The Contrarians

by Gary Sernovitz

Book Overview

Chris Kelch is one of the rising stars at the downtown firm of Freshler Feld. At only twenty-eight, he's a top-rated equity research analyst; last year, he pulled down nearly half a million dollars. His girlfriend also happens to be lovely and supportive. Kelch's smalltown, single-parent, Midwestern roots seem far behind, until a thinly veiled profile of Kelch runs in a prominent magazine and things begin to fall apart. Not only does the piece...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0312421834
• ISBN13: 9780312421830
• Release Date: September 2003
• Publisher: St. Martins Press-3PL
• Length: 304 Pages
• Weight: 0.65 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.4" x 8.3"

Customer Reviews

The Way It Is

I had written a review of this book months ago, but it seems it wasn't accepted for some reason ... no matter, because the more I think about the events in the book, the more I like it. I have worked on Wall Street, and even knew the author when he was an analyst. He definitely conveys life on the Street with accuracy - the ethical dilemmas, the need for money (more so than the love of it,) the many un-likeable personalities. His main character, Kelch, certainly embodies those elements.I found the writing style to be witty with occasional flashes of brilliance - the dialog between Kelch and the reporter, the dialog between Kelch and his boss near the book's end, for two examples. And the ambiguous ending is perfect, accurately capturing the ambiguity of life on the Street, or even in Main Street America. And that's why I think this novel works so well - though it is set (somewhat necessarily) on Wall Street, I think there are many parallels to life outside of that world. Highly recommended, as both a primer to life on the Street, and as a commentary on the many complex issues we all face in our work lives.

This is the Real Thing !

This is the first Wall Street book that really portrays the real, behind the scenes, in the office activities, schemes and dreams of Wall Street. This is a MUST READ for any one who wants to know what really goes on and for those who "think" they know. This is not my real name, I am part of this Wall Street game and would get in deep trouble, just like the book's main character, if my name got out.

The Wall Street Journal Says

According to the September 27 issue of The Wall Street Journal, " 'The Contrarians' shares some of the boisterous tradition of Wall Street exposés -- e.g., Michael Lewis's "Liar's Poker" and Po Bronson's "Bombardiers"...for young analysts headed for the Street, and for anyone interested in their world, 'The Contrarians' is a cautionary tale very much worth reading." That's pretty good from the Wall Street Journal.I've just ordered 10 copies to send to my friends and clients at Morgan Stanley, JP Morgan Chase, Fleet and PricewaterhouseCoopers. As a novel, "The Contrarians" is an intelligent read, subtly funny, yet with insight that resonates even if you have nothing to do with the business of investment banking and analysts. Fans of CNBC's "Squawk Box" will also enjoy this book. In fact, even if you just own stocks, stop reading those "how to grow your portfolio" books and have some fun and read "The Contrarians."

A Nuanced Page-turner

Gary Sernovitz's second novel holds your interest with a satisfying intensity that loses none of its steam even as the author successfully draws a full and complex portrait of his main character. Kelch is far more fully realized and multi-layered than many a "linchpin" character in other books about Wall St. and the larger world of business beyond Wall St. The richness of Sernovitz's prose, first seen in his Great American Plain, is even more rewarding and mature here. May this young writer find a large and enthusiastic audience, so those of us who love the sheer intelligence of his writing can look forward to more of the same.

Staggeringly good

It's a shame in today's zero-sum lit world--in which one gets all the attention or none at all--that writers like Gary Sernovitz aren't read more. His first book was good, if weird; with this, however, he enters big-league American fiction. I'm pretty sure this book is some kind of a masterpiece, and with justice it will find its readership. It rips apart the late-90s world of NY business and culture, but it doesn't just do it in a sappy, whiny way. It takes it seriously, tries to explore it. Sernovitz's tale of a young, "average" guy trapped in the middle of fifteen different cultural impulses is gripping, and the PW review above, I have to say, is Part of the Problem, e.g. He or She Did Not Get The Book. Sad. Please read this and tell others about it. It's that good, and you'll be that appreciative to have found such a young writer with such important, even crucial things to tell us.