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Ugly Americans
 
 

Ugly Americans (Paperback)

by Ben Mezrich (Author)
4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
RRP: £8.99
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Ugly Americans + Breaking Vegas + Bringing Down the House: How Six Students Took Vegas for Millions
Price For All Three: £18.77

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Product details

  • Paperback: 352 pages
  • Publisher: Arrow Books Ltd (7 Jul 2005)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 0099455056
  • ISBN-13: 978-0099455059
  • Product Dimensions: 19.4 x 13 x 2.4 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 12,359 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Product Description

Amazon.co.uk Review
Ugly Americans documents the "Wild East" of the mid-1990s, where young, brilliant and hypercompetitive traders became "hedge fund cowboys", manipulating loopholes in an outdated and inefficient Asian financial system to rake in millions. Using a concept called arbitrage, they made their fortunes mainly on minute shifts in stocks being sold on the Nikkei, the Japanese stock market, collapsing banks and nearly bankrupting the Japanese economy in the process. Other schemes were also concocted, most of which were technically legal, though certainly unethical. This true story revolves around "John Malcolm", who, in exchange for anonymity, agreed to give Ben Mezrich all the access and information he needed to write this book. As a recent Princeton graduate in the mid-1990s, Malcolm accepted an undefined job offer from an American expatriate in Japan to work in the investments field. Though he had no prior experience, he facilitated 25 million dollars worth of trades on his first day on the job, and it just got more exciting from there. He soon joined a small group of expatriates, all in their 20s and mostly Ivy League graduates, who lived like rock stars, thriving on the stress and excitement of their jobs to create their own steroid versions of the American Dream half a world away.

Mezrich tells this riveting story well, incorporating elements of the culture into his narrative, including the infamous and pervasive Japanese "Water Trade", or sex business, romantic intrigue and even run-ins with the Yakuza, the Japanese mafia. Though there is little real analysis of their financial dealings and how they ultimately changed the rules of finance in Asia, this entertaining page turner does offer a glimpse into a world little explored in print until now. --Shawn Carkonen, Amazon.com --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Description
John Malcolm is barely 30, a high school football hero and Princeton graduate, he controls a hedge fund worth $50m. He made his millions back in the early '90's, a time when dozens of elite young American graduates made their fortunes in hedge funds in the Far East, beating the Japanese at their own game, riding the crashing waves of the Asian markets and winning. Failure meant not only bankruptcy and disgrace a la Nick Leeson, but potentially even death - at the hands of the Japanese Yakuza. "Ugly Americans" tells Malcolm's story, and that of others like him, in a cross between Mezrich's own best-selling "Bringing Down the House" and Michael Lewis' "Liar's Poker".

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Customer Reviews

11 Reviews
5 star:
 (4)
4 star:
 (4)
3 star:
 (2)
2 star:
 (1)
1 star:    (0)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.0 out of 5 stars (11 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
10 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars Good Book, same story, 31 May 2006
Having read "Bringing Down the House" I was quite excited to read "Ugly Americans" and I was a bit disappointed mainly because it is pretty much the same format. Ok, it's a different topic, but deep inside it has the same story. And I have to say it is not as fast paced as I thought. However, it gave me a good insight into the financial business, its life style and Japanese culture. The thing I like from Mezrich's books is that you end up thinking that the stories really happened (which although the author says it's a true story I certainly doubt that it happened). All in all and ok book, that will entertain you and won't take you too long to finish it.
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11 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars Weak book, 20 Jul 2005
The plot is distinctly thin, although nonetheless gripping. The trouble is, Mezrich just isn't a very good writer. He stretches out this book with the most cliched and redundant descriptive passages and the dialogue he includes is total cheese and I don't believe that the people he's describing really talk like that. If they do then they're really not worth glamourising. Also endless references to various characters Ivy League credentials wears thin quickly.
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3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars Ferrari in Bermuda?, 10 Jun 2008
By Mr. A. J. Lea - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
This 'true' story fell down immediately for me when he describes the hedge fund trader based in Bermuda who has a ferrari.

Bermuda, an Island with a speed limit of 25mph, and restrictions on engine size as well as overall car size resulting in the fact there are no Ferraris in Bermuda.

Why make this up?
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Ugly Americans: Pretty good
I ordered this book having seen 21 the film. I was very impressed by the film and loved the idea of thrilling gambling intertwined in an unknown city. Read more
Published 2 days ago by Mark Twain

4.0 out of 5 stars If you liked the real-life Rogue Trader story, this'll interest you
Some have likened this book to Mezrich's two books about gambling in Vegas and you can see why, although stocks and shares traders are rarely brought to life in the same way as... Read more
Published 13 months ago by Born Again Bookworm

4.0 out of 5 stars A good read based on a real life derivatives gambler
Based in a world where people make vast fortunes from trading derivatives.

Generally a good read with a reasonable pace, it does however jump around a little which... Read more
Published 18 months ago by Mark T

4.0 out of 5 stars Great read!!!
I would recommend this book to anyone who has an interest in the Stock Market boom of the 80's. Fans of Oliver Stones Wallstreet will love this book. Read more
Published on 5 May 2006 by D. Doyle

5.0 out of 5 stars fast paced, fast money- you'll read this fast!
This book is addictive. You will not put this book down. I read it from 7pm to 4am in one sitting. Mezrich captures the world of asian finance and lets you smell the money in this... Read more
Published on 24 Feb 2006

5.0 out of 5 stars Superb
Simply superb book from a true master in the world of 'real life' thrillers! The pace is superb and the plot is absolutely unreal. Read more
Published on 19 Oct 2004

5.0 out of 5 stars Wall Street for 90's
Much of what I say about bringing down the house can also be attributed to Ben's other book Bringing Down the House. First of all, whats different. Read more
Published on 10 Jul 2004 by Gms Carroll

4.0 out of 5 stars Truly gripping stuff, a great read.
Having read most of the financial thrillers including Liars Poker, F.I.A.S.C.O, When Genuis Failed, and Rogue Trader i was captivated by this story, and read the whole thing non... Read more
Published on 7 May 2004 by Mr I Soo

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