Reyner Banham The New Yorker still uses diaeresis over most dipthongs. It's intended to indicate that the second vowel forms a second syllable. And it's tradition. I, for one, kind of like it. This question contains spoilers I took inspiration from it while running Microsoft. See all 5 questions about Business Adventures…. Lists with This Book.
Community Reviews. Showing Average rating 3. Rating details. More filters. Sort order. Start your review of Business Adventures. Jul 19, H. Roulo rated it really liked it. I read the ebook, and I understand a print version will be forthcoming in September.
This book makes me feel as though I'm sitting at the knee of my grandfather, listening to wise recollections. A writer of articles in the 's and , many for the New Yorker, the author intelligently and thoughtfully steps through 12 events, one per chapter.
At first I thought perhaps I was particularly dense and wasn't getting the message. What held these stories together? Eventually, I realized that the author is not driving home a point, selling anything, or giving advice.
His observations leave room for the reader to consider events, their connections, their parallels to today, the importance of character, and the question of morality in business.
It was refreshing not to be told what to think. John Brooks' perspective is firmly rooted in the past, when the book was written, and provides readers opportunity for a sense of omniscience since we can consider ramifications the author himself could not be aware of, at that time. Details may change. People do not. View all 3 comments. Jul 15, Rick Rowland rated it really liked it. I had such a great time reading this book. Like I have said before, I am not an educated man.
I only have a GED. But that did not stop me from understanding and enjoying this book. I learned so much and the authors style kept my attention locked. View all 5 comments. Wall Street woes, Ford Emodel issues, intellectual property litigations, FOREX, shareholding times, market volatility, corporate communications vs labirintine relationships Everything's a bit dated, of course.
Still, the salient points of this caliber are never lost since nothing's new under the moon. Jul 13, Heather rated it liked it Shelves: business-reading , read-in Recommended by Bill Gates. The author has a talent for making complex financial concepts accessible. The essays on the Edsel, Xerox, and the non-compete were especially good. Annotations added 4. With that, he waved goodbye and was off. Dated, slow, and failed to carry a common theme are among the criticisms of this republished book, which has been touted by wunderkind, Bill Gates.
Sadly, the criticisms are all quite true. Most of these "classic tales" date from the late 50s and 60s, ranging from the colossal failure of Ford's Edsel model, to the vagaries of the federal taxation system, to the syndicate of nations that avoided a collapse of the British pound, to a case of cornering the market Piggly Wiggly , to a case of trade Dated, slow, and failed to carry a common theme are among the criticisms of this republished book, which has been touted by wunderkind, Bill Gates.
Most of these "classic tales" date from the late 50s and 60s, ranging from the colossal failure of Ford's Edsel model, to the vagaries of the federal taxation system, to the syndicate of nations that avoided a collapse of the British pound, to a case of cornering the market Piggly Wiggly , to a case of trade secrets vs. The only story that I found interesting was the career and philosophy of Tennessee Valley Authority chairman, David Lilienthal.
Twelve Wall Street stories from the 60s. These type of lessons are valuable to understand, but unfortunately not all were readable. I was still able to get the summary of each except one. I have no idea what nine was about. One Market fluctuations is about a three day dip in the market in , of which was caused by the delay in information.
Not exactly applicable today. This appears to be due to over hype and marketing at the wrong time, and going a Twelve Wall Street stories from the 60s. This appears to be due to over hype and marketing at the wrong time, and going all in on it.
But companies can make mistakes and bounce back. This story was a bit long. Three Federal Income Tax developed out of the need to supply war, but was highly unpopular.
It has since been modified to the point of complexity that only favors the rich. Trump now claims simplicity, but favors the rich and screws the poor. Loopholes can be exploited by the rich. Also that only the employees knew the real story and was able to buy up stock. This lead to an SEC court case of insider trading. Not an issue today with the internet available and information updates are instant.
This may be about practicing emotional intelligence by not rushing a public statement until all facts are set. Insider trading at the level of thousands of shares is a red flag when purchased directly after a major company strategic event. Five Xerox unknowingly put themselves right in the behind enabling copy-write law infractions. Books were being copied and the situation became political very quick.
Thus, the company became involved and more political. They turned out to be a company that also donates to their local university. Six A company is discovered to have no assets and is illiquid. The market is stopped. They basically spend the time to regroup and figure out what to do. They decide to borrow money and repay the customers that lost money. And that Wall Street is the devils lair.
Seven This appears to be a purposeful lack of communication about price fixing and violating anti trust laws at the executive level of GE. Conniving stories spinner as poor communication. Eight Cornering the market is when bears sell off and try to get the price to drop so they can buy low. Bulls will then corner the market by buying up all those floating shares and selling at whatever price they want.
They flood the news with propaganda that the stock is bad. Then another in Atlanta for GE. Small shareholders want more say. No arguments between stockholders and managers.
Evident respect. Chief executive personalities are evident in a public forum of this kind. Eleven A man is approached by another competitor for a better job. This one is about the protection of trade secrets. Though one cannot be held guilty before a crime is committed.
But could be investigated if found to have used trade secrets. Thus began the defense of the Pound Sterling. Mitigation solutions like devaluation of the currency is explored. Cheaper to export, but making standard of living at home more expensive and cannot buy goods or import. The worry was it would lead to a devaluation of the dollar as well leading to world depression. Great Britain was not good at managing their funds and did not operate to grow, which can leave open for risk and loss in drastic times.
Preventative measures weee taken and a crash was vehemently fought. Sterling eventually failed but they bankers that fought it felt a structure was established that made the crash less impactful.
I would skip this book. Not very enjoyable to read. Only a few stories were interesting. View 1 comment. Dec 24, Jan rated it really liked it Shelves: business , non-fiction. Business Adventures is well written, as John Brooks is able to tell these stories entertainingly by emphasising funny dialogues, and his generally great way with words.
Essentially this similar to long form journalism today. However, the book requires the reader to read between the lines and draw its own conclusions, as Brooks does not deliver read-made Business Adventures is well written, as John Brooks is able to tell these stories entertainingly by emphasising funny dialogues, and his generally great way with words.
However, the book requires the reader to read between the lines and draw its own conclusions, as Brooks does not deliver read-made solutions or answers but merely describes the stories and challenges. Some of the stories are more useful than others - my view on all 1. The story of the Ford Edsel failure cannot easily be allocated to a single reason, but while I still think the bad name not taking into account research is an issue, it ultimately boils down tone thing: Product focus matters: The Edsel just wast a good car to drive, especially the initial batches that were reviewed by consumer magazines.
History of the US Income Tax. Interesting to learn its history e. However, less insightful than other stories. It does however have some good evidence of progressiveness of the tax apart from richest as they can afford better lawyers and mainly earn money in stock especially options and can utilise charity deductions.
Insider trading case of Texas Gulf discovering a rich ore mine at Kidd 55 in Canada makes for interesting story. The company understated reports even though officers were buying shares internally, posing the crucial question: When exactly does something become official? In this case, there was also an interesting angle whether the press conference or the information appearing on Dow Jones broad tape would make it publicly known. While the nature elf this has changed due to the advances in telecommunication, this remains an important issue.
Of course, the U. Story of how Xerox invented photocopying as we know it today is mainly one of believing in the product. But it also offers insight into other areas: Describes the impact of copying onto copyright and how some thought books may disappear; apparently some things never change… Furthermore, there are lessons to be learned about the executives attitude to not taking stock movements too seriously, and the challenge of keeping company culture during rapid growth e.
Overall, one of the best ones in the book. Not hugely insightful, but has interesting parallels to the situation of Long Term Capital Management roughly 40 years later, down to the bank negotiations and people taking hold of floors in exchange buildings even though the reasons each firm finds itself in precarious situation are very different indeed.
Highly interesting insight into the challenges of corporate communication, told through the case of price fixing in electrical equipment, with a focus on GE. Clarence Saunders, founder of Piggly Wiggly stores, tried to corner short sellers but failed since exchange halted trading and extended call for stock by five days.
The story does however contain a few interesting nuggets, such as Saunders founding the first supermarkets with Piggly Wiggly, as they were self service; and his attempts to further streamline the service when founding chains Keedoozle and Foodelectric.
In the latter, customers used a key to tabulate what they wanted from showroom, and then collect it - which shows that Saunders was years ahead, as this is similar to companies such as Argos today. A very narrow story about an individual, and thus rather limited: Lilienthal, previously a high ranking government employee in charge of Tennessee Valley Authority and then chairman of Atomic Energy Commission - AEC , talking about how fulfilling running a Company is, but also the risks to getting lost in it; as well as the balance between being involved in detail but keeping far enough away to think strategically also.
Brooks describes visiting various stockholder meetings - entertaining but limited learning: Maybe that professional stockholders like to profile themselves, and CEOs can sue that in annual meetings, as smaller stockholders tend to be more likely to support management. Brooks illustrates the issue of trade secrets using the case of Wohlgemut - an engineer working sued upon switching jobs from Goodrich to Latex Corporation, as both were making space suits and Goodrich thought they would lose trade secrets.
Court ultimately decided he can switch jobs, but injunction against revealing trade secrets. Great story of Black Friday, but a poor economic take on fixed currency, especially the Pound Sterling. The pound was fixed to dollar as a result of Bretton Woods agreement of , while the dollar was fixed to gold.
Pressure from speculation and companies hedging against devaluation finally results in Black Friday 17th Nov and devaluation of Pound from 2.
Unfortunately, since a lot of factors, such as fixed currency and a Bank of England not independent, are a factor of their times, it has limited insight for current policies apart form the power of free market. Aug 12, Andrew Tollemache rated it liked it.
I give this one a middling review not because it was middling, but it is a 40 year old anthology of business stories and some of them are boring and dated The other stories are really good, I understand why Gates and Buffet cite this book as a favorite.
In all a breezy read once you skim the more dated chapters. May 24, Vijay rated it really liked it. I really enjoyed this book! The author has a real gift for making the financial world extremely interesting.
Not since Jeffry Archer and Kane and Abel have I read an account of financial dealings that was so exciting! I particularly enjoyed the struggle to save the sterling, the corner, the life of david lilienthal, and other pieces. Some pieces were kind of boring though. Sadly, the author does not have the gift of brevity, and tends to ramble on and on.
Highly recommend for anyone interested in I really enjoyed this book! Highly recommend for anyone interested in business! Oct 20, Jacob rated it it was ok Shelves: non-fiction.
Yeah, more people have read this in the past two months than in the prior forty years. While reading I found the stories interesting, but didn't once think of them afterwards. Guess that's why I'm not one of the two richest folks in America. Aug 03, Kanishka Sirdesai rated it liked it. A very dated book having an anthology of business stories.
Some are interesting while others read like a scientific journal. Coincidentally, a few stories mirror real life business dilemmas! Nov 19, Dkovlak rated it really liked it. Great book. Since it was written in , a lot has taken place. I wish each story could be updated. The author had a great idea in writing this book. He has written about 12 business adventures during the 60s. It would be great for someone to do a current day version of this book with more current business adventures.
An updated version of this book should be included in all MBA programs. I really learned a lot about business from this book. View 2 comments. Jul 28, Tarmo Tali rated it it was amazing. This book is not your modern "business" book. It's not a book where a trivial idea is stretched to pages, filled with carefully cherry-picked studies on how well-known brands are successful because of your great idea.
There is none of it. It tells 12 stories about the business. They are very well written, and there is plenty to learn from them. I wish I read it ten years ago.
It's also a favorite business book of Warren Buffet and Bill Gates. Aug 13, Maliha rated it really liked it Shelves: dnf , 4-stars , business , non-fiction. Putting this one on hold for the moment. Apr 05, Frank Stein rated it really liked it. This little-remembered collection of New Yorker essays from the s surged into popularity recently when both Bill Gates and Warren Buffet, who, depending on the week or month, are the two richest humans in history, declared it their favorite business book ever.
Surprisingly to many, however, this is not a typical business book. What it does have are 12 extremely well-written, well-th This little-remembered collection of New Yorker essays from the s surged into popularity recently when both Bill Gates and Warren Buffet, who, depending on the week or month, are the two richest humans in history, declared it their favorite business book ever.
What it does have are 12 extremely well-written, well-thought-out stories about disparate events, usually crises, often concerning finance, in business history. As the author John Brooks says in an article on the phenomenally successful Xerox company appropriately titled "Xerox Xerox Xerox Xerox" "I find that companies are inclined to be at their most interesting when they are undergoing a little misfortune.
Many essays, in fact, focus on the public or legal implications of business mistakes, and aim to suss out the human impact of different policies. For instance, the Xerox article goes into detail on the legal wrangling the technology caused about "fair use" exception to copyright, and how the machine seemed to pose as much a threat to writers as the internet does today.
There are few obvious lessons to be gleaned from the book overall, and the author tries hard to convey a narrative instead of a moral; those are probably the reasons why it may be one of the best business books ever. John Brooks has an obvious affinity for intricate details and the importance of subtle differences. One essay, in fact, is merely a droll stroll through the history of income tax provisions. Another details the first real insider trading prosecution, of geologists at Texas Gulf, who traded on a potentially massive Canadian ore fine in Here Brooks describes the details of prospective ore drilling and of the changing rules of the SEC, and emerges with a confession of how difficult it is to draw a clear line about who or what is an insider.
Another article focuses on the collapse of the Ira Haupt brokerage company in November , little remembered today because it coincided with the weekend of the Kennedy assassination. Yet Brooks dives into the nature of the "salad oil scandal" of false warehouse receipts and shoddy auditing that allowed the company to go under, and into how the New York Stock Exchange made the important decision to bail out all the customers of Ira Haupt so there wouldn't be a run on mutual funds.
President Johnson, on his first Monday in office, took time to congratulate the Exchange for averting a panic. Some of the stories, such as the stock exchange bail-out, seem to have only grown in importance with time. There is for instance, philosophical disquisition on the General Electric antitrust prosecution, the first criminal antitrust prosecution in the U.
There is also the thrilling description of the Federal Reserve's by any means necessary defense of the British pound from speculative attack in With a focus on finance and financial flubs, this book offers a lot of grist for the modern reader, and, although every story doesn't shine, they are all both thoughtful and entertaining.
I think that's why Bill and Warren love it. Dec 23, Grant rated it it was ok. Semi-entertaining read. Some of the chapters are rather boring, despite Brooks' engaging prose, which is often tongue-in-cheek. Best chapters: -Texas Gulf Sulphur chapter Good work from the SEC on this one. I have a new respect for Xerox now. The stuff about communication via winking is just gold.
Very interesting stuff about the development of trade secrets law in here. Raises some interesting moral questions too - loyalty to a company vs. Was Wohlgemuth in the right or wrong here? We do not guarantee that these techniques will work for you. Some of the techniques listed in Business Adventures may require a sound knowledge of Hypnosis, users are advised to either leave those sections or must have a basic understanding of the subject before practicing them.
DMCA and Copyright : The book is not hosted on our servers, to remove the file please contact the source url. If you see a Google Drive link instead of source url, means that the file witch you will get after approval is just a summary of original book or the file has been already removed. Loved each and every part of this book. I will definitely recommend this book to business, non fiction lovers. Your Rating:.
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