The Ordeal of Riley McReynolds

Rating:
Summary: A Promising First Effort
Review: A friend sent me a copy of 'The Ordeal of Riley McReynolds' last week, thinking it to be the type of book a corporate cynic might enjoy. He was correct. It is hilarious.

Apparently this first novel by Michael O'Rourke is generating significant interest in the Twin Cities area, and I can see why. It is the story of a bright, honest, smart ass who finds himself in the role of chief administrative officer for a large insurance company and is immediately confronted with the greed, idiocy, ineptitude, and insensitivity of some of his fellow executives and board members. Brutal downsizing of the work force is underway, directed by the newly installed CEO, a bully of a man who had performed a similar task elsewhere. Dedicated, effective, long time employees are being shucked with impunity while the executive suite obsesses about the favorable impact which their cost cutting moves will have on the value of their stock options. Two persons in particular should read this book; that creep "Chainsaw" Al Dunlap, who ruined both lives and companies, [Sunbeam Corporation being the most recent], while being lionized by Wall Street and posing on the cover of every national business publication in some ridiculous macho outfit; and Warren Buffet, who would love the book for its revelations about undeserved management perks and the abuses and fraud induced by most stock option plans, two topics which he has been attacking for years. You should read it because it is touching, instructive, and very funny.

O'Rourke shows us how this process ruins lives and forces too many dedicated employees to contend with a diminished self esteem as the price of survival. Intrigue and tragedy course through the story, yet humor is ever present. The author's descriptions of the various players and their behavior, good and bad, leaves you with a certainty that he has spent time in the executive ranks himself. Literary research from a distance could not yield such insightful accuracy. Puffery, incompetence, dishonesty, and arrogance at the top dictates that those below either agonize, quit, or join the ranks of the sycophants. The satire is first rate.

We quickly learn that a powerful local family enjoys the lap dog loyalty of the new CEO at the expense of both the company's well being and the physical safety of a valued, innocent, female employee. When unable to convince the CEO to pursue the ethical, appropriate course of action, Riley receives the unsolicited and unwanted help of some questionable characters from his former days as a prosecutor and defense attorney, namely an ex con and a Sixties' wacko. The intrigue builds as all the while we are kept laughing by O'Rourke's superb description of these various participants.

This book is cleverly put together, extremely insightful, and very entertaining. It is not a business book, believe me. You will not find it on the bookshelves of the executives' opulent offices, although it should be required reading for all of them, especially the cost cutters. For what it is worth as guidance, I enjoy Elmore Leonard, Al Franken, James Lee Burke, P. J. O'Rourke, and Dominick Dunne for fun, interesting reading of this sort. I am sending several copies of the book to friends with rather diverse tastes, as I believe it has wide appeal.

I'd like opinions from others who have read the book, in particular as it is O'Rourke's first effort.

Jim Wayne

Connecticut

Rating:
Summary: THE SMELL OF FEAR
Review: AN ABSOLUTELY CLASSIC LOOK AT THE BUSINESS OF BUSINESS AND THE BUSINESS OF BEING. THIS BOOK WILL TOUCH YOU. AFTER READING THIS FUNNY, INSIGHTFUL, PASSIONATE LOOK AT LIFE AS SEEN THROUGH THE EYES OF RILEY McREYNOLDS YOU WILL NOT FEEL THE SAME ABOUT YOURSELF. DO YOURSELF A FAVOR.

Rating:
Summary: An insightful novel cum expose of corporate ludicrousness
Review: and the "culture" of profit or non-profit corporations (been there, done that, got the going-away watch.) This book starts at the end of the tale, with ominous foreshadowing a la "Great Gatsby," then cuts to "A Man in Full."

The book was published by North Star Press in St. Cloud, Minnesota. I really like the unique typeface in which it was set. Smaller than "large print" editions, it is easier on the eyes than standard "Big House" publications

Rating:
Summary: The Ordeal of Riley McReynolds
Review: and the "culture" of profit or non-profit corporations (been there, done that, got the going-away watch.) This book starts at the end of the tale, with ominous foreshadowing a la "Great Gatsby," then cuts to "A Man in Full."

The book was published by North Star Press in St. Cloud, Minnesota. I really like the unique typeface in which it was set. Smaller than "large print" editions, it is easier on the eyes than standard "Big House" publications

Rating:
Summary: Thinking + Laughing = Satire
Review: Big business is the last topic that I would choose for pleasure reading BUT this one is simply laugh out loud funny. BUT it made me think at the same time...doesn't that make this book perfect satire ?

Rating:
Summary: The Ordeal of Riley McReynolds
Review: Wonderful introductory book by the first-time author. Full of local color along with tongue-in-check and less subtle shots at the captains of our corporate ships. Great read.