Brian Cruver was a first-hand witness to the disturbing, surreal and hilarious moments of American business giant Enron's long dance with death. When he first entered Enron's office complex, 'the Death Star', he was the epitome of the classic Enron employee: young, brash, obscenely overpaid and sporting a brand-new MBA. From his first day, however, when he was told that some colleagues hadn't really wanted to see him hired, he found himself in the middle of a venal greed machine whose story unfolded with Kafka-esque absurdity and frustration. The Anatomy of Greed examines the accounting tricks, the insider stock trading - and in a special section, how the grossly lucrative fraudulent partnerships were structured and funded - as well as everyday life as an Enronian. Working at Enron meant cocky wheeling and dealing, parties on the trade floor, casual conversations at the shredder and the insidious group think that made Enron employees unquestioningly accept the propaganda spoon-fed to them by Enron bosses Ken Lay and Jeffrey Skilling. A portrait of the author as a young Enronian, The Anatomy of Greed reveals the sting of reality, humility and pain felt by a man whose idols turned out to be fools and scoundrels and who learned that there is more to life than stock options. (20021014)
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a fast-paced, colourful and sarcastic guide to the somewhat abstract balance-sheet scandal that brought down America's seventh-largest company. (The Guardian 20030509)
Book Description
A gonzo chronicle that goes behind the scenes to chart the decline and fall of the world's weirdest and richest business cult, and the largest bankruptcy ever, responsible for bringing down one of the Big Five: Arthur Andersen. The most famous financial scandal to date, the story of Enron has been adapted into a Tony award-winning West End and Broadway show. (20021014)
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
The story of Enron's demise will be familiar to some degree to most people by now, especially as the trial proceeds. I thought this book might offer an educated personalised touch of the scandal. It does not.
A central theme running through the book talks of Enron's staff being the cream of the crop with regards to innovation. This would also fit the author who has decided, in the same way he talks of selling off his Enron memorabillia on ebay, to make a quick buck. He has sold his limited knowledge of the workings of the company to fire off a quick, badly written, book again to cash in with the least possible effort.
The author fits in with his peers in Enron in that he is an ideas man and an innovative thinker. Innovative thinking does not equal talent though.
The reader is given very basic knowledge which to begin with makes the book easy to read and somewhat engaging. By the end, unfortunately, you are only provided access to the authors purile sense of humour and literally nothing else. The final chapters of the book are a complete waste of time and paper - even discussing the names some of the executives have when entered into various internet humorous name generators.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
By Londoner
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
The book is an ok read, the writing is fine etc. The beginning of the book starts very well however as you progress through the book you see the writer has a real lack on knowledge on the subject and very limited scope on any real issues. Towards the end of the book it realy is about space filling, pasting emails he has received at work from the management into the book (some of which really aren't very interesting). If you've nbothing better to read it is fine but personally i wouldn't recommend this book when there are so many other top reads on amazon!
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
Entertaining and ammusing read of a first hand perspective of a global business failure
26 Nov 2008
By M. Darcy
Format:Paperback
Brian Cruver writes an enthralling and honest account of his time from a new Eron worker, to the end of the company. His findings are honest, ammusing and easy to read, and alarmingly if you open your eyes is the same as almost every company you work for, where business decisions that seem crazy are forced through so high paid managment can get their bonus and split before they are found out for their actions.
Read the book, be entertained and interested in how this happens, but worst of all, be scared by how the actions documented in the book mirror that of most of the big companies you find yourself working for.
Read the book, be entertained and interested in how this happens, but worst of all, be scared by how the actions documented in the book mirror that of most of the big companies you find yourself working for.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Maybe tells more than it intends
In many ways this as a very poor book, badly written and structured and full of strange, inane diversions. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Francis A
5.0 out of 5 stars
Enron anatomy Of greed
Easy to read and very detailed content book, usefull for my my university assihgnment ;-) delivered in time and very decent quality as well.
Published 13 months ago by B78
2.0 out of 5 stars
Opportunistic
Not Enron. It was worse than that. But the author of this book. It's hard to see this as anything other than someone cashing in on being a bystander at the scene of the crime. Read more
Published 14 months ago by malcrider
2.0 out of 5 stars
Fairly enjoyable but he wasn't much of an insider.
It is quite well written and it does give an insight into the dubious activities of Enron however the author wasn't a senior executive, he doesn't have any special insider's... Read more
Published on 12 Dec 2010 by The Emperor
1.0 out of 5 stars
Fine narrative, but an abysmal insight
By the time the Enron bankruptcy first exploded on the world stage, I had already been keenly following its wheeling, dealing and failed adventures (for e.g. Read more
Published on 22 Sep 2008 by Gaurav Sharma
5.0 out of 5 stars
I was shocked
I was shocked by the details listed in this book. Brian Cruver does a wonderful job exposing the practices of Enron. Read more
Published on 4 Feb 2008 by Chris Stewart
4.0 out of 5 stars
ethically not viable
quite an insight into a seedy me-me-me world. makes one realise what kind of people are driving the increasing rich-poor world gap, or what people who do not think about the world... Read more
Published on 30 Mar 2005
4.0 out of 5 stars
Very good but a little flawed
This book has the great virtue that it was written by an insider with his own memories fresh in his mind, rather than a commentator who has pieced things together from the outside... Read more
Published on 4 Feb 2004 by Barton Keyes
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great Book ****
This book accuratly sums up what it must have felt to suffer at the hands of the biggist demise in history. Read more
Published on 5 Nov 2003 by Sundeep Aggarwal
4.0 out of 5 stars
Jaw Dropping
I'd like to say I read this book with complete disbelief but infact much of it didn't come as a surprise to me. Read more
Published on 4 Nov 2003 by Boof
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