The Recessionistas: A Novel of the Once Rich and Powerful

Written by Alexandra Lebenthal

Narrated by Renee Raudman

It's the day after Labor Day, 2008, and the elite universe of New York's Upper East Side is about to unravel along with the economy. Socialite Grigsby Somerset is barely aware of her changing world and has no idea her investment banker husband, Blake, is about to enter into a devil's bargain with hedge fund owner John Cutter.

As autumn unfolds, Grigsby's fairytale life starts to unwind. Street-smart Renee Parker has been hired as John's executive assistant and is convinced that something is amiss with her new boss. Renee enlists her friend Sasha Silver, CEO of Silver Partners, to help her decipher what is happening. They soon discover that John is nearly ruined, except for the assets he is hiding in the Cayman Islands from his wife, Mimi, and has concocted with Blake a scheme to redeem himself. This tale of expulsion from a modern-day Garden of Eden captures what happens when economic decline spells ruin for Manhattan's pampered elite.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tantor Media, Inc
• Release date: Aug 17, 2010
• ISBN: 9781400188420

Reviews for The Recessionistas

[booksandscones · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Unlike some readers, I actually enjoyed the explanations of the extremely complicated financial instruments in play on Wall Street in the years before the 2008 financial crisis. It was precisely because very few people really knew how all that garbage actually worked that the whole thing spiralled out of control and brought down the financial system, almost world-wide.Alexandra Lebenthal, a Wall Street veteran herself, knows her characters. The writing is a bit clunky and the dialogue is stilted, but the story just leads you on to find out what is going to happen to these (mostly) wretched people. Sasha isn't as smart as she thinks she is, and Renee isn't as saintly as she appears, although these two are the main heroines. Grigsby has a lizard brain, but she knows exactly what she needs and goes after it with unerring instinct.The writing & dialogue do sound a bit stiff sometimes, but Ms. Lebenthal is primarily a businesswoman, not a professional novelist, so I won't carp too much. Schadenfreude in the most addictive way!

[cmash_2 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Recessionistas by Alexandra Lebenthal (ARC)Published by Grand Central PublishingISBN 978-0-446-56367-3At the request of The Hachette Book Group, a TPB was sent, at no cost to me, for my honest opinion. Synopsis (back of book): It's the day after Labor Day, 2008, and the elite universe of New York's Upper East Side is bout to unravel along with the economy. Socialite Grigsby Somerset is barely aware of her changing world and has no idea her investment banker husband, Blake, is about to enter into a devil's bargain with hedge fund owner John Cutter. As autumn unfolds, Grigsby's fairytale life starts to unwind. Street-smart Renee Parker has been hired as John's executive assistant and is convinced that something is amiss with her new boss. Renee enlists her friend that something is amiss with her new boss. Renee enlists her friends Sasha Silver, CEO of Silver Partners, to help her decipher what is happening. They soon discover that John is nearly ruined, except for the assets he is hiding in the Cayman Islands from his wife, Mimi, and has concocted with Blake a scheme to redeem himself, This tale of expulsion from a modern-day Garden of Eden captures what happens when economic decline spells ruin for Manhattan's pampered elite. My Thoughts and Opinion: When I accepted this book, I thought it would be a classic chick lit read. However, it falls under more categories including: socialites, rich people, recessions, etc., and more, including attempted murder. The cast of characters varied widely from socialites to CEOs on Wall Street. Some likeable, some that left me shaking my head. The plot flowed but there was a lot of reference to the recent financial problems with hedge funds, which at times, I felt slowed down the story line. It was neither a fast paced nor profound read, which leaves it right in the middle as far as rating. My Rating: 3

[carolee888 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I enjoyed The Recessionistas. There were five main characters, one of which was Wall Street itself which had a big effect on all the rest. Grigsby Somerset was amusing in her snobbishness and confidence in what is correct, her husband’s assistant thought of her as “Marie Antoinette”. Sasha Silver was a rising star of the business world but somehow didn’t have the political acumen that she needed. Mimi Cutter lived very expensively and was losing her confidence in her own ability of how to dress. Lastly, Renee Phillips is tall, sleek and very smart in how to stand up for herself and advance in employment. Although all of these women were very different from each other they were allAll of the characters were affected by the decline of the stock markets and the housing bubble burst even if a few couldn't understand why. If you enjoy satiric wit, you will enjoy this book. Oddly, when I compare these women to what I have heard on television news reports, the description is very accurate. This book does not tell the story of those outside of the Wall Street, that is a completely different story but it is inside a unique window into its deceit and trickery when it is bad. I highly recommend this book.

[angellivingston · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I absolutely loved this book. I was immediately drawn in by both the characters and the story. Alexandra has a way of making you really understand the characters as if you truly knew them. I personally felt a special kinship to Sasha even though she and I come from two completely different worlds, I like how she thinks. I'm a political junky so I kept up with what was, and still is, going on with the financial crisis and recession. Along with many others in the country I learned of CDOs and derivatives but Alexandra makes it all make a little more sense. The Recessionitas is a really quick read as it's hard to put down. I highly recommend this book.