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Barbarians at the Gate

Written by: Bryan Burrough,John Helyar
Narrated by: Eric Jason Martin
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Publisher's Summary

“One of the finest, most compelling accounts of what happened to corporate America and Wall Street in the 1980s.” (New York Times Book Review)

A number-one New York Times best seller and arguably the best business narrative ever written, Barbarians at the Gate is the classic account of the fall of RJR Nabisco. An enduring masterpiece of investigative journalism by Bryan Burrough and John Helyar, it includes a new afterword by the authors that brings this remarkable story of greed and double-dealings up to date 20 years after the famed deal. The Los Angeles Times calls Barbarians at the Gate, “Superlative”. The Chicago Tribune raves, “It’s hard to imagine a better story...and it’s hard to imagine a better account.” And in an era of spectacular business crashes and federal bailouts, it still stands as a valuable cautionary tale that must be heeded.

©1989, 2009 Bryan Burrough, John Helyar (P)2021 HarperCollins Publishers

What listeners love about Barbarians at the Gate

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  • Sinead O'Rourke
  • 2021-08-14

Simply magnificent

Great timeless story with superb narration. Required regarding for every business graduate or anyone with an interest in how ego trumps logic

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4 people found this helpful

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  • D. J. Schultz
  • 2021-11-01

Still hugely relevant and entertaining after 30+ years!

One of the best modern history, business, and dramas I have ever read all rolled up into one book. Very even handed treatment of the characters and events. Well done!

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3 people found this helpful

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  • jason schaefer
  • 2021-08-10

Solid Story

Enjoyed the books from start to finish, even wiki'd all the folks to see how life went after the story was over.

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3 people found this helpful

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  • Andrew M.
  • 2021-08-01

Good book but too dense

The story is well told but it goes on for too long and too in depth. Not every phone call or meal needs to be detailed. Still, an incredible story about Wall Street and LBOs.

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  • Glenn Ogolah
  • 2022-07-05

Great Journalism

I loved the level of research that went into putting this together. I continuously had a clear understanding of the people involved and their thinking during the entire process. The details paint a very vivid picture.

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  • A. Wenzel
  • 2022-06-26

insane. A must for every MBA.

Action packed story that reads like a heist thriller for nerds. One of the best books ever. You'll want to finish in one sitting!

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  • Karen
  • 2021-07-24

Narrator is just ok

Narrator takes some getting used to in pace and tone but the book is excellent

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  • Paul
  • 2021-07-05

Fun finance heavy story

This book requires a fair amount of attention, as it covers a lot of characters. It feels like a good window into what the 1980s LBO craze was like. It focuses less on employees and customers than shareholders and executives.

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  • Jeremy Repanich
  • 2023-07-22

Timeless.

It’s about events from 35 years ago, but still engaging and interesting today. An important bit of history in capitalism. Also, it’s just a fun book for those missing Succession.

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  • Anonymous User
  • 2023-07-14

Fantastic

Incredible story and informative on the topic of leveraged buyouts. Establishing the backstories of each of the many individuals within the deal, brought each person to life and allows a reader to understand the perspective and motivations of each party.

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  • CHAJIA
  • 2022-06-01

A timeless classic

A timeless classic for every business and finance enthusiast, reflecting the high/low point of junk bond fueled LBOs, and the birth of stock options as a big part of execs global comp.

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