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Ghosts of Manhattan
By Douglas Brunt, his first highly regarded novel. ISBN 978-1-4516-7259-6. A wryly comic, first-person debut novel offering a withering view of life on Wall Street from the perspective of an unhappy insider who is too hooked on the money to find a way out, even as his career is ruining his marriage and corroding his soul... By turns hilarious and harrowing, Ghosts of Manhattan follows a winning but flawed character as he struggles to find the right path in a complicated urban heart of darkness.
288 pages, Hardcover
Published October 2, 2012
107 people are currently reading
1425 people want to read
About the author
Douglas Brunt
5 books224 followersDouglas Brunt is an American novelist, historian, podcast host for SiriusXM, and entrepreneur. He was the CEO of Authentium, Inc., an Internet security company, which he sold in 2011.
Brunt is The New York Times bestselling author of fiction and nonfiction. His narrative history titles include THE MYSTERIOUS CASE OF RUDOLF DIESEL and THE LOST EMPIRE OF EMANUEL NOBEL.
More information at www.douglasbrunt.com
Brunt is The New York Times bestselling author of fiction and nonfiction. His narrative history titles include THE MYSTERIOUS CASE OF RUDOLF DIESEL and THE LOST EMPIRE OF EMANUEL NOBEL.
More information at www.douglasbrunt.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 174 reviews
December 1, 2022
When my lovely bride and I were first married, she worked on the 104th floor of Two World Trade as a bond trader for Shearson Lehman. So, this book was a trip -- both a reminder of one of Wall Street's many dark sides, and a deep dive into the psyche of a fundamentally good person who is making one bad decision after another. My wife and I knew guys just like the main character in this super-charged descent into the moral abyss. A terrific page-turner and a precise character study.
May 19, 2013
It appears as though most people who reviewed this book liked it. I found it to be one long insufferable whine about a guy working on Wall Street who hates his job, the culture he works in, and most of the people he works with. He belongs to a group of people who financially bankrupted the US with worthless securities, and yet at no time does the main character, Nick, even seem interested in the consequences of what the financial community sold to investors. There is very little in this book about Wall Street and the collapse of the economy. Instead it's all about Nick's self-involvement. To me that was one big snore. Nick states from the beginning that he doesn't really know how he ended up where he is professionally, and by the time he's through whining, complaining, and making a pain of himself to his friends and family, he still has no clue where he's headed. Nick's self-awareness quotient falls somewhere far below zero where it met up with my interest in this book. However, if Nick is any indication of the kind of financial policy makers we had driving our economy during the time period Nick describes, it's no wonder the markets crashed and burned. I have no recommendations to make as far as who might enjoy this book. I just know I was very disappointed. I also came away with no faith whatsoever in the hotshots earning huge paychecks for which they do very little but bilk people of their savings.
September 14, 2012
I've never worked in finance, so I was surprised by how much I loved this book. Doug Brunt has written a really compelling, funny, and realistic novel that is--on the surface--about the world of Bear Stearns in the lead-up to the financial meltdown: we see the traders at work and their crazy nights out, as well as the signs that in 2005 the economy isn't as fantastic as everyone's pretending it to be. All of that was very interesting (and it really feels like Brunt knows the world he's writing about), but the book is, at its heart, about Nick Farmer, a man who feels adrift in pretty much every aspect of his life. He wants out of finance, but he isn't sure how to give up his seven figure salary and doesn't know what else he could do for a living. He wants to be a good husband to the love of his life, but isn't sure if she still wants to be in the marriage, or if she's even been faithful to him. He wants to be a good person, but isn't sure if going to Bear higher ups with the bad news about their practices would be the best move to make, even though the information could prevent the bank's downfall. Nick is a man at a crossroads, and as he faces the various dilemmas and choices that will change his life forever, in the end the book becomes a funny, mature, and rich sort of coming of age novel that definitely deserves a read.
March 31, 2016
I can't believe this book was even published - the fact that it was an "instant best seller" simply boggles the mind.
You will learn nothing about bond trading or selling, mortgage-backed securities or the reasons for the financial crisis of 2008 from reading this book. Whatever you learn from Brunt's supposed "insider" view is trite, recycled or simply incorrect.
It wouldn't be so bad if the plot was believable or the characters finely drawn. But there isn't much of a plot, the characters are as undeveloped as day-old cookie dough and, if it could be any worse, just unbelievable.
We know Nick is unhappy because he tells us so. And tells us. And tells us again. And again. And ... Well, you get the picture.
We know that his wife Julia is unhappy because Nick tells us that Julia tells him she is unhappy. And tells us again. And - OK, I won't be repetitious. But Nick sure is. And we're never sure exactly why, except Nick keeps on telling us that he is unhappy.
If you want to read about bond trading, read "Liar's Poker". It contains an excellent description of the origins of mortgage-backed securities. Read "Bonfire of the Vanities" for a well-written novel about how Wall Street can affect a man's morals. But don't read this book. Unless you want to discover how not to write a novel.
You will learn nothing about bond trading or selling, mortgage-backed securities or the reasons for the financial crisis of 2008 from reading this book. Whatever you learn from Brunt's supposed "insider" view is trite, recycled or simply incorrect.
It wouldn't be so bad if the plot was believable or the characters finely drawn. But there isn't much of a plot, the characters are as undeveloped as day-old cookie dough and, if it could be any worse, just unbelievable.
We know Nick is unhappy because he tells us so. And tells us. And tells us again. And again. And ... Well, you get the picture.
We know that his wife Julia is unhappy because Nick tells us that Julia tells him she is unhappy. And tells us again. And - OK, I won't be repetitious. But Nick sure is. And we're never sure exactly why, except Nick keeps on telling us that he is unhappy.
If you want to read about bond trading, read "Liar's Poker". It contains an excellent description of the origins of mortgage-backed securities. Read "Bonfire of the Vanities" for a well-written novel about how Wall Street can affect a man's morals. But don't read this book. Unless you want to discover how not to write a novel.
June 5, 2017
So…"Ghosts of Manhattan” has been on my “to read” pile for a while. The premise was intriguing to me, a trader at Bear Stearns having a bit of a moral quandary in the years just leading up to the collapse of 2008. You can get a good novel out of that. Having read it, I am ambivalent (at best) about the experience.
The author, Douglass Brunt, is a decent writer and storyteller. The novel makes that much clear. However, he is not a consistent writer (at least not in this text). Starting the novel, I could not get pulled into the story, told in first person from the protagonist Nick Farmer’s perspective. The novel begins with Nick’s observations about his coworkers, wife, etc. Then about 50 pages in I found the novel to be more bearable, as a plot was beginning to surface. For 150 pages or so, the book is good. Then it meanders into the worst sort of navel gazing and a conclusion that wants to let the reader think that the changes made will be only for the better and that life is going to be okay for Nick. Maybe it will be, but the ending of the text gives short shrift to the decent characterization that had been crafted up to that point.
There are moments/lines in the text that are really stellar. For those moments, I consider it a readable novel. “Ghosts of Manhattan” is not a great book. It is not awful. It just is.
The author, Douglass Brunt, is a decent writer and storyteller. The novel makes that much clear. However, he is not a consistent writer (at least not in this text). Starting the novel, I could not get pulled into the story, told in first person from the protagonist Nick Farmer’s perspective. The novel begins with Nick’s observations about his coworkers, wife, etc. Then about 50 pages in I found the novel to be more bearable, as a plot was beginning to surface. For 150 pages or so, the book is good. Then it meanders into the worst sort of navel gazing and a conclusion that wants to let the reader think that the changes made will be only for the better and that life is going to be okay for Nick. Maybe it will be, but the ending of the text gives short shrift to the decent characterization that had been crafted up to that point.
There are moments/lines in the text that are really stellar. For those moments, I consider it a readable novel. “Ghosts of Manhattan” is not a great book. It is not awful. It just is.
October 24, 2012
"Ghosts of Manhattan" is sort of like, "What if Bret Easton Ellis wrote 'Bright Lights, Big City'?" Yuppies boozing and coking their way through Manhattan, pre-economic collapse. The protagonist is difficult to relate to--very angsty, and he doesn't take a lot of initiative in his own life. Therefore, despite all that's happening to him and his colleagues, the narrative is emotionally detached and a little flat. The writing itself is excellent.
April 22, 2015
This was a fast-paced read and quite an eye-opener into the world of Manhattan high finance/trading. I mean, if even half of that stuff is true, wow.
Great writing and narrative. As far as the main character, he's unhappy with his job and I think it's a great example of how a seven-figure income cannot buy happiness. He lacks direction because, as he says in the book, he got this job right out of college and hasn't done / doesn't know how to do anything else. I identified with that feeling.
Brunt has a great cast of characters. An interesting book.
Great writing and narrative. As far as the main character, he's unhappy with his job and I think it's a great example of how a seven-figure income cannot buy happiness. He lacks direction because, as he says in the book, he got this job right out of college and hasn't done / doesn't know how to do anything else. I identified with that feeling.
Brunt has a great cast of characters. An interesting book.
October 16, 2012
I'd give Ghosts of Manhattan 5 stars for entertainment because it's an enjoyable read about the drug and booze-soaked lives of Bond traders at Bear Stearns in 2005.
However, the main character's struggle never felt real to me. The question you're supposed to be asking throughout the book is, "Will Nick Farmer make it out of Wall Street with his soul intact?" And yet Brunt provided no real reason why Farmer had stayed at his job to begin with. His wife wants him to quit, he constantly complains about the culture, and yet he attends every party (with no explanation that he needs to), and you're left wondering from the beginning why he doesn't just walk away. There needed to be more at stake. Still, it's an interesting look into the culture and I think most people will find it entertaining.
Side note: I learned halfway through the book that the author is married to Megyn Kelly of Fox News fame, which made me wonder a bit about his choice of writing a book that is so critical of corruption and dishonesty...
However, the main character's struggle never felt real to me. The question you're supposed to be asking throughout the book is, "Will Nick Farmer make it out of Wall Street with his soul intact?" And yet Brunt provided no real reason why Farmer had stayed at his job to begin with. His wife wants him to quit, he constantly complains about the culture, and yet he attends every party (with no explanation that he needs to), and you're left wondering from the beginning why he doesn't just walk away. There needed to be more at stake. Still, it's an interesting look into the culture and I think most people will find it entertaining.
Side note: I learned halfway through the book that the author is married to Megyn Kelly of Fox News fame, which made me wonder a bit about his choice of writing a book that is so critical of corruption and dishonesty...
December 11, 2012
I read this book after watching an interview with Doug Blunt and his wife, Megan Kelly. I have always admired Megan for her intelligence and her on-the-air presence and skill. I was interested in a view into her personal side and watched the interview she conducted with her husband. I came away with a " the princess found her Prince Charming" feeling. Sappy, I know; but they were just so darn cute and funny, and smart together, I developed a desire to read the book. Douglas Blunt writes with a great deal of wit and humor, as well as an eye-opening insight and answer to how things got so financially bad on Wall Street. I've never pretended to understand what goes on in the financial markets during the daytime. Imagine the surprise at discovering the days were sometimes just a way and means to get to the lurid nights, which fed the days, and on and on, until it all spun out of control and collapsed inside itself.
Sounds like heavy stuff? Mr. Blunt made it fun to read, as well as shocking, and informative.
Two thumbs up!
Sounds like heavy stuff? Mr. Blunt made it fun to read, as well as shocking, and informative.
Two thumbs up!
May 4, 2014
Sometimes you read a book jacket and have a feeling for where the book will go before you've passed the title page. A book set on Wall Street before the fall of 2008 has a feel of imminent Shakespearean tragedy. It's simply a matter of whom will the author blame for the debacle. But "Ghosts" was not that kind of book. It was much deeper. It was about flawed people struggling to find sanity and meaningful relationship in the midst of surreal environment. It is not a book about politics, it is not an exercise in blame. It is ultimately a book about putting Humpty Dumpty back together again. Any writer worth his salt can patch together a compelling narrative, but not every writer has something meaningful to say; not every writer taps into a quality I would actually term "wisdom." But Brunt does. And he does so impressively. It does not disappoint me to know that he retired from his previous career to write full-time. That means more books will be coming our way and if this sterling debut is an indication of what's in store, I look forward to the next.
October 10, 2014
I liked Ghosts of Manhattan a lot. Brunt is an excellent writer, filling in feelings and thoughts of characters that may surprise and often edify the story. Metaphors are excellent. The plot and subplot weave well, so it's hard to tell if the marriage or the Wall Street issues are the focus. This is a good thing; both are viable and bear following to discover the outcome.
Two relatively small complaints: The sex scene near the beginning was unnecessary and cheapened both characters. Because of it, I don't feel comfortable suggesting this book to my 15 year-old grandson, who may have found the Wall St. aspect of it intriguing and the conflicts in a youngish couple's marriage enlightening, for future reference. I do not appreciate the use of "goddamn" in a story. It's unnecessary and insulting to use it.
I look forward to reading Douglas Brunt's next novel, which I understand is for sale now.
Two relatively small complaints: The sex scene near the beginning was unnecessary and cheapened both characters. Because of it, I don't feel comfortable suggesting this book to my 15 year-old grandson, who may have found the Wall St. aspect of it intriguing and the conflicts in a youngish couple's marriage enlightening, for future reference. I do not appreciate the use of "goddamn" in a story. It's unnecessary and insulting to use it.
I look forward to reading Douglas Brunt's next novel, which I understand is for sale now.
February 24, 2014
A pleasant surprise and a far more interesting take on Pre-crash Wall Street than I expected. The writing is beautiful but straightforward. Nick is an interesting character...by rights we should hate him more than the unapologetic, soulless bankers around him because at least they own it, whereas Nick holds himself morally above it in his mind while succumbing to the same depraved behavior as the others. Yet I can't quite bring myself to hate him. In many ways he seems like the perfect poster child for the idea that the road to he'll is paved with good intentions, but a flicker of potential redemption shines through all of Nick's questionable decisions.
September 23, 2014
A real page turner. Quite racy in parts yet tasteful. A look into, what to me is a very unfamiliar world. If you liked the wolf of wall street you will enjoy this book. Although a work of fiction, I believe there is a lot of truth here. I am officially a big Douglas Brunt fan and can't wait to read his latest novel.
September 22, 2020
Meh, just wasn't interesting enough for me, didn't think I learned anything about wall street, and maybe that wasn't the point. And I didn't care about the main character at all.
March 8, 2018
I came across Ghosts of Manhatten after randomly googling novels that are 300 pages or less for my book club. Despite the poor reviews it received on Goodreads, I decided to give it a chance anyway. Well, I'm not mad that I read it but I also didn't enjoy the story either. The main character, Nick Farmer isn't very likeable; however, my biggest issue with this book was it's overall development. I felt like the story should've been developed more; mostly because it seemed rushed and lacked direction. Overall, I wasn't impressed.
September 28, 2022
Have you seen The Wolf of Wall Street? Cool, save yourself some time and don’t read this book then. It’s basically the same thing: stocks, drugs, hookers, and men with over-inflated egos.
March 22, 2013
I won this ARC via a Goodreads giveaway.
Nick Farmer is a callous, self-deprecating trader at Bear Stearns. He hates his job, doesn't like his coworkers, and is sick of the late nights and the strain it's been putting on his marriage to his wife, Julia. In the course of the novel, Nick gets nearer and nearer to a moment of crisis and an existential meltdown. The threads of Nick's life keep ripping, one by one.
While most of the time the reader hates Nick Farmer, he hates himself so much that you can't help but sympathize with him. In the wake of the financial meltdown of recent years, I had wondered what sort of people these bankers, traders, and Wall Street guys were. I found the answer in this book: the same sort of guys I avoided in high school and college because they were pompous, immature jocks who didn't give a lick about anyone except themselves and making money at whatever cost. The people in the novel I felt the most sorry for were the women, the wives of these jerks. I found myself oscillating between pity and "Seriously, how are you not seeing what a jerk he is?" emotions towards these women.
The Wall Street is pretty much a frat party continuation...and frankly, it made me almost physically ill to read about it, but that just goes to show the power behind Brunt's writing. To have characters that make you so upset is a testament to the great mind of a writer, that he (or she) can make the readers feel as if they have an inside look at the REAL goings-on of Wall Street.
The one thing about reading this book that made me curious, and perhaps Brunt can take this up in his next novel, was how the women who work in Wall Street as traders and what-not think about this very patriarchal environment and how they're treated in this establishment. It would have been tangential for Brunt to talk about it in this book, perhaps, but I would be curious to read a book like this that was from the point of view of a woman on Wall Street.
I already distrusted Wall Street and found it disgusting before the financial crisis even hit, and was even more disgusted afterwards. This book was icing on the cake to take my disgust into full-on outrage. And yet, even with the anger button pressed, there is in some sense and understanding that took place and now, everything seems to make just a bit more sense.
Nick Farmer is a callous, self-deprecating trader at Bear Stearns. He hates his job, doesn't like his coworkers, and is sick of the late nights and the strain it's been putting on his marriage to his wife, Julia. In the course of the novel, Nick gets nearer and nearer to a moment of crisis and an existential meltdown. The threads of Nick's life keep ripping, one by one.
While most of the time the reader hates Nick Farmer, he hates himself so much that you can't help but sympathize with him. In the wake of the financial meltdown of recent years, I had wondered what sort of people these bankers, traders, and Wall Street guys were. I found the answer in this book: the same sort of guys I avoided in high school and college because they were pompous, immature jocks who didn't give a lick about anyone except themselves and making money at whatever cost. The people in the novel I felt the most sorry for were the women, the wives of these jerks. I found myself oscillating between pity and "Seriously, how are you not seeing what a jerk he is?" emotions towards these women.
The Wall Street is pretty much a frat party continuation...and frankly, it made me almost physically ill to read about it, but that just goes to show the power behind Brunt's writing. To have characters that make you so upset is a testament to the great mind of a writer, that he (or she) can make the readers feel as if they have an inside look at the REAL goings-on of Wall Street.
The one thing about reading this book that made me curious, and perhaps Brunt can take this up in his next novel, was how the women who work in Wall Street as traders and what-not think about this very patriarchal environment and how they're treated in this establishment. It would have been tangential for Brunt to talk about it in this book, perhaps, but I would be curious to read a book like this that was from the point of view of a woman on Wall Street.
I already distrusted Wall Street and found it disgusting before the financial crisis even hit, and was even more disgusted afterwards. This book was icing on the cake to take my disgust into full-on outrage. And yet, even with the anger button pressed, there is in some sense and understanding that took place and now, everything seems to make just a bit more sense.
November 4, 2012
Nick Farmer lands himself a job at Bear Stearns right out of college and he is really not sure why or how it happened. Twelve years later he hates himself, he hates his job and his marriage is falling apart but he doesn't see any way to leave a position that pays him so much money when he and his wife have gotten used to living on a seven figure income. As he stumbles further and further into an abyss of drugs, alcohol and disgust he learns that an analyst in the firm is predicting a financial Armageddon and he fears his wife is having an affair.
I am having a hard time with this review because I really, really, REALLY hated Nick Farmer. It is hard for me to read a book when the protagonist is so stupid and immature. If this is truly how the "men" running Wall Street behave no wonder it all imploded. The synopsis also does not tell the tale of the book and I get frustrated when that happens. I take a book to review from that synopsis and when I get another book altogether I am not a happy reviewer. I recognize that it is not the author's fault but publisher's should know by now that people buy books based on what is written on the covers and when the two do not match buyers get angry. Rant over.
Back to the book. This is more a story of one man, Nick Farmer and the dissolution of his marriage rather than the collapse of Wall Street. Nick is rotten to his wife, he hangs out with a bunch of misogynistic pigs who go out drinking, snorting cocaine and hiring hookers almost every night of the week. And he wonders why his marriage is falling apart? I saw no earthly reason why this was necessary to the completion of his job. It was never explained. It was just "done." Perhaps this is a book better enjoyed by men who can live vicariously through the lives of other men making obscene amounts of money for doing relatively nothing.
Mr. Brunt writes in a mixture of technical (I was glad I had a banking background) schmaltz and partyboy. I read through to the end hoping for some manner of solid redemption for Nick Farmer but I'm not so sure. I don't think he will ever grow up.
I am having a hard time with this review because I really, really, REALLY hated Nick Farmer. It is hard for me to read a book when the protagonist is so stupid and immature. If this is truly how the "men" running Wall Street behave no wonder it all imploded. The synopsis also does not tell the tale of the book and I get frustrated when that happens. I take a book to review from that synopsis and when I get another book altogether I am not a happy reviewer. I recognize that it is not the author's fault but publisher's should know by now that people buy books based on what is written on the covers and when the two do not match buyers get angry. Rant over.
Back to the book. This is more a story of one man, Nick Farmer and the dissolution of his marriage rather than the collapse of Wall Street. Nick is rotten to his wife, he hangs out with a bunch of misogynistic pigs who go out drinking, snorting cocaine and hiring hookers almost every night of the week. And he wonders why his marriage is falling apart? I saw no earthly reason why this was necessary to the completion of his job. It was never explained. It was just "done." Perhaps this is a book better enjoyed by men who can live vicariously through the lives of other men making obscene amounts of money for doing relatively nothing.
Mr. Brunt writes in a mixture of technical (I was glad I had a banking background) schmaltz and partyboy. I read through to the end hoping for some manner of solid redemption for Nick Farmer but I'm not so sure. I don't think he will ever grow up.
March 18, 2016
(3.5 stars)
There’s no place like Wall Street to showcase a mid-life crisis and that is what Ghosts of Manhattan is about.
Brunt is an entertaining writer and proficient in the way I imagine a Hollywood scriptwriter would be – smart, incisive, fast-paced, with a pulse on the times. He captures the angst of a mid-30s bond trader who perhaps has always had an escape route planned but never taken it. The money at Bear Stearns is just too good, and the perks legendary. The lifestyle, however, has taken its toll; his marriage is foundering and his success rings hollow. He doesn’t like his job, but has perfected such a specific skill set that he can’t imagine doing anything else. A perfectly relatable mid-life crisis, even if you aren’t in finance.
A grainy Hollywood ending saves the day (camera fades). That and a gratuitous sex scene in the beginning detract a bit from the story – which is overall a quick, enjoyable read.
What this isn’t – although there are snippets and neatly framed paragraphs here and there summing up the whys and wherefores – is an expose of the 2008 housing bubble. For a better understanding of that mess, you should probably read The Big Short by Michael Lewis.
There’s no place like Wall Street to showcase a mid-life crisis and that is what Ghosts of Manhattan is about.
Brunt is an entertaining writer and proficient in the way I imagine a Hollywood scriptwriter would be – smart, incisive, fast-paced, with a pulse on the times. He captures the angst of a mid-30s bond trader who perhaps has always had an escape route planned but never taken it. The money at Bear Stearns is just too good, and the perks legendary. The lifestyle, however, has taken its toll; his marriage is foundering and his success rings hollow. He doesn’t like his job, but has perfected such a specific skill set that he can’t imagine doing anything else. A perfectly relatable mid-life crisis, even if you aren’t in finance.
A grainy Hollywood ending saves the day (camera fades). That and a gratuitous sex scene in the beginning detract a bit from the story – which is overall a quick, enjoyable read.
What this isn’t – although there are snippets and neatly framed paragraphs here and there summing up the whys and wherefores – is an expose of the 2008 housing bubble. For a better understanding of that mess, you should probably read The Big Short by Michael Lewis.
December 14, 2016
This book is an insightful exploration of the Wall Street scene. A scene that I know very little about either directly or indirectly. As such, I was very interested in the setting and content of this tale.
I found this novel to be a very quick read for me as I was motivated to keep reading and definitely learned in the process. The most fascinating aspect for me was the mind machinations the main character, Nick Farmer, traversed in an attempt to decipher meaning from a comment, a facial expression, or an act. He did this to the point of infatuation. That fact got me wondering to what extent do "normal" people do this on a regular basis in order to construct meaning from their schema?
This intrigues me because it relates to what I wrote about in my debut novel regarding reality/truth; and the fog that alters one's understanding or beliefs.
I recommend this novel to everyone to enjoy a taste of the New York investment culture from the inside.
I found this novel to be a very quick read for me as I was motivated to keep reading and definitely learned in the process. The most fascinating aspect for me was the mind machinations the main character, Nick Farmer, traversed in an attempt to decipher meaning from a comment, a facial expression, or an act. He did this to the point of infatuation. That fact got me wondering to what extent do "normal" people do this on a regular basis in order to construct meaning from their schema?
This intrigues me because it relates to what I wrote about in my debut novel regarding reality/truth; and the fog that alters one's understanding or beliefs.
I recommend this novel to everyone to enjoy a taste of the New York investment culture from the inside.
March 3, 2016
Ghosts started out so strong, I did not want to put this book down. By the middle though, I could not wait for it to end. Douglas Brunt did a great job in the beginning with character development and making the reader want to see what was going to happen next. Unfortunately, the story - which was set up for a nice climax, fizzled. He built up and introduced supporting characters that ended up dangling in obscurity when they should have been integrated into a climatic finish. The hype of the Bear Stearns eventual meltdown was definitely overplayed, I only wish that Brunt would have incorporated it more to the actual story. This was more of a mid-life crisis story, and I was expecting more. Set in 2005, it may have been able to reach the better flash point/climactic moment if it were set in 2007.
September 25, 2021
This novel pulls up the shade on the morally bankrupt lives of the hot-shot Bear Stearns traders who made millions prior to the company's implosion in 2008. While the book does allude to the details behind the financial crisis - the sale of bad mortgages in bundles fraudulently marketed as low-risk - the author is a gifted storyteller who is a master at characterization. Yes, many of these characters will dishearten and disgust you, but they are fascinating in a lot of ways, and you will keep reading because they are so real. I would never want to be any of them, but it was interesting to peak into their world!
April 26, 2013
Nick Farmer is a bond trader who is slowly becoming disenchanted with the frat-boy atmosphere of Wall Street. When an analyst gives him a heads-up about the unsustainable risks his company (and others) are taking with their mortgage-backed securities, Nick doesn't give much thought to the implications of a market crash, except where it might directly influence his own life. He does a bit of soul-searching, but he's such an unlikable character that I didn't really care what happened to him.
January 2, 2017
I read this because I had finished Megyn Kelly's Memoire, "Settle for More," and Douglas Brunt is her husband. He clearly needs to stick to being CEO of Aventium Inc. because he seems to struggle with his writing. There are just too many characters and the story itself was hard to follow. For many parts, it can be summed up as "coke and strippers" for those employed on Wall Street.
April 20, 2020
This was a fun book to read during the Pandemic. Brunt has a good voice in describing the multitude of characters that are part of the Wall Street tribe. Enjoyed taking another look at what some of my acquaintances have described about the stock/bond/equities business. Most I know bailed before there mid-thirties. Enjoyable read. Looking forward to more from this author.
February 17, 2017
RESEÑA COMPLETA EN MI BLOG!!!
http://jdindiezone.blogspot.com/2017/...
Solo diré que el libro no me gusto para nada, pues no tenia trama, y los personajes no tenían ningún fondo alguno. Fue aburrida y agobiante.
http://jdindiezone.blogspot.com/2017/...
Solo diré que el libro no me gusto para nada, pues no tenia trama, y los personajes no tenían ningún fondo alguno. Fue aburrida y agobiante.
September 14, 2021
Good easy entertaining read
February 26, 2022
I picked this up for a buck at Goodwill. I was attracted to the cover for some reason and didn't know what it was about. As I began reading I was intrigued that it was about the 2008 crash and while its not the typical kind of fiction I'd read, I stuck with it.
Knowing this was Brunt's first novel, I was at first impressed. I've been reading more unknown/independent authors and Ghosts of Manhattan seemed to have some pretty good chops. However, after learning about his connections I suspect he had a pretty good team assembled to assist with the polishing- his acknowledgment at the ends indicates as much and makes me think he's likely a pretty humble guy.
It is good writing, but its not really captivating. You keep expecting something big to pop off, but it never does. The main character Nick is just going through the motions of knowing his job is pointless and full of debauchery and continues to ruminate about his self created problems. Some of the dialogue sounds unnatural as well and there seems to be a disconnect from the real world (guys with 15 million in the bank scared if they can't live on such a pauper's store and such), but then again, maybe that is what it is really like.
It was a good way to pass time and I enjoyed having an authentic account into that world, however I can't say I enjoyed the storytelling. I did look to see if Brunt had other books, which he does, but being in the same vein as this one I think I'll pass.
Knowing this was Brunt's first novel, I was at first impressed. I've been reading more unknown/independent authors and Ghosts of Manhattan seemed to have some pretty good chops. However, after learning about his connections I suspect he had a pretty good team assembled to assist with the polishing- his acknowledgment at the ends indicates as much and makes me think he's likely a pretty humble guy.
It is good writing, but its not really captivating. You keep expecting something big to pop off, but it never does. The main character Nick is just going through the motions of knowing his job is pointless and full of debauchery and continues to ruminate about his self created problems. Some of the dialogue sounds unnatural as well and there seems to be a disconnect from the real world (guys with 15 million in the bank scared if they can't live on such a pauper's store and such), but then again, maybe that is what it is really like.
It was a good way to pass time and I enjoyed having an authentic account into that world, however I can't say I enjoyed the storytelling. I did look to see if Brunt had other books, which he does, but being in the same vein as this one I think I'll pass.
July 11, 2018
Asshole with a Heart of Gold works at Bear Stearns as a bond trader in 2005. Asshole's heart turns from gold to more of a tin. Tin-Hearted Asshole drinks too much, does too much blow, hangs out with too many strippers, and, oh yeah! really wants his relationship with his wife to improve. Although Tin-Hearted asshole (probably just Garbage-Hearted Asshole at this point) knows that the way to improve things with his wife is to quit his job and stop the Bear Stearns fratboy lifestyle, he doesn't. Because he's a Garbage-Hearted Asshole!
At the end of the book, the Garbage-Hearted Asshole finds out about CDOs and decides to quit his job and be less of an asshole. Maybe claw his way back up the ladder to Tin-Hearted Asshole. But it's too late! Asshole's wife has already left him. Good for her! She should have done that years ago. Except, wait. No, dammit, she didn't leave him.
Garbage-Hearted Asshole doesn't deserve her. Or really anything, except for cirrhosis, jail-time, and bankruptcy. Alas, there is no justice in this world.
At the end of the book, the Garbage-Hearted Asshole finds out about CDOs and decides to quit his job and be less of an asshole. Maybe claw his way back up the ladder to Tin-Hearted Asshole. But it's too late! Asshole's wife has already left him. Good for her! She should have done that years ago. Except, wait. No, dammit, she didn't leave him.
Garbage-Hearted Asshole doesn't deserve her. Or really anything, except for cirrhosis, jail-time, and bankruptcy. Alas, there is no justice in this world.
July 23, 2018
The dust jacket says the book is wryly comic. If it were obviously so, it would have been a better book. Forced myself to the end, skimming after about the halfway point, which is easy to do because there isn't anything to miss in the run-of-the-mill writing (the two best lines are quotations from Keith Richards and Winston Churchill). Did not have much interest in pre-2007 crash bond traders given to vodka, cocaine, prostitutes and occasional self-pity. The book did not change my mind. The story would have been much better with some exaggeration; as it was, it seemed like it was supposed to be taken as a moral drama, and that's hard to sustain when most of the characters, including the narrator, are unlikable and dumb.
Happened on it while looking for another title that was sitting beside it on a library shelf. I guess there may be something to say for it to the extent it may describe the social life of the New York bond trading world of 2005-06 — but not as a strong or enjoyable novel.
Happened on it while looking for another title that was sitting beside it on a library shelf. I guess there may be something to say for it to the extent it may describe the social life of the New York bond trading world of 2005-06 — but not as a strong or enjoyable novel.
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