- Hardcover: 256 pages
- Publisher: Amacom; 1 edition (1 Mar 2009)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 081441060X
- ISBN-13: 978-0814410608
- Product Dimensions: 23.1 x 15.9 x 2.7 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 489,871 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- See Complete Table of Contents
Riches Among the Ruins
and over one million other books are available for Amazon Kindle .
Learn more
| ||||||||||||||||||||
 Trade In this Item for up to £0.25
Trade in Riches Among the Ruins: Adventures in the Dark Corners of the Global Economy for an Amazon.co.uk gift card of up to £0.25, which you can then spend on millions of items across the site. Plus, get an extra £5 when you trade in books worth £10 or more until June 30, 2012. Trade-in values may vary (terms apply). Find more products eligible for trade-in.
|
Product details |
More About the Authors
Discover books, learn about writers, and more.
Product Description
Product Description
Today, Robert P. Smith is a legend in the world of finance. Part adventurer and part economic warrior, this Indiana Jones of the financial world was an advance man for the forces of globalization, having spent more than thirty years traveling through five continents, buying and selling high risk securities in the world’s most downtrodden economies. So tenuous was his operation and so covert the transactions, that an overnight fluctuation in a country’s currency rate could mean the difference between a spectacular profit or a devastating loss. Today, the trade in emerging market debt is worth more than five billion dollars a day, but it was virtually non-existent when Smith, a one-time collections lawyer, pioneered the business in the late 1970s.
Riches Among the Ruins is the extraordinary story of Robert Smith’s search to make money doing the riskiest kind of business. We are at his side as he travels through the treacherous and exhilarating world of the debt trader, dodging bullets and roadside bombs in post-Saddam Iraq, and risking his life on the chaotic streets of Nigeria. As he engages in a battle of wills with businessmen in Istanbul, and loses millions overnight in the ruins of the post-Soviet Russian economy, we experience all of the thrill and terror that accompanies making big money in emerging markets. At once adrenaline-fueled and utterly compelling, this is the gripping story of one man’s quest for fortune where others fear to tread.
From the Back Cover
Praise for Riches Among the Ruins:
“If you want to understand what goes on behind the scenes in international business and finance, and be treated to a fascinating account of the adventures of a financial entrepreneur who knows the most remote areas of the world on intimate terms, this is the book for you.”
— Robert Hormats, Vice Chairman, Goldman Sachs (International)
“With guts, brains, and more than a little chutzpah, bond trader Robert Smith traversed the third world for three decades searching for fortune and often finding that adventure came along with the deals. A colorful, intensely personal chronicle of life on the early frontiers of globalization.”
— Richard M. Smith, Chairman, Newsweek
“If you wanted to hear what was going on in the more interesting—and dangerous—parts of international finance, you called up Bob Smith. He is the antithesis of the clueless, charmless, tiresome MBAs and careerists who got us into the present mess.”
— John Dizard, columnist, Financial Times
“A frontiersman in the risky world of global finance, Smith’s adventures read like a spy novel.”
— Robert Lenzner, National Editor, Forbes
“As one of the most imaginative and skillful financiers working in the behind-the-scene trenches of sovereign debt crises, Robert Smith has written an exciting and enjoyable account of his many ups and downs in the art of asset value creation.”
— Charles Dallara, Managing Director, Institute of International Finance, Inc.
“A real page turner, with economic lessons to be learned in each chapter on globalization and the world’s economic connectivity.”
— Gary Mueller, CEO and Chairman, Institutional Investor
“Outrageous, intriguing truth stranger than fiction....Riches Among the Ruins is a rare treat: an entertaining glimpse into a remote arena of globalization by a true financial pioneer. Bob Smith knows all and tells all in a highly enjoyable read.”
— Peter Marber, HSBC Halbis, author of Seeing the Elephant: Understanding Globalization from Trunk to Tail
Inside This Book
(Learn More)
Tags Customers Associate with This Product(What's this?)Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
|
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
Format:Hardcover
"Return with much riches to your tents, with very much livestock, with silver, with gold, with bronze, with iron, and with very much clothing. Divide the spoil of your enemies with your brethren." -- Joshua 22:8
Robert P. Smith thrives on going where few would want to be . . . in search of hidden riches that are invisible to almost everyone else. It sounds almost like the beginning of one of Scheherazade's 1001 tales, doesn't it?
The writing about going into dangerous parts of El Salvador, Vietnam, Turkey, Guatemala, Panama, Nigeria, Russia, and Iraq to deal with questionable characters is truly terrific. Even if you don't understand a single word about the financial transactions, you'll revel in feeling the anxiety and threat of those murky dark corners of conflict.
The book has an added benefit: It's an exceptionally clear explanation of the types of obscure securities that are issued in countries that are faltering economically and politically. You'll also get a good sense of the risky paths to riches involved in being an intermediary in bringing buyers and sellers together to exchange dollars.
I thought that the last two chapters in the book were a disappointment, falling well below the story value of the first six. Had the book ended after Chapter 6, I would have graded it at five stars. Feel free to skip those last two chapters or just dabble in them lightly.
After you finish the book, think about what you would have done in the situation where Mr. Smith sold securities from one branch of a bank to another part of the bank for a fat profit.
Robert P. Smith thrives on going where few would want to be . . . in search of hidden riches that are invisible to almost everyone else. It sounds almost like the beginning of one of Scheherazade's 1001 tales, doesn't it?
The writing about going into dangerous parts of El Salvador, Vietnam, Turkey, Guatemala, Panama, Nigeria, Russia, and Iraq to deal with questionable characters is truly terrific. Even if you don't understand a single word about the financial transactions, you'll revel in feeling the anxiety and threat of those murky dark corners of conflict.
The book has an added benefit: It's an exceptionally clear explanation of the types of obscure securities that are issued in countries that are faltering economically and politically. You'll also get a good sense of the risky paths to riches involved in being an intermediary in bringing buyers and sellers together to exchange dollars.
I thought that the last two chapters in the book were a disappointment, falling well below the story value of the first six. Had the book ended after Chapter 6, I would have graded it at five stars. Feel free to skip those last two chapters or just dabble in them lightly.
After you finish the book, think about what you would have done in the situation where Mr. Smith sold securities from one branch of a bank to another part of the bank for a fat profit.
Format:Hardcover
Robert P.Smith creates a beautiful tale of a truly individual journey, I have thoroughly enjoyed an insight into the life of a fascinating man
It's packed full of good advice and an inspiring read!!
I have just finished reading "Riches Among the Ruins": although not wanting to provide a review of every book I read, felt this one deserved a special mention. It is written in a very funny and laid back style that makes it a excellent read even for those not interested in finance.
The Book takes us through Smith's 30 years of adventure trading risk securities in the world's most downtrodden economies with all the thrill and terror that accompanies making big money in emerging markets. It gave insight into what made the great man tick and how he approached his business. It also gave you an idea of how he formed his important relationships and how they shaped him as a man.
Nevertheless, the desire to get on, the "win at all costs" mentality.. all or nothing approach... with his life on the line.
It is highly recommended and one of those books that it is difficult to put down.
It is very personal at times, you do feel as you, yourself is the one making the journey.
Today, Robert P. Smith is a legend in the world of finance he is often referred to as the Indiana Jones of the financial world... . A page turner if ever there was one. An adrenaline-fueled Story!
It's packed full of good advice and an inspiring read!!
I have just finished reading "Riches Among the Ruins": although not wanting to provide a review of every book I read, felt this one deserved a special mention. It is written in a very funny and laid back style that makes it a excellent read even for those not interested in finance.
The Book takes us through Smith's 30 years of adventure trading risk securities in the world's most downtrodden economies with all the thrill and terror that accompanies making big money in emerging markets. It gave insight into what made the great man tick and how he approached his business. It also gave you an idea of how he formed his important relationships and how they shaped him as a man.
Nevertheless, the desire to get on, the "win at all costs" mentality.. all or nothing approach... with his life on the line.
It is highly recommended and one of those books that it is difficult to put down.
It is very personal at times, you do feel as you, yourself is the one making the journey.
Today, Robert P. Smith is a legend in the world of finance he is often referred to as the Indiana Jones of the financial world... . A page turner if ever there was one. An adrenaline-fueled Story!
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
29 reviews
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Fantastic story filled with great insights
18 Sep 2009
Format:Hardcover
Most self-help teachers advise those seeking success to find a good role model and emulate what they did to achieve success. The idea is that success leaves footprints - steps that others can follow.
Riches Among the Ruins is a great example and Robert Smith would be an excellent role model for others to follow. He finished last in his high school class. But his financial success has allowed him to build a theater and arts center at his high school, a new student center at the college he attended and to renovate the synagogue in his mother's hometown.
The opening sentence of the introduction tells how he lost $15 million in one day. But that did not spell financial ruin for him.
I will not presume to guess the primary motivation for Mr. Smith writing this book. In my mind there are three themes or lessons to be gained from reading it.
The first is a better understanding of foreign currency and the interdependence of world trade. We are all subject to the forces of globalization and having a better understanding of the interdependencies will help us better understand our world and how things fit together.
The second underlying message is what it takes to achieve financial success. While these are not directly addressed, they are the footprints we need to observe is we are going to try to follow his example. Success is often found among the ruins. Doing what everyone else is doing will not separate you from the crowd. If you are going to achieve huge success, you must separate yourself from the crowd. Do what others might find distasteful.
Another success principle that kept driving Bob was he was doing what inspired and motivated him. You will find it tough going to attempt to do things you truly are not interested in doing. He loved the excitement of working in the "ruins". Find what you love to do and do it.
There are many other success principles contained in the book, but I will only touch on one more. The "ruins" represent a major need of others. It is much easier to find financial success if you are fulfilling a major need for a) lots of people or b) one with lots of zeros associated with it.
The third theme of the book is looking at the different countries and the problems they faced and then viewing the path that America is following. We have turned from a creditor to the largest debtor nation. We are on a very dangerous path. While we may not be in immediate danger of becoming a third world country, unless we put our financial house on order - both on the national and the individual level, we may find ourselves there sooner than we expect.
This is a wonderful read. The first 50 or so pages are a little slow because there is so much background information necessary to understand what is going on. After the introduction, it gets to be a real page turner. There are really a number of valuable lessons in the book. It reads like a novel but probably should be studied like a text book. Some of the lessons are a little understated.
Robert has achieved financial success but he now looks at life more philosophical. He wants to share what he has learned with others. He has shared his success formula but he has also shared a view of the more important things in life - purpose.
I highly recommend it.
Riches Among the Ruins is a great example and Robert Smith would be an excellent role model for others to follow. He finished last in his high school class. But his financial success has allowed him to build a theater and arts center at his high school, a new student center at the college he attended and to renovate the synagogue in his mother's hometown.
The opening sentence of the introduction tells how he lost $15 million in one day. But that did not spell financial ruin for him.
I will not presume to guess the primary motivation for Mr. Smith writing this book. In my mind there are three themes or lessons to be gained from reading it.
The first is a better understanding of foreign currency and the interdependence of world trade. We are all subject to the forces of globalization and having a better understanding of the interdependencies will help us better understand our world and how things fit together.
The second underlying message is what it takes to achieve financial success. While these are not directly addressed, they are the footprints we need to observe is we are going to try to follow his example. Success is often found among the ruins. Doing what everyone else is doing will not separate you from the crowd. If you are going to achieve huge success, you must separate yourself from the crowd. Do what others might find distasteful.
Another success principle that kept driving Bob was he was doing what inspired and motivated him. You will find it tough going to attempt to do things you truly are not interested in doing. He loved the excitement of working in the "ruins". Find what you love to do and do it.
There are many other success principles contained in the book, but I will only touch on one more. The "ruins" represent a major need of others. It is much easier to find financial success if you are fulfilling a major need for a) lots of people or b) one with lots of zeros associated with it.
The third theme of the book is looking at the different countries and the problems they faced and then viewing the path that America is following. We have turned from a creditor to the largest debtor nation. We are on a very dangerous path. While we may not be in immediate danger of becoming a third world country, unless we put our financial house on order - both on the national and the individual level, we may find ourselves there sooner than we expect.
This is a wonderful read. The first 50 or so pages are a little slow because there is so much background information necessary to understand what is going on. After the introduction, it gets to be a real page turner. There are really a number of valuable lessons in the book. It reads like a novel but probably should be studied like a text book. Some of the lessons are a little understated.
Robert has achieved financial success but he now looks at life more philosophical. He wants to share what he has learned with others. He has shared his success formula but he has also shared a view of the more important things in life - purpose.
I highly recommend it.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
I'd recommend this book in a heartbeat!!
18 Mar 2009
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
I was intrigued from the title considering the times we're living in, and I zipped through this well-written, humorous, and interesting book. It reads like an international adventure and is great for someone who is curious about how the world used to work when developing countries teetered near bankruptcy in the 70's and 80's, all told from an entrepreneur's eyes with self-deprecating humility. Especially good book for someone who wants inspiration on starting their own business in the worst of times...
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Pertinent lessons for today's economy
17 Mar 2009
Format:Hardcover
Part exciting adventure thriller, part financial advice, this book reads like an Indiana Jones or Ian Fleming story. Smith takes us through his shenanigans in often war-torn perilous developing countries, where he tried (sometimes successfully and sometimes unsuccessfully) to forge a new financial instrument. Today's huge emerging market industry was shaped by economic frontmen like Smith, and likewise, our nation's woes could utilize the hard lessons learned in the debt-ridden countries where Smith spent the past 30 years doing business.
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
- Books > Biography
- Books > Business, Finance & Law > Accounting > International
- Books > Business, Finance & Law > Biographies & Histories > Biographies & Memoirs
- Books > Business, Finance & Law > Professional Finance > Foreign Exchange
- Books > Business, Finance & Law > Professional Finance > Investments & Securities
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
- I am the Author, and I want to comment on my book.
- I am the Publisher, and I want to comment on this book.
