Rating: 
Summary: one-sided
Review: While this book provides a nice historical perspective on Goldman, it is one sided. Traders or bankers, who's bigger? What about the rest of the firm, who work their pants off and get the crumbs? Supposedly people are the greatest asset of Goldman, but Hank Paulsen said a couple of years ago that 20% of the people are doing 80% of the work. I'd say 20% of the people earn 80% of the money (or more like 95%). While GS is a good company, it is not the only one on the street and it definitely does not have "the best and the brightest" folks out there - they aren't building spacecraft, just making money...
Rating: 
Summary: A MUST READ INSIGHT INTO THE WORKINGS OF A GREAT BUSINESS
Review: Why would the partners of Wall Street's last remaining partnership, which also happens to be Wall Street's most profitable firm, decide to sell shares to the public? And when their public offering aborts due to a stock market dip (in the fall of 1998), what happens to the critical issues that triggered the choice of public ownership? Ms. Endlich provides answers to many of these questions as she leads the reader on a stimulating journey through Goldman Sach's 125 year history.Ms. Endlich identifies many factors that contributed to Goldman Sach's success. She details personalities of the firm's leadership starting with Marcus Goldman and Samuel Sachs through a succession of outstanding leaders to the present day. Concurrently, she examines Goldman Sachs' progress as it expanded by new product development, though not always origination. She highlights the firm's geographic expansion as Goldman Sachs became a global powerhouse. Peppered throughout are constant reminders of the unique firm culture which Ms. Endlich suggests has been critical to the firm's past success. This culture's themes, such as proclaiming that the firm's clients come foremost and that the firm's success is more important than individual glory, spice up historical anecdotes. To-day the firm's mushrooming staff size plus their worldwide dispersion, exacerbated by potential public ownership, clearly challange the future of this culture. Several episodes, which are explored in detail, liven this story and contribute to a down to earth impression of Goldman Sach's staid investment banking world. The Robert Maxwell debacle, insider trading charges during the 1980's, the hugely successful block trade of British Petroleum shares and a motorclycing star performer are examples that will interest Wall Streeters while providing enjoyable reading to non-Wall Streeters. Clearly the fat lady has not yet sung on this latest chapter in the Goldman Sachs saga, but this book will provide a foundation to understanding to-morrow's headlines.
Rating: 
Summary: This book stinks!
Review: You'd rather read the Pope on the History of the Catholic Church: equally objective and entertaining.
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