um book club: rigged - part 2 at urban monarch at Urban Monarch

um book club: rigged - part 2 at urban monarch

17Jan08

by Cash

Next Assignment

Pages: 142-206
Due: Wednesday January 23rd
Part 2
pages 73 - 141
Characters

Anthony Giovanni - Chairman, NYMEX. David Russo’s idol and eventual boss.
David Russo - Protagonist, Harvard MBA, born / raised in Brooklyn, Italian-American
Dominick “The Don” Gallo - Biggest trader on the floor, part of NYMEX since start, $300 million fortune
Khaled Abdul - Nephew to Sheik Oman, part of royal UAE bloodline
Nick Reston - President (youngest ever) of NYMEX. Mentor / guide to Russo
Harriet Farelli - Giovanni’s secretary
Jim Rosa - Trader
Joey Bunetti - Trader
Michael Vitzolli - 24 year old trader, $500K Profit in one morning
Serena - David Russo’s south American girlfriend

Even when we lose” Rosa said “I’d rather lose a bet than not make a bet at all”

This section gives us a much clearer look at the relationships of people working at the Merc. The Don’s enema ‘joke’ as David recovers from his appendix removal; Vitzoli’s confrontation with David over his “Dago” name tag (and subsequent acceptance of him into the trader’s roughneck crew); Giovanni’s sudden retirement (and promotion of David to VP). All these things paint a picture of an exclusive boy’s club that’s difficult to penetrate, but offers incredible rewards once you do.

In Dubai, we hear of Khaled’s job. Meeting with foreign (and local) developers seeking to turn the tiny country into the world’s premiere tourist destination (via opulent projects like the Burj Al Arab hotel, Palm Islands et al).

Overall I am fascinated by the notion of these uneducated Brooklyn savants making ridiculous cash by trading. Stories of buying their boyhood homes (and the whole block as well), making hundreds of thousands of dollars in a morning, owning strings of strip clubs, etc are fascinating to say the least. Then there’s Giovanni himself; high school drop out who starts a landscaping business which subsequently grows into his own real estate empire and eventual control of the Merc.
Questions for discussion:

What do you think will bring Khaled and David together?
How will Giovanni’s departure affect the Merc?
Which character do you find the most likable?

Obviously, comment away with any thoughts of your own as well.

Filed under: Book Club | Author: Cash |

4 Responses to “um book club: rigged - part 2 at urban monarch”

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1 Greg on Jan 17th, 2008 said:

1. Khaled sent the merc an invitation to come visit in dubai in the last couple pages of the reading assignment. I’m not really sure how the tourism, spending the sheik’s money, and the oil are related though.

2. I’m interested in why Giovanni suddenly quit and how it was related to David’s presentation.

3. I’m not sure on a favorite. I do like how they all drink in the afternoon though…
2 goat on Jan 17th, 2008 said:

I keep going back and forth on this book. the toughest part i’m having with it is no one ever seems to be fleshed out so far into a person. it all seems like one dimensional stereotypes so far, and sadly we’re too far into the book for this to be the case.
3 Greg on Jan 17th, 2008 said:

Goat,

I feel you on that. I realized I was half way through the book and not much had happened. I feel like Ben Mezrich is perhaps the man’s Candace Bushnell, tantalizing us with money, women, and power instead of fashion, men, and parties.
4 Roger Enright on Apr 29th, 2008 said:

Came across this post through Google. Just FYI:

- Giovanni is aka Vinnie Viola - not a HS dropout. He graduated from West Point during the ’80s. HS dropouts don’t get into West Point.
- Reston is aka Robert “Bo” Collins of MotherRock fame. Currently heading 1.618 Group out of NYC.

This piecing together the rest of the characters.