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Barbarians at the Gate cover

Barbarians at the Gate

The Fall of RJR Nabisco

The wildest corporate takeover battle of the 1980s, told in full.

by Bryan Burrough and John Helyar

Barbarians at the Gate is a detailed account of the 1988 leveraged buyout of RJR Nabisco, the largest of its era. It follows the egos, bankers, and executives who waged a bidding war for control of the company. The book became the defining chronicle of 1980s deal-making excess.

Founders see how negotiation, ego, and control collide when enormous money is on the table. It is a study in how boards, CEOs, and investors really behave under pressure, and how personal ambition can override sound judgment.

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