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Strippers and Flippers . . . or a New Positive Force Helping to Drive the Economy . . . The untold story of Steve Schwarzman and Blackstone, the financier and his financial powerhouse that avoided the self-destructive tendencies of Wall Street. David Carey and John Morris show how Blackstone (and other private equity firms) transformed themselves from gamblers, hostile-takeover artists, and 'barbarians at the gate' into disciplined, risk-conscious investors. The financial establishment - banks and investment bankers such as Citigroup, Bear Stearns, Lehman, UBS, Goldman Sachs, Merrill Lynch, Morgan Stanley - were the cowboys, recklessly assuming risks, leveraging up to astronomical levels and driving the economy to the brink of disaster.