Barbarians at the Gate (Abridged): The Fall of RJR Nabisco Audiobook

" Fascinating look at the battle for RJR nabisco and the insider world of corporate finance. I really enjoyed it, but for whatever reason had a slow go of reading it. Took me months. Not really sure why. But a great read that does a great job of explaining what happened and why, without getting bogged down into too much technical descriptions "

" Fascinating. Incredibly well written. Complex, dramatic. A gem. "

" Every MBA student should be required to read this book. "

" Reads like a book of fiction, no doubt it served as the playbook for the Enron hoodlums, and every other corporate thug. "

" Great chronicle of an era of greed, with spectacular details and drama despite the fact that it's about the incredibly dull topic of leveraged buyouts. Huge cast of characters is tough to follow at times, but some very colorful ones too. "

" I never would normally pick this up (usually raised letters on the cover mean Marty no likey). I pretty much only read it to get an idea of what the hell my husband does until 10pm every night. It actually was fairly entertaining, and I definitely learned a lot. "

" Excellent account of the ethos or lack thereof behind the leveraged buy outs (LBO's) that changed the landscape of corporate America. The book is often funny and the people are drawn as fully as a novelist might. "

" This was a great book about the history of the LBO market and all of the players involved in what was, at the time, the largest LBO ever done. Great background of all the big guys today and the greed and fierceness of those players. "

" Awesome & a great introduction to private equity. "

" Superior book, giving an insight into the world of Wall Street/ high finance. gripping.....well worth the read for even those who are notfinancial types. "

" Also see the movie by the same title. "

" Great read- entertaining and informative. A business history that reads like a thriller. "

" Very interesting look at the inner workings of leveraged buyouts. Not a beach read by any stretch though! "

" excellent read on M&A in the 70's /80's "

" The book to read if you want to understand Private Equity. "

" Was thoroughly engrossed in this - I think because so much of this story affected the people here in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. "

" Absolutely phenomenal "

" Single greatest business book of all time. Not much more needs to be said. "

" This is supposed to be the most influential business books in history. Certainly an interesting story, but a little bit hard to follow just because of the way it's written. "

" Amazing inside look at a major business transaction. Great character development for a book about a Leveraged Buy Out. "

" Great book, I couldn't put it down. Very real and in depth tour of the corporate takeover and high finance world. One of the best business books I've ever read. "

" This is one of the best books I have found about the world of corporate takeovers. Well written enough to be interesting to someone who isn't in the field as well. "

" Very well written book, thoroughly enjoyed reading every word :) "

" This was an exciting, interesting read. One of the best "business" books I've read. Burrough does a great job introducing great characters and explaining the complex maneuverings behind this deal. "

" Very well written book, thoroughly enjoyed reading every word :) "

" The first business book I ever read...20 years ago...and still by far the best. It puts you inside the room for every meeting and it's all you can do to keep from yelling "STOP!" as these guys drive a major American corporation (two, actually), right off a cliff. "

" A terrific book for those interested in Private Equity. Worthless to all else, hence the low rating "

" Certainly a business classic. The hoopla involved in this Leveraged Buyout is one for the ages, by far the biggest ever completed at its time. Burrough & Helyar did a fantastic job documenting it all, but the book got bland towards the end for me. "

" Incredibly well-researched and engaging book. There are points that lag with too much information, but the psychology of the business world is fascinating. "

" A really interesting and detailed account of some the biggest players and biggest companies in their time. Highly recommended for anyone interested in big business or corporate finance maneuvering. "

" Now I know the origins of the rancid stench I smell each time I hear the words "private equity." A lot of good lessons of what not to do when managing corporations. "

" Good intro into corporate greed and the beginning of the Private Equity world. Well told and even though lengthy it doesn't seem to drag. "

" I liked it a lot. A bit long, but very engaging. I learned quite a lot about business and finance things that I didn't know about. I'd recommend it. "

" Engaging, dramatic overview of the RJR Nabisco deal at the end of the 1980's buyout boom. Effectively illustrates the fast-pace, dynamic interactions among the many parties involved in the largest LBO deal at the time. "

" Very well-written, and engaging. I have to admit, though, that the behavior of the people in the book makes me glad that I don't work in the world of high finance or big business. "