The House of Dimon

How JP Morgan's Jamie Dimon Rose to the Top of the Financial World

By: Patricia Crisafulli

Narrated by: Suzanne Toren

Jamie Dimon is Wall Street's biggest player. Following the 11th-hour rescue of Bear Stearns by JPMorgan, his profile has reached stratospheric levels. And while the deals and decisions he's made have usually turned out to be the right ones, his journey to the top of the financial world has been anything but easy.

Now, in The House of Dimon, business writer Patricia Crisafulli goes behind the scenes to recount the amazing events that have shaped Dimon's career, including his rise to prominence as Sandy Weill's protégé at Citigroup, only to be fired and denied the top spot; his orchestration of the JPMorgan acquisition of BankOne, a deal that brought Dimon back to Wall Street as CEO of JPMorgan; and the drama surrounding the purchase of Bear Stearns, which helped avert a government bailout, and the strategic acquisition of Washington Mutual.

Through interviews with Dimon, Weill, JPMorgan board members, and colleagues who've known Dimon over the course of his career, you'll gain rare access to one of today's savviest financial figures. Each step of the way, this engaging book provides insider accounts of how Dimon successfully acquired and integrated companies; reorganized underperforming units; created efficiencies; and grew bottom-line results as the consummate hands-on manager.

Most importantly, Crisafulli places Dimon in the context of contemporary Wall Street - an environment that has destroyed several top CEOs and led to the demise of numerous major financial institutions - and shows you how Dimon's management style, ability to inspire outstanding performance, and talent for taking calculated risks have allowed him to excel where many others have failed.

©2009 Patricia Crisafulli (P)2009 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Anyone who reads Ms. Crisafulli's fiduciary love letter will take away some valuable lessons in running a bank - or, for that matter, a business." (The Wall Street Journal)

Intriguing

I remember watching Louis Rukeyser on Wall Street Week with Louis Rukeyser on Public Television. Sandy Weil and Jamie Dimon were frequent guests on the show both as interviews and on discussion panels.

Crisafulli covers Dimon’s work history but provides very little information about his early life or education. The author provides a brief summary of his personal life near the end of the book. It appears that Dimon is one of the few business men that not only has the ability to do strategic planning but also tactical planning and implementation. In other words, he is able to see the big picture but also able to implement the actions and do the daily operation of a business. I found the detailed discussion of his restructure of Bank One most interesting.

The book is well written and the research was meticulous. My only complaint is there was a bit too much repetition. I found the book most interesting and the information about Dimon during the 2008 recession most informative. Patricia Crisafulli is a journalist and the book is written in the manner typical of an investigative journalist.

Suzanne Toren does an excellent job narrating the book and is a multi-award winning audiobook narrator.

Not really a biography

The whole book was completely non-chronological which made it hard for me to form a coherent picture of Jamie Dimon. The book was a bunch of anecdotes strung together. A lot of the beginning was focusing on one deal he did without much context.

Very disappointed

The author is way too repetitive. While I do think Jamie Diamon is impressive, her constant praising of him was just too much. It felt like I was listening to North Korean propaganda about the “Great Leader”. I think even Jamie would be embarrassed if he read this book. I should’ve checked the ratings before choosing this book. Lessons learned.

Informative

There were some bits here and there that I didn't like about the narration, and I wish the book was more biographical, but otherwise I learned a lot about one of the best leaders in modern America just like I had hoped.

Great Book... narration is lacking

What didn’t you like about Suzanne Toren’s performance?

The performance was bland and confusing as the narration was changed various times, confusing the listener.

Jamie Dimon is tbe best CEO in the game right now.

Jamie Dimon is the best CEO on wall street today. He has been through so much and continues to make one correct decision after another. Remarkable story.

Outstanding

Excellent. Its not so much the technical side as the human side of the struggle. However, it contains invaluable technical lessons.

Interesting Personal Conflict Leadership!

The stories and events that took place through out his career are eye opening. Especially the success which ended up making him a bigger leader than those who fought or doubted him.

Disappointed

Disappointed, just a rah rah Jamie is wonderful book. I was hoping for a personal book about the man Jamie Dimon.

Disappointed

This book wasn’t for you, but who do you think might enjoy it more?

Someone who wants a very basic chronology of Dimon's life.

What was most disappointing about Patricia Crisafulli’s story?

I thought it would be more about JP Morgan

Would you be willing to try another one of Suzanne Toren’s performances?

Yes

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

Disappointment