index index index index Reviews I've read of this book seem to paint it as an all-out assault on Jim Cramer's character. The impression I got was that the author was trying to profit from Cramer's success by releasing a book about him, and that turned me off. I hate when people try to capitalize on others' success by publishing `unauthorized accounts' or `insider's looks' which are often based on very little personal experience and composed almost entirely of hearsay and public rumor, and that kept me from reading this book for quite some time. When I finally decided to read it, though, I discovered that this book is anything BUT a pathetic attempt to discredit Cramer-instead it's a candid look inside Cramer's Wall Street by a man who worked for him for 5 years.

That having been said, there's really very little here about Cramer that isn't public knowledge, especially after his autobiography "Confessions of a Street Addict." Cramer acknowledges that he's egotistical and craves attention, he admits that he sometimes made his money using questionable tactics, and he certainly doesn't try to cover up the fact that he has an awful temper and that he completely lost control of his emotions on a regular basis. In other words, the "Cramer bashing" aspect of this book is pretty minimal, and there's no need for fans of Cramer's TV show or any of his other avenues to `read this book and see what he's REALLY like.' If you can see him chewing on rubber bulls and bears every night on TV and think he's totally right in the head, this book isn't going to enlighten you any.

Maier's book is a great look inside an incredibly successful hedge fund. I found the "typical day" chapter the highlight of the book, where we get an intense look at the frantic buying and selling and relentless playing of the market that is common in many of these funds. It's here that Cramer, even through Maier's tainted view of the man, really shines, as he keeps mental track of several stock positions at once, talks to 3 people and on 2 phones simultaneously and somehow keeps the pulse of the market and calls each and every move before it happens with stunning accuracy.

Maier, of course, is not complimentary in his analysis of Cramer and certainly paints the man in a bad light, but I think there is a good amount of objectivity in his work. He does make some accusations that are probably baseless or based on rumor (I believe Cramer sued him for claiming there would be a second SEC investigation on him), but overall it didn't seem to me like Maier was really calling for Cramer's head. If you're into Jim Cramer or if you're interested in a look inside Wall Street through the medium of a hedge fund, certainly check this book out-it only takes a couple hours to read. If you're thinking its going to "expose" Cramer, though, you'll probably be disappointed. Reading this book along with his own autobiography certainly makes for a fascinating look inside the world of Wall Street. One reviewer here wrote: "Read this to see the other side of him. He was not always the smiling friendly guy that he looks like (and it's possible that in reality he still isn't). He was a screaming, cursing, jerk and lunatic. According to the author, Cramer was only about making money and no person or laws or ethics were more important to him than making money."

You don't have to read THIS book to get all that information. All you have to do is read Cramer's memoir, Confessions of a Street Addict, to discover that he freely acknowledges that he screamed, cursed, threw phones, bottled water and other items at people and acted like a raving lunatic. He also admits to being a workaholic, ignoring his family, etc. In THAT book, however, you'll read of feelings of guilt, distress and sorrow about the people he hurt, sometimes accidentally, sometimes on purpose. He admits to betraying the loyalty of a friend for a guy who turned out to be an alcoholic.

So why does the reviewer (or the author of this book, for that matter) think this is "news" or a revelation about the "other side" of Cramer? At the end of his memoir, Cramer has a change of heart, quits his company and decides to spend more time with his family. Before then, he was a self-avowed workaholic who often neglected to make it home for his daughter's school events, conducted business on vacation, etc.

So yes, it is fully possible that during the time frame he was working with Maier, he had the traits described above. So what? It isn't like he didn't admit to such behavior at various times in his life. So where's the secret, the revelation, the news? I really enjoyed reading this book and would recommend it. It is difficult to get a copy and Maijer would be wise to do another printing at this time in paperback. It would sell well now. Cramers books are hot and this book give another perspective. Read this to see the other side of him. He was not always the smiling friendly guy that he looks like (and it's possible that in reality he still isn't). He was a screaming, cursing, jerk and lunatic. According to the author, Cramer was only about making money and no person or laws or ethics were more important to him than making money. As he says now at the opening of his Mad Money show, "Other people want to make friends; I just want to make money". Well, this can be revised. "I only want to make friends if they can help me make money" is what we actually see in this book as Cramer exploits every tidbit of information (legally gained or not), exploits every relationship he has, burns bridges, and illegally influences the movement of stocks through starting rumors that will benefit his current position in the stock in question. We see that twice he allegedly (the SEC investigated but never charged him) tried to pump up stocks that he owned in columns that he wrote, without disclosing his ownership of said stocks (and this guy is good friends with Elliott Spitzer? amazing). If you believe that he has no agenda on his current show, I think you also believe that a leopard can change its spots. Jim Cramer is all about himself; he fooled people in the 90's and he's fooling them again now. BTW, don't buy his 'everyday guy' image; some basic calculations from info. in the book tells me that Cramer is probably worth about $200 million right now. And you think he cares about helping you? His current show and all the praise you viewers heap upon him is just another big ego boost for someone who clearly does not need a bigger ego.I am a fan of Jim Cramer...and this book enables me to understand more comprehensively about Jim's behaviors. Overall, this book is excellent, blended beautifully between sad and happy/funny stories. I wish Nick could have written more about his peers, Mark and Sal, and why the guys were fired. Anyway, I love this book. Thanks, Nick; and have a better life in the future!

In January of 1994, Nicholas Maier hopped on a train that took him from Cambridge, Massachusetts, where he lived with his parents, to New York's Penn Station.With his wallet stuck in his sock, he headed down to the heart of the Wall Street district for a meeting with Jim Cramer that would change his life forever. For the next five years, Maier would work like a slave inside Jim Cramer's hedge fund, a limited partnership that included only the wealthiest investors, where rules were scarce and where, in his glory days, Jim Cramer managed almost a half a billion dollars, raking in phenomenal returns.

Entranced by the game, Maier quickly rose from the office assistant fetching sandwiches from the deli downstairs to a trader playing with a fifty-million-dollar portfolio. But under the pressure of Jim's constant war, Maier's adrenaline rush wore off, and the dark side of Wall Street was revealed: Maier had become exhausted and money driven -- at his worst moments swapping tranquilizers with his coworkers and passing out on a New York subway.

This is a true insider's story -- an honest, raw, page-turning account that takes us on a journey through the volatile, anything-goes world of hedge funds. From Cramer & Company to the brokerage houses and analysts to the reporters who cover the market action, we are shown a Wall Street where almost everyone is dirty -- a world where even the SEC fails to maintain order.

At the heart of this narrative is an incredible character study of Jim Cramer, one of Wall Street's brightest stars. Employing any means possible to make money, Cramer engaged in brilliant but questionable strategies that danced on the edge of ethics and legality. A typical day inside the fund would begin with Cramer's declaration, "I love the smell of money in the morning," followed by a boom-box serenade of Coolio's "Gangsta's Paradise." At the first sign of trouble, however, Cramer would turn paranoid and vicious, smashing phones and computer monitors and screaming insults that would leave even the toughest employees in tears.

In the tradition of Liar's Poker, this fascinating account of greed and excess on Wall Street will inevitably force the business world to reassess itself through the story of one young man who walked away from it all. suria review reviews analysis analyze