- ISBN13: 9780446696388
- Condition: USED – VERY GOOD
- Notes:
Product Description
- Martin Kihn was nominated for an Emmy Award for his work as head writer for MTV’s Pop-Up Video, and was also a staff writer for New York magazine. His articles have appeared in the New York Times, Forbes, GQ, Spy, and numerous other national publications. He is a graduate of the Columbia Business School and Yale University. – Books that expose the corrupt underbelly of prominent industries do exceptionally well as evidenced by the success of the #1 bestseller Liar… More >>
House of Lies: How Management Consultants Steal Your Watch and Then Tell You the Time
Tags: columbia business school, Consultants, emmy award, gq, head writer, House, Lies, Management, management consultants, martin kihn, national publications, Steal, Tell, Time, underbelly, university books, Watch, yale university
#1 by M. Johnson on March 24, 2010 - 1:03 am
I worked for McKinsey & Company for five years and then built, with my co-founders, a startup into a Nasdaq-listed company that I led for five years as Chairman & CEO.
Based on that level of direct personal experience with top-tier management consulting firms and building and leading companies, I would simply say that there is a very good reason you can buy this book on Amazon for $0.22.
Rating: 1 / 5
#2 by Loyd E. Eskildson on March 24, 2010 - 3:33 am
Given time and monetary incentive I would write a template that fits most business books. It would go something like this: X’s overstated book flap resume emphasizes a great deal of name-dropping and several insightful and aggressive technical terms. Thus, I was disappointed to find that X’s book is merely another half-baked idea that doesn’t hold water because business is not unidimensional as the author assumed. The “good news” is that apparently few people take X seriously – else the economy would be far worse than it already is.
Kihn fits the profile, so technically I’m done. However, Kihn also claims to be a comedian. Normally I’d suggest that someone so banal not quit his day job, but following Ricardo and Adam Smith’s advice, it’s best he pursue his comparative advantage, which obviously isn’t business.
To be fair, there is some truth in “House of Lies” – the consultants I’ve seen spend more time looking for more business than solving the problems they’ve already been assigned; further, when their recommendations do arrive, it’s always primarily for more consulting.
Skip this book. For good business insight from a REAL achiever, read something by Larry Bossidy instead. For comedy, turn to Dave Barry.
Rating: 1 / 5
#3 by AlsoAConsultant on March 24, 2010 - 4:57 am
I wish if you were going to comment on other people’s reviews, you would have the sack to use your own name like the rest of the positive and negative reviewers.
I will express no opinion on the book or on other reviews, but I know Dave (see “Real Name” below), and as I recall he is neither now, nor certainly during his BAH tenure (oops, have I given up the name of the Major Firm) was he good friends with any of the yahoos in the Media Practice portrayed negatively. As I read the review, it sounded like “the book is accurate, but boring/poorly written.”
Rating: 1 / 5
#4 by K. Douglass on March 24, 2010 - 5:30 am
Intelligent and scathing. This is an entertaining book, even for those not in corporate America. For those in the know, it’s hysterical and more than a lttle disturbing.
Rating: 5 / 5
#5 by Patrick J. McKenna on March 24, 2010 - 7:31 am
I really thought that I was going to get the inside scoop on “HOW” these management consultants managed to steal your watch, but the only thing that was stolen was my money and time in reviewing this text. Do yourself a favor, don’t bother.
Rating: 1 / 5