Thursday, June 20, 2013

OCTOPUS: A PREVIEW AND GIVEAWAY

GIVEAWAY ENDED 
OCTOPUS
Sam Israel, The Secret Market, and Wall Street's Wildest Con
BY GUY LAWSON

ABOUT THE BOOK:
Octopus is a real-life thriller that tells the inside story of an audacious hedge fund fraud and the wild search, by a colorful cast of rogues and schemers, for a “secret market” beneath the financial market we all know.
 
Sam Israel was a man who seemed to have it all – until the hedge fund he ran, Bayou, imploded and he became the target of a nationwide manhunt.  Born into one of America’s most illustrious trading families, Israel was determined to strike out on his own.  So after apprenticing with one of the greatest hedge fund traders of the 1980’s, Sam founded his own fund and promised his investors guaranteed profits.  With the proprietary computer program he’d created, he claimed to be able to predict the future.

But his future was already beginning to unravel.

After suffering devastating losses and fabricating fake returns, Israel knew it was only a matter of time before his real performance would be discovered, so when a former black-ops intelligence operative told him about a “secret market” run by the Fed, Israel bet his last $150 million on a chance to make billions. Thus began his year-long adventure in “the Upperworld” -- a society populated by clandestine bankers, shady European nobility, and spooks issuing cryptic warnings about a mysterious cabal known as the Octopus.

Whether the “secret market” was real or a con, Israel was all in – and as the pressures mounted and increasingly sinister violence crept into his life, he struggled to break free of the Octopus’ tentacles.

AN EXCERPT FROM OCTOPUS:
Chapter One: Trust

All Sam Israel ever wanted to be was a Wall Street trader. For generations, the men of the Israel family had been prominent and hugely successful commodities traders. For nearly a century they and their cousins the Arons had been major players trading in coffee, sugar, cocoa, rubber, soy, precious metals-the substance of modern American life. Along the way, the family became fantastically wealthy. Long before the term was coined, the Israels were real-life Masters of the Universe.

But it was Wall Street that attracted Sam, not the commodities market. As a boy growing up in New Orleans he'd sat on the lap of his legendary grandfather, Samuel Israel Jr., watching the ticker tape from the New York Stock Exchange and imagining what life was like in that distant place. When the Israels moved to New York and his father took a senior position in the family business, which had grown into a multi-billion-dollar multinational conglomerate named ACLI, Sam dreamed about trading stock in the skyscrapers of Lower Manhattan.

In the summer of 1978, at the age of eighteen, Sam got the chance to try his luck. At the time, he was a newly minted graduate of Hackley, an elite prep school outside New York City. Although the Israels were very rich, Sam was expected to earn his own pocket money.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

GUY LAWSON has traveled the world reporting on war, crime, politics, and sports. His work has appeared in the New York Times, Harper's, GQ, and Rolling Stone. He and his live in upstate New York.



PRAISE FOR OCTOPUS:

“Lawson [has] found gold…This is a fantastic story, in both senses of the word, with a freshness that recalls Liars Poker.”—Bryan Burrough, New York Times

“Read this book to understand Wall Street…Someone is going to Octopus into a movie. By this time next year, Lawson will have a fat deal…The reason for that is that Octopus is an incredible dark comedy with one of the craziest true-life ironic twists you can possibly imagine."
—Matt Taibbi, Rolling Stone

"Lively...turns a lens on the fast and loose ways of Wall Street...would make an excellent gift for a regulatory complicance officer...or a shrink."
—Bloomberg Businessweek

"Lawson's spellbinding account of Sam Israel's rise and fall is a phantasmagoric trip through the larcenous outer reaches (as well as the dark heart) of the world of finance.  Octopus made me worry that I was being followed or swindled."
—Nick Paumgarten, New Yorker

“A cautionary tale of the highly sophisticated, often endemic fraud that still lurks on Wall Street…I was riveted by Mr. Lawson’s telling…the story is mind-boggling.”
—Andrew Sorkin, New York Times (Dealbook) 
“Entertaining…a colorful contemporary story about greed and ambition warping judgment, about con men duping other con men…replete with secret markets, shady intelligence operatives, and even a space alien that overdosed on ice cream.”—Reuters

“Full on Twilight Zone…features not just rampant fraud but guns, supposed CIA double agents, drugs, JFK’s assassination, and oh yes, world domination. Did I mention that this is a nonfiction book?...An outrageous but definitely movie-worthy tale. Lawson’s reporting is prodigious.”
—Fortune

“An inside look at a savage tribal society [of Wall Street traders] that also reminds one of that rollicking farce concocted by Mel Brooks, ‘The Producers’… Brings to life one of the most colorful, and often engaging, con men of this or any other century…an entertaining, well-told tale.
—Washington Times

“If you dig movies about cons, like Catch Me If You Can, The Sting, and The Spanish Prisoner, you will blow through Octopus, Guy Lawson’s deftly and enthusiastically told tale of Same Israel and the Bayou hedge fund.”
—The Daily Beast

“Penetratingly comprehensive…Lawson nimbly traverses the labyrinthine depths of a worldwide banking con that managed to involve looted Federal Reserve notes and the JFK assassination…An eye-opening window onto Wall Street’s destructive culture of unchecked hubris and a harrowing thrill ride into the unraveling mind of a desperate operator
—Kirkus Reviews

"An absorbing, splendidly detailed and darkly illuminating tale of our times.”
—David Whitford, Editor-at-Large, Fortune magazine
GIVEAWAY 
THANKS TO JESSICA AND THE GOOD FOLKS
AT CROWN PUBLISHING WITH RANDOM HOUSE,
I HAVE ONE COPY OF THIS FASCINATING 
NON-FICTION BOOK, OCTOPUS, TO
GIVE AWAY TO ONE VERY LUCKY READER 
  
--U.S. RESIDENTS ONLY
--NO P. O. BOXES
---INCLUDE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS
IN CASE YOU WIN!
--ALL COMMENTS MUST BE SEPARATE TO
 

COUNT AS MORE THAN ONE!


HOW TO ENTER:

+1 ENTRY: COMMENT ON WHAT YOU READ ABOVE ABOUT OCTOPUS THAT MADE YOU WANT TO WIN THIS BOOK, AND DON'T FORGET YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS 

+1 MORE ENTRY: BLOG AND/OR TWEET ABOUT THIS GIVEAWAY AND COME BACK HERE AND LEAVE ME YOUR LINK
 


+1 MORE ENTRY: COMMENT ON SOMETHING YOU FOUND INTERESTING WHEN YOU VISITED AUTHOR GUY LAWSON'S WEBSITE HERE 

+1 MORE ENTRY: COMMENT ON ONE OTHER CURRENT GIVEAWAY YOU HAVE ENTERED. IF YOU ENTERED MORE THAN ONE, YOU MAY COMMENT SEPARATELY TO GAIN MORE ENTRIES 

+1 MORE ENTRY: COMMENT ON ONE WAY YOU FOLLOW MY BLOG. IF YOU FOLLOW MORE THAN ONE WAY, YOU CAN COMMENT SEPARATELY AND EACH WILL COUNT AS AN ENTRY

 
GIVEAWAY ENDS AT 
6 PM, EST, JULY 5 
GOOD LUCK!

98 comments:

debbie said...

For a non-fiction, it sounds like it reads like a fiction. I don't know how anyone could ever trust hedge funds enough to invest in them. They always seem so shady. It sounds like a very interesting book to read.
twoofakind12@yahoo.com

debbie said...

I am a email subscriber.
twoofakind12@yahoo.com

debbie said...

I am a gfc follower
debbie
twoofakind12@yahoo.com

debbie said...

I entered thread and buried.
twoofakind12@yahoo.com

debbie said...

I entered sacrifice.
twoofakind12@yahoo.com

Steve Capell said...

Greed can sometimes lead to corruption and I've read several books that have tackled this type of corruption and have enjoyed them all so I believe Octopus would be one that I would like to read as well. Thanks for the opportunity.

steven.capell@gmail.com

holdenj said...

The synopsis makes it read like it could be fiction. Thanks for the chance to win.
JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

holdenj said...

Email subscriber.
JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

holdenj said...

GFC follower.
JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

holdenj said...

Entered Inferno
JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

holdenj said...

Entered The Testing
JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

holdenj said...

Entered Certain Summer
JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

holdenj said...

Entered Best Man
JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

holdenj said...

Entered Cast On Kill Off
JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

petite said...

This book is fascinating.elliotbencan(at)hotmail(dot)com

petite said...

I am a follower.elliotbencan(at)hotmail(dot)com

petite said...

I am an e-mail subscriber. elliotbencan(at)hotmail(dot)com

petite said...

The author has written many articles, traveled around the world and is brilliant. elliotbencan(at)hotmail(dot)com

traveler said...

Sounds captivating. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

traveler said...

I am an e-mail subscriber. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

traveler said...

The author was a reporter. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

Rosita said...

This world of high stakes investing is something I know nothing about and I'd love a peek inside.

rosita(dot)p(dot)mariani(at)gmail(dot)com

traveler said...

I entered Inferno. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

traveler said...

I entered Sacrifice. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

Margie said...

This real-life Wall Street story sounds fascinating. Thanks for the giveaway.
mtakala1 AT yahoo DOT com

traveler said...

I entered Thread and buried. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

Margie said...

FB 1
mtakala1 AT yahoo DOT com

Margie said...

FB 2
mtakala1 AT yahoo DOT com

traveler said...

I entered A certain summer. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

Margie said...

FB 3
mtakala1 AT yahoo DOT com

Margie said...

FB 4
mtakala1 AT yahoo DOT com

traveler said...

I entered The Testing. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

Margie said...

FB 5
mtakala1 AT yahoo DOT com

Margie said...

email subscriber
mtakala1 AT yahoo DOT com

traveler said...

I entered Murder after a fashion. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

Margie said...

GFC follower
mtakala1 AT yahoo DOT com

Margie said...

Facebook fan
mtakala1 AT yahoo DOT com

traveler said...

I entered Best man. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

Margie said...

RSS via Google Reader
mtakala1 AT yahoo DOT com

traveler said...

I entered With all my soul. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

traveler said...

I entered The Skies belong to us. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

traveler said...

I entered Mayhem. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

traveler said...

I entered Bad boy. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

traveler said...

I entered Cast on. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

traveler said...

I entered Trouble vision. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

Margie said...

entered Inferno
mtakala1 AT yahoo DOT com

traveler said...

I entered Miss peregrine's. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

Margie said...

entered A Certain Summer
mtakala1 AT yahoo DOT com

Margie said...

entered Cast On
mtakala1 AT yahoo DOT com

traveler said...

I entered Duel with the devil. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

Margie said...

entered Mayhem
mtakala1 AT yahoo DOT com

Margie said...

entered Bad Boy
mtakala1 AT yahoo DOT com

Margie said...

entered Duel with Devil
mtakala1 AT yahoo DOT com

Margie said...

entered Miss Peregrine's School
mtakala1 AT yahoo DOT com

petite said...

Entered Inferno. elliotbencan(at)hotmail(dot)com

petite said...

Entered Sacrifice. elliotbencan(at)hotmail(dot)com

petite said...

Entered Thread and buried. elliotbencan(at)hotmail(dot)com

petite said...

Entered With all my soul. elliotbencan(at)hotmail(dot)com

petite said...

Entered The Testing.elliotbencan(at)hotmail(dot)com

petite said...

Entered Mayhem. elliotbencan(at)hotmail(dot)com

petite said...

Entered Murder after a fashion. elliotbencan(at)hotmail(dot)com

petite said...

Entered Bad boy. elliotbencan(at)hotmail(dot)com

petite said...

Entered The Skies belong to us. elliotbencan(at)hotmail(dot)com

petite said...

Entered Duel with the devil. elliotbencan(at)hotmail(dot)com

petite said...

Entered Best Man. elliotbencan(at)hotmail(dot)com

petite said...

Entered Miss Peregrine's school. elliotbencan(at)hotmail(dot)com

petite said...

Entered A Certain Summer. elliotbencan(at)hotmail(dot)com

petite said...

Entered Cast on, Kill off. elliotbencan(at)hotmail(dot)com

rubynreba said...

A real life thriller makes it sound very good!
pbclark(at)netins(dot)net

rubynreba said...

+5 June facebook
pbclark(at)netins(dot)net

rubynreba said...

+5 June facebook 2
pbclark(at)netins(dot)net

rubynreba said...

+5 June facebook 3
pbclark(at)netins(dot)net

rubynreba said...

+5 June facebook 4
pbclark(at)netins(dot)net

rubynreba said...

+5 June facebook 5
pbclark(at)netins(dot)net

rubynreba said...

email subscriber
pbclark(at)netins(dot)net

rubynreba said...

GFC Follower
pbclark(at)netins(dot)net

rubynreba said...

Entered Mayhem at the Orient Express
pbclark(at)netins(dot)net

rubynreba said...

Entered Cast On, Kill Off
pbclark(at)netins(dot)net

rubynreba said...

Entered The Best Man
pbclark(at)netins(dot)net

rubynreba said...

Entered A Certain Summer
pbclark(at)netins(dot)net

rubynreba said...

Entered Trouble Vision
pbclark(at)netins(dot)net

rubynreba said...

Entered Murder After a Fashion
pbclark(at)netins(dot)net

rubynreba said...

Entered Duel With the Devil
pbclark(at)netins(dot)net

Patricia said...

I think the dark comedy about Wall Street comment is what sold me on this book--
patricia dot mariani dot esq at gmail dot com

Margie said...

entered Heatwave
mtakala1 AT yahoo DOT com

Tina said...

I don't know much about this topic so this looks like the book to read to get smart.

tbranco24 AT gmail DOT com

Tina said...

email subscriber
tbranco24 AT gmail dot com

Tina said...

follow via feedly
tbranco24 AT gmail DOT com

Tina said...

Entered

the Best Man
tbranco24 AT gmail DOT com

Tina said...

Entered


a Certain Summer
tbranco24 AT gmail DOT com

Tina said...

Entered

Cast on, Kill off
tbranco24 AT gmail DOT com

Tina said...

Entered

Thread and Buried
tbranco24 AT gmail DOT com

Tina said...

Entered

Steamed to Death
Heatwave
tbranco24 AT gmail DOT com

Tina said...

Entered

Heatwave
tbranco24 AT gmail DOT com

Pamela Keener said...

This has intriguing subject matter.
pk4290(at)comcast(dot)net

Rosita said...

Entered The Engagements. rosita(dot)p(dot)mariani(at)gmail(dot)com

Rosita said...

Entered The Shadow Tracer. rosita(dot)p(dot)mariani(at)gmail(dot)com

Rosita said...

Entered Monuments to the Dead. rosita(dot)p(dot)mariani(at)gmail(dot)com

CLICK HERE TO
SEE MY POLICY