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THE MONEY BAZAAR

Name: THE MONEY BAZAAR
Author: Andrew J. Krieger
ISBN: 0-8129-1861-4

INSIDE THE TRILLION-DOLLAR WORLD OF CURRENCY TRADING

by Andrew J. Krieger with Edward Claflin ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 1, 1992

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An authoritative, if pedantic, introduction to the mercurial foreign-exchange market, where daily trading volume ranges up to $700 billion—and millions can be gained or lost on the judgments of youthful MBAs like the author. Having made a name for himself at Salomon Brothers and Bankers Trust before striking out on his own, Krieger has an insider's knowledge of a demanding profession. Unfortunately, he conveys only hints of the high-stakes game's risks and rewards, opting instead for a matter-of-fact recitation of its fundamentals. The author nonetheless provides an accessible rundown on the globe-girdling network in which nervy traders buy or sell American dollars, French francs, German marks, Japanese yen, and other hard currencies for the accounts of money-center banks, multinational corporations, securities firms, and a handful of private investors. He also makes a good job of clarifying the supply/demand forces that move the unregulated, round-the-clock market—and why it matters. But apart from self-congratulatory accounts of a few fondly remembered coups (including a killing in New Zealand kiwi), Krieger offers precious little material that's not available elsewhere in more detailed form. Indeed, he devotes the bulk of his text to a sketchy monetary history of the industrial world from Bretton Woods to the present. While the author hits such high points as 1971, the year the US went off the gold standard (creating a need for the foreign- exchange market now in existence), his narrative loses considerable momentum when he stops for explanatory background. Appreciably more interesting are Krieger's unhedged views on the greenback's prospects as a reserve currency and allied subjects. Worth noting, though, is that he borrows (without credit) from Michael M. Lewis (of Liar's Poker fame) a what-if scenario of the potentially dire consequences of an earthquake in Tokyo. An essentially academic exercise lacking in the personal perspectives that could have made it much more than a primer.

Pub Date: March 1, 1992

ISBN: 0-8129-1861-4

Page Count: 288

Publisher: Times/Henry Holt

Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 1992

Categories:

GENERAL NONFICTION

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NUTCRACKER

by E.T.A. Hoffmann ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 28, 1996

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This is not the Nutcracker sweet, as passed on by Tchaikovsky and Marius Petipa. No, this is the original Hoffmann tale of 1816, in which the froth of Christmas revelry occasionally parts to let the dark underside of childhood fantasies and fears peek through. The boundaries between dream and reality fade, just as Godfather Drosselmeier, the Nutcracker's creator, is seen as alternately sinister and jolly. And Italian artist Roberto Innocenti gives an errily realistic air to Marie's dreams, in richly detailed illustrations touched by a mysterious light. A beautiful version of this classic tale, which will captivate adults and children alike. (Nutcracker; $35.00; Oct. 28, 1996; 136 pp.; 0-15-100227-4)

Pub Date: Oct. 28, 1996

ISBN: 0-15-100227-4

Page Count: 136

Publisher: Harcourt

Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 1996

Categories:

GENERAL NONFICTION

- BOOK REVIEW
THE NUTCRACKER AND THE MOUSE KING
by E.T.A. Hoffmann ; adapted by Natalie Andrewson ; illustrated by Natalie Andrewson

- BOOK REVIEW
THE NUTCRACKER
by E.T.A. Hoffmann & illustrated by Julie Paschkis

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TO THE ONE I LOVE THE BEST

EPISODES FROM THE LIFE OF LADY MENDL (ELSIE DE WOLFE)

by Ludwig Bemelmans ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 23, 1955

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An extravaganza in Bemelmans' inimitable vein, but written almost dead pan, with sly, amusing, sometimes biting undertones, breaking through. For Bemelmans was "the man who came to cocktails". And his hostess was Lady Mendl (Elsie de Wolfe), arbiter of American decorating taste over a generation. Lady Mendl was an incredible person,- self-made in proper American tradition on the one hand, for she had been haunted by the poverty of her childhood, and the years of struggle up from its ugliness,- until she became synonymous with the exotic, exquisite, worshipper at beauty's whrine. Bemelmans draws a portrait in extremes, through apt descriptions, through hilarious anecdote, through surprisingly sympathetic and understanding bits of appreciation. The scene shifts from Hollywood to the home she loved the best in Versailles. One meets in passing a vast roster of famous figures of the international and artistic set. And always one feels Bemelmans, slightly offstage, observing, recording, commenting, illustrated.