The Real Deal: My Life in Business and Philanthropy

More than an autobiography, CitiGroup CEO and renowned philanthropist Weill delivers an ambitious project that spans more than 50 years of business history and provides real-world advice for investment neophytes and market insiders alike. Weill, a Brooklyn native, started his career in 1960 with a $30,000 loan and a dream, and slowly created an empire; at present, CitiGroup is the largest financial institution in the world, its share price having grown 2,644% since its initial public offering in 1986 (when it was known as Commercial Credit). An inspiring story told with subtlety and candor, Weill's memoir offers something for everyone-from his ten golden rules of leadership to a first-hand explication of the 1990s bull-bear battles on Wall Street, and a candid interview with his wife Joan (complete with her advice for the ""Corporate Spouse""). At times emotional and self-congratulatory, this book's purpose is always clear-to celebrate and enshrine Weill's successes. Nonetheless, it also includes salient criticism, and some painful explication of his mistakes along the way. Like the man himself, this book tells it like it is, and has little to hide.