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Breaking Glass: Tales from the Witch of Wall Street
Kicked out of a cult at seventeen, Patricia Walsh Chadwick started on the bottom rung of the ladder in the world of business and worked her way to the top—breaking through the glass ceiling to become a global partner at Invesco.Patricia grew up in a religious community-turned-cult in the Boston area. At the age of seventeen, she was forced out of her home, leaving behind her entire family, and without access to higher education. From her first job as a receptionist at a brokerage firm, she clawed her way up the ladder—rung by rung—in that bastion of male Wall Street. By going to college at night, she achieved her degree in economics from Boston University, and from there, she headed to New York City. With a drive that earned her the moniker “Witch of Wall Street,” she rose from the ranks of research analyst to portfolio manager, where she was responsible for billions of dollars in pension and endowment assets. A turning point in her life was giving birth to twins at the age of forty-five, and she continued forward in her career, becoming a global partner at Invesco. At the turn of the millennium, she left Wall Street behind and embarked on a second career as a corporate board director.
- GenresNonfictionMemoirBusiness
304 pages, Hardcover
Published May 14, 2024
7 people are currently reading
2591 people want to read
About the author
Patricia Walsh Chadwick
2 books111 followers**LITTLE SISTER - available April 2, 2019**
www.patriciachadwick.com
Patricia Walsh Chadwick's unorthodox upbringing - in an excommunicated Catholic commune - is the subject of her first book, a memoir entitled, LITTLE SISTER. From her infancy in 1948, when she was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts
until the age of 17, she and the nearly 100 members of the community, including her parents and four younger siblings, lived a life shielded from the outside world - without television, radio, newspapers or any exposure to the events of the day. She, together with the 38 other children born within the community, were being raised to dedicate their lives to God, rejecting family, marriage or children of their own. As she matured into her mid-teen years and experienced a number of innocent crushes on the men within the community, she was deemed unfit, and at the age of 17, she was banished from her home and for the first time she faced the world, devoid of family, money, advice or the opportunity to attend college.
From that inauspicious beginning, Patricia began the long trek of her career, starting as a receptionist in the Boston office of Ladenburg, Thalmann, a brokerage and investment banking firm. By dint of sheer determination, she worked her way up the corporate ladder. For nine years, she attended college in the evening, graduating Summa Cum Laude from Boston University's Metropolitan College, with a degree in Economics.
Moving to New York in 1975, she capitalized on the opportunities in the fanancial world, eventually becoming a Global Partner at Invesco. Along the way, she develolped a passion for the opera, theater and global travel.
In her fifties, Patricia embarked on a second career, as an expert witness and a corporate board director, allowing her the flexibility to raise her twin children.
Today, in addition to her board work, Patricia dedicates much of her time to pro bono activities. She sits on the advisory board of Boston University's Metropolitan College and she chairs the advisory board of Elon University's Love School of Business. She is also a member of the board of The Glimmerglass Festival in Cooperstown, New York and the Bruce Museum in Greenwich, CT.
For more than twenty years, Patricia has been dedicated to mentoring inner city girls in the Catholic schools in New York City. Today she sits on the advisory board of Partnership Schools and Our Lady Queen of Angels School in East Harlem where she works with middle school girls whose motto is: Dare to hope, promise and dream.
In 2016, Patricia co-founded and is the CEO of Anchor Health Initiative, a company that provides primary care to the LGBTQ community in Connecticut.
She is married and lives in Connecticut with her husband. They have a daughter in graduate school and a son who works in Manhattan.
www.patriciachadwick.com
Patricia Walsh Chadwick's unorthodox upbringing - in an excommunicated Catholic commune - is the subject of her first book, a memoir entitled, LITTLE SISTER. From her infancy in 1948, when she was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts
until the age of 17, she and the nearly 100 members of the community, including her parents and four younger siblings, lived a life shielded from the outside world - without television, radio, newspapers or any exposure to the events of the day. She, together with the 38 other children born within the community, were being raised to dedicate their lives to God, rejecting family, marriage or children of their own. As she matured into her mid-teen years and experienced a number of innocent crushes on the men within the community, she was deemed unfit, and at the age of 17, she was banished from her home and for the first time she faced the world, devoid of family, money, advice or the opportunity to attend college.
From that inauspicious beginning, Patricia began the long trek of her career, starting as a receptionist in the Boston office of Ladenburg, Thalmann, a brokerage and investment banking firm. By dint of sheer determination, she worked her way up the corporate ladder. For nine years, she attended college in the evening, graduating Summa Cum Laude from Boston University's Metropolitan College, with a degree in Economics.
Moving to New York in 1975, she capitalized on the opportunities in the fanancial world, eventually becoming a Global Partner at Invesco. Along the way, she develolped a passion for the opera, theater and global travel.
In her fifties, Patricia embarked on a second career, as an expert witness and a corporate board director, allowing her the flexibility to raise her twin children.
Today, in addition to her board work, Patricia dedicates much of her time to pro bono activities. She sits on the advisory board of Boston University's Metropolitan College and she chairs the advisory board of Elon University's Love School of Business. She is also a member of the board of The Glimmerglass Festival in Cooperstown, New York and the Bruce Museum in Greenwich, CT.
For more than twenty years, Patricia has been dedicated to mentoring inner city girls in the Catholic schools in New York City. Today she sits on the advisory board of Partnership Schools and Our Lady Queen of Angels School in East Harlem where she works with middle school girls whose motto is: Dare to hope, promise and dream.
In 2016, Patricia co-founded and is the CEO of Anchor Health Initiative, a company that provides primary care to the LGBTQ community in Connecticut.
She is married and lives in Connecticut with her husband. They have a daughter in graduate school and a son who works in Manhattan.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
June 14, 2024
Such a beautiful grasp of the English language. I felt smarter just for reading it.
August 10, 2024
“Some memories live with the same clarity as when they happened.”
Publisher synopsis:
Patricia grew up in a religious community-turned-cult in the Boston area. At the age of seventeen, she was forced out of her home, leaving behind her entire family, and without access to higher education. From her first job as a receptionist at a brokerage firm, she clawed her way up the ladder—rung by rung—in that bastion of male chauvinism: Wall Street. By going to college at night, she achieved her degree in economics from Boston University, and from there, she headed to New York City. With a drive that earned her the moniker “Witch of Wall Street,” she rose from the ranks of research analyst to portfolio manager, where she was responsible for billions of dollars in pension and endowment assets. A turning point in her life was giving birth to twins at the age of forty-five, and she continued forward in her career, becoming a global partner at Invesco. At the turn of the millennium, she left Wall Street behind and embarked on a second career as a corporate board director.
What a fascinating life led by an astoundingly intelligent woman, breaking ceilings on Wall Street at a time when women weren’t revered in that environment. If you ever need a book to read to give you the motivation to believe in yourself and go for what you want despite any obstacle, read this book. @patricawalshchadwick I am in awe of your mind!
Thank you to @post_hill_press and @tlcbooktours for the #gifted copy.
Publisher synopsis:
Patricia grew up in a religious community-turned-cult in the Boston area. At the age of seventeen, she was forced out of her home, leaving behind her entire family, and without access to higher education. From her first job as a receptionist at a brokerage firm, she clawed her way up the ladder—rung by rung—in that bastion of male chauvinism: Wall Street. By going to college at night, she achieved her degree in economics from Boston University, and from there, she headed to New York City. With a drive that earned her the moniker “Witch of Wall Street,” she rose from the ranks of research analyst to portfolio manager, where she was responsible for billions of dollars in pension and endowment assets. A turning point in her life was giving birth to twins at the age of forty-five, and she continued forward in her career, becoming a global partner at Invesco. At the turn of the millennium, she left Wall Street behind and embarked on a second career as a corporate board director.
What a fascinating life led by an astoundingly intelligent woman, breaking ceilings on Wall Street at a time when women weren’t revered in that environment. If you ever need a book to read to give you the motivation to believe in yourself and go for what you want despite any obstacle, read this book. @patricawalshchadwick I am in awe of your mind!
Thank you to @post_hill_press and @tlcbooktours for the #gifted copy.
May 27, 2024
I found Breaking Glass: Tales from the Witch of Wall Street fascinating and a great read. The author is my oldest sister. She never shared the stories of either her escapades or her achievements on Wall Street. To me, she was and is my fun-loving and generous sister. If she can be called a "witch," it's because she is magical. I agree with her that Sister Ann Mary was a marvelous mentor as she was mine also.
May 22, 2024
I loved Chadwick's first memoir, Little Sister, so much that I was worried that her follow up would fall short of my expectations. This book is just as wonderful! I especially appreciated the author's "lessons learned" along the way to her top Wall Street role. Entertaining, honest, funny at times and such a good read. Wonder if there will be a third memoir in her future? Hope so.
June 23, 2024
"Breaking Glass" could have been titled "Riding the Wave" of change in Investment research. From slide rules and two martini lunches, to computer models and talking heads on CNBC, Patricia did it well.
Anyone who read "little Sister" will want to see the ongoing events in this extraordinary life!
Anyone who read "little Sister" will want to see the ongoing events in this extraordinary life!
January 6, 2025
Without regard to the author's life (some genuinely awful things have happened in her life, I am not commenting about that), just to her career, this might as well have been a fantasy novel. The author seems to constantly walk into new opportunities and find amazing people to mentor her at every turn. This is why people think you can just go out and easily "get a better job"
February 8, 2025
Good read!
Very enticing and intriguing parts of this book! It delves deep into her experiences as a catholic woman and managing children as well as a working woman. It mentions her wonderful experiences as a child and also going out into the real world at 17. Very eloquently written.
Very enticing and intriguing parts of this book! It delves deep into her experiences as a catholic woman and managing children as well as a working woman. It mentions her wonderful experiences as a child and also going out into the real world at 17. Very eloquently written.
August 27, 2025
A must-read for women working their way up in finance (or really any male-dominated industry) in the midst of balancing a career and family. There are so many times I said "wow, it is like Patricia is telling my story"! The candor is refreshing and the book hums along at a great pace. It really highlights how important people and relationships are in work and in life.
July 7, 2024
It wasn't the typical book that I would read but it was a great book overall.
July 20, 2024
Some parts of the author's life were interesting but there were too many boring details about the stock market that I had no interest in at all.
August 10, 2024
Packed with surprising detail, infectious humor, and poignant self-reflection, this book has you rooting for its author all the way. It's a roadmap to a life well-lived, borne from unrelenting grit and deep-seated tenderness.
March 10, 2025
Book was very good. Thanks Mrs. Chadwick for such a wonderful book and your voice on the Audible was very good. God bless you!
May 9, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this book. Being that accounting is my profession, I am always interested in books relating to business/finance, especially if they are written by a woman. I have never heard of Patricia Walsh Chadwick before, but came across her book on NetGalley and it intrigued me. I am so glad that I got to read this ARC. I thoroughly enjoyed reading her story and was so captivated the entire time. Chadwick lived a fascinating life and this book was very well written. Some parts were just a little boring to me, maybe a little too technical, but overall I really liked this book and have already recommended it to my sister. What an inspiring journey to read about!
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews