{"product_id":"smartest-guys-in-the-room-mclean-elkind-9781591846604","title":"The Smartest Guys in the Room | Bethany McLean \u0026 Peter Elkind","description":"\u003ch2\u003eThe Smartest Guys in the Room: The Amazing Rise and Scandalous Fall of Enron | Bethany McLean \u0026amp; Peter Elkind\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eForeword by Joe Nocera\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"\u003eHow did one of America's most celebrated corporations mask billions in debt before its catastrophic collapse? McLean and Elkind investigate Enron.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn this tenth-anniversary edition, acclaimed investigative journalists \u003cstrong\u003eBethany McLean\u003c\/strong\u003e and \u003cstrong\u003ePeter Elkind\u003c\/strong\u003e deliver the definitive account of the fall of \u003cstrong\u003eEnron\u003c\/strong\u003e, one of the biggest scandals in corporate America history.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMeticulously researched and character driven, \u003cem\u003eThe Smartest Guys in the Room\u003c\/em\u003e takes the reader deep into Enron's past—and behind the closed doors of private meetings.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDrawing on a wide range of unique sources, the book follows Enron's rise from obscurity to the top of the business world to its disastrous demise. It reveals as never before major characters such as Ken Lay, Jeff Skilling, and Andy Fastow, as well as lesser-known players like Cliff Baxter and Rebecca Mark.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt is a story of greed, arrogance, and deceit—a microcosm of all that can go wrong with American business.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"\u003eAbove all, it's a fascinating human drama that has proven to be the authoritative account of the Enron scandal.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn this tenth anniversary edition, McLean and Elkind revisit the fall of Enron and its aftermath in a new chapter.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eFrequently Asked Questions About \u003cem\u003eThe Smartest Guys in the Room\u003c\/em\u003e:\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eQ: \u003c\/strong\u003eIs this book an abstract textbook on forensic accounting rules?\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA:\u003c\/strong\u003e No. While it explains the financial schemes Enron used, the book functions as a fast-paced, character-driven corporate thriller. It focuses heavily on the psychological traits, private meetings, and personal backgrounds of the executives who orchestrated the deception.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eQ: \u003c\/strong\u003eHow did the authors uncover the confidential details featured in the book?\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA: \u003c\/strong\u003eCo-authors Bethany McLean and Peter Elkind were senior writers for Fortune magazine. McLean famously wrote the very first national article questioning Enron's actual profitability. They built this definitive account using hundreds of exclusive interviews, personal calendars, leaked performance reviews, and internal corporate emails.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eQ:\u003c\/strong\u003e What specific accounting loopholes and financial schemes are demystified inside?\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA:\u003c\/strong\u003e The book strips away the jargon behind Enron's collapse. It clearly explains \"mark-to-market\" accounting (booking projected future profits as immediate cash) and the creation of off-the-books Special Purpose Entities (SPEs) used to hide billions of dollars in toxic corporate debt.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eQ: \u003c\/strong\u003eDoes the narrative focus only on the top CEOs, or are other entities investigated?\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA:\u003c\/strong\u003e It goes far deeper than the main executive suite. The investigation maps a systemic web of corruption, detailing how elite Wall Street investment banks, prestigious law firms, and the major accounting firm Arthur Andersen actively enabled and profited from the fraud rather than acting as independent watchdogs.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eQ:\u003c\/strong\u003e Why is a business scandal book from the early 2000s still relevant to modern shoppers?\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA: \u003c\/strong\u003eThis text is widely considered the ultimate warning against unchecked corporate arrogance, greed, and toxic workplace cultures. The underlying psychological traps—where a company rewards blind loyalty, fakes profitability, and penalizes internal whistleblowers—remain highly relevant to modern tech, finance, and startup markets.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eAbout the Author(s):\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBethany McLean: \u003c\/strong\u003eAmerican Journalist\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBethany Lee McLean\u003c\/strong\u003e is an American journalist and contributing editor for Vanity Fair magazine. She is known for her writing on the Enron scandal and the 2008 financial crisis.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePrevious assignments include editor-at-large, columnist for Fortune, and a contributor to Slate.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePeter Elkind: \u003c\/strong\u003eJournalist\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePeter Elkind \u003c\/strong\u003eis an award-winning investigative reporter and the author of \u003cem\u003eThe Death Shift\u003c\/em\u003e. He has written for The New York Times Magazine, The Washington Post, Fortune, and Texas Monthly.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eBibliographic Data:\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFull Title: \u003c\/strong\u003eThe Smartest Guys in the Room: The Amazing Rise and Scandalous Fall of Enron\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eAuthor(s):\u003c\/strong\u003e Bethany McLean \u0026amp; Peter Elkind\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eForeword: \u003c\/strong\u003eJoe Nocera\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublisher \u0026amp; Imprint: \u003c\/strong\u003ePortfolio (An imprint of Penguin Publishing Group)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublication Date: \u003c\/strong\u003eNovember 26, 2013\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBook Binding: \u003c\/strong\u003eTrade Paperback\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCondition: \u003c\/strong\u003ePre-Owned \/ Very Good\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eEdition: \u003c\/strong\u003e10th Anniversary Edition (with updated chapter)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePages: \u003c\/strong\u003e480\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eLanguage:\u003c\/strong\u003e English\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eISBN-13: \u003c\/strong\u003e9781591846604\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eISBN-10: \u003c\/strong\u003e1591846609\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eLibrary of Congress (LCCN):\u003c\/strong\u003e 2003056461\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePrimary Genre (BISAC):\u003c\/strong\u003e BUSINESS \u0026amp; ECONOMICS \/ Business Ethics\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSub-Genres (BISAC): \u003c\/strong\u003eBUSINESS \u0026amp; ECONOMICS \/ Workplace Culture; BUSINESS \u0026amp; ECONOMICS \/ Corporate Finance \/ General\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions: \u003c\/strong\u003e6.03 x 1.39 x 8.99 inches\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWeight: \u003c\/strong\u003e14.4 oz (approx. 0.90 lbs)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eExplore the gripping inside story of corporate greed, deception, and the biggest financial scandal in history. Buy now and discover Enron's downfall!\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Bust-Down Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49854210277691,"sku":"1591846609","price":11.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0855\/2077\/7531\/files\/9781591846604.jpg?v=1777303824","url":"https:\/\/bustdownbooks.com\/products\/smartest-guys-in-the-room-mclean-elkind-9781591846604","provider":"Bust-Down Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}