Rating: Summary: Nonstop thrills and twists makes this a must-read! Review: A terrific book! This is one that really has everything -- corrupt (unbelievably corrupt) business guys with big-time political pull, hard working FBI agents trying to do right, and a central character (The Informant) whose rise and fall is like something out of Shakespeare. Surrounding them is an assortment of good guys (trusting spouses, eager prosecutors), bad guys (money launderers, thieves, Nigerian con men) and wackos (liars, anonymous letter-writers) that would be hard to believe if it was a novel. The author has done a great job at keeping the suspense going, and always has another card hidden away that he brings out only when absolutely necessary. Read this book.
Rating: Summary: Interesting, but repetitive Review: The author obviously did an extensive amount of research to write this book. I can only imagine what it was like to listen to all of that tape. All of the writing dances around the truth of this book. These people spent months trying to get people to say a couple of sentences. Is that really that exciting? The main character seems to do the same thing over and over again. That also gets a little boring. The author also runs into the disclosure problem, being that it was an FBI investigation. If you want corporate intrigue/espionage, read Barbarians at the Gate... or Den of Thieves.... Even Liar's Poker...... before this one. If you have read all of those already.... try this one.
Rating: Summary: Big guys can be dumb Review: The author did an incredible amount of research and deserves a lot of credit for it. But then he falls into the rather common trap of not wanting discard even the slightest piece of information he had gathered. The result is an overwhelming book, with the spaces in between the facts filled with hot air. Evidently, the author tried to loosen up the rather dry proceedings. Nevertheless, it is a book of quality. It shows what the big guys at the global imperiums can and will do to you. "The customer is our enemy", so they said. I especially enjoyed the fact that these guys fell for the Nigerian Hoax - something even Joe at the gas station would not fall for. But then, greed conquers all.
Rating: Summary: For once, the book lives up to the blurbs! Review: This is a great story in the hands of a very skilled reporter. It's one of those read-late-into-the-night books that caused me to be bleary eyed every morning last week! Just couldn't wait to finish it and find out what happened. One of the jacket blurbs says it "reads like Grisham." Heck, it reads a lot better than Grisham because the story is true and Eichenwald is a far better writer than Grisham. Get it; you'll enjoy it...and I can guarantee you'll never come across another story like it.
Rating: Summary: Truth is stranger than fiction . . . Review: Get ready for a string of groggy days at work, because this fantastic story will keep you up into the wee hours with its wild characters and unpredictable plot twists. I always wondered what those Supermarket to the World folks were up to, with their friendly yet deliberately vague commercials on NPR and the Sunday morning talk shows. Now I know - scheming, stealing, and stabbing customers in the back. Kurt Eichenwald does a superb job of bringing the characters to life, especially the FBI agents who slogged through plenty of dark days in this lengthy investigation. What will keep you hooked though, are the endless shenanigans of their main witness. His constant machinations rival any complex plot twist in modern fiction. Enjoy!
Rating: Summary: UNBELIEVABLE Review: This is without a doubt one of the finest books on corporate skulduggery I have ever read. It has so many twists and turns that it doesn't seem true. The book works on so many levels: A thriller, a detective story and a psychological profile. Mark Whitacre comes across as somebody as complex and devious as any character in fiction. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book.
Rating: Summary: Great book! Review: Eichenwald does a great job of letting the facts tell the story -- and it's a fascinating story. You can't read this book without feeling outrage. I spent a couple years working in a NY law firm and heard similar stories in other industries -- it's scary how much of this type of corporate misconduct probably goes on today. Kind of makes me wonder about President Bush's promise to let corporations "self-regulate" environomental matters -- and lighten up on antitrust enforcement. He's clearly never read this book.
Rating: Summary: Fabulous reporting! Review: One of the best books I have read in a long time. Excellent insight into the inner workings of one of the world's largest companies, and a great overview of how the FBI conducts an investigation. The author has documented every detail! A tremendous job of reporting, and story telling. The book was so interesting it was hard to put down and in spite of its size does not take long to read. My congratulations go to the author for a terrific book!
Rating: Summary: It truly is a small world after all!! Review: This book of mind boggeling truth catches me right at home. I baught the book initially for my father to read, and I found myself picking up the book when he didn't have his nose in it. I went to high school with the Andreas, Danials, and Chevron's children, wow! I was always pondering the whole story of the 'ADM scandle' And when the book came out, I couldn't wait to read it. Very good non-fictional story!
Rating: Summary: Astonishing...Absolutely Astonishing Review: This is one of the most exciting, unbelievable and astonishing books I have ever read. Normally, I stick mostly with fiction thrillers, but a friend of mine recommended The Informant as a better Grisham thriller than the last few Grisham thrillers. And he was right. From the first page, I was totally hooked, and stunned to think that this was a true story. The best thing about The Informant is the way Eichenwald melds the true lies of the main character with the true truth of reality. Time and again, I thought I knew the truth, only to find once again that I had been fooled in this delightful hall of mirrors. After so many years of dry, predictable thrillers -- both in the bookstore and on the movie screen -- it was so refreshing to read a story that is so unpredictable and so delightful.
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