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The Business Paperback – 8 Jun. 2000

by Iain Banks (Author)

4.2 377 ratings

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Kate Telman is a senior executive officer in The Business, a powerful and massively discreet transglobal organisation. Financially transparent, internally democratic and disavowing conventional familial inheritance, the character of The Business seems, even to Kate, to be vague to the point of invisibility. It possesses, allegedly, a book of Leonardo cartoons, several sets of Crown Jewels and wants to buy its own State in order to acquire a seat at the United Nations.

Kate's job is to keep abreast of current technological developments and her global reach encompasses Silicon Valley, a ranch in Nebraska, the firm's secretive Swiss headquarters, and a remote Himalayan principality. In the course of her journey Kate must peel away layers of emotional insulation and the assumptions of a lifetime. She must learn to keep her world at arm's length.

To take control, she has to do The Business.

Product description

Amazon Review

After the shock impact of the excellent The Wasp Factory in 1984, Iain Banks' work has split along two lines. On the one hand, he has written a series of acclaimed science fiction novels (with a devoted following, their own fan magazine and inclusion of his middle initial); on the other hand, a number of diverse, and eclectic, forays into contemporary fiction (for example, the successful television adaptation of The Crow Road).

The Business is the 1990s success story run riot. The eponymous organisation is ancient, rich and invisible. All it lacks is a certain political clout, something the Business has avoided for centuries but with which it is now beginning to toy. A seat in the UN is at stake as Kate Telman, Level 3 executive, is drawn into the (rather polite) machinations of her superiors. Those expecting John Grisham may be disappointed. No bad thing, perhaps: Kate's personal-professional life-- there is, of course, no conflict here for the successful individual of the 1990s--is the main concern. Banks' interest is in the moral debates about the position of the Business in a world it finds easy to manipulate, drawing the reader into a discussion of the place of the multi-national in contemporary economic and cultural life. "A lot of successful people are less hard-hearted than they like to think": is one view put forward, and not the only romantic but equivocal sentiment hiding somewhere in The Business. --John Shire

Review

Consistently engaging....From its hilarious opening, a telephone conversation with a man who has lost his teeth, to the touching finale...it hardly misses a beat. SUNDAY TELEGRAPH ('Slick and streetwise. SUNDAY TIMES)

Bank s' ability to make you feel you're there remains as sharp as ever. TIME OUT ('.a slick, blend of thriller, dark comedy and offbeat love story, bursting with set pieces and sly wit. EMPIRE)

...Satisfyingly readable to the end (MAXIM)

THE BUSINESS is his tenth novel... and reveals no slackening in his imaginative energies (MAIL ON SUNDAY)

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Abacus; paperback / softback edition (8 Jun. 2000)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 400 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0349112452
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0349112459
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 12.6 x 2.4 x 19.7 cm

Best Sellers Rank: 3,612,344 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- 207,464 in Thrillers (Books)
- 213,678 in Contemporary Fiction (Books)
- 232,434 in Mysteries (Books)

Customer reviews:
4.2 377 ratings

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Iain M. Banks

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Iain Banks (1954-2013) came to widespread and controversial public notice with the publication of his first novel, The Wasp Factory, in 1984. Consider Phlebas, his first science fiction novel, was published under the name Iain M. Banks in 1987 and began his celebrated ten-book Culture series. He is acclaimed as one of the most powerful, innovative and exciting writers of his generation.

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4.2 out of 5

377 global ratings

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Bernard A

Clever speculative fiction with a real heart

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 2 August 2023

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Unexpectedly optimistic global capitalism even allowing for the corruption, cynicism and double dealing. Great protagonist who kept me guessing almost to the end

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Kindle Customer

A class book to re-read

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 12 September 2022

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I really miss the imaginative and slightly warped fiction of the late Iain Banks which is why I decided to re-read this interesting and funny novel from 20 years ago.
Kathryn is about 35 years old and she is an up and coming top executive for '' The Bysiness'' which in my mind is a mafia style, ill

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 23 February 2021

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Heartwarming, amusing tale.

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ascu75

This book is the business

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 8 July 2013

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A well written book or should I say another well written book by Ian Banks. As usual the way of writing is superb Banks twists and weaves a story and draws you in and his descriptions are first class. As usual he gets the reader to go along with the story and want to know what know what the next page reveals.

One person found this helpful

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A D.

I have been going through an Iain Banks period...

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 8 February 2019

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I have been reading through all his books, and enjoying them greatly.

One person found this helpful

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Vivienne Jenkins

Does what it says on the cover!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 13 October 2013

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A very enjoyable and entertaining read from Iain Banks. I wouldn't rate it as highly as "The Crow Road" or "Compliciy", Both of which I loved, but I would certainly recommend it to Iain Banks' fans. It's The Business!

2 people found this helpful

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Mr S MacPherson

The late Iain Banks

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 15 June 2017

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Just half way through this one, so far so good.

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David R

There was almost no story whatsoever!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 12 July 2019

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This was a strange book which seems to want to be all about the writing style and not about a story. Yes the style of writing is good and clever but throughout the book I was waiting for a story with the main character to unfold. I kept waiting. And waiting. And it never really happened. Yes there was a tiny sort of tale happening but it was so vague and light as to be almost unnoticed. When I finally got to the end I was left slightly baffled as to the point of the book and very disappointed.

3 people found this helpful

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Top reviews from other countries

Karman Line Sandiego

A wonderful premise written in an intelligent and creative style

Reviewed in the United States on 1 February 2023

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I love Banks. I think this is perhaps his most interesting fiction (rather than science fiction) work.

The main character belongs to a shadowy organization called The Business. She gets ensnared in all sorts of intrigues. His portrayal of the ultrawealthy is fun if perhaps a little far-fetched, but the characters are all wonderfully rendered, and the whole premise is classic Banks - just incredibly creative.

Kindle Customer

One of A great author's less spectacular efforts

Reviewed in the United States on 11 September 2014

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Enjoyed the read, but the book did seem to end rather suddenly, leaving a lot of matters up in the air. It seemed to me that a deadline must have been looming.
While mostly enjoyable, there were quite a few diversions from the story in the form of postulations of the views of the main character that did not appear to me to contribute to the plot.
Generally, a pleasant enough read, but not one of Iain Banks' best.

Amazon Customer

Good novel. Very well written.

Reviewed in the United States on 21 March 2020

Verified Purchase

Fun read!

DAVID R ALLEN

Not his best work

Reviewed in the United States on 16 February 2016

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Not a bad read but seems to meander at the end.

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The Business Paperback – 8 Jun. 2000

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The Business Paperback – 8 Jun. 2000

There is a newer edition of this item:

Customers who viewed this item also viewed

Product description

Amazon Review

Review

Book Description

From the Back Cover

About the Author

Product details

About the author

Iain M. Banks

Customer reviews

Top reviews from United Kingdom

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

Top reviews from other countries