Overview

""Late in the night, the new Russia made itself known."" Into Russia's Cauldron takes you on the dramatic journey of an individual and an institution fighting the inevitable in revolutionary Russia, a story grippingly brought to life in the century-old journal of Leighton Rogers. In 1916, the National City Bank of New York, the precursor of today's Citibank, sent Rogers to Petrograd, the capital of the Russian Empire, to join a mission hell-bent on achieving American commercial preeminence in Russia--a vision set forth by the bank's president, Frank Vanderlip, who enthusiastically declared ""Russia's need for capital is like Sahara's thirst for water."" Now published, Leighton Rogers' journal provides a fresh, riveting eyewitness account of that tumultuous time, his personal transformation under fire, the failure of America's then largest financial institution to timely perceive and mitigate risk, and enduring insights and foreboding about today's Russia. Into Russia's Cauldron is a compelling story of insight, conviction and hubris which will appeal to Russian history students, business and finance professionals, and readers looking for stand out real life drama.

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9781737766315

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Reviews

Steven Fisher has given us a fascinating portrait of Petrograd (St. Petersburg) during the Russian Revolution, seen through the recently discovered journal of a perceptive young American banker, Leighton Rogers. Expertly annotated, the book chronicles the work of the National City Bank in Russia from the heady inception of its Petrograd branch to its calamitous, nationalized end at the hands of Lenin's Bolsheviks. Fisher's book is at once a vivid account of a young American enthralled with an exotic Russia and a cautionary tale about corporate naivete in a little-understood land. - John Tefft, former US ambassador to Russia As enticing as a thriller, Steven Fisher, a long-time Citibanker, has framed a riveting and elegant diary account by one of his predecessors who lived through the Russian Revolution in 1917. Into Russia's Cauldron presents a young American banker's fascinating eloquent insights into a grim revolutionary drama. Astonishingly, rather than disaster, bankers saw opportunities, but wrong they were. Gradually, this highly observant American realized the brutality of the Bolsheviks and eventually he had to flee. - Dr. Anders Aslund, Adjunct Professor, Georgetown University Steven Fisher's meticulous presentation of Leighton W. Rogers' spirited chronicle of the Russian revolution combines the freshness of eyewitness with the hard-won wisdom of a century's hindsight. Into Russia's Cauldron is a resonant and engrossing work, written with judicious affection and great style. - - Rachel Polonsky, author of Molotov's Magic Lantern I loved this book! A vivid account of revolutionary Russia as told by a young American banker in St. Petersburg in 1917. America's then largest bank anticipated rich rewards in Russia but instead became caught in a maelstrom. The nationalization and large losses that followed provide a fascinating cautionary tale with lessons still relevant today. Here is a saga worth reading for anyone interested in Russia. - Mark Robinson, former CEO, Citibank Russia

"""Steven Fisher has given us a fascinating portrait of Petrograd (St. Petersburg) during the Russian Revolution, seen through the recently discovered journal of a perceptive young American banker, Leighton Rogers. Expertly annotated, the book chronicles the work of the National City Bank in Russia from the heady inception of its Petrograd branch to its calamitous, nationalized end at the hands of Lenin's Bolsheviks. Fisher's book is at once a vivid account of a young American enthralled with an exotic Russia and a cautionary tale about corporate naivet� in a little-understood land."" - John Tefft, former US ambassador to Russia ""As enticing as a thriller, Steven Fisher, a long-time Citibanker, has framed a riveting and elegant diary account by one of his predecessors who lived through the Russian Revolution in 1917. Into Russia's Cauldron presents a young American banker's fascinating eloquent insights into a grim revolutionary drama. Astonishingly, rather than disaster, bankers saw opportunities, but wrong they were. Gradually, this highly observant American realized the brutality of the Bolsheviks and eventually he had to flee."" - Dr. Anders �slund, Adjunct Professor, Georgetown University ""Steven Fisher's meticulous presentation of Leighton W. Rogers' spirited chronicle of the Russian revolution combines the freshness of eyewitness with the hard-won wisdom of a century's hindsight. Into Russia's Cauldron is a resonant and engrossing work, written with judicious affection and great style."" - - Rachel Polonsky, author of Molotov's Magic Lantern ""I loved this book! A vivid account of revolutionary Russia as told by a young American banker in St. Petersburg in 1917. America's then largest bank anticipated rich rewards in Russia but instead became caught in a maelstrom. The nationalization and large losses that followed provide a fascinating cautionary tale with lessons still relevant today. Here is a saga worth reading for anyone interested in Russia."" ​​​​​​​- Mark Robinson, former CEO, Citibank Russia"

Author Information

Steven Fisher is a career emerging markets finance professional and worked for thirty-five years with Citibank, including sixteen years in the former Soviet Union in senior leadership positions in Moscow and Kyiv. Fisher has spoken regularly at finance and policy forums across the world and lectured at universities in the markets which he served. He received a Master of Science degree in Foreign Service from Georgetown University and Bachelor of Arts degree from Cornell University. He speaks fluent Russian. This is his first book.

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