Business Adventures

From Wall Street to Main Street, John Brooks, longtime contributor to the New Yorker, brings to life in vivid fashion twelve classic and timeless tales of corporate and financial life in America

What do the $350 million Ford Motor Company disaster known as the Edsel, the fast and incredible rise of Xerox, and the unbelievable scandals at GE and Texas Gulf Sulphur have in common? Each is an example of how an iconic company was defined by a particular moment of fame or notoriety; these notable and fascinating accounts are as relevant today to understanding the intricacies of corporate life as they were when the events happened.

Stories about Wall Street are infused with drama and adventure and reveal the machinations and volatile nature of the world of finance. John Brooks’s insightful reportage is so full of personality and critical detail that whether he is looking at the astounding market crash of 1962, the collapse of a well-known brokerage firm, or the bold attempt by American bankers to save the British pound, one gets the sense that history repeats itself.

Five additional stories on equally fascinating subjects round out this wonderful collection that will both entertain and inform readers . . . Business Adventures is truly financial journalism at its liveliest and best.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 The Fluctuation
Chapter 2 The Fate of the Edsel
Chapter 3 The Federal Income Tax
Chapter 4 A Reasonable Amount of Time
Chapter 5 Xerox Xerox Xerox Xerox
Chapter 6 Making the Customers Whole
Chapter 7 The Impacted Philosophers
Chapter 8 The Last Great Corner
Chapter 9 A Second Sort of Life
Chapter 10 Stockholder Season
Chapter 11 One Free Bite
Chapter 12 In Defense of Sterling