Open Book: Goldman's Success Story

Editor's note: This was originally published on Nov. 19, 2008. It has been updated with a recent video interview by TheStreet.com's Gregg Greenberg.

Individual investors have learned some painful lessons in self-reliance in recent weeks and have many reasons to ask: "What's going on?"

In particular, they may well ask, "What are the major Wall Street firms really like and what do they really do -- and why?"

The Partnership is a candid, inside look at Goldman Sachs (GS Quote), how it became the power that it is, and why it acts the way it does. ...