The New Financial Capitalists: Kohlberg Kravis Roberts and the Creation of Corporate Value First edition (stated)

Partners in KKR themselves did not seem realize what they would have done when they started their unique business at the early stage. After all their investment confuse us what form of business KKR is among company, conglomerate or LBO association..

If you're relatively new to the subject and want a good primer/introduction to LBOs, as well as some background history on the leveraged buyout and on KKR, this is a good read. It's reasonably quick and easy to read without being too dumbed down. I think that, among others, one group that would really benefit from reading this book are college students (or even MBA students) who are interested in eventually working in private equity but who don't currently know much about it.As a brief summary, this book includes:1) A discussion of the rationale for leveraged buyouts - from the standpoints of both the economics (to the buyer) and corporate governance (LBOs as one solution to the classic principal-agent problem)2) A history of KKR and of the leveraged buyout in general. It goes back to the founding of KKR and to very early LBOs.3) A discussion and brief analysis of a number of real world LBOs - both successful and failed. This is probably the most useful part of the book, as it gives you some feel as to the factors that can lead to a successful (or failed) LBO and helps you learn from some of the mistakes of the past.I was interested in the subject from the perspective of an equity analyst interested in identifying potential LBO targets. The book, naturally, doesn't provide a framework for identifying LBO targets (nor did I expect it to), but it was a very good introduction/primer on the subject that, when combined with other reading and research, helped me develop my own framework for identifying potential LBO candidates.

Highly detailed, objective and entertaining account of KKR's history. The good, the bad and the ugly. Thoroughly researched. Very credible.

Said excellent condition. covered in mold.

If you are looking at what I have written, you must be considering buying this book. So I guess it's good for me to tell you what this book really is and where its strength lies. This book isn't a gossipy account of interesting people; it isn't (only) an account of what KKR did. It's certainly not a moral debate of whether Henry Kravis is a 'Barbarian'. My opinion is that this is a book which seriously attempts to tell us what leverage buyout really is; and the mentioning of KKR, its deals, its organizational strucuture etc, merely (in a sense) serve as illustrative examples. In other words, I think despite the fact that the authors have very meticulous account of things about KKR, they have something else in mind: the 'leverage buyout story' instead of 'the KKR story'. This is the main difference between this book and others belonging to the same topic. So if you are serious about learning something about leverage buyouts, read on.The choice of topics and the quality of exposition of the book is truly unmatched by practically any business books I have ever read. That's the main reason behind the five stars. The analysis throughout, especially the middle chapters, is not yet, but close to academic. But wait, before destroying the online sales of the book by using the word 'academic', I must add that the usual attachment of being boring is absolutely absent. It is so well-written and you'll learn so much from the book that chapter 2 alone (or chp 3 or 4) is worth more than the price.Finally, to give you more information, this is not a book of pathbreaking insights. But who cares? Every new business book claims itself to be a revolution: the 'everything you previously know about xxx is wrong' kind of slogan. In an age awashed with the chic of being new, Geroge Baker offers the rare gem of simply 'putting things into the right perspective'. You want to know somthing about buyouts? Here you are, crystal clear exposition, abundant historical background, good examples, careful documentation, serious analysis, and, well, maybe a little bit of gossip afterall.