Part 1: Chapter 1, The Miner's Headlamp Summary and Analysis

"In the third week of March 1985, the faithful, fifteen hundred strong, came to Beverly Hills to pay homage to Michael Milken, the legendary junk-bond guru of Drexel Burnham Lambert whom many of his followers called simply 'the King'. For the next four days, they would savor the world he had created for them.... Their destination was the Beverly Hilton, where the annual Drexel High Yield Bond Conference - by now known as the Predators' Ball - was being held, just a few blocks from Drexel's West Coast Office" (Prologue, pg. 10).

The book begins with Michael Milken beginning his two hour bus commute to work at the Wall Street firm of Drexel Firestone from his Cherry Hill, New Jersey home. He could take the train and be more comfortable but then he would run...