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De Groene Koning #1-1
The Green King
At seventeen a survivor of a Nazi death camp, Reb Michael Klimrod devotes his life to the pursuit of power, wealth, and revenge.In 1950 he appeared in New York, a tall, gaunt twenty-two year-old with a false passport and not a penny in his pocket. Within six days he began his first company. Within six months he'd established fifty-eight more. Within ten years Reb Michael Klimrod would be a billionaire, an enigmatic genius dealing in real estate, gold mines, hotels, oil, and tankers in a bid to possess more money and power than anyone else in the world.Yet only a small, select group of men would know his real name, recognize his face. And not even they knew what he planned for the Nazis who had betrayed his youth ... for the woman he loved ... and for the entire unsuspecting earth.
Paperback
First published May 22, 1983
50 people are currently reading
836 people want to read
About the author
Paul-Loup Sulitzer
76 books40 followersPaul Loup Karl Sulitzer was a French financier and author. Before he turned seventeen, he was already a self-made millionaire. Sulitzer used his financial experience and knowledge in his books, which often related to the business world.
Many of his books were ghost-written by Loup Durand.
Many of his books were ghost-written by Loup Durand.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
May 23, 2012
The most amazing book I have ever read. The character of Reb Michael Klimrod makes me wish he were real and I had a chance to meet him.
January 18, 2016
One of the great works of our time, not least for the scale of it. Amazed it doesn't have a greater profile. Probably loses something in translation but even in English its a remarkable book.
When you read some of the shite that is proclaimed as iconic literature its borderline comedy more people haven't heard of this book.
Its quite long but you wont notice that when you start. The ultimate rags to riches story.
When you read some of the shite that is proclaimed as iconic literature its borderline comedy more people haven't heard of this book.
Its quite long but you wont notice that when you start. The ultimate rags to riches story.
March 10, 2012
One of the most amazing books containing one of the most enterprisingly dynamic characters that I've ever read.
June 4, 2017
Read it a long time ago in Bulgarian.
It changed my life with some of the other Paul-Loup Sulitzer's books.
It changed my life with some of the other Paul-Loup Sulitzer's books.
January 6, 2015
An incredible story that seizes the reader from the very beginning.
One of the few books I've read more than once.
Highly recommend
One of the few books I've read more than once.
Highly recommend
March 26, 2018
Это худшая книга которую я читал/слушал за все время. Настоятельно не рекомендую тратить на неё свое время.
March 13, 2021
I'm really confused by all these positive reviews. This book is terrible, on par with Atlas Shrugged, but without any philosophical context.
The beginning is intriguing and starts interesting - a world throttling young man searching for ex-Nazis who tortured him in the camps and for one particular man who killed his father.
One would think that this hunt is going to be the premise of an entire book. Ha, nope. That conflict is solved in the first third of the book. After that, the quality of the story goes downhill completely.
Without a proper villain to show us the weak sides of the main character, he instantly turns into a Mary Sue. He has a genius-level intellect, dashing charisma, incredible analytical and business skills, he's an expert negotiator, can easily scare a mob boss by just talking to him and everyone who meets him "instantly feel an aura of power and mystery". Oh but wait, he has also gone to the forests of South America and in a couple of weeks became a leader of the local tribes and their unifier! And all that before his 20s.
This wouldn't be that bad if the main character had any personality. But he doesn't. His entire character is about being smart and magically influencing people. In the first third of the book he at least had a motivation of revenge, a quality that was something that could be interesting. But he kills his villain almost right away and nothing is left to stop the horrendous writing that is to be continued.
The story itself is poor. One could say that there is no story, nothing to drive the reader, nothing to motivate him to turn the next page. It's all just stories about incredible schemes the main character pulls, a scheme after scheme after scheme. The only thing that motivated me to read this, was my desire to know what his endgame was.
But alas, the boring descriptions of how the main characters make their millions was not enough to keep my interest for long.
The beginning is intriguing and starts interesting - a world throttling young man searching for ex-Nazis who tortured him in the camps and for one particular man who killed his father.
One would think that this hunt is going to be the premise of an entire book. Ha, nope. That conflict is solved in the first third of the book. After that, the quality of the story goes downhill completely.
Without a proper villain to show us the weak sides of the main character, he instantly turns into a Mary Sue. He has a genius-level intellect, dashing charisma, incredible analytical and business skills, he's an expert negotiator, can easily scare a mob boss by just talking to him and everyone who meets him "instantly feel an aura of power and mystery". Oh but wait, he has also gone to the forests of South America and in a couple of weeks became a leader of the local tribes and their unifier! And all that before his 20s.
This wouldn't be that bad if the main character had any personality. But he doesn't. His entire character is about being smart and magically influencing people. In the first third of the book he at least had a motivation of revenge, a quality that was something that could be interesting. But he kills his villain almost right away and nothing is left to stop the horrendous writing that is to be continued.
The story itself is poor. One could say that there is no story, nothing to drive the reader, nothing to motivate him to turn the next page. It's all just stories about incredible schemes the main character pulls, a scheme after scheme after scheme. The only thing that motivated me to read this, was my desire to know what his endgame was.
But alas, the boring descriptions of how the main characters make their millions was not enough to keep my interest for long.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 8, 2020
Can’t believe why there’s still no movie starring Leonardo DiCaprio(or someone of the caliber), depicting this fascinating book. The scale is enormous, author’s background in Economics adds real touch to all the financial maneuvers. At the same time the image of Michael Klimrod is so detailed, mysterious and unreachable that makes you want to be him.
February 17, 2020
By far the best book I've ever read. This book shaped my belief about humanity, and what's possible given ambition and intellect.
It drew the lines for for endless possibilities, with a definite barrier; The human mind, while allowing these possibilities, is also the obstacle we need to overcome.
It drew the lines for for endless possibilities, with a definite barrier; The human mind, while allowing these possibilities, is also the obstacle we need to overcome.
September 3, 2014
Transforming experience
November 2, 2017
#bestbook
June 28, 2025
Книжка-утопия про гения, который может все и остается спокойным в любой ситуации. Понятно, что так не бывает, но бизнес-схемы красивые
December 17, 2022
Seriously one of the best books I have ever read! So beautifully written. If you only read 1 book this is the book to read!!!!
October 6, 2013
Een Amerikaanse luitenant ontdekt tijdens de bevrijding van een nazi-dodenkamp tussen een stapel lijken, meer dood dan levend, een jongen van nauwelijks 17 jaar. Het verhaal van Reb Michael Klimrod – De Groene Koning –is begonnen. Het boek volgt de hoofdpersoon op zijn wraaktocht naar de nazi’s die zijn vader hebben vermoorden op zijn weg naar succes en onvoorstelbare rijkdom. Reb bouwt een geheim miljardenimperium op van 1867 maatschappijen, bestaande uit o.a. olievelden, goudmijnen, casino’s en supertankers. De Groen Koning wordt door vele beroemde en machtige mensen bewonderd. Toch ontbreekt er iets aan zijn leven. Want Reb Klimrod heeft een ideaal…
Waardering:
Ik vond het boek niet zo interessant. Het gedeelte waarin Klimrod is gevonden was apart, maar het verdere verhaal vond ik tegenvallen. Daarnaast kan ik me op het moment weinig herinneren hoe ik het boek verder vond, maar dan kan ik eruit opmaken dat het boek me niet echt heeft geboeid. Jammer misschien, maar de schrijfstijl trekt me ook niet echt aan. Daarom maar 2 sterren.
Over de auteur zijn er verschillende dingen geschreven in het Frans. Helaas kan ik het niet lezen. Wat ik er wel uit heb kunnen halen is dat hij is geboren in 1946. Op Wikipedia wordt tevens geschreven dat hij zijn kennis over financiën vaak gebruikt in zijn boeken. Dat is in ieder geval wel te zien in De Groene Koning.
Overige boekinformatie:
Uitgeverij: Strengholt's boeken
ISBN: 90.6010,616.4
411 pagina's; Hardcover
Waardering:
Ik vond het boek niet zo interessant. Het gedeelte waarin Klimrod is gevonden was apart, maar het verdere verhaal vond ik tegenvallen. Daarnaast kan ik me op het moment weinig herinneren hoe ik het boek verder vond, maar dan kan ik eruit opmaken dat het boek me niet echt heeft geboeid. Jammer misschien, maar de schrijfstijl trekt me ook niet echt aan. Daarom maar 2 sterren.
Over de auteur zijn er verschillende dingen geschreven in het Frans. Helaas kan ik het niet lezen. Wat ik er wel uit heb kunnen halen is dat hij is geboren in 1946. Op Wikipedia wordt tevens geschreven dat hij zijn kennis over financiën vaak gebruikt in zijn boeken. Dat is in ieder geval wel te zien in De Groene Koning.
Overige boekinformatie:
Uitgeverij: Strengholt's boeken
ISBN: 90.6010,616.4
411 pagina's; Hardcover
February 25, 2011
Une histoire intéressante avec une pointe amusante, mais les caractères sont bien grossis et je peux comprendre, pourquoi on a fait une bande dessinée de ce livre. Malheureusement, le point culminant on attende de plus en plus, n'existe pas.
On trouve des éléments autobiographique de l'auteur dans l'histoire (les Hommes du Roi d'origine roumain par exemple), ainsi on peut se demander si le caractère de Klimrod est inspirée par une personne réel, a plus forte raison qu'il interagit avec des plusieurs personne historiques. Mais je n'ai trouvés des indications dans l'internet.
Un autre élément très intéressant est la notion, que la légitimité des états n'existe pas en réalité.
On trouve des éléments autobiographique de l'auteur dans l'histoire (les Hommes du Roi d'origine roumain par exemple), ainsi on peut se demander si le caractère de Klimrod est inspirée par une personne réel, a plus forte raison qu'il interagit avec des plusieurs personne historiques. Mais je n'ai trouvés des indications dans l'internet.
Un autre élément très intéressant est la notion, que la légitimité des états n'existe pas en réalité.
October 31, 2008
I read this a long time ago in India cause it was on the bookshelf but i would like to read it again after reading the reviews. I definitely think it's one of those that you get more out of the second reading..
October 8, 2024
This is the one book I have read more times than I can remember. The cast of characters are all well developed and the main character is mysterious until the end, this is the type of book you can't put down and leaves you sad when finished but alas just read it again!!!
July 25, 2017
One of those books I often refer to for insights into partnership and leverage.
January 7, 2021
Non realistic and boring story.
October 18, 2020
I found a copy of this book among my mother's collection after she passed away in 2007. I took it home with me to read because I recalled that she told me one time that it was her favorite book. Finally now in 2020, I have read and finished this book after making a start one time a few years ago but giving up because I just couldn't get into the rhythm of the writing the first time. Characters come and go so quickly and then reappear just as quickly as the main character orchestrates his life around staying as anonymous as he possibly can while he builds an empire through shear will and a mind that remembers everything down to the last detail. Most who work for him respect and revere him and a few love him, but the reader is left with mostly the observations of the other characters who piece together an unbelievable story that ends abruptly as the Green King loses his final battle to forces that are in the same mold as those that made him a prisoner in a Nazi death camp. He just disappears and this ending makes you wonder if he gives up or if he goes off to find a way to defeat these new forces that now control mankind.
July 14, 2021
Прекрасная идея написать книгу про чьё-то восхождение. Вымышленный герой даёт свободное поле для творчества. Так и сделал в своё время Марио Пьюзо. Но Сулицер просто взял и налил воды из букв и сочинил историю без истории.
До момента про экономику история куда-то идёт. А дальше просто какие-то врывки без развития сюжета, которые описывают отдельные моменты из жизни. Уже с середины книги начинаешь уныло смотреть сколько осталось до конца, но надежда на интересную концовку ещё теплится. Есть ощущение, что автор нанял литературных негров, чтобы добавить объёма своей книге. Среди всей мишуры есть парочку мало-мальски интересных эпизодов. Но не более.
Концовка разочаровывает. И это всё? Она не обескураживает, в духе "ну как так?" , а просто вызывает желание лишь пожать плечами. Всё же, когда ты пишешь о гении, то все ждут каких-то гениальных решений. А не просто: он взялся войти в какой-то бизнес и вошёл благодаря тому, что договорился, а не прошёл на пролом. Окей. Так чаще всего и входят. Но напишите историю, сложности с которыми он столкнулся.
Пока что самая худшая из всех книжек, которые читал в этом году. Но не ставлю 1 звезду за интересное начало.
До момента про экономику история куда-то идёт. А дальше просто какие-то врывки без развития сюжета, которые описывают отдельные моменты из жизни. Уже с середины книги начинаешь уныло смотреть сколько осталось до конца, но надежда на интересную концовку ещё теплится. Есть ощущение, что автор нанял литературных негров, чтобы добавить объёма своей книге. Среди всей мишуры есть парочку мало-мальски интересных эпизодов. Но не более.
Концовка разочаровывает. И это всё? Она не обескураживает, в духе "ну как так?" , а просто вызывает желание лишь пожать плечами. Всё же, когда ты пишешь о гении, то все ждут каких-то гениальных решений. А не просто: он взялся войти в какой-то бизнес и вошёл благодаря тому, что договорился, а не прошёл на пролом. Окей. Так чаще всего и входят. Но напишите историю, сложности с которыми он столкнулся.
Пока что самая худшая из всех книжек, которые читал в этом году. Но не ставлю 1 звезду за интересное начало.
August 15, 2020
This is a Fantastic book!
I first read this book as a kid - and even though I didn't like reading, this book has always stuck in my mind.
The premise is great. The story starts off small then grows and grows to take place on the global stage. The main character seems inconsequential at the begining but as you go through the book all of that changes. You begin to see the size and scope of his ambition and realise the global ramifications of what he is trying do - and it's profound.
I love how ideas of the book challenges ideas of nation states and global organisations. I love how the main character leverages his intelligence to build massive businesses. And I love how at the end of the book you're left pondering about it for days and years.
It's a very captivating book and highly recommended.
I first read this book as a kid - and even though I didn't like reading, this book has always stuck in my mind.
The premise is great. The story starts off small then grows and grows to take place on the global stage. The main character seems inconsequential at the begining but as you go through the book all of that changes. You begin to see the size and scope of his ambition and realise the global ramifications of what he is trying do - and it's profound.
I love how ideas of the book challenges ideas of nation states and global organisations. I love how the main character leverages his intelligence to build massive businesses. And I love how at the end of the book you're left pondering about it for days and years.
It's a very captivating book and highly recommended.
August 24, 2025
Reb Michael Klimrod is the best person you can meet in your early twenties, an age at which everything is possible, even the most unlikely, daring endeavors.
Reb’s story is as outlandish as it is adventurous, yet it remains incredibly motivational. This is not a rag-to-riches journey, rather the drive of a no-limit man to seek revenge over a terrible past through success.
The character is perfectly described by the Hamlet-derived epigraph of the book:
Some say he's mad; others that lesser hate him
Do call it valiant fury. But for certain,
He cannot buckle his distempered cause
Within the belt of rule.
I was 21 when I read the novel. Never has another book better conveyed for me the sense that the world was my oyster. It still has me looking for the elusive pearl…
Reb’s story is as outlandish as it is adventurous, yet it remains incredibly motivational. This is not a rag-to-riches journey, rather the drive of a no-limit man to seek revenge over a terrible past through success.
The character is perfectly described by the Hamlet-derived epigraph of the book:
Some say he's mad; others that lesser hate him
Do call it valiant fury. But for certain,
He cannot buckle his distempered cause
Within the belt of rule.
I was 21 when I read the novel. Never has another book better conveyed for me the sense that the world was my oyster. It still has me looking for the elusive pearl…
December 18, 2020
Для неспециалиста в экономике или политике книга может показаться нудной и затянутой. Слишком много перечислений имен, фактов и сум. Нет неожиданных сюжетных поворотов, да и вообще сюжет как таковой только в первой половине книги, где рассказывается о становлении и первых шагах империи Климрода.
Но тем не менее книга довольно интересная и даже грустная. Если за всеми этими деталями экономических операций увидеть человека и законы общества.
Но тем не менее книга довольно интересная и даже грустная. Если за всеми этими деталями экономических операций увидеть человека и законы общества.
March 26, 2021
Весь комментарий, сугубо мое личное восприятие книги:
Возможно дело в переводе.
Весьма простая и наивная книга.
Вот очень умный человек, который легко создает большие бизнесы.
Как? Благодаря чему? Не важно) просто раз - и сделал)
Например, просто поехал в другую страну, встретился там с ее президентом и договорился о то, о чем хотел! И благодаря этому новый бизнес заработал. И так во всем)))
Прочитал, потому что слышал много хороших отзывов, но для меня книга оказалась слишком наивной)
Возможно дело в переводе.
Весьма простая и наивная книга.
Вот очень умный человек, который легко создает большие бизнесы.
Как? Благодаря чему? Не важно) просто раз - и сделал)
Например, просто поехал в другую страну, встретился там с ее президентом и договорился о то, о чем хотел! И благодаря этому новый бизнес заработал. И так во всем)))
Прочитал, потому что слышал много хороших отзывов, но для меня книга оказалась слишком наивной)
October 2, 2023
Книга яка-то похожа на Атлант расправил плечи и Финансист вместе взятые.
Было интересно читать, слушать книгу намного тяжелее , так как много дат , имен, и локаций( который так и не остались в памяти)
Понравилось что она очень сдержанная , не было гулянок, веселий, а больше о мышление и хороших сделках героев.
Было интересно читать, слушать книгу намного тяжелее , так как много дат , имен, и локаций( который так и не остались в памяти)
Понравилось что она очень сдержанная , не было гулянок, веселий, а больше о мышление и хороших сделках героев.
December 14, 2025
Better than anything I could have done for sure, some strong images conjured up definitely, some great one line thoughts. I had high hopes for this after seeing it on a family book shelf- it started strongly but seemed to meander off - maybe with time you realise the plot is not plausible.
Try it - you may like it.
It won’t ever be a movie.
Try it - you may like it.
It won’t ever be a movie.
September 2, 2020
Супер книга, одна из лучших, что я читал.
Показывает, как с помощью leverage совершать большие сделки. Показывает, как делясь с другими, можно выстругивать более солидные потоки дохода. Показывает, как можно и нужно выстраивать большие системы и структуры
Показывает, как с помощью leverage совершать большие сделки. Показывает, как делясь с другими, можно выстругивать более солидные потоки дохода. Показывает, как можно и нужно выстраивать большие системы и структуры
June 15, 2017
Отличная смесь "Атлант расправил плечи", "Мартин Иден", "Человек в поисках смысла" и ещё десятка захватывающих романов. Даже захотелось, чтоб главный герой существовал в реальности
January 25, 2018
Хорошая книга, плохой перевод.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews