Book picks similar to
The Experience of Middle Australia: The Dark Side of Economic Reform by Michael Pusey
economics
australia
history
philosophy
Billion Dollar Loser: The Epic Rise and Spectacular Fall of Adam Neumann and WeWork
Reeves Wiedeman - 2020
Adam Neumann, an immigrant determined to make his fortune in the United States, landed on the idea of repurposing surplus New York office space for the burgeoning freelance class. Over the course of ten years, WeWork attracted billions of dollars from some of the most sought-after investors in the world, while spending it to build a global real estate empire that he insisted was much more than that: an organization that aspired to nothing less than "elevating the world's consciousness."Moving between New York real estate, Silicon Valley venture capital, and the very specific force field of spirituality and ambition erected by Adam Neumann himself, Billion Dollar Loser lays bare the internal drama inside WeWork. Based on more than two hundred interviews, this book chronicles the breakneck speed at which WeWork’s CEO built and grew his company along with Neumann’s relationship to a world of investors, including Masayoshi Son of Softbank, who fueled its chaotic expansion into everything from apartment buildings to elementary schools.Culminating in a day-by-day account of the five weeks leading up to WeWork’s botched IPO and Neumann’s dramatic ouster, Wiedeman exposes the story of the company’s desperate attempt to secure the funding it needed in the final moments of a decade defined by excess. Billion Dollar Loser is the first book to indelibly capture the highly leveraged, all-blue-sky world of American business in President Trump’s first term, and also offers a sober reckoning with its fallout as a new era begins.
My Story
Ronnie Kray - 1993
Following on from Our Story, Ron Kray fills in the gaps and gives his version of the murders of Jack The Hat McVitie and George Cornell, describing his bisexuality and his marriage in Broadmoor and clarifying many of the misconceptions about the years when he and Reg ruled the London underworld, shot enemies at will and simultaneously socialized with some of the most glittering politicians, celebrities and hostesses of the time.
Dhyan Chand
Luis Fernandes - 2013
Overcoming great odds with indomitable courage, discipline and skill, he rose from humble beginnings to become the greatest figure in the sport.Under his leadership, India humbled the Europeans who were till then regarded as masters of the game and then went on to conquer all global hockey powers. The world still remembers how the Indian team gave the Nazis a bloody nose, when he led it to an 8-1 victory over the aggressive German side in the 1936 Berlin Olympics.The story of Dhyan Chand is the story of Indian hockey at its very best. The game defined his personality and his life. He strove for the glory of his country, desiring nothing for himself. India reigned supreme in hockey during Dhyan's playing years and for some decades afterwards, earning the country the respect of the world.
Griftopia: Bubble Machines, Vampire Squids, and the Long Con That Is Breaking America
Matt Taibbi - 2010
The stunning rise, fall, and rescue of Wall Street in the bubble-and-bailout era was the coming-out party for the network of looters who sit at the nexus of American political and economic power. The grifter class—made up of the largest players in the financial industry and the politicians who do their bidding—has been growing in power for a generation, transferring wealth upward through increasingly complex financial mechanisms and political maneuvers. The crisis was only one terrifying manifestation of how they’ve hijacked America’s political and economic life.Rolling Stone’s Matt Taibbi here unravels the whole fiendish story, digging beyond the headlines to get into the deeper roots and wider implications of the rise of the grifters. He traces the movement’s origins to the cult of Ayn Rand and her most influential—and possibly weirdest—acolyte, Alan Greenspan, and offers fresh reporting on the backroom deals that decided the winners and losers in the government bailouts. He uncovers the hidden commodities bubble that transferred billions of dollars to Wall Street while creating food shortages around the world, and he shows how finance dominates politics, from the story of investment bankers auctioning off America’s infrastructure to an inside account of the high-stakes battle for health-care reform—a battle the true reformers lost. Finally, he tells the story of Goldman Sachs, the “vampire squid wrapped around the face of humanity.” Taibbi has combined deep sources, trailblazing reportage, and provocative analysis to create the most lucid, emotionally galvanizing, and scathingly funny account yet written of the ongoing political and financial crisis in America. This is essential reading for anyone who wants to understand the labyrinthine inner workings of politics and finance in this country, and the profound consequences for us all.
Scorpion & Zolar: A Dangerous Gangsta Love
Bianca - 2017
After her parents kicked her out, Semaj promised to love, support, and send her to college. Semaj was holding up his end of the deal, until he moved up a rank in the streets and started receiving more attention than he was used to. That attention led to Semaj having an affair with a woman who was willing to do anything to get a spot in Semaj’s life, including trying to plot a murder. Scorpion: small, quiet but deadly; injecting you with its deadly venom when you least expect it. That’s what the streets were saying about Phalec Grant, also known as Scorpion. Scorpion was a certified personal trainer during the day, and a ruthless street king by night. Scorpion crosses paths with Zolar, and Scorpion, being the charming ladies’ man that he was, is instantly attracted to Zolar, but nothing or no one could make her break her vows to Semaj; that is… until she catches him in a compromising position. Scorpion, never hearing the word ‘no,’ makes him prey on Zolar even harder. After finding out a piece of information that Scorpion has happened to leave out about his life, Zolar cuts him and his venomous claws off, but that doesn’t stop him from trying to get what he believes belongs to him. Loyalty is tested. Lines are crossed. Backs are against the wall. People will win. People will die. In this novel, you will find out how far people will go for love.
The Lucifer Effect: Understanding How Good People Turn Evil
Philip G. Zimbardo - 2007
Here, for the first time and in detail, Zimbardo tells the full story of the Stanford Prison Experiment, the landmark study in which a group of college-student volunteers was randomly divided into “guards” and “inmates” and then placed in a mock prison environment. Within a week, the study was abandoned, as ordinary college students were transformed into either brutal, sadistic guards or emotionally broken prisoners. By illuminating the psychological causes behind such disturbing metamorphoses, Zimbardo enables us to better understand a variety of harrowing phenomena, from corporate malfeasance to organized genocide to how once upstanding American soldiers came to abuse and torture Iraqi detainees in Abu Ghraib. He replaces the long-held notion of the “bad apple” with that of the “bad barrel”—the idea that the social setting and the system contaminate the individual, rather than the other way around.
Last Don standing
Larry McShane - 2017
Natale's reign atop the Philadelphia and New Jersey underworlds brought the region's mafia back to prominence in the 1990s. Smart, savvy, and articulate, Natale came up in the mob and saw first-hand as it hatched its plan to control Atlantic City's casino unions. Later on, after spending 16 years in prison, he reclaimed the family as his own after a bloody mob war that left bodies scattered across South Philly. He forged connections around the country, invigorated the family with more allies than it had in two decades, and achieved a status within the mob never seen before or since until he was betrayed by his men and decided to testify against them in a stunning turn of events.Using dozens of hours of interviews with Natale along with research and interviews with FBI agents, this book delivers revelatory insights into seminal events in American mob history, including: - The truth about Jimmy Hoffa's disappearance- The murder of Jewish mob icon Bugsy Siegel - The identity of the man who created modern-day Las VegasWith the full cooperation of Natale, New York Daily News reporter Larry McShane and producer Dan Pearson uncover the deadly reign of the last great mob boss of Philadelphia, a tale that covers a half-century of mob lore--and gore.
Fear: Trump in the White House
Bob Woodward - 2018
Woodward draws from hundreds of hours of interviews with firsthand sources, meeting notes, personal diaries, files and documents. The focus is on the explosive debates and the decision-making in the Oval Office, the Situation Room, Air Force One and the White House residence.Fear is the most intimate portrait of a sitting president ever published during the president’s first years in office.
Flash Boys: A Wall Street Revolt
Michael Lewis - 2014
stock market has been rigged for the benefit of insiders. They band together—some of them walking away from seven-figure salaries—to investigate, expose, and reform the insidious new ways that Wall Street generates profits. If you have any contact with the market, even a retirement account, this story is happening to you.
Cincinnati's Savage Seamstress: The Shocking Edythe Klumpp Murder Scandal
Richard O. Jones - 2014
When investigators learned that her estranged husband was living with an older divorcee, Edythe Klumpp, they wasted no time in questioning her. When she failed a lie detector test, Edythe spilled out a confession. Although it did not fit the physical evidence, she was found guilty and sentenced to death in the electric chair. Governor Michael V. DiSalle put his political career on the line to save Edythe from the death penalty, personally interviewing the prisoner while she was under the influence of truth serum." But was it the truth? Richard O Jones separates the facts from the fiction in this comprehensive book about the Klumpp murder."
Bullets and Barbed Wire: From Guadalcanal to Cape Gloucester
Daniel Wrinn - 2020
Caught in the center of a vicious struggle between two superpowers, these islands would form an unconventional battleground for the US Marines and the Japanese Navy.This book offers you a new look at the WWII Pacific Theater, providing an enlightening glimpse into the battles and campaigns during the Allied offensive. With a breakdown of three significant US campaigns: Operation Watchtower, a riveting exploration of the spark that set off the Allied offensive in the Pacific islands, detailing the gruelling struggle for the island of Guadalcanal and its vital strategic position Operation Galvanic, an incredible account of the battle for the Tarawa Atoll and base that would give them a stepping stone into the heart of Japanese-controlled waters And Operation Backhander, which offers a gripping retelling of the war for Cape Gloucester, New Guinea, and the Bismarck SeaEach of these momentous operations are fascinating feats of strategy, planning, and bravery, handing the Allies what would eventually become a victory over the Pacific Theater and an end to Imperialist Japanese expansion. This brilliant book sheds light on this often-overlooked facet of WWII, providing students, history fans, and World War II buffs alike with a captivating breakdown of history and combat that defined the beginning of the US offensive in the Pacific.
Rich Man Poor Man
Adam Carolla - 2012
Combining Adam's inimitable comedic voice and four-color illustrations by his friend Michael Narren, Rich Man Poor Man is a hilariously accurate look at what the people born with silver spoons in their mouths have in common with the people whose only utensils are plastic sporks stolen from a Shakey's.
Mr. New Orleans: The Life of a Big Easy Underworld Legend
Frenchy Brouillette - 2010
but you can just call him MR. NEW ORLEANS. Mr. New Orleans tells the incredible story of Frenchy Brouillette, a redneck Cajun teenager who stole his big brother's motorcycle and embarked on a 60-year vacation to New Orleans, where he became a legendary gangster and the underworld political fixer for his cousin, Louisiana Governor Edwin Edwards. Written by Crescent City native Matthew Randazzo V, the wickedly funny Mr. New Orleans is the first book to ever break the code of secrecy of the New Orleans Mafia Family, the oldest and most mysterious criminal secret society in America. "Mr. New Orleans is a rollicking, disturbing ride through the underbelly of a bygone New Orleans, lined with moments of dark, side-splitting hilarity. If you're a fan of James Lee Burke, drop what you're reading and pick this one up. In an era when popular wisdom tells us T.V. has stolen all depth from the literary true-crime narrative, Matthew Randazzo has found a way to beat that trend mightily; he's gone straight to the source and captured the singular, confounding voice of the New Orleans' mafia's top political fixer with fast-paced, riveting prose and a fine journalist's eye for detail." Chris Rice, New York Times Bestselling Author "Mr. New Orleans is a total knockout: Take everything you ever imagined about the sleazy good times to be had in New Orleans -- the sleazy good times capital of America -- and quadruple it, and you have a hint of what's inside these sticky pages." Bill Tonelli, Author of The Italian American Reader and Editor for Esquire and Rolling Stone
Left for Dead in the Outback: How I Survived 71 Days Lost in a Desert Hell
Ricky Megee - 2008
The Detective Robyn Carter Series: Books 1-3
Carol Wyer - 2019
The first three thrillers from eBook no 1 bestselling author Carol Wyer, introducing you to maverick Detective Robyn Carter.
Little Girl Lost:
‘Her breath rose and fell in fearful gasps, but it was too late. She could already see what she dreaded most. The back seat was empty.
Her little girl was gone.
When toddler Izzy is snatched from a carpark Detective Robyn Carter finds a worrying connection with a current murder investigation and fears there is a twisted serial killer at work. And unless she gets to them in time, a little girl will die …
Secrets of the Dead:
‘Colourful, plastic boats were scattered in puddles on the floor. In the bathtub lay Linda Upton, fully-clothed, lips a shade of blue, and bloodshot eyes wide open.’ When a young mother is found drowned in the bath, clutching a receipt saying, ‘all debts paid’, Detective Robyn Carter knows it’s just the beginning of a harrowing case. But as she hones in on the killer’s awful motive, one of her own is put into terrible danger …
The Missing Girls:
‘One girl found dead. Another girl gone... Long shadows danced on the tin walls. Inside the trunk lay Carrie Miller, wrapped in plastic, arms folded across her ribcage, lips sealed tight forever...’ When a girl’s body is found at a Midlands storage unit, it is too decomposed for Detective Robyn Carter to read the signs left by the killer. But just as Robyn makes progress and begins to close in on the killer’s shocking hunting ground, another girl goes missing, and this time it’s someone close to her own heart. This gripping series will have you up in the small hours turning the pages. Fans of Angela Marsons, Rachel Caine and Robert Dugoni will love The Detective Robyn Carter Series. Readers are going crazy for Carol Wyer: ‘Absolutely nail biting! … From the first page, I was hooked; I could not put this book down … Halfway through the book, once everything clicked, I had to pick my jaw up off the floor … I would start to read it on a day where you have no other commitments; you won’t want to put this one down!’ 5 stars – Clues and Reviews ‘OMG this book had me hooked from the first to very last page ... It’s impossible to put down, I was falling asleep about 3 in the morning with my kindle still in my hands!’ 5 stars – Goodreads Reviewer ‘Absolutely stunning!... wow it blew me away. Totally my favourite book so far of 2018… I loved everything about it… Amazing… 5 stars, although it is a shame I can’t give it more, it’s easily worth a 7.’ Bonnie’s Book Talk, 5 stars ‘Oh my god what a brilliant book you have to read it … This book grabs you from the first page right till the last page with so many twists and turns you do not know what is coming next … If I could give it more than 5 stars I would.