The Smartest Guys in the Room: The Amazing Rise and Scandalous Fall of Enron
by Bethany McLean, Peter Elkind
The Smartest Guys in the Room: The Amazing Rise and Scandalous Fall of Enron by Bethany McLean, Peter Elkind holds a highly rated rating of 4.14 out of 5, based on 10.5K reader ratings. First published in 2003. The book spans 480 pages.
About The Smartest Guys in the Room: The Amazing Rise and Scandalous Fall of Enron
There were dozens of books about Watergate, but only All the President's Men gave readers the full story, with all the drama and nuance and exclusive reporting. And thirty years later, if you're going to read only one book on Watergate, that's still the one. Today, Enron is the biggest business story of our time, and Fortune senior writers Bethany McLean and Peter Elkind are the new Woodward and Bernstein.Remarkably, it was just two years ago that Enron was thought to epitomize a great New Economy company, with its skyrocketing profits and share price. But that was before Fortune published an article by McLean that asked a seemingly innocent question: How exactly does Enron make money? From that point on, Enron's house of cards began to crumble. Now, McLean and Elkind have investigated much deeper, to offer the definitive book about the Enron scandal and the fascinating people behind it.Meticulously researched and character driven, Smartest Guys in the Room takes the reader deep into Enron's past—and behind the closed doors of private meetings. Drawing 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. Smartest Guys in the Room is a story of greed, arrogance, and deceit—a microcosm of all that is wrong with American business today. Above all, it's a fascinating human drama that will prove to be the authoritative account of the Enron scandal.
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Author | Bethany McLean, Peter Elkind |
| Published | 2003 |
| Pages | 480 |
| Kindle Price | $9.99 |
| Genres | Business, Non-Fiction, History, Mystery & Thriller, Biography & Memoir |
| Average Rating | 4.14 / 5.00 |
| Total Ratings | 10,525 |
Reader Ratings & Analysis
Rating Overview
How It Compares
Frequently Asked Questions
What genre is The Smartest Guys in the Room: The Amazing Rise and Scandalous Fall of Enron?
The Smartest Guys in the Room: The Amazing Rise and Scandalous Fall of Enron is categorized as Business, Non-Fiction, History, Mystery & Thriller. Its primary genre classification is Biography & Memoir.
Is The Smartest Guys in the Room: The Amazing Rise and Scandalous Fall of Enron worth reading?
Based on 10.5K reader ratings, The Smartest Guys in the Room: The Amazing Rise and Scandalous Fall of Enron has an average score of 4.14 out of 5.00, which is considered "Highly Rated."
How many pages is The Smartest Guys in the Room: The Amazing Rise and Scandalous Fall of Enron?
The Smartest Guys in the Room: The Amazing Rise and Scandalous Fall of Enron has 480 pages.
Who wrote The Smartest Guys in the Room: The Amazing Rise and Scandalous Fall of Enron?
The Smartest Guys in the Room: The Amazing Rise and Scandalous Fall of Enron was written by Bethany McLean, Peter Elkind. It was first published in 2003.
What is the ISBN for The Smartest Guys in the Room: The Amazing Rise and Scandalous Fall of Enron?
The ISBN-13 for The Smartest Guys in the Room: The Amazing Rise and Scandalous Fall of Enron is 9781591840530.0.
How much does The Smartest Guys in the Room: The Amazing Rise and Scandalous Fall of Enron cost on Kindle?
The Smartest Guys in the Room: The Amazing Rise and Scandalous Fall of Enron is available on Kindle for $9.99. Pricing may vary by region and promotional offers.
Data sourced from community book ratings and reviews. Last updated: April 15, 2026
