Barbarians at the GateBarbarians at the Gate
Score Classic
What it's about
Bryan Burrough and John Helyar tell the story of the 1988 battle for RJR Nabisco, the largest takeover in Wall Street history, a frenzy of deal makers and publicists, strategy meetings and society dinners, greed and ego, over six weeks in October and November.
Why it's worth reading
It reached #1 on the New York Times bestseller list and spent over six months on the lists. It's the definitive account of 1980s Wall Street excess.
You'll love it if you liked
Liar's Poker: Rising Through the Wreckage on Wall Street
The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine
Den of ThievesGood to know
It's long and detailed but reads like a thriller.
By the numbers
- Readers72 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller34 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #52 of the 85 self-help and business books we rank
- #379 of the 762 classics we rank
- #1297 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
True story
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CosmosExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Self-help and business booksTop 25 · 85 ranked
Classic booksTop 25 · 762 ranked
Books of the 1980sTop 25 · 202 ranked
Fantasy booksTop 25 · 459 ranked
Mysteries and thrillersTop 25 · 555 ranked
Literary novelsTop 25 · 309 ranked
Memoirs and biographiesTop 25 · 290 ranked
Science fiction booksTop 25 · 313 rankedQuick answers
Is Barbarians at the Gate worth reading?
Yes. It reached #1 on the New York Times bestseller list and spent over six months on the lists. It ranks #1,297 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 70.0 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Barbarians at the Gate about?
Bryan Burrough and John Helyar tell the story of the 1988 battle for RJR Nabisco, the largest takeover in Wall Street history, a frenzy of deal makers and publicists, strategy meetings and society dinners, greed and ego, over six weeks in October and November.
How long does it take to read Barbarians at the Gate?
About 16 hours (624 pages), or about 5 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Barbarians at the Gate?
If you liked it, try Liar's Poker: Rising Through the Wreckage on Wall Street by Michael Lewis, The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine by Michael Lewis or Den of Thieves by James B. Stewart.