Just Released!

This work of fiction is farce, although as in many fables there are strong undercurrents of autobiography running rampant through its pages. It was my great privilege to work on Wall Street during the Reagan Revolution, and my intent is to capture that Manhattan for a privileged few in that wonderful moment in time.

It's a brisk romp set amid the grit and glitter of 1980’s New York City. Strivers of all stripes — mafia gangsters, Ivy League yuppies, sexy social climbers — converge in this debut novel with sharp and colorful characters—especially the dynamic women— who leap off the page. Most Yalies will find Everything Happens laugh-out-loud-funny.

Purchase

What People Are Saying

“A sharply observed and hilarious read about navigating life in New York with more than a few bad decisions and unexpected events. Wonderfully crafted and written, this is absolutely worth reading!”

—Mark S. Dola

About the Author

Black and white photo of a young football player wearing a jersey with the number 52, standing on a football field with empty bleachers in the background.

A published poet, Everything Happens Around Vanderbilt Avenue is the debut novel of J.R. Manning, Sr., following a 40+ year career on Wall Street. Manning’s resume features activities in investment banking, loan workout, operating restructuring, value investing, bankruptcy advising, and loan trading, and over his career he received numerous international and industry recognition and awards for his efforts in Corporate Recovery.

Remarkably Manning has managed to get two items published in the “Metropolitan Diary” section of the New York Times.

“No animals were harmed in the making of this farce,” nor did AI have any impact on any writing. However, Manning desperately relies on the spell check function.

Manning earned an MBA from Columbia University and a BA from Yale University. He is a frequent speaker at industry and university events. With his wife Laura, they welcomed five souls into the world, and as of publication the grandchildren count is five.

Manning makes his home in Maryland outside of Annapolis.