John Brooks was an American journalist and writer renowned for his insightful examinations of Wall Street and corporate America. A longtime contributor to *The New Yorker*, he crafted elegant narratives that made complex financial subjects accessible to general readers. His most celebrated work, "Business Adventures," originally published in 1969, became a classic of business literature and was famously recommended by Bill Gates as his favorite business book. Brooks also authored "Once in Golconda," a vivid chronicle of Wall Street in the 1920s and 1930s. His writing combined meticulous research with compelling storytelling, establishing him as one of the foremost observers of American business culture.