Barbarians at the Gate

The Fall of RJR Nabisco

By: Bryan Burrough, John Helyar

Narrated by: Eric Jason Martin

Length: 22 hrs and 18 mins

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

Narrator is just ok

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

Perfectly Read but Confusing!

Fascinated by the personalities but wish the authors had been more explanatory about the financial maneuvers and instruments. Perhaps they never imagined readers beyond the Wall Street Journal crowd would be interested. But we are — and personally I could have benefited from more definitions and explanations all along the way. Despite my needing to google “debentures” and such, I found the book fascinating and the narrator just perfect.

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.

Great intro to LBO's

This well written, well researched book provides a great intro into how the process of taking a company into an LBO works.

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!

Excellent read

Well worth the time. What a rivoting story! I sure hope people have learned from this.

Simply magnificent

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

Funny and insightful

Business is taken so seriously in society, this book reveals the comedy of errors and the imprecise illogic that guides some business decisions at the end of the day. One cannot sever emotion from high stakes poker and all sanity is lost when the stakes are at their highest.

Fantastic!

A truly engaging read with a superb reader who really adds to the listening experience. Couldn’t recommend more!

A classic

Listened to the whole thing on 1.2x within a week of starting it… great storyline and fun listen