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I Love Capitalism!: An American Story
New York Times Bestseller
Iconoclastic entrepreneur and New York legend Ken Langone tells the compelling story of how a poor boy from Long Island became one of America's most successful businessmen.
Ken Langone has seen it all on his way to a net worth beyond his wildest dreams. A pillar of corporate America for decades, he's a co-founder of Home Depot, a former director of the New York Stock Exchange, and a world-class philanthropist (including $200 million for NYU's Langone Health). In this memoir he finally tells the story of his unlikely rise and controversial career. It's also a passionate defense of the American Dream -- of preserving a country in which any hungry kid can reach the maximum potential of his or her talents and work ethic.
In a series of fascinating stories, Langone shows how he struggled to get an education, break into Wall Street, and scramble for an MBA at night while competing with privileged competitors by day. He shares how he learned how to evaluate what a business is worth and apply his street smarts to 8-figure and 9-figure deals . And he's not shy about discussing, for the first time, his epic legal and PR battle with former NY Governor Eliot Spitzer.
His ultimate theme is that free enterprise is the key to giving everyone a leg up. As he
This book is my love song to capitalism. Capitalism works! And I'm living proof -- it works for everybody. Absolutely anybody is entitled to dream big, and absolutely everybody should dream big. I did. Show me where the silver spoon was in my mouth. I've got to argue profoundly and I'm the American Dream.
Iconoclastic entrepreneur and New York legend Ken Langone tells the compelling story of how a poor boy from Long Island became one of America's most successful businessmen.
Ken Langone has seen it all on his way to a net worth beyond his wildest dreams. A pillar of corporate America for decades, he's a co-founder of Home Depot, a former director of the New York Stock Exchange, and a world-class philanthropist (including $200 million for NYU's Langone Health). In this memoir he finally tells the story of his unlikely rise and controversial career. It's also a passionate defense of the American Dream -- of preserving a country in which any hungry kid can reach the maximum potential of his or her talents and work ethic.
In a series of fascinating stories, Langone shows how he struggled to get an education, break into Wall Street, and scramble for an MBA at night while competing with privileged competitors by day. He shares how he learned how to evaluate what a business is worth and apply his street smarts to 8-figure and 9-figure deals . And he's not shy about discussing, for the first time, his epic legal and PR battle with former NY Governor Eliot Spitzer.
His ultimate theme is that free enterprise is the key to giving everyone a leg up. As he
This book is my love song to capitalism. Capitalism works! And I'm living proof -- it works for everybody. Absolutely anybody is entitled to dream big, and absolutely everybody should dream big. I did. Show me where the silver spoon was in my mouth. I've got to argue profoundly and I'm the American Dream.
320 pages, Hardcover
Published May 15, 2018
427 people are currently reading
2938 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 219 reviews
February 19, 2019
Ken Langone's autobiography is stated simply- very direct. At most points it sounds exactly like people speak, and not write. Succinct and without embroidery or lyrical phrasing. Ever. Also for me it held a strong and gruff kind of New York vibe and abrupt word sequencing. That's something I usually dislike, and it's a style that is bold and often bleak crass. I'm sure you've heard it often and recently. It never hides its light under a barrel. Nor ignores a flaw or difficulty as unseen either.
And that he got his 82 years into these 266 pages is something. Because of the activity levels, honesty, integrity, and immense amounts of life changes over many, many decades.
It shows his nature and outlook that he has pages and pages of acknowledges before he even starts the book (small type lists too). And although coming from peasant birth family on the wrong side of Long Island, he never, not in any measure of values or any definition possible of degrees for a personal worth, belittles or fails to admire and honor their influences. All of them-both sides. All poor and all completely uneducated. And as his father had mental instability and was not a sufficient earner- I find that a rare present day trait- to praise the man. While failing to either complain of neglect or lack of ambition or some aspect of a "poor me" victimhood position because of it. And having so many limits of role modeling too, in that dimension.
Not Ken Langone. Never.
So many times it was actually integrity that bridged career path and advancement. And a nearly brutal honesty. Reviewers who see him still as a privileged path? They didn't read the book.
The photos are 5 star, including all of those from his 70th and 80th birthday parties. And the NYU medical center. (Just like my maternal line, they have a genetic issue that was "short-lived" until this American innovation medical century.- And here Ken is at 82 plus.)
What made the read most interesting to me was the ancestor information and "choices" possible during his teens and just after. Because they sound nearly identical to mine. Especially with the "lost" grocery store grandparents who never read or wrote in English or in Italian.
He was about 15 years before me, but I saw very comparable progressions for business- so I understood much of his "assumptions" too. But the Home Depot and Ross Perot details were 5 star fabulous. And the morale WAS bad in those stores, and it did change.
But the way he thought and felt! Against denials and failures- still the enthusiasm and risk tolerance!
And I completely agree with his last summations too. Socialism is basically sharing poverty to a lowest common form of "living". In goods, in services, in health issues, in longevity and in emotive fulfillment- capitalism works. And produces the most for the most.
And that he got his 82 years into these 266 pages is something. Because of the activity levels, honesty, integrity, and immense amounts of life changes over many, many decades.
It shows his nature and outlook that he has pages and pages of acknowledges before he even starts the book (small type lists too). And although coming from peasant birth family on the wrong side of Long Island, he never, not in any measure of values or any definition possible of degrees for a personal worth, belittles or fails to admire and honor their influences. All of them-both sides. All poor and all completely uneducated. And as his father had mental instability and was not a sufficient earner- I find that a rare present day trait- to praise the man. While failing to either complain of neglect or lack of ambition or some aspect of a "poor me" victimhood position because of it. And having so many limits of role modeling too, in that dimension.
Not Ken Langone. Never.
So many times it was actually integrity that bridged career path and advancement. And a nearly brutal honesty. Reviewers who see him still as a privileged path? They didn't read the book.
The photos are 5 star, including all of those from his 70th and 80th birthday parties. And the NYU medical center. (Just like my maternal line, they have a genetic issue that was "short-lived" until this American innovation medical century.- And here Ken is at 82 plus.)
What made the read most interesting to me was the ancestor information and "choices" possible during his teens and just after. Because they sound nearly identical to mine. Especially with the "lost" grocery store grandparents who never read or wrote in English or in Italian.
He was about 15 years before me, but I saw very comparable progressions for business- so I understood much of his "assumptions" too. But the Home Depot and Ross Perot details were 5 star fabulous. And the morale WAS bad in those stores, and it did change.
But the way he thought and felt! Against denials and failures- still the enthusiasm and risk tolerance!
And I completely agree with his last summations too. Socialism is basically sharing poverty to a lowest common form of "living". In goods, in services, in health issues, in longevity and in emotive fulfillment- capitalism works. And produces the most for the most.
July 18, 2018
He starts off this book by stating that anyone can get rich and make it big whether black, white or otherwise. Then he proceeds to spend the first many chapters laying out a precise playbook on white privilege without ever seeing it or admitting it. He’s a genius businessman but his arrogance, pride and lack of rootedness in life meaning comes through loud and clear. Unimpressed with this book and his perspectives on life...
May 21, 2018
I picked this up after reading a favorable review in the Wall Street Journal, and I’m glad I did – it was entertaining, interesting, and had nice bits of information on the way business should be conducted: your word is your bond. Some may say there is a bit of bragging while the author is discussing the deals he was involved with over the years, but to paraphrase the late Dizzy Dean “it ain’t bragging if you can do it.”
I enjoyed seeing the cast of characters, many of whom I remember reading about while I was younger, but I thought “man, it’s a small world” as one of the guys the author worked with, Jimmy Keane, also helped me and my little company out while we were doing an equity raise almost 20 years ago. I can relate to and 100% agree with his comments regarding Bob Nardelli, as I also worked for GE Power Systems for five years.
The first 75% of the book talks about the deals the author did and as I said I thought they were interesting and it is more of an autobiography. The last 25% really had pearls of wisdom I wish all young business students would read and take to heart. Without having a spoiler, I’ll just leave it at this: the tide will rise!
I enjoyed seeing the cast of characters, many of whom I remember reading about while I was younger, but I thought “man, it’s a small world” as one of the guys the author worked with, Jimmy Keane, also helped me and my little company out while we were doing an equity raise almost 20 years ago. I can relate to and 100% agree with his comments regarding Bob Nardelli, as I also worked for GE Power Systems for five years.
The first 75% of the book talks about the deals the author did and as I said I thought they were interesting and it is more of an autobiography. The last 25% really had pearls of wisdom I wish all young business students would read and take to heart. Without having a spoiler, I’ll just leave it at this: the tide will rise!
October 30, 2020
"Greater the risk, greater the reward." (Ken Langone, I Love Capitalism!)
Written and read by billionaire Ken Langone, the cofounder of Home Depot. The title of the book made me think that it would be promoting the benefits of capitalism only. I was wrong. It read more like an autobiography and takes you through the journeys of the author and his rags to richest story.
He worked hard and was diligent in what he was doing. He always wanted to work on Wall Street and his wife had a father who worked there and got him an interview. He worked diligently and eventually, he became good at what he did...specifically raising capital for businesses. He says, "God gave me this wonderful ability to measure risk as well as a good nose for people and what businesses I want to back."
He also went to school at night to get his MBA and eventually also became a teacher. His greatest opportunity came in the form of Bernie Marcus and Arthur Blank when they were fired from their jobs and wanted to start a home improvement store. Ken Lagone arranged for financing and invested capital of his own. Home Depot did well, they began to expand, some management and CEO mishaps, and the rest is history.
I think the last chapters of this audio book dealt more with what I was personally looking for in reading this book: his advice on business and life. Here are some notes I took from this book that you may find helpful:
• My one regret is my career kept me from home more than what I would have liked.
• The world belongs to risk-takers.
• Capitalism works.
• It can work for everyone and everybody.
• I was always on the lookout for opportunities.
• Math came easy to me. I was always good with numbers.
• Supply and demand goes through everything in life. Early on I caught the fact that if you have
a special talent or if you have something unique that provokes people to do something that
you can make a profit on that a good thing.
• Necessity is the mother of invention.
• You treat a customer right and you never have to worry.
• Greater the risk, greater the reward.
• No one succeeds alone.
• Never giving up and thinking creatively, instead of just reacting when the chips were down.
• Success attracts attention.
• In business sometimes what goes around really does come around.
• Never underestimate the power of a great product.
• There is nothing more important to me in life than the name I leave my kids.
• You ignore the human element of business at your own peril.
• The big picture depends on a lot of smaller pictures.
• I've been rich and I've been poor, but rich is better.
• I don't buy anything that I don't understand.
• We all have different talents, we are not all equal.
• Capitalism brings better lives than socialism does.
• Like it or not, we are not all equal.
• God gave me this wonderful ability to measure risk as well as a good nose for people and what
businesses I want to back.
• Capitalism works, but you got to make the effort and you have to take the lumps.
• Capitalism is brutal, it is survival of the fittest.
• Leave more on the table for the other guy, then he thinks he should get.
• One of the most important rules in capitalism is incentive.
• If there aren't any profits, then there can't be any returns.
• If a guy has good ideas, let him come to work bare ass.
• Complacency is the enemy.
• People are always your best investment.
• When capitalism works the way it should, it works for everybody.
• Minimum wage, minimum talent.
• I want everybody in the world to do well.
• The world is a lot more fun if we are all rich, instead of just some of us.
• I am a collage of other people's efforts.
• The opportunities in America are the very best they've ever been. You might have to look
harder for them, then in my day, but they are there.
• It is essential to love the work you are doing.
• What distinguishes the winners from the losers is the ability to turn adversity around.
Resilience and creativity.
He does swear continuously on this book and then claims to be spiritual at the same time, which seemed like an oxymoron, but he is real and I found him genuine. He also admits that he is not self-made and gives credit to those who impacted his life and the sales associates at Home Depot.
Entertaining stories and humour throughout this audio book that kept me engaged (have to be tolerant of all the swear words through. Common' Ken, we learned not to swear at 4 years old!).
Written and read by billionaire Ken Langone, the cofounder of Home Depot. The title of the book made me think that it would be promoting the benefits of capitalism only. I was wrong. It read more like an autobiography and takes you through the journeys of the author and his rags to richest story.
He worked hard and was diligent in what he was doing. He always wanted to work on Wall Street and his wife had a father who worked there and got him an interview. He worked diligently and eventually, he became good at what he did...specifically raising capital for businesses. He says, "God gave me this wonderful ability to measure risk as well as a good nose for people and what businesses I want to back."
He also went to school at night to get his MBA and eventually also became a teacher. His greatest opportunity came in the form of Bernie Marcus and Arthur Blank when they were fired from their jobs and wanted to start a home improvement store. Ken Lagone arranged for financing and invested capital of his own. Home Depot did well, they began to expand, some management and CEO mishaps, and the rest is history.
I think the last chapters of this audio book dealt more with what I was personally looking for in reading this book: his advice on business and life. Here are some notes I took from this book that you may find helpful:
• My one regret is my career kept me from home more than what I would have liked.
• The world belongs to risk-takers.
• Capitalism works.
• It can work for everyone and everybody.
• I was always on the lookout for opportunities.
• Math came easy to me. I was always good with numbers.
• Supply and demand goes through everything in life. Early on I caught the fact that if you have
a special talent or if you have something unique that provokes people to do something that
you can make a profit on that a good thing.
• Necessity is the mother of invention.
• You treat a customer right and you never have to worry.
• Greater the risk, greater the reward.
• No one succeeds alone.
• Never giving up and thinking creatively, instead of just reacting when the chips were down.
• Success attracts attention.
• In business sometimes what goes around really does come around.
• Never underestimate the power of a great product.
• There is nothing more important to me in life than the name I leave my kids.
• You ignore the human element of business at your own peril.
• The big picture depends on a lot of smaller pictures.
• I've been rich and I've been poor, but rich is better.
• I don't buy anything that I don't understand.
• We all have different talents, we are not all equal.
• Capitalism brings better lives than socialism does.
• Like it or not, we are not all equal.
• God gave me this wonderful ability to measure risk as well as a good nose for people and what
businesses I want to back.
• Capitalism works, but you got to make the effort and you have to take the lumps.
• Capitalism is brutal, it is survival of the fittest.
• Leave more on the table for the other guy, then he thinks he should get.
• One of the most important rules in capitalism is incentive.
• If there aren't any profits, then there can't be any returns.
• If a guy has good ideas, let him come to work bare ass.
• Complacency is the enemy.
• People are always your best investment.
• When capitalism works the way it should, it works for everybody.
• Minimum wage, minimum talent.
• I want everybody in the world to do well.
• The world is a lot more fun if we are all rich, instead of just some of us.
• I am a collage of other people's efforts.
• The opportunities in America are the very best they've ever been. You might have to look
harder for them, then in my day, but they are there.
• It is essential to love the work you are doing.
• What distinguishes the winners from the losers is the ability to turn adversity around.
Resilience and creativity.
He does swear continuously on this book and then claims to be spiritual at the same time, which seemed like an oxymoron, but he is real and I found him genuine. He also admits that he is not self-made and gives credit to those who impacted his life and the sales associates at Home Depot.
Entertaining stories and humour throughout this audio book that kept me engaged (have to be tolerant of all the swear words through. Common' Ken, we learned not to swear at 4 years old!).
September 15, 2023
As Langone learned from his experience with Mr. Mahanna- I'm here to review a book ("stock"), but let me first tell you all the parts I didn't agree with before I get into the good parts.
I did not always agree with Langone's perspectives on work/life as my lived experience as an Asian woman working in healthcare administration is still fairly different from his journey in the world of finance. Similar to healthcare administration, finance is predominantly white and male (for healthcare admin, it is especially true the higher up you climb). Hence, we cannot talk about corporate America/work/capitalism without acknowledging the existence of biases in an environment built to advance rich, white men.
With that said, biases will always exist, even for people like Langone - as highlighted at the beginning of the book regarding his struggle with being poor and not coming from a wealthy upbringing. But I do think there is a certain flexibility when your primary obstacle to climbing upward is family wealth (i.e. growing up poor, being poorer than your WASP peers, and not having XYZ connections). I do think Langone undermined that privilege in comparison to when he spoke of his driver and so forth.
The unfortunate reality for many poc/women/poc women in corporate is that they do not have full access to this world because of physical or cultural differences. Many children of immigrants will have plenty of drive but also lack the connections to the corporate world, lack the initial understanding of what it means to climb in this space, what cultural differences exist that limit their growth potential, and so forth.
We see this in many real-world examples and discussions. For example - why is there a connotation that Asian women tend to be submissive or quiet in workplace settings and are not typically seen to be "leaders" - does being a leader need to look like what we typically expect them to be in a white, male sense? Why do we constantly speak of the glass ceiling for women and the bamboo ceiling for Asians? Why are discussions of diversity or affirmative action prevalent when we discuss why someone black or of color is in a leadership position/gets into a coveted position?
Plenty of discussion and nuance there and I do think it is important to note this fact because Langone is prioritizing his lived experience in this book. Hence, while his frustrations and insecurities with not having the same connections or backgrounds as his colleagues and peers are valid - some readers may have a harder time connecting to that.
However, for the good - I do think there is value in reading about Langone's experience how he did make it, and how he climbed. It's helpful to understand what corporate America was built on, especially when these individuals were creating many of the businesses/banks/systems we understand today. I did find myself agreeing with his thought process about how you have to work hard and be resilient, be prepared to make sacrifices, be honest in your business, and know when to back down and when to push others. I liked how he suggested young finance careerists should learn the business before aiming to make six figures in investment banking - speaking to how his earlier experiences helped set him up for that. I also loved his honesty - about the hiccups he made when he wasn't taking work/school seriously and the changes he made to get to where he is today. I was very much impressed with Langone's journey and ability to get to where he is and how strong his morals were in his work and personal life - from investment banking to Home Depot to NYU Langone. He clearly is a very sharp man & loves the work he does and is good at it.
All in all, really great read. And I would love to pick Ken's brain one day!
Quotes
- What could I say? I wasn’t going to argue with him; I didn’t want to screw up my job. So I went back in my little office and started over. It took me five months to do all those cards by hand, and by the end the mechanical pencil made a little groove in the side of my right forefinger that I still have to this day.
Did I learn a lesson? Yeah- stay employed!
-The way I thought about it then was the way I still think about it today: I had one boss- the customer. You treat a customer right, and you never have to worry.
-And I said, “Mr. Mahanna, I’m here to sell you on a stock, but let me tell you all the reasons why you shouldn’t buy it.”
“What do you mean?” He said.
“Well,” I said, “nothing is perfect.” And I proceeded to go through a list of every downside to Harbison-Walker.
…
“I’m going to tell you why you did it. This afternoon he’s going to call up all his buddies on Wall Street, and he’s going to ask them, ‘What do you think of Harbison-Walker Refractories?’ He’s going to have a checklist on that nice clean desk of his. And if his pals tell him anything negative about the company, he’s going to tick off the list. He’ll say, ‘Well, Ken told me that, Ken told me that, Ken told me that.’ Your trust is going to go through the roof with him.”
-We appointed a search committee, headed by Joe Zuckerman, the chief of orthopedics, and we saw right away that one of the strongest candidates, and a complete natural for the job, was Bob Grossman. (Ivy note: I still find it so crazy I met both of these individuals & sat down and spoke with them too)
- And I found some good people who said yes. Early in my tenure, Joel Smilow committed $35 million for a new medical research facility. Later, Stanley and Fiona Druckenmiller gave $150 million; Helen Kimmel gave $150 million; Billie Tisch and the Tisch family gave us $100 million; Ike and Laurie Perlmutter gave us $50 million, so did Ron Perelman. (Ivy note: And that is where we got Smilow in the MSB, Kimmel Pavillion, Tisch Hospital, and the Perelman ED)
-When Bob Grossman took over as CEO of NYU Medical Center in 2007, our medical school was ranked thirty-fourth nationally and our hospital didn't even make the honor roll. Within a decade both were in the top dozen. We've been number one in quality, patient care, and safety for the last three years. I'd thought that nothing in my business life could top the success of Home Depot. I can't tell you how much more the success of the medical center means to me. And I love Home Depot.
I did not always agree with Langone's perspectives on work/life as my lived experience as an Asian woman working in healthcare administration is still fairly different from his journey in the world of finance. Similar to healthcare administration, finance is predominantly white and male (for healthcare admin, it is especially true the higher up you climb). Hence, we cannot talk about corporate America/work/capitalism without acknowledging the existence of biases in an environment built to advance rich, white men.
With that said, biases will always exist, even for people like Langone - as highlighted at the beginning of the book regarding his struggle with being poor and not coming from a wealthy upbringing. But I do think there is a certain flexibility when your primary obstacle to climbing upward is family wealth (i.e. growing up poor, being poorer than your WASP peers, and not having XYZ connections). I do think Langone undermined that privilege in comparison to when he spoke of his driver and so forth.
The unfortunate reality for many poc/women/poc women in corporate is that they do not have full access to this world because of physical or cultural differences. Many children of immigrants will have plenty of drive but also lack the connections to the corporate world, lack the initial understanding of what it means to climb in this space, what cultural differences exist that limit their growth potential, and so forth.
We see this in many real-world examples and discussions. For example - why is there a connotation that Asian women tend to be submissive or quiet in workplace settings and are not typically seen to be "leaders" - does being a leader need to look like what we typically expect them to be in a white, male sense? Why do we constantly speak of the glass ceiling for women and the bamboo ceiling for Asians? Why are discussions of diversity or affirmative action prevalent when we discuss why someone black or of color is in a leadership position/gets into a coveted position?
Plenty of discussion and nuance there and I do think it is important to note this fact because Langone is prioritizing his lived experience in this book. Hence, while his frustrations and insecurities with not having the same connections or backgrounds as his colleagues and peers are valid - some readers may have a harder time connecting to that.
However, for the good - I do think there is value in reading about Langone's experience how he did make it, and how he climbed. It's helpful to understand what corporate America was built on, especially when these individuals were creating many of the businesses/banks/systems we understand today. I did find myself agreeing with his thought process about how you have to work hard and be resilient, be prepared to make sacrifices, be honest in your business, and know when to back down and when to push others. I liked how he suggested young finance careerists should learn the business before aiming to make six figures in investment banking - speaking to how his earlier experiences helped set him up for that. I also loved his honesty - about the hiccups he made when he wasn't taking work/school seriously and the changes he made to get to where he is today. I was very much impressed with Langone's journey and ability to get to where he is and how strong his morals were in his work and personal life - from investment banking to Home Depot to NYU Langone. He clearly is a very sharp man & loves the work he does and is good at it.
All in all, really great read. And I would love to pick Ken's brain one day!
Quotes
- What could I say? I wasn’t going to argue with him; I didn’t want to screw up my job. So I went back in my little office and started over. It took me five months to do all those cards by hand, and by the end the mechanical pencil made a little groove in the side of my right forefinger that I still have to this day.
Did I learn a lesson? Yeah- stay employed!
-The way I thought about it then was the way I still think about it today: I had one boss- the customer. You treat a customer right, and you never have to worry.
-And I said, “Mr. Mahanna, I’m here to sell you on a stock, but let me tell you all the reasons why you shouldn’t buy it.”
“What do you mean?” He said.
“Well,” I said, “nothing is perfect.” And I proceeded to go through a list of every downside to Harbison-Walker.
…
“I’m going to tell you why you did it. This afternoon he’s going to call up all his buddies on Wall Street, and he’s going to ask them, ‘What do you think of Harbison-Walker Refractories?’ He’s going to have a checklist on that nice clean desk of his. And if his pals tell him anything negative about the company, he’s going to tick off the list. He’ll say, ‘Well, Ken told me that, Ken told me that, Ken told me that.’ Your trust is going to go through the roof with him.”
-We appointed a search committee, headed by Joe Zuckerman, the chief of orthopedics, and we saw right away that one of the strongest candidates, and a complete natural for the job, was Bob Grossman. (Ivy note: I still find it so crazy I met both of these individuals & sat down and spoke with them too)
- And I found some good people who said yes. Early in my tenure, Joel Smilow committed $35 million for a new medical research facility. Later, Stanley and Fiona Druckenmiller gave $150 million; Helen Kimmel gave $150 million; Billie Tisch and the Tisch family gave us $100 million; Ike and Laurie Perlmutter gave us $50 million, so did Ron Perelman. (Ivy note: And that is where we got Smilow in the MSB, Kimmel Pavillion, Tisch Hospital, and the Perelman ED)
-When Bob Grossman took over as CEO of NYU Medical Center in 2007, our medical school was ranked thirty-fourth nationally and our hospital didn't even make the honor roll. Within a decade both were in the top dozen. We've been number one in quality, patient care, and safety for the last three years. I'd thought that nothing in my business life could top the success of Home Depot. I can't tell you how much more the success of the medical center means to me. And I love Home Depot.
June 5, 2018
Audio version read by Ken Langone...great to hear his own voice telling his story. Rags to riches story. Barely graduated high school, almost kicked out of college, got serious about life...and following his gut. His gut told him he wanted to go to Wall Street so he took a low paying job in his mid-20's and had a meteoric rise. He got his MBA at night, served in the military, and taught college part time when he was just starting out. Great story of risk, hard work, etc.
May 4, 2019
I love, love, love this book!!! It should be required reading for high school and college students. If you have a work ethic, ingenuity and faith you can go so far in this world. Langone is my hero! My Dad shared this same ethic and would have also loved this book. Read it!
January 19, 2025
Good not great. Biggest problem is the cover suggests it will be the Home Depot founding story, which it kind of is for a couple chapters, but it is much more a Wall Street story.
The most interesting parts were how he got his start, and then his maneuvering to make sure his businesses always had the right CEO in place. He loooves to pay people a lot of money and spends a lot of time justifying that.
The most interesting parts were how he got his start, and then his maneuvering to make sure his businesses always had the right CEO in place. He loooves to pay people a lot of money and spends a lot of time justifying that.
July 29, 2021
I spent half the book bored out of my mind as he listed acquisitions, sales, hirings, and firings, and the other half feeling generally put-off at his bragging and what I'm sure he thought were "cute" anecdotes that just made him out to be a total jerk.
Let me be clear here, this isn't an ideological disagreement; I like capitalism just fine and in fact picked up this book to try to educate myself a bit more. I just think that his arguments were laughably simplistic, and I came away with the feeling that while he has good business sense, he didn't know much about the nuances of anything else. This was especially clear in the last chapter, where he tries to explain why he doesn't believe in socialism, but... he doesn't actually seem to know what socialism means, and just sets up a bunch of strawmen to knock down and laugh at instead.
To be honest, I would probably be less annoyed at this book if he hadn't made his grand "anyone can do it regardless of background or race" announcement at the beginning of the book. Most of his anecdotes hammer home why it's entirely false.
In fairness to Ken Langone, he definitely seems to be dedicated and has a good eye for opportunities and business practices, but his book emphasizes that he only got his first positions in finance and Wall Street due to familial connections (his father-in-law's friends), and would've otherwise been turned away or stuck in some low-level job because he wasn't Jewish or a WASP. So that begs the question, what about everyone else who doesn't have a well-connected father-in-law and who aren't even white?
This on top of all his other advantages of his upbringing that may have not put him above most people involved in Wall Street, but definitely does over most everyone else. (His family owned their house and their car, he had time to work on the side and save up his own cash without having to contribute to family finances, his boss gave him some money for college, etc. etc.)
Not to mention the mark on his criminal record from ripping out a diner toilet as an underaged drunk college student that didn't seem to affect him in the slightest in his job search and rise to prominence. He got away with a slap on the wrist and an anecdote that I think he wanted readers to think is funny and endearing, but I found obnoxious.
And a brief shout-out to some casual xenophobia, when a friend of his says: "He's thinking like a damn immigrant," and the narration just straight-facedly follows-up with:
Hoooly crap. Bringing out the bigot guns here.
A the end of the day, it's seriously impressive that, despite having complete authorial control over what to portray in his autobiography, despite having every chance to paint himself in the best light possible, he still came off as arrogant, out-of-touch, a little clueless, and just generally unlikeable.
Let me be clear here, this isn't an ideological disagreement; I like capitalism just fine and in fact picked up this book to try to educate myself a bit more. I just think that his arguments were laughably simplistic, and I came away with the feeling that while he has good business sense, he didn't know much about the nuances of anything else. This was especially clear in the last chapter, where he tries to explain why he doesn't believe in socialism, but... he doesn't actually seem to know what socialism means, and just sets up a bunch of strawmen to knock down and laugh at instead.
To be honest, I would probably be less annoyed at this book if he hadn't made his grand "anyone can do it regardless of background or race" announcement at the beginning of the book. Most of his anecdotes hammer home why it's entirely false.
In fairness to Ken Langone, he definitely seems to be dedicated and has a good eye for opportunities and business practices, but his book emphasizes that he only got his first positions in finance and Wall Street due to familial connections (his father-in-law's friends), and would've otherwise been turned away or stuck in some low-level job because he wasn't Jewish or a WASP. So that begs the question, what about everyone else who doesn't have a well-connected father-in-law and who aren't even white?
This on top of all his other advantages of his upbringing that may have not put him above most people involved in Wall Street, but definitely does over most everyone else. (His family owned their house and their car, he had time to work on the side and save up his own cash without having to contribute to family finances, his boss gave him some money for college, etc. etc.)
Not to mention the mark on his criminal record from ripping out a diner toilet as an underaged drunk college student that didn't seem to affect him in the slightest in his job search and rise to prominence. He got away with a slap on the wrist and an anecdote that I think he wanted readers to think is funny and endearing, but I found obnoxious.
And a brief shout-out to some casual xenophobia, when a friend of his says: "He's thinking like a damn immigrant," and the narration just straight-facedly follows-up with:
The fact is that Nardelli was acting like an immigrant instead of a CEO of a $90 billion company. He was fixated on what was essentially a petty matter--the details of his compensation--instead of Home Depot's overall strategy. He lived in a permanent state of feeling ripped off."
Hoooly crap. Bringing out the bigot guns here.
A the end of the day, it's seriously impressive that, despite having complete authorial control over what to portray in his autobiography, despite having every chance to paint himself in the best light possible, he still came off as arrogant, out-of-touch, a little clueless, and just generally unlikeable.
December 15, 2018
I read this book for my company book group (finished just in time- the meeting is this week) and it was an easy sell. Ken Langone comes through clearly as a smart, plainspoken, successful, goodhearted, solid and interesting man. I liked him, and I liked how he feels about doing right by your bosses, colleagues, customers- the whole world, really! He is quick to speak his mind, quick to make up his mind, and quick to make a million bucks. I liked his colloquialisms and his use of exclamation points and his occasionally folksy tone. I enjoyed the name dropping bits, and also the hard beginnings, and moments of doubt, and the overall arc of his life. I shy away, though, when his tone turns a little Ayn Rand at the very end. I, too, love capitalism. I think there should be incentive built into the system to work hard, and there should be a reward for smart ideas, good implementation, and work ethic. I love the idea that someone like Ken can capitalize on his instincts and pull himself up by his bootstraps and accept risk and win big. That’s great! And if everyone who did so were a magnanimous puppeteer making the world a better place, well, maybe that would be a good world. Certainly it’s not the world we’re in, though. Income inequality is a serious problem, and it’s not one that’s getting solved by millionaires and billionaires being philanthropic. That doesn’t mean that I think that everyone should collect their $200 everytime they pass Go, and free money for everybody, and peace love and communal vegetables.... But yes, universal health care. Yes, if that means single payer is the only/best way to make that happen. Yes, regulation to stop the big guys from stomping on the little guys. Yes, to allowing for dignity and choice at all rungs on the economic ladder of America. I enjoyed reading this book, and I agree with almost everything Ken says, but I also distrust the will of a handful of powerful players to make the right choices for everyone.
August 30, 2018
In his memoir Ken Langone, a self-made business entrepreneur and co-founder of the Home Depot tells in bold fashion and colorful language how he mastered capitalism. Rags to riches stories are prevalent in America, because through capitalism, along with a good education and hard work there is no limit to one’s potential. Langone’s success story is a simple read with interesting insight into how he became a phenomenal business leader at such an early age. He was aggressive, bold, confidant and not afraid to take a stand.
I was pleased to notice a photo of Langone with a personal friend and CEO textile founder, of which Langone was a board member of the company. Through R&D my father-in-law played an instrumental role in that textile company.
I was pleased to notice a photo of Langone with a personal friend and CEO textile founder, of which Langone was a board member of the company. Through R&D my father-in-law played an instrumental role in that textile company.
October 27, 2022
I loved this book!!! I believe it was read by the author. Listened in one sitting on a long plane flight. I had no idea the origin story of Home Depot, so was excited to learn more.
Ken Langone has had a fantastic career. He is a go-getter and takes “left turns” when they come his way. This has led to being a part of iconic transactions and co-founding an iconic business-Home Depot. Recommend to anyone, especially people who have worked in finance, aspiring entrepreneurs, or anyone who wants some career inspiration.
Ken Langone has had a fantastic career. He is a go-getter and takes “left turns” when they come his way. This has led to being a part of iconic transactions and co-founding an iconic business-Home Depot. Recommend to anyone, especially people who have worked in finance, aspiring entrepreneurs, or anyone who wants some career inspiration.
August 9, 2021
sit the fuck down ken langone.
February 2, 2021
Back in junior year, I attended a talk at McDonough given by the author, Mr. Ken Langone, cofounder of Home Depot. Coincidentally enough, I had just learnt through class that he was also the main patron of the NYU's Langone Health Center and had set up a perpetual fund that makes college free for all medical students over there. The talk was nice - what was cool is that I had the chance to interact with him after it concluded. I kept it light-hearted, joked around with him and stuff lol. I still am not sure what the protocol is when talking to a billionaire. If you are a billionaire or know one personally, lmk - let’s be best friends 😂🙏🏽 I'll keep it chill and pretend I'm a prince of some sort of hidden Indian kingdom.
Okay, back on track, so as I was leaving the auditorium, I picked up this book. Fast forward three years and I finally ended up reading it.
I'll accept this: the title may be off-putting to some. I tend to agree. However, given the context of Mr. Langone's truly extraordinary life, it makes a lot of sense. The son of a plumber and school-teacher, Mr. Langone grew up in a happy but economically poor household. What's fascinating is that literally since he was a child, he dreamed of doing big things. Before his teenage years even started, the guy was working multiple gigs at nearby grocery stores and reselling scrap paper. I was surprised to learn that Mr. Langone actually made most of his wealth in Wall Street - which is remarkable given how exclusive, limited Wall Street was back in the day. The rest of the book is about mostly about his recounting of how Home Depot started, the many difficult decisions and mistakes made on the way, and, more importantly, reflections on those experiences. The book is not really a celebration of one economic system over the other. It's more of an author's personal diary discussing life, business and family.
The conversational nature of this book is actually the best part about it. There were honestly a lot of funny moments. Partly because of the content, but also because Mr. Langone is like this Joe Biden-esque, old character and his word choice/styling made me shake my head and smile a bunch of times. I'll leave them here below:
"I told you I was good at poker, but I wouldn't want to play with that SOB; he'd clean my knickers."
"I would say he had the morals of a skunk - but that would be unfair to the skunk."
"[W]hen I saw something in the paint department that knocked my socks off."
"I don't even think about what it costs to go to a great restaurant if I want to take my family or friends every night."
"Arrogance ran at IBM. They focused on uniformity...dark suit, white shirt...I say, if a guy has good ideas, let him come to work bare ass!"
"I took the NYU job when I was sixty-five years old. At that age, most guys are looking for some pasture to chew grass in."
Okay, back on track, so as I was leaving the auditorium, I picked up this book. Fast forward three years and I finally ended up reading it.
I'll accept this: the title may be off-putting to some. I tend to agree. However, given the context of Mr. Langone's truly extraordinary life, it makes a lot of sense. The son of a plumber and school-teacher, Mr. Langone grew up in a happy but economically poor household. What's fascinating is that literally since he was a child, he dreamed of doing big things. Before his teenage years even started, the guy was working multiple gigs at nearby grocery stores and reselling scrap paper. I was surprised to learn that Mr. Langone actually made most of his wealth in Wall Street - which is remarkable given how exclusive, limited Wall Street was back in the day. The rest of the book is about mostly about his recounting of how Home Depot started, the many difficult decisions and mistakes made on the way, and, more importantly, reflections on those experiences. The book is not really a celebration of one economic system over the other. It's more of an author's personal diary discussing life, business and family.
The conversational nature of this book is actually the best part about it. There were honestly a lot of funny moments. Partly because of the content, but also because Mr. Langone is like this Joe Biden-esque, old character and his word choice/styling made me shake my head and smile a bunch of times. I'll leave them here below:
"I told you I was good at poker, but I wouldn't want to play with that SOB; he'd clean my knickers."
"I would say he had the morals of a skunk - but that would be unfair to the skunk."
"[W]hen I saw something in the paint department that knocked my socks off."
"I don't even think about what it costs to go to a great restaurant if I want to take my family or friends every night."
"Arrogance ran at IBM. They focused on uniformity...dark suit, white shirt...I say, if a guy has good ideas, let him come to work bare ass!"
"I took the NYU job when I was sixty-five years old. At that age, most guys are looking for some pasture to chew grass in."
November 25, 2019
I picked this up to see how the biggest donor to my alma mater looks at things. It's not exactly the defense of capitalism that the title suggests or maybe even that KL thinks it is, but it's also not the "socialism sucks! Look at Venezuela!" political tract I'd expected. It's really a blow-by-blow, deal-by-deal retrospective of KL's career with some memoiristic bits thrown in, so what you get out of it depends on your interest in Wall Street, deal-making, corporate takeovers, etc. - really, the nuts and bolts of equity, stocks and trading.
A few highlights: slices of life at Bucknell in the '50s, an unexpectedly fascinating tick-tock account of the founding of Home Depot, political intrigue with Eliot Spitzer in the early 2000's (I lived in New York State during the Client 9 scandal - what a trip), and thorough documentation of KL's charitable ventures.
One highlight via omission: Thankfully, no bashing of Pope Francis or boosting of either Chris Christie or the current president... I remember seeing KL in the news for doing some of those things.
In any case, my views of wealth and success differ from KL's, but I'm grateful for his support of Bucknell and countless other worthy causes.
A few highlights: slices of life at Bucknell in the '50s, an unexpectedly fascinating tick-tock account of the founding of Home Depot, political intrigue with Eliot Spitzer in the early 2000's (I lived in New York State during the Client 9 scandal - what a trip), and thorough documentation of KL's charitable ventures.
One highlight via omission: Thankfully, no bashing of Pope Francis or boosting of either Chris Christie or the current president... I remember seeing KL in the news for doing some of those things.
In any case, my views of wealth and success differ from KL's, but I'm grateful for his support of Bucknell and countless other worthy causes.
October 10, 2020
I listened to the audiobook version.
It was very interesting to hear about Ken Langone’s journey from a poor kid to an astute businessman. The notion that capitalism/value creating is the best way to get out of poverty and his expansion on this notion throughout this book was amazing to listen to.
The book takes you through his upbringing, college life and how he got into the financial world/ co-founding Home Depot.
I loved listening to his inner thoughts regarding his wealth, spiritual beliefs and family. The reason I love listening to autobiographies is that these “superhuman” people seem normal and their success leaves clues.
I would’ve given this hook a five-star rating if it had more business tips.
Key takeaways: the more value you create the more wealth you make, stay spiritual and true to your principles, your net worth is a measurement on how much you’ve helped people/created value to the world, business is like sports - to get to the top you have to embody it on a daily basis
It was very interesting to hear about Ken Langone’s journey from a poor kid to an astute businessman. The notion that capitalism/value creating is the best way to get out of poverty and his expansion on this notion throughout this book was amazing to listen to.
The book takes you through his upbringing, college life and how he got into the financial world/ co-founding Home Depot.
I loved listening to his inner thoughts regarding his wealth, spiritual beliefs and family. The reason I love listening to autobiographies is that these “superhuman” people seem normal and their success leaves clues.
I would’ve given this hook a five-star rating if it had more business tips.
Key takeaways: the more value you create the more wealth you make, stay spiritual and true to your principles, your net worth is a measurement on how much you’ve helped people/created value to the world, business is like sports - to get to the top you have to embody it on a daily basis
January 7, 2020
I agree with the general sense of capitalism . I'm not on a quest to dismantle our economic system. What I do want to point out are the inherent contradictions I see in Langone's arguments. By the time I got to the end of the book, I couldn't decide if he was arguing for capitalism or socialism!
I also took some issue with his discussion on religion, and while I want to be respectful of another person's beliefs, I also don't want the Bible's teachings to be misconstrued. It's hard for me to look at individuals with this much wealth who also tout Christianity/Catholicism. Of course, I should remove the beam from my own eye (Matthew 7:3), but I can't help but wonder if Jesus would be a capitalist (yes, I went there).
Notes:
"This book is my love song to capitalism. Capitalism works! And I'm living proof-- it works for everybody. Absolutely anybody is entitled to dream big, and absolutely everybody should dream big" (1).
Capitalism is awesome and it works for everybody! And yet,
"The thing I can't say and never will say is that I'm self-made" (41, 265).
Like it or not, we aren't all equal, and I don't feel guilty about having this strange talent that I have. God gave me this wonderful ability to measure risk, along with a good nose for people and which businesses I want to back. If nothing more comes of it than my having created jobs and gotten rich, nobody has lost" (250).
Perhaps he should revise his statement, as on pg. 262:
"When capitalism works the way it should, it works for everybody" (262).
Right. Unfortunately capitalism isn't quite working the way it should. You could also make similar arguments for communism and socialism-- also intended to work for everybody. The problem is that people are selfish and tend to exploit the system. We're not arguing for ideals here. Look at reality (I am also very aware that communism and socialism have a bleaker reality than capitalism today. What I would advocate for is more social support within the capitalist system).
____
"Yet too many people measure success the wrong way. Money should be at the bottom of the list, not the top. I woke up soon enough to realize that if the only way you can define my life is by the size of my bank account, then I've failed" (243).
Yet when discussing the guy who came up with a life-altering anti-inflammatory medication, he says
Socialism would say that [he]... shouldn't have been rewarded for all the lives he made better" (250)
More appropriately, socialism would say his reward is the knowledge that his medical research helped to improve the lives of millions of people--not to mention he gets to follow his passion. Money should be at the bottom of the list!
When discussing Bernie Sanders' 2016 presidential campaign:
"Guaranteed income: Where's the inventive to do more, or to do better, if the money you get is detached from the work you do and the effort you put into it?" (249)
I see what he's trying to get at here, but it seems like an over-exaggeration. Guaranteed income would be similar to a UBI-- enough to get people on their feet. It would not constitute the lion's share of income, and people would be free to make money on top of it. Also, I thought money should be at the bottom of the list!
______
"[T]he opportunities in America today are the very best they've ever been. You might have to look harder for them than in my day, but they're there. Boy, do I wish I were twenty-one again and just starting out" (265).
Boy, do I wish I could grow up well-connected in New York again.
"I was never academically curious in high school. I didn't apply myself at all. I did the absolute minimum. I was too busy having fun and working at all my various jobs: the butcher shop, Bohack, caddying at the country club, selling Christmas wreaths. Oh, I was a pistol. I remember I convinced the guy who owned the dry cleaner in town that I could put in a lawn at his house, and I made him order humus and soil and peat moss, and then I got involved with a girl and I never went, and the guy had mounds of this shit sitting in front of his house. I was just a kid!... Math came easy to me-- I was always good with numbers-- but that was it" (9).
"I learned early how essential it was to love the work I was doing" (266)
The truth is that I loved what I was doing from the day went to work, which is one of the great joys in my life, I've found" (34).
Langone followed his passions, and one of his greatest joys in life was the work he did. What if he was passionate about poetry or acting? If so, what would this book look like? How would he feel about capitalism?
"You want to know my whole philosophy? I want everybody to do well" (265).
Capitalism or socialism?
____
At the same time, I'm always thinking that there's got to be a greater meaning to my life than all this money I've made. The Bible says there's a better chance of a camel getting through the eye of a needle than of a rich man making it to heaven. The Bible says that if I want to be really rich, I'll give everything away" (242).
Should I follow the Bible? I'll be honest: I'm not giving everything away. Why? Because I love this life! I love having nice houses and good people to help me. I love getting on my airplane instead of having to take my shoes off and wait in line to take a commercial flight. You want to accuse me of living well? I plead guilty" (242).
"I should give everything away, but that would be inconvenient!" It seems he's willing to give money away, but isn't willing to really sacrifice any comfort. What about Jesus' lesson of the widow's mite?
I also took some issue with his discussion on religion, and while I want to be respectful of another person's beliefs, I also don't want the Bible's teachings to be misconstrued. It's hard for me to look at individuals with this much wealth who also tout Christianity/Catholicism. Of course, I should remove the beam from my own eye (Matthew 7:3), but I can't help but wonder if Jesus would be a capitalist (yes, I went there).
Notes:
"This book is my love song to capitalism. Capitalism works! And I'm living proof-- it works for everybody. Absolutely anybody is entitled to dream big, and absolutely everybody should dream big" (1).
Capitalism is awesome and it works for everybody! And yet,
"The thing I can't say and never will say is that I'm self-made" (41, 265).
Like it or not, we aren't all equal, and I don't feel guilty about having this strange talent that I have. God gave me this wonderful ability to measure risk, along with a good nose for people and which businesses I want to back. If nothing more comes of it than my having created jobs and gotten rich, nobody has lost" (250).
Perhaps he should revise his statement, as on pg. 262:
"When capitalism works the way it should, it works for everybody" (262).
Right. Unfortunately capitalism isn't quite working the way it should. You could also make similar arguments for communism and socialism-- also intended to work for everybody. The problem is that people are selfish and tend to exploit the system. We're not arguing for ideals here. Look at reality (I am also very aware that communism and socialism have a bleaker reality than capitalism today. What I would advocate for is more social support within the capitalist system).
____
"Yet too many people measure success the wrong way. Money should be at the bottom of the list, not the top. I woke up soon enough to realize that if the only way you can define my life is by the size of my bank account, then I've failed" (243).
Yet when discussing the guy who came up with a life-altering anti-inflammatory medication, he says
Socialism would say that [he]... shouldn't have been rewarded for all the lives he made better" (250)
More appropriately, socialism would say his reward is the knowledge that his medical research helped to improve the lives of millions of people--not to mention he gets to follow his passion. Money should be at the bottom of the list!
When discussing Bernie Sanders' 2016 presidential campaign:
"Guaranteed income: Where's the inventive to do more, or to do better, if the money you get is detached from the work you do and the effort you put into it?" (249)
I see what he's trying to get at here, but it seems like an over-exaggeration. Guaranteed income would be similar to a UBI-- enough to get people on their feet. It would not constitute the lion's share of income, and people would be free to make money on top of it. Also, I thought money should be at the bottom of the list!
______
"[T]he opportunities in America today are the very best they've ever been. You might have to look harder for them than in my day, but they're there. Boy, do I wish I were twenty-one again and just starting out" (265).
Boy, do I wish I could grow up well-connected in New York again.
"I was never academically curious in high school. I didn't apply myself at all. I did the absolute minimum. I was too busy having fun and working at all my various jobs: the butcher shop, Bohack, caddying at the country club, selling Christmas wreaths. Oh, I was a pistol. I remember I convinced the guy who owned the dry cleaner in town that I could put in a lawn at his house, and I made him order humus and soil and peat moss, and then I got involved with a girl and I never went, and the guy had mounds of this shit sitting in front of his house. I was just a kid!... Math came easy to me-- I was always good with numbers-- but that was it" (9).
"I learned early how essential it was to love the work I was doing" (266)
The truth is that I loved what I was doing from the day went to work, which is one of the great joys in my life, I've found" (34).
Langone followed his passions, and one of his greatest joys in life was the work he did. What if he was passionate about poetry or acting? If so, what would this book look like? How would he feel about capitalism?
"You want to know my whole philosophy? I want everybody to do well" (265).
Capitalism or socialism?
____
At the same time, I'm always thinking that there's got to be a greater meaning to my life than all this money I've made. The Bible says there's a better chance of a camel getting through the eye of a needle than of a rich man making it to heaven. The Bible says that if I want to be really rich, I'll give everything away" (242).
Should I follow the Bible? I'll be honest: I'm not giving everything away. Why? Because I love this life! I love having nice houses and good people to help me. I love getting on my airplane instead of having to take my shoes off and wait in line to take a commercial flight. You want to accuse me of living well? I plead guilty" (242).
"I should give everything away, but that would be inconvenient!" It seems he's willing to give money away, but isn't willing to really sacrifice any comfort. What about Jesus' lesson of the widow's mite?
December 12, 2018
Excellent book by Ken Langone about his life, the choices he made, and the reasons he love capitalism. Langone came from very humble beginnings and went on to be a billionaire through hard work, determination, and a bit of good luck. As successful as he became, he never forgot his beginnings. He has given away large portions of his wealth to various charities, and he has treated those who work for him with dignity, fairness, and respect. A fascinating story of a fascinating man, and an example of what can be achieved when someone works hard, refuses to give up, learns from their mistakes, and always pushed forward. Highly recommended read.
September 5, 2019
Fun, quick read. The book reads like it’s him talking to you and sharing stories at dinner. It’s direct and funny. Amazing story of a guy whose dad was a plumber and mom was a cafeteria lady who was successful across many ventures by treating people right and assembling strong teams. We really do live in a great country!
August 6, 2024
Ken was the speaker at my MBA graduation and I bought the book as he was speaking. I knew that I had to know more about this gentleman. I’m glad he spoke because the book has given me a more clarity in my own purpose. Such a fun read. The people around you, creativity, and resilience are what count in this life. Thank you, Ken.
March 8, 2020
Note: read this for work, as Ken Langone is a founder of Home Depot.
The title made me cringe a little but in truth I subscribe to that overarching belief that capitalism is the best economic model we have - the American Dream is a beautiful thing - though the systemic issues we have in fulfilling it are a whole other story.
What works: his plain speaking, conversational style makes the whole book read truly like a long personal yarn of his life and career. It is a real rags to riches story. And the final part of the book where he lays out his philosophy of giving back without sounding inauthentic makes his case well. As a New Yorker I associate him most now with NYU Langone hospital and his pride and deep involvement there beyond a big check was really interesting to me.
What I struggled with or wanted more of: he is really NOT PC (ie comments about Jews on Wall St)... the financial machinations got a little dense... and what I really wanted was more about the building of Home Depot!
The title made me cringe a little but in truth I subscribe to that overarching belief that capitalism is the best economic model we have - the American Dream is a beautiful thing - though the systemic issues we have in fulfilling it are a whole other story.
What works: his plain speaking, conversational style makes the whole book read truly like a long personal yarn of his life and career. It is a real rags to riches story. And the final part of the book where he lays out his philosophy of giving back without sounding inauthentic makes his case well. As a New Yorker I associate him most now with NYU Langone hospital and his pride and deep involvement there beyond a big check was really interesting to me.
What I struggled with or wanted more of: he is really NOT PC (ie comments about Jews on Wall St)... the financial machinations got a little dense... and what I really wanted was more about the building of Home Depot!
March 5, 2024
Great easy read! I loved hearing about all his deals and his values throughout. Seems like a cool dude
July 27, 2025
Great stories. Told in a disconnected, rambling grandfatherly sort of way. Also, not enough Home Depot.
February 14, 2020
I wish Ken Langone was on my personal board of directors. This is a must read for aspiring and ambitious entrepreneurs, future deal-makers, and anyone who doubts the virtues of capitalism, including Bernie Sanders.
September 11, 2020
Ken Langone, thanks for bringing back the real businessmen ethics, who we can follow and strive to be.If we could be half of what you guys were, instead of winning wimps in the 2020s. I'm ready to move on to more extraordinary things. And be the best I can be.
February 3, 2025
Ken Langone is the GOAT
August 23, 2018
I read it after listening Ken being interviewed by James Altucher. His voice is indeed gruff but the things he conveys with it inspire and make you think. Written in a colloquial language makes it easy and fun to read. In fact, it is as easy to read as if it was a fiction book with a gripping plot. The punchline is - if you want to succeed, work your ass off and make friends. So far, this is the best book I read in 2018. Highly recommended to anyone.
December 29, 2024
Less about Home Depot than I expected, more a run through of all his deals but still interesting. Audiobook narrated by the author
January 19, 2021
A bit difficult to rate. I wish I could give it a 4.5, but rounding it up for Ken.
May 31, 2022
The book is about his personal journey as a successful businessman. Nothing wrong with that but i expected an argument for Capitalism at a philosophical and practical level.
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