Cityboy by Geraint Anderson
Just read and enjoyed Cityboy: Beer and Loathing in the Square Mile, by Geraint Anderson.
Which was a relief.
Anderson is a former city analyst, employed with a succession of large banks. This is his exposé of twelve years in the industry.
The first chapter sets the tone without promise, with a frequently-repeated formula you see in books that read like films (the mediocre Blaggers, about the timeshare industry and the excellent Wolf of Wall Street, by Jordan Belfort, plus any number of books about doing time in the Bangkok Hilton).
Specifically, a dramatic set-piece ends disastrously, before the reader is taken to the beginning of the story, eventually catching up with the initial set-piece a few chapters later, and is then taken to the zenith of the tale, (and the nadir of the individual’s experience) before redemption and recovery, living healthier and wiser, and writing a book about the whole thing.
As it is written, so it is in Cityboy. Loveable rogue becomes a monster and then falls back to earth. So far so formulaic.
But what’s wrong with formulas?
Anderson sets the bar higher with his comprehensive and damning assessment of the way the markets truly work. He chucks some great stories into the mix and and explains, in clear, idiotproof, English, what happens inside large banks, specifically who does what and how they do it.
For good measure, he chucks in a shedload of excess: strip-joints, sex parties, drug-taking, boozing and whoring. This is only a good thing, no?
Comparisons will be made with Liar’s Poker, the seminal exposé of what was happening on Wall Street in the eighties. And they should be made favourably. Whilst Anderson has fictionalised a large part of his book, he “keeps it real” enough to have a profound, and educating effect, summarising major financial events, vehicles and concepts throughout the book.
And the business lessons to be learnt?
Several, not least to not turn up to work with a head full of gak. But on top of that, Anderson’s strategy for becoming a number one city analyst was to make sure that his clients loved him. People buy from people they like.
And despite his shortcomings – which he doesn’t hide – Anderson and his book come across as eminently likeable.
