Discussion
"Why They Do It" by Eugene Soltes. Content Warning.
What drives wealthy and powerful people to white-collar crime? Why They Do It is a breakthrough look at the dark side of the business world. From the financial fraudsters of Enron, to the embezzlers at Tyco, to the insider traders at McKinsey, to the Ponzi schemer Bernie Madoff, the failings of corporate titans are regular fixtures in the news. In Why They Do It , Harvard Business School professor Eugene Soltes draws from extensive personal interaction and correspondence with nearly fifty former executives as well as the latest research in psychology, criminology, and economics to investigate how once-celebrated executives become white-collar criminals. White-collar criminals are not merely driven by excessive greed or hubris, nor do they usually carefully calculate costs and benefits before breaking the law. Instead, Soltes shows that most of the executives who committed crimes made decisions the way we all do-on the basis of their intuitions and gut feelings. The trouble is that these gut feelings are often poorly suited for the modern business world where leaders are increasingly distanced from the consequences of their decisions and the individuals they impact. The extraordinary costs of corporate misconduct are clear to its victims. Yet, never before have we been able to peer so deeply into the minds of the many prominent perpetrators of white-collar crime. With the increasing globalization of business threatening us with even more devastating corporate misconduct, the lessons Soltes draws in Why They Do It are needed more urgently than ever.
By Kristen Barenthalerabout a year ago in BookClub
"Hell's Princess" by Harold Schechter. Content Warning.
In the pantheon of serial killers, Belle Gunness stands alone. She was the rarest of female psychopaths, a woman who engaged in wholesale slaughter, partly out of greed but mostly for the sheer joy of it. Between 1902 and 1908, she lured a succession of unsuspecting victims to her Indiana "murder farm." Some were hired hands. Others were well-to-do bachelors. All of them vanished without a trace. When their bodies were dug up, they hadn't merely been poisoned, like victims of other female killers. They'd been butchered. Hell's Princess is a riveting account of one of the most sensational killing sprees in the annals of American crime: the shocking series of murders committed by the woman who came to be known as Lady Bluebeard. The only definitive book on this notorious case and the first to reveal previously unknown information about its subject, Harold Schechter's gripping, suspenseful narrative has all the elements of a classic mystery--and all the gruesome twists of a nightmare.
By Kristen Barenthalerabout a year ago in BookClub
Exploring the World of Novelstamil.com
Exploring the World of Novelstamil.com: Your Gateway to Tamil Literature Introduction In the vibrant digital age, where every culture strives to preserve and promote its unique identity, Tamil literature holds a significant place.
By Novelstamil.comabout a year ago in BookClub
Yellowface by R.F. Kuang
Yellowface by R.F. Kuang is a fairly recent release, it came out a little over a year ago, and I recently picked up a signed copy at a used book sale. I had heard some great things, but I didn't realize that this is the author of Poppy Wars, and Babel, two books that are very different in subject to this book.
By Grace Genet-Allenabout a year ago in BookClub
A Court of... Reviews
As an avid reader, who enjoys reading all types of books and all genres, I was unsure of the "A Court of" series. Not because I doubted the author, as I have immense respect for all who are able to write a book yet alone a 5 book series. But it was what I was reading and seeing online that made me worried.
By Hannah Elliottabout a year ago in BookClub
The Whispering Library: Where Voices Come to Life
Picture a library where the books don’t just sit on shelves but actively engage with those who seek them out. This enchanted space, known as the Whispering Library, is a perfect metaphor for the art of vocal performance. Each book represents a unique aspect of vocal technique, emotion, and style, waiting to be discovered and brought to life.
By Lakshya goyalabout a year ago in BookClub
John and Francesca: Meet-Cute to Mourning
I'll admit, I'm biased about the John/Francesca love story. Why? Because watching them on screen felt a lot like watching my own Neurodiverse Love Story. Existing together without the need to talk, non-traditional love languages, mutual support in mentally taxing social situations. Learning to advocate for themselves and each other because finally there is someone who understands you.
By Natasja Roseabout a year ago in BookClub
