"The heart of Zurich--the heart and maybe the soul, too--were at the Paradeplatz, a vast expanse just off of the Bahnhofstrasse where about 10 tram lines converged. The lake and all of its beauty, and Switzerland really is a beautiful country, was off to the right. The temples of conspicuous consumption and commerce that made this country go more than any place I had ever been, dotted the street to the left. That street led ultimately to the train station and the transportation links to still more commerce. But what held it all together was in the Paradeplatz, because that was where the banks were. It was two banks, two substantial buildings, store fortresses, staring at each other across the expanse. Kreditanstalt was on the north side, and Bankverein was on the west side. Those two ran everything. The truth was, they ran the country." -- Back cover.
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