Acknowledgments
I had a simple goal when I came to Wall Street in 1995 to work for Dow Jones Newswires. I wanted to understand what it meant when the evening news said the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose or fell during the day. That simple question sent me on a journey through the financial markets that is reflected in these pages.
I am beyond fortunate to have met Michael Schwartz, one of Wall Street’s wise men. He read this book in various drafts, and was my trusted sounding board throughout. His wisdom imbues these pages. His friendship and insight have made a difference in my life, and work.
This book could not have been written without Conrad C. Fink. We met when I was a 19-year-old student at the University of Georgia, and he was my professor at the Henry W. Grady College of Journalism. His counsel shaped this book, as he has shaped me, ever since we first met and he pointed me toward adventures and distant horizons that I could experience if I worked hard and true. I owe him more than words can express. He passed on January 14, 2012. I miss him.
Steven Sosnick, shrewd and wise, generously reviewed the manuscript and refined my thinking. His comments were invaluable.
At critical points in this book’s evolution, Eugene Colter played the critical role. We met as students in Mr. Fink’s classes. (Old friends the most.)
I have been extraordinarily lucky since I stepped off the subway at the World Trade Center, nervously wondering if I could find the exit, and get to my office ...
