Gods at War: Shotgun Takeovers, Government by Deal, and the Private Equity Implosion

"Gods at War brilliantly analyzes the legal issues, the politics, and the players in high-profile merger and acquisition transactions. Steven Davidoff is a master of the tactics and rules of deal-making, and he has once again shown why he is one of the country's most respected legal writers."
—Rob Kindler, Vice Chairman and Global Head of Mergers & Acquisitions, Morgan Stanley

"In Gods at War, Steven Davidoff, aka The Deal Professor, delivers a detailed and lucid treatise of the fascinating historical precedents that resulted in the frenzied deal-making activity that ended abruptly with our current financial crisis and then goes on, in impressive fashion, to discuss what deals will look like in a new era dominated by government ownership and a lack of acquisition financing. Deal practitioners—and those just curious about all the fuss—will want this book at the top of their reading list."
—William D. Cohan, author of House of Cards: A Tale of Hubris and Wretched Excess on Wall Street and The Last Tycoons: The Secret History of Lazard Frères & Co.

"Davidoff is one of the most insightful and perceptive minds in the world of deal-making. With an ability to distill the most complicated legal issues into clear prose, he has become a must-read inside the nation's boardrooms and corner offices."
—Andrew Ross Sorkin, Editor of THE New York Times's "DealBook" and author of Too Big to Fail

"Where will M&A go next? Any answer depends on an understanding of the merger wave of 2002–2008, which this book affords. Rich in fresh insights, carefully researched, and well written, Gods at War gives a threshold to the future of M&A. I recommend it to students, practitioners, and fans of high finance."
—Robert F. Bruner, Dean and Charles C. Abbott Professor of Business Administration, Darden School of Business, University of Virginia; author of Deals from Hell: M&A Lessons that Rise Above the Ashes; and coAuthor of The Panic of 1907