The Billionaire's Apprentice

This is a beautifully written story about bankers who rise, and fall spectacularly – into crime, in this case insider trading, with the loss of money, status, and prestige that followed.

What’s particularly fascinating is the historical, ethnic, and sociological backdrop. The book begins with a scene in which Indian-born Rajat Gupta, having come to the US and ascended to the highest echelons of the US business world, was attending a White House dinner for India’s Prime Minister.

The book ends as some people who had been on top are dealing with the aftermath of trials that went very badly… show more.

This is actually two books in one – and I very much liked the way Anita Raghavan braided them together. Half of it is a fast-paced, detail-rich account of an insider-trading ring that involved some terribly senior people who really should have known better. But because so many of the characters (both rogues and prosecutors) were South Asian success stories working in the U.S., Anita also opened my eyes to the contributions and temptations that are felt throughout the Indian and Sri Lankan communities. So interesting!