The Buy Side, by former Galleon Group trader Turney Duff, reveals a Wall Street culture rife with drugs and sex, where billions in trading commissions flow to those who entice the most. This remarkable debut captures the rewards and temptations of life on the Street. Growing up in 1980s Kennebunk, Maine, Duff sought to broaden his horizons. After failing to secure a journalism job, he landed a trainee position at Morgan Stanley, gaining insight into the trading hierarchy. The "buy side" traders, making large bets on stock movements, are the "alphas," while the "sell side" brokers strive to please them. Duff's experience at the Galleon Group in 1999, led by the secretive Raj Rajaratnam, marked a turning point. With newfound autonomy in trading, he was encouraged to socialize with brokers and gather valuable information. This led him into a world of hedonism, where he believed he could maintain his lifestyle without consequences. As he navigated the highs of trading and the lows of nightlife, he became a powerful healthcare trader while indulging in drugs to fill an inner void. This immersive journey through Wall Street’s early millennium decade serves as a poignant self-portrait of a young man who chose to walk away from a seven-figure income to save himself.
Turney Duff Book order (chronological)
Turney Duff draws upon his extensive experience on Wall Street, having been immersed in the financial world since 1994. His work delves into the intricacies of the financial sector, revealing its dynamics and the psychology driving its players. Duff's writing is characterized by sharp insight and raw honesty, offering readers an unfiltered glimpse into life at the forefront of global finance. His narrative is a compelling exploration of the ambition, risk, and moral complexities that define this intense arena.
By a former trader at the Galleon Group (the hedge fund at the center of history's largest insider-trading scandal), The Buy Side is Turney Duff's high-adrenaline journey through the trading underworld, as well as a searing look at an after-hours Wall Street culture where sex and drugs are the quid pro quo and a billion isn't enough.