The Best Business Writing 2012 (Columbia Journalism Review Books)

An anthology Malcolm Gladwell has called "riveting and indispensable," __The Best Business Writing__ is a far-ranging survey of business's dynamic relationship with politics, culture, and life. This year's selections include John Markoff (__New York Times__) on innovations in robot technology and the decline of the factory worker; Evgeny Morozov (__New Republic__) on the questionable value of the popular TED conference series and the idea industry behind it; Paul Kiel (__ProPublica__) on the ripple effects of the ongoing foreclosure crisis; and the infamous op-ed by Greg Smith, published in the __New York Times__, announcing his break with Goldman Sachs over its trading practices and corrupt corporate ethos. Jessica Pressler (__New York__) delves into the personal and professional rivalry between former spouses and fashion competitors Tory and Christopher Burch. Peter Whoriskey (__Washington Post__) exposes the human cost of promoting pharmaceuticals for off-label uses. Charles Duhigg and David Barboza (__New York Times__) investigate Apple's unethical labor practices in China. Max Abelson (__Bloomberg__) reports on Wall Street's amusing reaction to the diminishing annual bonus. Mina Kimes (__Fortune__) recounts the grisly story of a company's illegal testing—and misuse—of a medical device for profit, and Jeff Tietz (__Rolling Stone__) composes one of the most poignant and comprehensive portraits of the financial crisis's dissolution of the American middle class. Bad business. The dark lord of coal country -- Jeff Goodell ; Missing Milly Dowler's voicemail was hacked by News of the World -- Nick Davies and Amelia Hill ; Phone-hacking crisis shows News Corp is no ordinary news company -- Jay Rosen ; The bugger, bugged -- Hugh Grant ; A case of shattered trust -- Raquel Rutledge and Rick Barrett -- The financial system and its discontents. The "subsidy": how a handful of Merrill Lynch bankers helped blow up their own firm -- Jake Bernstein and Jesse Eisinger ; Countrywide protected fraudsters by silencing whistleblowers, say former employees -- Michael Hudson ; Curse the geniuses who gave us Bank of America -- Jonathan Weil ; Is the SEC covering up Wall Street crimes? -- Matt Taibbi ; In financial crisis, no prosecutions of top figures -- Gretchen Mrgenson and Louise Story -- Over there. Time for Germany to make its fateful choice -- Martin Wolf ; In Norway, start-ups say ja to socialism -- Max Chafkin -- Politics and money. Swiped: banks, merchants, and why Washington doesn't work for you -- Zach Carter and Ryan Grim ; Stop coddling the super-rich -- Warren Buffett ; Blame for the financial mess starts with the corporate lobby -- Steven Pearlstein ; Nine things the rich don't want you to know about taxes -- David Cay Johnston ; The hijacked crisis -- Paul Krugman ; Greenspan, Rubin, and a roomful of hypocrites -- Morgan Housel -- The big picture. The rise of the new global elite -- Christia Freeland ; Can the world still feed itself? -- Brian M. Carney ; Law school economics: ka-ching! -- David Segal ; When parents attack! -- Alex Blumberg and Laura Sydell ; The illusions of psychiatry -- Marcia Angell ; From Inside job -- Charles Ferguson, Adam Bolt, and Chad Beck -- Corporate stories. Inside Pfizer's palace coup -- Peter Elkind and Jennifer Reingold, with Doris Burke ; It knows -- Daniel Soar ; Innovator's don't ignore customers -- John Gapper ; House perfect -- Lauren Collins ; Voting to hire a chief without meeting him -- James B. Stewart ; How Ford became last man standing -- Bernie Woodall and Kevin Krolicki ; What made Steve Jobs so great? -- Cliff Kuang. The Best Business Writing 2012 reflects the year's most intriguing reporting and rigorous investigative journalism at a time of dramatic economic crisis and upheaval. Covering bad business behavior, the intersection of politics and money, and big-picture analysis, the volume fills a longstanding gap for those seeking diverse, enriching, and lively perspectives on the business world. This year's selections include Rolling Stone's profile of Don Blankenship and his brutal tenure as CEO of Massey Energy; the Guardian's groundbreaking and courageous investigation into the News of the World phone-hacking scandal and its indictment of the Rupert Murdoch media empire; and the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's poignant account of the fatal consequences of federal deregulation in health and medicine. Two searing pieces on the ongoing mortgage scandal, one a hard look at the role of Merrill Lynch in inflating the housing bubble for its own gain and so bringing about its own destruction, and the other a detailed breakdown of Countrywide's malfeasance, provide critical context for the financial crisis; while articles on recoveries in Norway, Germany, and elsewhere examine the global recession. Additional articles tackle bank fees and bailouts, the Buffett Rule, the influence of the corporate lobby, the legacy of Alan Greenspan, and the future of the American auto industry, and provide intimate looks behind the scenes of such companies as Pfizer, Google, and IKEA. Contributors include Warren Buffett, Paul Krugman, Gretchen Morgenson, Steve Pearlstein, James B. Stewart, Matt Taibbi, and Martin Wolf Contents Introduction Acknowledgments Part I. Bad Business 1. The Dark Lord of Coal Country 2. Missing Milly Dowler’s Voicemail Was Hacked 3. Phone-Hacking Crisis Shows News Corp Is No Ordinary News Company 4. The Bugger, Bugged 5. A Case of Shattered Trust Part II. The Financial System and Its Discontents 6. The “Subsidy”: How a Handful of Merrill Lynch Bankers Helped Blow Up Their Own Firm 7. Countrywide Protected Fraudsters by Silencing Whistleblowers, Say Former Employees 8. Curse the Geniuses Who Gave Us Bank of America 9. Is the SEC Covering Up Wall Street Crimes? 10. In Financial Crisis, No Prosecutions of Top Figures Part III. Over There 11. Time for Germany to Make Its Fateful Choice 12. In Norway, Start-Ups Say Ja to Socialism Part IV. Politics and Money 13. Swiped: Banks, Merchants, and Why Washington Doesn’t Work for You 14. Stop Coddling the Super-Rich 15. Blame for the Financial Mess Starts with the Corporate Lobby 16. Nine Things the Rich Don’t Want You to Know About Taxes 17. The Hijacked Crisis 18. Greenspan, Rubin, and a Roomful of Hypocrites Part V. The Big Picture 19. The Rise of the New Global Elite 20. Can the World Still Feed Itself ? 21. Law School Economics: Ka-Ching! 22. When Patents Attack! 23. The Illusions of Psychiatry 24. From Inside Job Part VI. Corporate Stories 25. Inside Pfizer’s Palace Coup 26. It Knows 27. Innovators Don’t Ignore Customers 28. House Perfect 29. Voting to Hire a Chief Without Meeting Him 30. How Ford Became Last Man Standing 31. What Made Steve Jobs So Great? Permissions List of Contributors Launched at a time of major economic change and an uncommon era in business, this new annual series presents the most intriguing and rigorous coverage of the year's well-known and crucial-to-know developments in business and finance. Divided into thematic sections, such as bad business behavior; the financial system and its discontents; trends in global markets; the relationship between politics and money; big-picture practices; and news from the corporate world, the anthology fills a longstanding gap for those seeking diverse, enriching, yet entertaining perspectives on the business of busine