Tycoon Boy, Richard Grossman’s book of verse, about his early experiences as a high-level financial executive, was first released in 1977 by kayak, the legendary Bay Area magazine and press founded by George Hitchcock, who published important work by Charles Simic, Philip Levine, Raymond Carver, W.S. Merwin, Robert Bly, Margaret Atwood, and James Tate, among others. Scheduled for reissue by American Letters Press in a revised edition, with a new preface by the author, Grossman’s collection of profound but plainspoken poems delivered from the executive suite is a compelling meditation on big business and the losses to humanity that it exacts.

Given the growing influence of corporations on contemporary culture, the subject matter of Grossman’s book, with its trenchant critique of what he describes as “the globalization of a cancerous value system spawned out of technology, fantasy and competition” is more significant than ever. Tycoon Boy is a great read, whether you’re observing the battle of the brands from the sidelines, climbing the corporate ladder, or sitting in the C-Suite.