House of Lies

How Management Consultants Steal Your Watch and Then Tell You the Time

By: Martin Kihn

Narrated by: Johnny Heller

The basis for the Don Cheadle series currently available on Netflix, an accurate and darkly hilarious behind-the-scenes look at the twisted world of management consulting.

“[A] highly intelligent and deeply funny debut memoir skewers a segment of the economy that nearly every white-collar worker has learned to fear and loathe: consultancies.” —Publishers Weekly

Once upon a time in Corporate America paid certain people huge fees to tell organizations what they were doing wrong. These men and women really knew next to nothing. They trashed business, destroyed careers, and wasted time and money. They called themselves Management Consultants. . . .

When Martin Kihn joined a powerhouse New York consulting firm, he thought his job was to help organizations. In reality, the consultants spent precious work hours prowling for new clients, and offered little or no useful information. From power breakfasts with mind games to the screaming indignity of “Feedback Camp” in New Jersey, House of Lies reveals the truth about a “profession” that could threaten your job, your career, and your life . . . and even throws you some lifelines should the suits start circling your company.

“With sharp wit, consultant Kihn tears down myths surrounding the highly profitable and revered management-consulting industry. . . . No activity avoids Kihn’s scathing pen, including his highly critical analysis of business books.” —Booklist

“Exceedingly smart and funny . . . Kihn’s breezy, Jay McInerney-inspired writing renders the damnable daily life of the management consultant precisely, often hilariously.” —Salon.com

“Funny, lucid, and lacerating.” —Graydon Carter, editor-in-chief, Vanity Fair

great read!

I actually bought this book because I saw the show. The book certainly has stronger ties to reality, of course, which I found refreshing. I think this book May give some insight to someone considering a career in consulting, but I wouldn't consider it to be a "how-to" guide.

Great performance, I think the narrator did justice to the characters within, and presented things like footnotes, definitions and even the appendix in a way that was easy to follow on audio, which many seem to struggle doing.

overall definitely recommend for its irreverent take on a fabled career path!

Hilarious

The book is a remarkable and hilarious summary of a consulting lifestyle. Absolutely brilliant performance and a very insightful story. The best thing about this audiobook is how it is able to convey the atmosphere of a consulting! Loved the book.

Funny and thoughtful listen

Would you consider the audio edition of House of Lies to be better than the print version?

I think the narrator did an excellent job, specially by making the main character Martin Kihn slightly dead-pan and a little depressed.

Would you recommend House of Lies to your friends? Why or why not?

It's funny and thoughtful. I am sure it dramatizes up Management Consultancy. It is absolutely worth a listen. I finished it in just a few days.

What does Johnny Heller bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Did an amazing job on this one.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

It made me chuckle and nod my head in agreement many times

Sexist

Exceedingly sexist and insulting to women. I expected more from the "so called" Harvard graduate.

Surprisingly Entertaining!

Despite some negative reviews I read on other sites, I downloaded this book with lower expectations however this book turned into a nice little surprise.

At times, especially at the beginning, I found the author’s story-telling style a bit frustrating, specifically I found it lacking context and I struggled to understand. But once I got passed it (used to it?) this book was a thoroughly enjoyable ‘listen’. At times, I was laughing out loud at the author’s stories.

Although I have never worked as a consultant, I have worked with and hired them in my career and I found it easy to relate and understand the author’s stories as he poked fun at his industry – everything from his McKinsey interview (this was priceless) to his consultancy engagement with the tire manufacturer.

He pretty much confirmed my suspicions of consultants when defined “low-hanging fruit” as the things that the client could do themselves but are usually too lazy to do it on their own. He definitely nailed that one!

This is my first audio book narrated by Johnny Heller. He too has an interesting narrative style, sounding a bit old-school but his style worked well with this book and I am going to search out other titles that he narrates.

I recommend this book - not just to those who hire consultants or thinking about being a consultant but to anyone looking for a lighter entertaining ‘read’.

Please note that while the Audible release date is January 2012, this book was actually published (in print) in 2005, which makes it 7 years old now. As a result, the references the author makes in the book are at times, a bit dated.


Michael