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The Smartest Guys in the Room: The Amazing Rise and Scandalous Fall of Enron |  | Authors: Bethany McLean, Peter Elkind
Publisher: Portfolio Trade
Category: Book
List Price: $16.00
Buy Used: $2.94
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You Save: $13.06 (82%)
New (38) Used (90) from $2.94
Seller: totalqualitybooks
Rating:  136 reviews
Sales Rank: 4268
Media: Paperback
Pages: 464
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1
Dimensions (in): 8.4 x 5.4 x 1.1
ISBN: 1591840538
Dewey Decimal Number: 333.790973
EAN: 9781591840534
ASIN: 1591840538
Publication Date: September 28, 2004
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Features:
| • | ISBN13: 9781591840534 | | • | Condition: NEW | | • | Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark. |
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com Review
Like its subject, The Smartest Guys in the Room is ambitious, grand in scope, and ruthless in its dealings. Unlike Enron, the Texas-based energy giant that has come to represent the post-millennium collapse of 1990s go-go corporate culture, it's also ultimately successful. Penned by Fortune scribes Bethany McLean and Peter Elkind, the 400-page-plus chronicle of the scandal digs deep inside the numbers while, wisely, maintaining focus on the "smart guys" deep-frying the books. The likes of paternal but disengaged CEO Ken Lay (dubbed "Kenny Boy" by George W. Bush, one of many prominent public figures with whom he rubbed shoulders), cutthroat man-behind-the-curtain Jeff Skilling, and ethically blind numbers whiz Andy Fastow vividly come to life as they make a mockery of conventional accounting practices and grow increasingly arrogant and bind to their collective hubris. They're not a likable lot, and the writers find it difficult to suppress their astonishment and revulsion with the crew who rapidly went from golden boys and girls of the financial world to pariahs when the bill finally came due. The authors' unrepressed sarcasms are more than often unnecessarily given the scope of the outrage. Enron's leading lights were or a time celebrated for their ability to concoct nearly unfathomable business schemes to hide mounting shortfalls and keeping track on their machinations can be a chore, but, by sticking hard to the story behind the fall, McLean and Elkind have reported and written the definitive account of the Enron debacle. --Steven Stolder
Product Description
Just as Watergate was the defining political story of its time, so Enron is the biggest business story of our time. And just as All the Presidents Men was the one Watergate book that gave readers the full story, with all the drama and nuance, The Smartest Guys in the Room is the one book you have to read to understand this amazing business saga.
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| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 136
 Great book February 10, 2010
SRother (San Diego, CA USA)
This book is very informative on life inside Enron. I would recommend it to anyone.
 What WAS Enron? November 22, 2009
Peter Shahrokh (polar bear hollow, Artic)
A revealing view of the sham that was Enron, a company run by arrogant, scheming people who didn't care at all whose investments they ruined. It is well-written and informative, but it's scary too. One is left wondering how many of these types of firms exist. With the fallout of the Madoff situation and the collusion and excesses of the financial firms in the last years, it is more relevant than when it was first published. If you don't think you are up to reading the book, at least view the film by the same name that was based upon it. The pretenses of the management of this company are almost humorous, if they didn't have such destructive consequences.
Great service November 4, 2009
Maxine C. Gaskin (Brooklyn, New York USA)
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
The book was received in great condition. The delivery time was faster than expected. I will be using this service for future purchases.
Very Thorough July 18, 2009
TXDREAMER
Like many others, I have been fascinated by the whole Enron story, from what happened to who let it happen and why. As far as I'm concerned, this is the only Enron book I'll ever need. Every aspect of Enron, from its origins to its demise, is explained in great detail. I recommend watching the documentary based on the book as a supplement for this reading. The creative accounting used by the company to mask its debt was pretty complicated. And although I believe the authors did a pretty good job of breaking it down for the average person, I seem to remember (maybe incorrectly) the movie breaking it down even further. All in all, extremely fascinating stuff.
Interesting Book.. April 24, 2009
Mimi (CA)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
This was a very interesting and fascinating book. It describes quite well and in detail the fall of Enron. Although there were so many characters, it was well-organized and easy to follow. I would recommend this book if you are interested in the fall of Enron or corporate greed. It's rather interesting. However, I would have like more on where the key players ended up as it didn't seem to get into that great of detail at the end.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 136
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