coda for the character of Nicolas Sayre, left damaged and traumatized in the last book. Set six months later, Nick is desperate to return to the Old Kingdom, to visit his old friend Sameth and - particularly - to see the Abhorsen-in-Training Lirael again. Unfortunately red tape is making it difficult for him to get across the Wall, until his political uncle drops him off at the country house of Alastor Dorrance, the leader of Department Thirteen, a spy network. In return for answering some questions about the Old Kingdom, Dorrance is willing to help Nick get back across the Wall.

But that's before Nick is shown the underbelly of D13, and the secret that they have concealed in the underlying passageways of the house; a creature of Free Magic that is not as dead as they all might think. I loved the first half of the novella, and even the desperate chase that Nick makes after the terrible creature and its deranged servant, but was ultimately a little disappointed at the lack of previous characters present (of his extensive cast, only Lirael appears), and the fact that Nix doesn't take the opportunity to wrap up a few loose ends that were left dangling in "Abhorsen". Perhaps it's an indication that more "Old Kingdom" books are the works? Let's hope so. There is also an interesting snippet at the end of the book that reads as a lost document of the Clayr library: the journal of a power hungry necromancer. It's short but sweet (though perhaps gives us too much exposition on the Precincts of the Death, unnecessary since we've been told it all in the original trilogy).

The rest of the short stories are a mixed bag; a varied collection of several genres including Arthurian legend, satirical comedies, original fairytales and some stories that seem somewhat mundane (that is, not fantasy) if not for the thread of magic realism running through it. Some are certainly written with more skill than others, considering the stories are taken throughout his entire writing career (he even presents an *extremely* short story that he wrote when he was six), but the range of the stories mean that there's a good chance that at least one will appeal to you! Furthermore, Nix personalizes his anthology by adding a small introduction to each story, giving a background to the inspiration and the crafting of each tale.

"Under the Lake" and "Heart's Desire" are two very different takes on the Lady of the Lake; the first of which portrays her as a somewhat psychopathic goddess who gives the dubious gift of Excaliber to mankind, the latter of which explores her relationship to Merlin and the reason behind why she entrapped him beneath the earth.

"Down to the Scum Quarter" and "My New Really Epic Fantasy Series" are both tongue-in-cheek paradies of the fantasy genre, the former being an elaborate "Choose Your Own Adventure" story; the latter being a pitch for a forty-seven book series chock-full of every possible fantasy cliché.

In "Charlie Rabbit" two brothers are caught in a war-stricken country, with only themselves and a clockwork rabbit to protect them, whilst in "Lightning Bringer" a young boy meets a man with a (literally) electric personality, who has the power to take whatever he wants - including the protagonist's girlfriend. "In the Lighthouse" concerns a pompous land-developer buying an island - much to the bemusement of its inhabitants. This story has a great imaginative setting, one that I would have loved to have seen developed further.

On the downside, there is "Hope Chest", a fantasy-cum-Western that had previously appeared in "The Firebirds Anthology", and which (unfortunately) just didn't work for me, and "The Hill", which concerns a boy and his great-great-grandfather attempting to save a piece of land in the Australian outback. According to Nix's introduction, the story had originally contained aspects of Aboriginal mythology, which was cut due to disapproval from his publisher. Because Nix is white, it was deemed inappropriate for him to draw on a mythology that was not his own - a great pity, as I couldn't help that it would have been a better story with the Aboriginal components intact. And surely the world's mythology is not exclusive to one culture - isn't a story about Aborigine legends as written by a white person better than no story at all?

But I loved "Hansel's Eyes", a contemporary (and somewhat macabre version) of the Hansel and Gretel fairytale; and Nix's two original fairytales: "Three Roses" and "Endings" two very short and sweet tales; almost poems in their conception and style.

Although I would have much preferred that all the books in this series at been centered around the Old Kingdom, this is a perfectly adequate anthology of short stories, varied and well-written, as well as whetting our appetite for future Old Kingdom books. Pretty please?

New Stories Fall Short.......2007-01-10

I greatly enjoyed the other tales of the Abhorsen adventures. Unfortunately I felt that the short story in this book was hastily created and put together. There is neither time nor details enough to make any of the characters come alive. While it is an okay read, it falls far short of Garth's other works.

Nicholas will do anything to get across the wall .......2006-09-15

Nicholas will do anything to get across the wall even exploring the source of a strange power that will change his life. Across The Wall features a fine novella and additional short fantasies which take on aspects of the Merlin myth and bring it to the modern world.

The Wall: And Other Stories (New Directions Paperbook)

Average customer rating:

Great work of existentialism
In depth study of human psychology
Who didn't feel the fear and smelled the sweat of Pablo Ibbieta?
Rationalization of marginality
A Mesmorizing Journey. Extreme Psychological Insight

The Wall: And Other Stories (New Directions Paperbook)
Jean-Paul Sartre
Manufacturer: New Directions Publishing Corporation
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Literary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Nausea
No Exit and Three Other Plays
Being And Nothingness
The Stranger
The Fall

ASIN: 0811201902

Customer Reviews:

Great work of existentialism.......2007-10-08

What a phycological journey Sartre is presenting us in every little story of this book. Wow! All the stories are perfectly written. My favorite ones are "The Wall", "The room", and "Erostratus". I must admit though, I found "Intimacy" a bit hard to follow.
I recommend this book to everyone who wanna read a unique piece of work of existentialism. You won't regret :)

In depth study of human psychology.......2007-03-09

This particular work of J P Sartre should be ranked as one of the masterpieces in modern literature...The author used to possess a penetrating insight in the complex mind and behaviours of a modern human being...It is true that he analyses different reactions of any human mind on the basis of the doctrine of existentialism, of which he is one of the main proponents...However one should not look upon his judgement as biased as the celebrated basis of his philosophical doctrine, ie. "Existence should precede the essence " is really logical and highly optimistic as well as humanistic....All the five stories that are presented in this book bear the mature signature of an efficient interpreter of human mind along with it's anxieties and the decisions and choices taken at such critical moments,eg., when a man is condemned to die.....It seems the stories in this book imply that one should always consider those anxious moments,those contradictions that are constantly perturbing the man and only his response and choices that he make, ultimately defines him and give him a relative meaning in this otherwise meaningless world..I feel this book should be read by those who are aware of the divine futility of human life but still are optimistic about the triumph of human mind and creativity.....

Who didn't feel the fear and smelled the sweat of Pablo Ibbieta?.......2005-07-20

In fact "The wall" was one of the best stories in the book along with "Erostratus" where once more Sarte makes his claim on the proof of freedom, and how most of us tend to pretend we are not that free and crawl behind our available and yet limited choices.

Rationalization of marginality.......2005-02-12

The wall gives the reader the chance to infuse into the consciousness of characters with, seemingly, absurd & extreme behaviors. The depiction of the inner world of these marginal people, rationalize their conduct by using some common humane themes like willingness to survive, fear, submission to power, altruism etc.

A Mesmorizing Journey. Extreme Psychological Insight.......2000-12-11

"The Wall and other short stories" is a triumph in literature. Each story explores the depths of human thought and reason through an existential point of view. Each story can be interpreted different by all readers, therefore making this a great book for discussion.

"The Wall" is the first story presented. It consumes the reader because of its brilliant writing style. The story is narrated by a man named Pablo Ibbieta, who is in a jail cell with 2 others awaiting execution the following morning. Every event that transpires that particular night is analyzed almost too thoroughly thus leaving the reader in a trance. I wont get into it too deeply, but believe me, this story is worth reading...i guarentee it will have to be read again. After finishing the story, I felt as though nothing mattered. Who cares if the dishes were not washed, who cares if I would be late for work. Believe me, this story will have a profound impact on the way you think. Don't be surprised if you have a new appreciation for life. This story enlightens the mind.

Another great story from this book is called "Erostratus". Erostratus was a character who wanted to be famous, so he burned down the temple of Ephesus, which was one of the 7 wonders of the world. This is the central symbol of the story, the quest for glory. It also brings up an interesting point when the narrator asks one of his colleagues "Who built Ephesus?" and the colleauge did not know, he only knew who burned it. "Erostratus" in short is one mans decent into madness because of his quest to be remembered. The ending of "Erostratus" is filled with suspense and makes your heart beat in fear. It serves as a grim reminder that there are people of this type, and we should be prepared at any time for them to strike.

There are also 3 other stories, that being "The Room", "Intimacy", and "The Childhood of a Leader", which also draw the reader inside the workings of the mind through an existential window (ie: we are all here by accident, man is condemned to choose).

Book Description

When the head of Columbia Pictures, David Begelman, got caught forging Cliff Robertson's name on a $10,000 check, it seemed, at first, like a simple case of embezzlement. It wasn't. The incident was the tip of the iceberg, the first hint of a scandal that shook Hollywood and rattled Wall Street. Soon powerful studio executives were engulfed in controversy; careers derailed; reputations died; and a ruthless, take-no-prisoners corporate power struggle for the world-famous Hollywood dream factory began.

First published in 1982, this now classic story of greed and lies in Tinseltown appears here with a stunning final chapter on Begelman's post-Columbia career as he continued to dazzle and defraud . . . until his last hours in a Hollywood hotel room, where his story dramatically and poignantly would end.

Customer Reviews:

The Ultimate Study in Greed and Hubris.......2007-04-05

I bought this book when it first came out and have reread it every year or so. Tends to be a bit long and sometimes slow, but it's great. Buy a used copy, or check at the library.

Being from the Washington D.C. area I kept constantly asking why someone didn't leak this to the press and blow the whole compiristy.

The only comparable book is "The Great Salad Oil Swindle"

Domino Effect.......2004-04-08

David Begelman, powerful head of a studio thinks he is above the law, until an actor by the name of Cliff Robertson exposes him. This book is a well written tale of immorality in a town known for it's lack of scruples. Hollywood insiders should not be surprised at this tale, but I was. The check Begelman forged was for a small amount. The man made more than that in a month. The book exposes the reasons why a man who had it all, would choose to commit such a crime and fall from grace. I was quite disappointed by Robertson's treatment by Hollywood's hierarchy when he was the victim, not Begelman. But it proves just how far studios will go to protect the bottom line. I read this book when it was first published years ago and I'm reading it again. The list of books I will read more than once is a short one. I highly recommend it.

Good Coverage of Major Scandal!.......2003-11-30

This book gives details of David Begelman the head man at
Columbia Pictures getting caught forging Cliff Robertson's name
on a check. Robertson had won an Oscar for his role in Charly.
As a result of Begelman getting caught Roberetson would suffer
mightily at the hands of the powerful in Hollywood.Cliff Robertson wound up being blacklisted as a result of this scandal.This scandal would send shockwaves from Hollywood to
Wall Street.You are given a complete coverage of this event in
this excellent book.You are given good coverage of some of the
individuals who were involved in this scandal.David Begelman's demise is also given coverage in this book.This is an excellent book on this event. Read it. You will not be dissapointed.

Cliff Robertson is the true star of this story........1998-06-06

David Begelman would never have been exposed as the crook he was without the dogged, principled determination of Cliff Robertson to get to the bottom of corruption at the top levels of Hollywood. This excellent book documents Robertson's heroic efforts to get at the truth -- for which he was blackballed by the Hollywood establishment for years. Cliff once said to me: "Of all the things in my life I'm proud of -- if I'm proud at all -- it's not winning the best actor Oscar or Emmy; it's my part in bringing down that crook Begelman."

But perhaps the book is most valuable for its exposure of the top echelon of Hollywood -- people with lots of money and no taste; people who know nothing whatever about movies. And could care less. I hope this book is reprinted soon. It is timeless.

A fascinating study of the real powers of Tinseltown........1997-11-27

First things first. This book only gets an "8" becuase I realize some people could care less about studio executives in Hollywood(unless their name is Julia Phillips or Steven Speilberg, both of whom make appearences in the book) but it truly is a ten. It is truly an amazing tale: what starts out as a theft of less then a $100, 000 becomes a battle for corporate power. David Begelman, the man behind the scandal, isn't even the main character of the book. It's Alan Hirschfield trying, desperately, to do the responible business decisions he was hired to do and is one of only a few major players in this detailed history to remain a completely sympathetic person by story's end. Indecent Exposure is truly is one of great true life American Dramas I have ever read. (Review by Michael Goodman)

Dish: The Inside Story on the World of Gossip

Average customer rating:

Tells ABOUT gossip...and includes some! GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Good but feels like the author rushed to print
The best book on the gossip industry
Try to put this one down!
The growth of gossip provides entertainment

Dish: The Inside Story on the World of Gossip

Manufacturer: Audio Renaissance
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Cassette

General | Books on Cassette | Audiobooks | Formats | Books

Popular Culture | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

General | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

The Glass Castle: A Memoir
Falling: The Story of One Marriage
The Count and the Confession: A True Murder Mystery
The Liars' Club: A Memoir
I Watched a Wild Hog Eat My Baby: A Colorful History of Tabloids and Their Cultural Impact

ASIN: 1559275774

Book Description

Love it or hate it, create it or repeat it, America is obsessed with gossip. This is a fascinating look at five decades of dish, a behind-the-scenes glimpse of the personalities who control what we see, hear, and read -- not to mention the personalities who wish to be seen, heard, and read about. Here are the inside stories you never knew about the unholy and unchanging trinity of celebrity, publicist, and reporter that has stoked the American appetite for gossip from the salacious days of silver-screen magazines to the instantaneous communication of the scoop-filled Internet.From the birth of the National Enquirer to the rise of tabloid TV, from Walter Winchell to Matt Drudge, from liaisons of Marilyn Monroe and JFK to the deaths of Elvis and Princess Diana, ultimate insider Jeannette Walls gives us a cook's tour of the dangerously shimmering cult of celebrity. Dish is filled with fascinating tidbits about everything from the origins of People magazine, to the outrageous behavior of the stars we idolize, to the O.J. Simpson murder story, which changed the very nature of the American media. This is both a study of our enduring captivation with fame and a titillating look at the famous -- and those who keep them that way.

Customer Reviews:

Tells ABOUT gossip...and includes some! GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!.......2001-09-17

This book completely EXCEEDED my expectations! As a former journalist (who is now a ventriloquist believe it or not) I've always been interested in how and why gossip has grown in our news media.

I got THAT answer in this wonderful book written in a breezy, solid style that made it hard for me to put -- plus a LOT MORE.

Starting with Matt Drudge's meteoric rise, DISH backtracks to trace the growth in gossip over the years. You'll also find new revelations in here. In the end our news media (what it printed and NEGLECTED to print over the years) will make sense to you. And it reads like a novel. Some tidbits:

1. The overnight rise of Matt Drudge, using a computer his dad gifted him. Everything you wanted to know and what you didn't want or need to know (i.e. his alleged sexual preferences; media suspicions that he got some scoops through hacking) about him and how his lively internet column took over, confounded mainstream media and made him a huge multi-media star.
2. How the Hollywood studios along with fawning California politicos crushed Confidential magazine, the 1950s gossip sheet which dared to undermine the carefully-constructed phoney public relations images of many stars (some stars are named in the book).
3. Mike Wallace's pioneering role in bringing show biz to news, his fall from grace and professional rebirth on 60 Minutes.
4. The birth of the National Inquirer and why it's located in Florida (fears of problems from the Mob).
5. Why there wasn't more MAJOR NEGATIVE published gossip on the Kennedy administration (they virtually destroyed one person dabbling in info about them and many journalists were intimidated.) JFK's other marriage.
6. The OJ case, Elvis Princess Diana case, the gossip columnists of the 40s and 50s and their replacements, the explanation of why Rona Barrett had such a sudden rise and fall. The birth of People Magazine and it's influence on pushing tabloids to another level...which pushed the national media to a new level (or low?).
7. Hardball-playing p.r. and private detectives who contolled their clients images and staved off major scandals -- and how they do it (bullying, getting the dirt on and confronting critics and making sought after clients inaccessible to offending journalists).

This is a highly ENTERTAINING book, with lots of facts, quotes and info that you haven't read elsewhere. It's solidly written but an EASY read and you'll REGRET it when you come to the last page. It answered a LOT of questions for me about what "really" went on and why our news media is the way it is today. SUPERB!!!

Good but feels like the author rushed to print.......2001-07-19

I found "Dish" very entertaining as well as educational. I think the historical aspect is very good. However, after reading another reader review that criticized sloppiness with names (spelled wrong, first and last names transposed), which now does make me wonder just how truly careful and thorough the research was. The way I feel right now is that fumbling the names was not due to the author not knowing what she was writing about, but just that her writing (editing, proofreading) wasn't great. I did get the feeling that this book was rushed to print, which might have led to the name fumbling. The different chapters read like separate articles, without much of a transition from chapter to chapter so there wasn't a real cohesive feel to the book as a whole. I wish I could rate this book higher, because I think there is good content but it's not presented as well as it could be.

The best book on the gossip industry.......2001-06-01

If you read The National Enquirer, The Globe or Star weekly or enjoy gossip columns or shows like Entertainment Tonight, this book is for you. Full of history and detail, you get the inside scoop on how gossip is made and reported, and how it's changed the face of "legitimate" news organizations. It's a great read and very informative. I couldn't put this book down. Sure, stars complain about the tabloids, but wait to you hear celebrities' true role in it all.

Try to put this one down!.......2001-05-12

I picked this book up on a whim and what a treat. Gossip, whether you like it or not, has definately altered the course of history. Dish definately introduced some concepts I would have brushed off as trivial in the past.

I couldn't put it down.

The growth of gossip provides entertainment.......2000-12-21

Not as lightweight as the title would have you believe, this overview of the growth of celebrity gossip is fascinating. The author chronicles the events which took gossip from a limited group of tabloids to the pages of some of the world's most prestigious newspapers as well as the surprising successful efforts of celebrities to control their public image.

Herland, The Yellow Wall-Paper, and Selected Writings (Penguin Classics)

Average customer rating:

A nice little afternoon read....

Herland, The Yellow Wall-Paper, and Selected Writings (Penguin Classics)
Charlotte Perkins Gilman , and Denise D. Knight
Manufacturer: Penguin Classics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Women Writers & Feminist Theory | Books & Reading | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Essays | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Classics | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

United States | Short Stories | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

British | Short Stories | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Short Stories | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Women Writers | Women's Studies | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Woman on the Edge of Time
Looking Backward (Signet Classics)
Women and Economics
Utopia (Penguin Classics)
We (Twentieth-Century Classics)

ASIN: 0141180625

Book Description

A new collection of fiction and poetry from a major voice in American feminism and literature

Charlotte Perkins Gilman was a turn-of-the-century American feminist and socialist thinker. In her works of fiction, Gilman sought to illustrate her ideas about the way American society squandered the talents and economic contributions of women. Based on the nervous breakdown she suffered during her own disastrous first marriage, The Yellow Wall-Paper is her classic story about a woman who goes mad when the rest-cure treatment she undergoes forbids her any kind of work.

Herland, Gilman's most famous novel, is a feminist utopian comedy in which three men stumble upon a society of women that has banished men. Also included in this Penguin Twentieth-Century Classics edition is a selection of Gilman's poetry and other short fiction. Gilman scholar Denise D. Knight has written an enlightening Introduction that explores Gilman's use of the utopian form, satire, and fantasy to provide a critique of women's place in society and to propose creative solutions.

Customer Reviews:

A nice little afternoon read...........2004-12-14

A generally overlooked gem of a utopian novella that makes for a pleasant experience. The treatment is calmer and more down to earth than A Brave New World, and is more thoughtful and meditative than Looking Backward. Gilman's feminism celebrates motherhood above all, and embraces Christianity. In a time when we're reconsidering gender roles and marriage in society, Herland is particularly relevant and insightful.

Highly recommended for the fan of utopian literature and early feminist thought.

The Yellow Wall-paper and Other Stories (Oxford World's Classics)

Average customer rating:

A Woman Beyond Her Time

The Yellow Wall-paper and Other Stories (Oxford World's Classics)
Charlotte Perkins Gilman
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Classics | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

United States | Short Stories | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

British | Short Stories | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Short Stories | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Feminist Theory | Women's Studies | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

The Living of Charlotte Perkins Gilman: An Autobiography (Wisconsin Studies in Autobiography)
Sickness and Health in America: Readings in the History of Medicine and Public Health
The Lifted Veil: Brother Jacob (Oxford World's Classics)
Charles W. Chesnutt Stories, Novels and Essays (Library of America)
The Youngest Science: Notes of a Medicine-Watcher (Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Series)

ASIN: 0192834800

Book Description

Charlotte Perkins Gilman was America's leading feminist intellectual of the early twentieth century. The Yellow Wall-Paper and Other Stories makes available the fullest selection of her short fiction ever printed. In addition to her pioneering masterpiece, `The Yellow Wall-Paper' (1890), which draws on her own experience of depression and insanity, this edition features her Impress `story studies', works in the manner of writers such as James, Twain, and Kipling. These stories, together with other fiction from her neglected California period (1890-5), throw new light on Gilman as a practitioner of the art of fiction. In her Forerunner stories she repeatedly explores the situation of `the woman of fifty' and inspires reform by imagining workable solutions to a range of personal and social problems.

Customer Reviews:

A Woman Beyond Her Time.......2004-02-28

The Yellow Wallpaper and Other Short Stories by Charlotte Perkins Gilman is a book truly ahead of it's time. From reading the stories it is apparent that Charlotte was an extreme feminist for the late 1800s. I found it interesting that a woman in the 1800s was so aware of the confinements imposed on women during that time. It was very clear to me that Charlotte Perkins Gilman was on a mission to educate as many woman as she could regarding the inequality of rights for women versus men. The main reason I found this book so intriguing was not because of her writing technique but her strong desire to help women realize that they were more capable than society gave them credit for. She was clearly trying to strengthen herself and other women. I appreciated her writing more for the books contribution to the empowerment of women. It was truly courageous of Charlotte to express as much as she did in her writings since it was uncommon for women to stand up for themselves and their rights. Charlottes writing was motivational and inspired many woman to eventually step out of their "limitations and boundaries" at the time and become more assertive about their rights.

Average customer rating:

A Mesmorizing Journey...Extreme Psychological Insights

Nausea: The Wall and Other Stories
Jean-Paul Sartre
Manufacturer: MJF Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Social Scientists & Psychologists | Professionals & Academics | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

The Plague, The Fall, Exile and the Kingdom, and Selected Essays (Everyman's Library)
The Stranger
Being And Nothingness
The Myth of Sisyphus: And Other Essays

ASIN: 1567313345

Customer Reviews:

A Mesmorizing Journey...Extreme Psychological Insights.......2000-12-11

Customer Reviews:

Serious Arthurian Entertainment.......2000-12-14

Yes, that's both Serious and Entertainment. This books meets the humor quotient you'd expect from Friesner, but it's not all fun and games. There is a depth to both the characters and to the stories themselves that I hadn't expected to find. She starts off with frumpy queens in housedresses reminiscent of Tanya Huff's dysfunctional Olympians and a goofy drinking song from Queen Gwen's Bar & Grail; she moves on to the more serious matters of Nimue waking Merlin and Mordred's version of Camelot's endgame. Throughout, these stories give us a revisionist history of the periphery of the Arthurian legends. Seek no Grails here -- this is the marginalia in a provocative new light. The Mists of Avalon becomes the canonical history from which some of these retellings deviate! Touching and thoughtful, witty and wry, this collection is probably the best Arthuriana I've read since Marion Zimmer Bradley. One note: the title, "... & other tales of King Arthur and his knights" is a bit misleading. These tales are barely about King Arthur and almost entirely not about his knights. Main characters include Nimue, Guinhwyfar, Morgan, Vivian, Mordred, Cai and several characters you never knew were involved at all. We've had enough knights anyway.

The Great Wall of China (Penguin Modern Classics)

Average customer rating:

The Great Wall of China (Penguin Modern Classics)
Franz Kafka
Manufacturer: Penguin Books Ltd
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Short Stories | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Chinese | Classics | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Book Description

Beginning in the 1980s, over many years and many journeys, Daniel Schwartz has patiently and obsessively photographed one of mankind's supreme monuments—the Great Wall of China. Schwartz was the first foreigner ever to be allowed to see so much of the Wall. From the border of North Korea westward he traveled through mountains and deserts and frozen grasslands to the borders of Central Asia. China's new policy of openness encouraged him to revisit the Wall and to photograph areas that had been closed even to him on previous journeys. This extraordinary project is at once a beautiful photographic essay, an intriguing conceptual art project, and a personal odyssey. As Schwartz has said: "I went to China to find out what I was capable of...I wanted to do it because it was impossible. I wanted to find out where the boundaries of the impossible lay and how close I could get to them." To place the photographs in context, the Chinese historian Luo Zhewen, who has dedicated his life to a study of the Great Wall, has written an essential brief history. Also included is Jorge Luis Borges's short meditation "The Wall and the Books" and an extract from Franz Kafka's illuminating short story "The Great Wall of China." The Great Wall is acknowledged as the world's most amazing man-made artifact. Daniel Schwartz, with his profound and haunting photographs, has made not only a unique document but a book that is a work of art in itself. 149 duotone photographs and 6 maps.

Books:

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books