Barbarians at the gate - Bryan Burrough|John Helyar

The mighty battle for control of RJR Nabisco during October and November of 1988 was marked by brazen displays of ego not seen in American business for decades, and became the hallmark of a new gilden age. The repercussions are still to be felt - and dealt with. With a stake of $25 billion, it will go down in history as the ultimate tale of greed and glory - on Wall or any street.;The authors had extensive access to all the key figures involved throughout the two-month takeover operation. In this book their narrative reveals just how an old-line powerhouse fell victim to the ruthless and rapacious style of the new eighties finance.;The authors provide portraits of the leading players in this huge power struggle: high-living Ross Johnson, Nabisco's hungry president who secretly set in motion the stampede to buy out the company; Henry Kravis, the leveraged-buyout king whose entry into the fray set off an unprecedented frenzy of acquisition; the desperate financiers at Shearson Lehman Hutton Inc. and First Boston Corp.