Barbarians at the gate
by Bryan Burrough · 2009
Bryan Burrough's take on history, the honest verdict is below.
Worth reading? The definitive account of the RJR Nabisco leveraged buyout and 1980s Wall Street excess. A gripping business classic; read it for the drama and the finance. Skip if you want a how-to, because it's narrative history, not instruction.
| Author | Bryan Burrough |
|---|---|
| Published | 2009 |
| Category | History |
The Verdict
The definitive account of the RJR Nabisco leveraged buyout and 1980s Wall Street excess. A gripping business classic; read it for the drama and the finance. Skip if you want a how-to, because it’s narrative history, not instruction.
anyone weighing whether Barbarians at the gate belongs on their history shelf
you want a different angle than Bryan Burrough's
Top 8 Lessons from Barbarians at the gate
- Ego and greed drive dealmaking as much as strategy.
- Leveraged buyouts load companies with enormous debt.
- Executive self-interest can override shareholder interest.
- A bidding war can spiral far past any rational value.
- Investment bankers profit whether the deal helps or hurts.
- Boardroom politics decide outcomes as much as numbers.
- Financial engineering can eclipse actually running a business.
- The 1980s buyout boom reshaped corporate America.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Barbarians at the Gate worth reading?
Yes; it's a classic, riveting account of high finance. Note it's business history, not self-improvement.
What is the main idea of Barbarians at the Gate?
The RJR Nabisco buyout exposes how ego, greed, and leverage drove 1980s corporate dealmaking.
Who should read Barbarians at the Gate?
Anyone interested in finance, dealmaking, or Wall Street history.
Ready to read it?
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