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Amazon.com Exclusive: William J. Bernstein on Enough William Bernstein, Ph.D., M.D. is the critically acclaimed author, financial theorist and historian whose books include
A Splendid Exchange: How Trade Shaped the World,
The Birth of Plenty,
The Four Pillars of Investing, and
The Intelligent Asset Allocator. Bernstein is frequently quoted in national publications, including
The Wall Street Journal,
Barron's,
Money, and
Forbes.
If you are wondering about the cause of the current market crisis, then you haven't been reading enough of Jack Bogle.
Because he certainly knows not only where, but why and how. For decades Jack has been communicating his disquiet in previous books, speeches, and public testimony. Years from now, when historians and investors dissect the economic and market meltdowns of 2008, they'll consult this slim, well-written volume.
In order to understand the intellectual and moral platform from which he surveys the economic wreckage, you need to know a little of his story. Bogle founded one of the world's great investment companies, the Vanguard Group. Most men in his situation would have levered such success into a multi-billion-dollar net worth; instead, he "mutualized" Vanguard, converting it, in effect, into a nonprofit organization whose only goal was to benefit its fund holders. From an ethical perspective, Vanguard is the only "investment company" worthy of that name. (As opposed to most financial firms, which are in fact "marketing companies" whose main purpose is to milk unwitting investors of fees and commissions.)
The answer to the conundrum of 2008 lies in the book’s title, "Enough," which is the punch line from a delightful Kurt Vonnegut/Joseph Heller story. Simply put, our nation has been suffering from decades of unchecked financial excess, for which we are now paying the piper: excess in investment company fees; excess in financial speculation masquerading as diversification and innovation; excess in the salaries of top executives; excess in salesmanship; and most importantly, excess in the role played by the financial industry in our national economy and national life.
Each of these excesses gets its own chapter, and each one is a tightly written gem. Chapters 2 and 3, which dissect out the frenzy of derivatives, structured vehicles, and layers of intermediation behind the recent collapse, alone justify the book's purchase price.
As Bogle states in the book's beginning, in the spring of 2007 the financial services sector--which, after all, produces nothing of substantive value--accounted for one-third of the earnings of the S&P 500. By the time you read this, this outsized influence will have shrunken drastically. Let Enough be your welcome to the brave new world; it will satisfy your curiosity, give you a sense of moral balance in this most materialistic of ages, and even plump up your investment portfolio.
--William J. Bernstein
Product Description
Enough. is a piece of work that simply has not been seen by the likes of Jack Bogle before. Sure, the world knows of his legendary financial mind. He is the Father of Index Investing. He is the founder of Vanguard. He is St. Jack. And now he wants to share his own journey, filled with famous characters and telling anecdotes, that aims to teach investors the importance of doing the right thing, how to be a strong leader in today's world, and what it means to have "enough."
“It's hard to imagine a better time to publish a book that advocates moderation, balance and integrity in the business world. In this wise meditation, Bogle, the folk-hero creator of the first index mutual fund and founder of the Vanguard Mutual Fund Group, deplores 'our worship of wealth and the growing corruption of our professional ethics but ultimately the subversion of our character and values.’ Directly in his sights: CEOs and hedge-fund managers who draw 'obscene’ compensation. At this time of plunging portfolios, it is a relief to be told that 'enough’ is within reach.” —
TIME Magazine “Why don’t people publish pamphlets any more. I’m not talking about the slim-jims handed out at trade shows, but rabble-rousing, world-changing works like
Common Sense and
The Communist Manifesto. John Bogle, the founder of Vanguard, follows in the footsteps of the great pamphleteers…'Central to the effective functioning of capitalism,’ he writes, 'was the fundamental principle of trusting and being trusted’—and that is disappearing. The problem now: No one is satisfied with having 'enough’ money or enough success. … If pamphlets were still the rage, 48 pages distilled from the contents of this book could be something as powerful to our age as anything written by Thomas Paine or Marx and Engels. In our more bookish time, though, Bogle has fleshed his ideas out to an interesting, 266-page overview of his life and his views.”—
Barron’s “’What have I created?’ [Bogle] asks in mock horror in his new book…his cry reflects a deeper personal dilemma, one that jags like a scar through this thoughtful meditation on the excess and greed that created the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression. … I applaud his enthusiasm and don’t doubt his wisdom and sincerity.
'Enough’ – with the period – is a worthy addition to the canon, a variation of his familiar sermon on thrift, simplicity, and the superiority of low-cost index funds.”—James Pressley,
Bloomberg News “Bogle is a rarity - a true captain of industry who speaks about complex economic issues in a language comprehensible to the layperson.” —Michael Smerconish,
The Philadelphia Enquirer “Enough shines a light on Bogle's sense of despair over the state of the financial industry, and perhaps industry in general. … From CEOs who implode their companies and float away on golden parachutes, to financial companies who create instruments so complex they themselves have trouble understanding them, to mutual fund companies that market rosy returns while sugarcoating their fees, Bogle sees a lack of integrity and a willingness to play fast and loose with ethical rules in order to make a buck. (Or, maybe more accurate, 150 billion bucks.)” —Justin McHenry,
BlogCritics Magazine “Jack Bogle’s passionate cry of
Enough. contains a thought-provoking litany of life lessons regarding our individual roles in commerce and society. Employing a seamless mix of personal anecdotes, hard evidence, and all-too-often-underrated subjective admonitions, Bogle challenges each of us to aspire to become better members of our families, our professions, and our communities. Rarely do so few pages provoke so much thought.
Read this book.” —David F. Swensen, Chief Investment Officer, Yale University
"
Enough. gives new meaning to the words 'commitment,' 'accountability,' and 'stewardship.' Bogle writes with clarity and passion, and his standards make him a role model for all of us.
Enough. is must-reading for millions of U.S. investors disenchanted by today's culture of greed, accounting distortions, corporate malfeasance, and oversight failure." —Arthur Levitt, Former Chairman, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission
"What went wrong? What can, and should, go right? The great Jack Bogle has the answers.
Enough. will leave you hungry for more." —James Grant, editor of
Grant's Interest Rate Observer "Jack Bogle's wonderful, thoughtful, helpful, and fun-filled little book inspired me to create my own title:
Never Enough of Jack Bogle!" —Peter L. Bernstein, author of
Capital Ideas Evolving and Against the Gods "In
Enough., Jack Bogle, 'the conscience of Wall Street,' distills his half-century of observations on the capital markets, and on life in general, into a few hundred entertaining pages—required reading for those concerned about their own future, their family's future, and the nation's future." —William J. Bernstein, author,
A Splendid Exchange and The Four Pillars of Investing “This is an impressive message from a distinguished businessman. It will challenge all decision makers to consider the sufficiency and direction of their lives and work. What do we mean by
Enough?
Enough of what?
Enough for what purpose? Feast here and reflect.” —Robert F. Bruner, Dean and Charles C. Abbott Professor of Business Administration, Darden Graduate School of Business
“From one 'battler’ to another: Thank you for putting in one little book the premise for an active, long life. A primer for those who will abjure complacency and just wanting more, who’d rather focus on the joy of trying to move some ball downfield.” —Ira Millstein, Senior Partner, Weil Gotshal & Manges LLP
“The balances one must create in investing, in running a business, and in life more generally are simply and clearly stated in Jack’s most recent book,
Enough. Unfortunately there are not enough Jack Bogles around in today’s world of instant gratification.
Enough. should be must reading for business students and corporate board members.” —David L. Sokol, Chairman, MidAmerican Energy Holdings Company
