First published 2018
Ken Langone grew up poor on Long Island with big dreams and no silver spoon. This New York Times bestseller chronicles his journey from struggling student to Wall Street dealmaker to co-founder of Home Depot. Langone earned his MBA at night while competing against privileged rivals during the day. He learned to evaluate businesses and apply street smarts to deals worth hundreds of millions. The book reveals his epic legal battle with former New York Governor Eliot Spitzer and his philanthropy including $200 million to NYU's Langone Health. Langone argues that free enterprise gives everyone opportunity to succeed. He calls capitalism his love song and presents himself as living proof that the American Dream works for anyone willing to work hard and think big.
Genres: business, economics, memoir, non-fiction
Vibes: intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: rags-to-riches, self-made-man
Setting: Long Island, New York, Wall Street
Period: 20th-century, 21st-century
320 pages · Hardcover · Portfolio