Deals of the Century: Wall Street, Mergers, and the Making of Modern America

For all the headlines they grab, mega-mergers typically aren't a good deal for anyone but corporate executives and investment bankers. And guess what? This was just as true when J.P. Morgan created U.S. Steel in 1901 as it was when Steve Case engineered the AOL-Time Warner merger in 1999. Financial expert Charles R. Geisst dissects a century's worth of deals in fascinating detail. His conclusion: investor and regulator beware. Geisst's accessible style is a plus, and he manages to be skeptical but not jaundiced in this thorough, clear-eyed analysis. We suggest this book to any executive contemplating an M & A deal, and to any investor trying to cut through the hype surrounding mergers.