Insider view on high finance: private equity review for you.

TLDR:

• Carrie Sun’s memoir sheds light on the world of private equity, focusing on the demands put on employees at the highest level of capitalism.
• Working for a secretive hedge fund, Sun experiences intense work culture, monastic discipline, and a blurring of work relationships with family values.

Carrie Sun’s memoir provides a glimpse into the world of private equity through her experience as an executive assistant at a secretive hedge fund known as Carbon. The memoir paints a picture of the intense demands placed on employees at the highest level of capitalism, showcasing the glittering yet alienating environment of Wall Street’s elite. Sun’s journey begins with her transition from a financial analyst to an assistant for Carbon’s founder, billionaire Boone Prescott. The narrative captures the insidious nature of the company’s monastic discipline and family values, blurring the lines between work relationships and kinship. Sun’s introspection on her Chinese immigrant upbringing sheds light on the ways in which personal feelings are often subordinated to the pursuit of excellence in high finance.

The memoir reflects on the challenges of navigating brutal working conditions and a sense of self-alienation, culminating in Sun’s decision to pursue a career as a writer. Sun’s story highlights the conflict between personal aspirations and the corporate structures that perpetuate vast inequality. While offering insights into the world of private equity, the memoir also raises questions about the nature of capitalism and the toll it takes on individuals. Through Sun’s narrative, readers are confronted with the complexities of work culture and the intricacies of personal identity within the high-stakes environment of Wall Street.