Sign in with Facebook
Loading...
20th out of 51 books
—
6 voters
Rigged: The True Story of an Ivy League Kid Who Changed the World of Oil, from Wall Street to Dubai
by
Ben Mezrich
From the author who brought you the massive "New York Times" bestseller "Bringing Down the House," this is the startling rags-to-riches story of an Italian-American kid from the streets of Brooklyn who claws his way into the wild, frenetic world of the oil exchange.
After conquering the hallowed halls of Harvard Business School, he enters the testosterone-laced warrens of t...more
After conquering the hallowed halls of Harvard Business School, he enters the testosterone-laced warrens of t...more
Hardcover, 304 pages
Published
October 23rd 2007
by William Morrow
(first published October 1st 2007)
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
Community Reviews
(showing
1-30
of
1,943)
Nov 23, 2007
Chazzle
rated it
3 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
peoplo who like hearing about other people's sexy jobs
The book is more promise than delivery. Mezrich writes in an interesting style, but at bottom, I don't really believe what the protagonist accomplished actually will change the world. On the other hand, all things Dubai really are pretty fascinating, so the book wasn't all bad, either.
The sales pitch on this book caught my eye cause I used to intern at a commodities trading company after my sophmore year in college, so I was curious to learn more about commodities trading.
The book itself was well written, but lacked a little more excitement. Though I burned through the book in a week, it didn't have quite the excitement as I felt reading Monkey Business (About Ibanking) or Liars Poker (Securities Trading).
I did learn some cool things about what effects energy prices and from...more
The book itself was well written, but lacked a little more excitement. Though I burned through the book in a week, it didn't have quite the excitement as I felt reading Monkey Business (About Ibanking) or Liars Poker (Securities Trading).
I did learn some cool things about what effects energy prices and from...more
A true story about a young Ivy league kid who goes to work on the New York Mercantile Exchange. He then is instrumental in setting up an Exchange in Dubai. I learned a lot about the Mercantile Exchange. The only thing I knew about it before reading this book was from the movie Trading Places. Seems to be a sophisticated casino. Also learned about Dubai. Sadly enough I knew only that it was in the Mideast. Sounds like an incredible place that will be very trendy and popular in the years to come....more
Enjoyable read - gave it 4 stars because it sucked me in quickly, read like beach blanket fiction and made the industry that I work in completely accessible to anyone. And considering they have sold the movie rights to it, I suspect people who are NOT in my industry would enjoy the true story as well. It basically had the rags to riches theme, along with the underdog vs the establishment theme, along with the sex and money and intrigue themes that capture the imagination and get the blood racing...more
The oil exchange is a fascinating topic I knew nothing about, but that didn't seem to matter. The entertainment value that Mezrich puts into his books is what makes them...even though the ending of this one was a little ho hum. This book tells the rags to riches story of a bunch of guys from Queens & Brooklyn who make it big trading oil on the Merc Exchange in NYC, specifically following main character David Russo, a guy in his early 20's who helps develop an oil exchange in Dubai by seducin...more
Picked this up on my way home for Thanksgiving and finished it before I landed. It's about this bright kid who got his MBA from Harvard and somehow found himself as the VP for Strategy at the New York Merchantile Exchange a few months later. He teamed up with a counterpart in Dubai to create an Oil Exchange, the first of its kind in the Middle East. The exchange is suppossed to bring transparency and accountability to middle-eastern oil prices which could have HUGE implications for global stabil...more
From the cover and the synopsis, this novel was supposed to be a true story about an IVY league guy who transformed the world of oil and promised expose of shady dealings around this energy commodity. I had my expectations built accordingly. However the book comes across as a fictitious novel written like a bad thriller. At no point in time, you get any understanding either on the exchange community nor on how oil is traded / priced nor on any political dealings around it. Instead the novel some...more
Sep 05, 2012
Rachael Hewison
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
general-non-fiction
I was a little dubious about reading this book as I know next to nothing about oil exchange and I was worried I’d be a little overwhelmed and not understand what was going on. However Mezrich is fantastic at putting the reader at ease as he carefully and simply explained enough for you to get a gist of what was happening.
Although it is based on a true story Mezrich’s style is to write like it is a fiction novel, meaning we’re never quite sure what is accurate and what has been modified. This act...more
Although it is based on a true story Mezrich’s style is to write like it is a fiction novel, meaning we’re never quite sure what is accurate and what has been modified. This act...more
I loved this book! I read it in two days and was totally intrigued the whole time.
I am a sucker for stories of rags to riches- young and passionate people who want to change the world and work their asses off to get there against insurmountable odds. It's the american dream. And the best part? Its a true story!
The main character, David Russo (name changed from the actual guy, whose name is John D'Agostino) is a Italian-American Harvard grad from Brooklyn who is a hardworking, very intelligent...more
I am a sucker for stories of rags to riches- young and passionate people who want to change the world and work their asses off to get there against insurmountable odds. It's the american dream. And the best part? Its a true story!
The main character, David Russo (name changed from the actual guy, whose name is John D'Agostino) is a Italian-American Harvard grad from Brooklyn who is a hardworking, very intelligent...more
"Rigged" follows the same non-fiction novel style as "Ugly Americans" and "Bringing Down the House". The book tells the story of a recent Harvard grad and his start at the New York Mercantile Exchange and focuses on the trading of oil. The title is a little misleading as it implies some sort of indictment of big oil or some other conspiracy.
Overall an enterntaining read that goes by pretty quickly. I've you've read his other books and enjoyed them - you'll like this as well.
Overall an enterntaining read that goes by pretty quickly. I've you've read his other books and enjoyed them - you'll like this as well.
Interesting read on the oil business and the creation of the Dubai Mercantile Exchange. I didn't want this book to end and want to see the movie now.
In the acknowledgements, Ben Mezrich claims that this is the best book he has ever written. I would not agree as I enjoyed some of his other books more, such as "Bringing Down the House: The Inside Story of Six MIT Students Who Took Vegas for Millions," which was made into the movie, "21," and "The Accidental Billionaires: The Founding of Facebook: A Tale of Sex, Money, Genius and Betrayal," which was made into a movie as well ("The Social Network").
Mezrich has a niche in nonfiction: his books...more
Mezrich has a niche in nonfiction: his books...more
It was a fun, energizing read - but I liked Bringing Down the House better. Rigged runs against those same lines - youth, power, speed, and money.
Good, well-written book. Overall, a fast read. Beginning is a little slow if you know anything about the Wall St/ trading world since he breaks it down and explains the basics. But interesting- a true story about this guy who changed the NYMEX and its role in the global marketplace when he was 25 yrs old or something ridiculous.
This was a good read. Less scholarly than expected... well, even less biographical than expected... more thriller/national geographic episode of "Locked Abroad" without anyone actually getting arrested... but you get my jist... nonetheless, a page turner... i could not put the book down... after i stopped myself from expecting more out of the book than what it was... i started enjoying it... there was something about lavish, extravagant Dubai kept me going... or was it my fascination for the see...more
This author is awesome. I love everything he does, terrific non-fiction. Read this in 4 days. Very interesting and I do not even like anything having to do with financial trading, or oil. But that is what this is about bringing an exchange to the country of Dubai. True story, with names changed.
Very fast read. I enjoyed learning a little bit about Dubai and the massive growth that is happening. Interesting to note the reluctance to move from old school to new tech by some and the advocacy of others. If you liked Bringing Down the House, you'll like this. Can be read in about 3 hours.
Very engaging exploits of Dave Russo, an HBS graduate, and his role in getting NYMEX to start an oil exchange in Dubai.
Not a lot of insights into the workings of the NYMEX, but more of a story about a driven Brooklyn Italian American and how he overcame long odds to get the project approved.
Not a lot of insights into the workings of the NYMEX, but more of a story about a driven Brooklyn Italian American and how he overcame long odds to get the project approved.
This is my second book by Ben Mezrich and I've found his style of writing to be very engaging. This was a very interesting read about the birth of the Dubai Mercantile Exchange and how a guy my age defied age barriers to make this new marketplace a reality.
This is really a terrific story. It's certainly plausible, if only just. Giving it the benefit of the doubt that it's more fact than fiction is fairly, but if you can swallow your disbelief, it obviously makes the tale just that much more fascinating.
This is one of the lousiest books that I've read in a long time. It's chintzy, it's cheap and it is really irritating. The author has dummed it down so much that maybe a single cell ameba might find it believable.
And yes- I stopped reading it at page 183. It was just too ridiculous, and frankly too insulting to my intelligence.
The premise being that in the world of oil and money we can all just get along. It reads like the Bobbsey Twins go to Dubai.
Those adorable sheiks in their flying machines....more
And yes- I stopped reading it at page 183. It was just too ridiculous, and frankly too insulting to my intelligence.
The premise being that in the world of oil and money we can all just get along. It reads like the Bobbsey Twins go to Dubai.
Those adorable sheiks in their flying machines....more
While certainly an entertaining read, this book lacks so much including a decent climax. As he has done with previous efforts Mezrich strings us along with a tale of "rags to riches" and the ensuing over-the-top lifestyle. I would equate it with any celebrity reality TV show - no substance, just watching rich people do stuff.
There was something about this book that also seemed particularly over the top even by Mezrich standards. This book is non-fiction with an asterisk, but I'm starting to thin...more
There was something about this book that also seemed particularly over the top even by Mezrich standards. This book is non-fiction with an asterisk, but I'm starting to thin...more
Fast and fun, Mizrich does it again. The kind of shit this guy pulls off makes me think of some of the students at Davis High. Some people are simply on a different level intellectually. Different level? Different planet.
My husband actually picked this book out for me and at first glance I was not impressed...but to not judge a book by(you know the rest)......was greatly intrigued by the world of oil exchange and the up and coming Dubai
This book is focused on the inner workings of the commodities exchange in New York. It is a pretty interesting read, and very quick! Very good for those working in FS or interested in the corrupt nature of America.
Fascinating and engaging. Written by the guy who wrote book the movie "21" was based on. Wonder what impact the ways of the merc has on today's gas price horror.
Found the book by chance sitting on a bookshelf for free... and for some reason I started reading and was not able to stop...
I think what atracted me the most is the fact that you in a way want to be the character... he is living the life that maybe every young professional would like to have... to include the good luck of making it to the top fast...
But... I what really made the difference was the fact that I visited Dubai not long before starting reading the book and I was headed back to Dubai...more
I think what atracted me the most is the fact that you in a way want to be the character... he is living the life that maybe every young professional would like to have... to include the good luck of making it to the top fast...
But... I what really made the difference was the fact that I visited Dubai not long before starting reading the book and I was headed back to Dubai...more
A good read for those that have ambitions of changing the world themselves, or making lots of money. Especially a good read when in need of an injection of hope that large scale change is possible, albeit with some luck and strategic, wealthy supporters.
Full review available here: http://damianfuller.com/2013/04/19/book-review-rigged/
The book has been registered and released on BookCrossing.com at the Wat Chan Royal Development project!
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/11847454
Full review available here: http://damianfuller.com/2013/04/19/book-review-rigged/
The book has been registered and released on BookCrossing.com at the Wat Chan Royal Development project!
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/11847454
Mezrich's writing is as solid as always, but this book did less for me than Accidental Billionaires. It provided an insider's look at the NYMEX (or the Merc, as it's known in the book), the New York commodities trading exchange that primarily deals in oil futures. The main thrust of the book was that one very young American (and a ton of Dubai oil money) was responsible for opening the Dubai version of the oil exchange. Somehow the contracts there don't compete with the oil contracts traded at t...more
This autobiography about the journey of an ambitious, and young, commodity trader was somewhat interesting. According to me, the book would have been more insightful and dynamic if the book had been a biography. This would have ensured that the account was actual, and not fictive and somewhat unreal. Thus, I began to question whether the description of the so-called ‘wild nights’ was exaggerated in order to create a more appealing story. However, the epilogue, written by the protagonist himself,...more
There are no discussion topics on this book yet.
Be the first to start one »
Ben Mezrich is an American author from Boston, Massachusetts, who started out writing fiction but now has made his foray into non-fiction. He graduated magna-cum-laude from Harvard in 1991. He has since published eight books which have together sold over a million copies in nine different languages. Some of his books have been written under the pseudonym Holden Scott.
More about Ben Mezrich...
Share This Book
No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »
