Author:Nigel Goldman
Nigel Goldman wrote the autobiographical High Stakes while in prison paying the price for two decades of risk-taking on the financial markets. Through his dealings in the tempestuous silver futures market and a sideline in rare coin investments, Goldman developed a taste for the champagne lifestyle. Desperate to maintain the high life, his deals became riskier and were increasingly financed by his clients' money. Taking advantage of trading loopholes and insider tip-offs, Goldman peaked with an account balance of £14 million but troughed with two spells in prison.
The story begins with Goldman placing a £50 bet on the roulette table and walking away with £10,000. And so his adventures continue. There are personal trades, investment businesses, gold bullion deals, racehorses and an American gentleman who allows Goldman to play with his fortune on the New York Stock Exchange. But there are also Customs and Excise investigations and lifelong enemies waiting to exact their revenge.
High Stakes provides a detailed insight into the little-known twilight world of insider-dealing and shows how the search for the ultimate win can lead to a life on the run.
Meticulously researched book...Levine's solutions are sensible...it's a vital discussion we need to be having
—— Davin O'Dwyer , Irish TimesLevine is an engaging, provocative writer, and there is much to like about Free Ride...an entertaining read, with an entertaining cast
—— ObserverA book that should change the debate about the future of culture
—— New York Times Book ReviewBrilliant... A crashcourse in the existential problems facing the media
—— The TimesImportant
—— Bryan Appleyard , Sunday TimesPugnacious and well-researched
—— Steven Poole , GuardianComprehensive
—— Pat Kane , IndependentRobert Levine tries to solve the tricky problem of internet copyright… This is an important debate, and this opinionated book is a welcome part of it
—— William Leith , ScotsmanFascinating and ambitious ... Richard McGregor lays bare the secretive machinery of the party
—— Gady Epstein , ForbesMcGregor has done the world a service with his fascinating new book
—— Peter Hartcher , Sydney Morning HeraldA fascinating read ... in an age when Chinese economic influence is reaching new levels, it is an invaluable exercise in understanding the operation of the most powerful political party in the world
—— Ian Kehoe , Sunday Business PostA vivid narrative, sprinkled with humour and insight ... amazing characters ... an engrossing read
—— South China Morning PostGripping ... McGregor brings to life the characters behind the icons of Chinese power and wealth, the figures that built the Shanghai skyline and rebuilt Beijing for the Olympics. More importantly, he gives us a feel for the dynamics behind China's rise
—— Irish TimesA lively and penetrating account of a party that ... has clung to secrecy as an inviolable principle
—— Andrew Higgins , Washington PostEminently readable ... McGregor has done a great service to those who would hope to better understand where China's power lies
—— China Economic ReviewAn illuminating glimpse behind the red curtain ... McGregor's lucid dissection shows how top-ranked party members - indeed the party itself - sit outside the law
—— MetroWhat Money Can't Buy is replete with examples of what money can, in fact, buy ... Sandel has a genius for showing why such changes are deeply important
—— Martin Sandbu , Financial TimesMichael Sandel ... is currently the most effective communicator of ideas in English
—— GuardianSandel, the most famous teacher of philosophy in the world, has shown that it is possible to take philosophy into the public square without insulting the public's intelligence
—— Michael Ignatieff , New RepublicA book that can persuade people that the rules of the economy don't just reflect our values, they help to determine them
—— Ed Miliband , New StatesmanFascinating exploration of the alarming encroachment of market philosophy on so many aspects of our lives
—— Alexander McCall Smith , The Herald