Riding the Bull: : My Year in the Madness at Merrill Lynch
Author: Paul Stiles
List Price: $25.00
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ISBN: 0812927893
Publisher: Times Books (27 January, 1998)
Sales Rank: 41,195
Average Customer Rating: 3.12 out of 5
Customer Reviews
Rating: 5 out of 5
Painfully familiar and thought provoking (yet entertaining)
I found Riding the Bull a very valuable read. Certainly, it is well written and captures the events and emotions of the author's year on Wall Street genuinely and naturally. I happen to be a bond trader, and while reading the book on a recent weekend getaway from the "megalopolis," I could definitely identify with Mr. Stiles. Over the last year, my job satisfaction has steadily declined, even as my pay has risen. Every day, I dread dragging myself to the office for another battle against "the market." After reading this book, I was suddenly aware of the changes that had taken place in me, in the same way that they happened to author. I had just never noticed before. I still haven't decided what to do exactly. Like the author, I have conversations with myself, where I come up with excuses not to quit, trying to rationalize my choice of money over happiness. This is not a pleasant thing to discover about myself. I'm certainly not asking for compassion, because I made these choices. And I hope this doesn't sound like more yuppie whining. All I am saying is that for me, Riding the Bull rang true, too true. And it is making me see things in a different light. Isn't that what a great book should do?
Rating: 2 out of 5
Stiles still doesn't get it
The only similarity between this book and Liar's Poker is that they are both about Wall Street. Rather than blame himself for seeking out and then accepting a job he knew he was ill-prepared for, in a city he knew nothing about, Stiles blames everyone and everything else. This, in essence, is why Stiles never made it. NYC and Wall Street are not the types of places for people who are always waiting for something to come to them - you have to go out and get it. Stiles book has some interesting passages, though it is very clear that he still does not understand why it didn't all work out. Despite the fact that he was "never trained", his passages about the Mexican Peso devaluation and the Orange County Scandal are good summaries. If you work on Wall Street, this book will be entertaining. If you are thinking of working on Wall Street and are as naive as Stiles about "the life", this book will be useful. Otherwise, take a pass and read Michael Lewis's Liar's Poker.
Rating: 5 out of 5
Merrill Lynch Slice of Life
This book is a true to life description of the Merrill Lynch culture. Stiles has absolutely "nailed" the Merrill work experience right down to the day to day relationships between co-workers.For those considering employment in the world's largest brokerage firm - give it a read. You will not regret it. It is an eye-opener.
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