Barbara Toffler gives a good introduction to whats it is like to interview and train for Arthur Andersen. She gives valuable insight of the mentoring relationships as well and how things sometimes changed rapid fire for her. In addition, it was quite interesting to note how the Audit and Consulting groups never seemd to play for the same team.

However, midway through the book, the reading becomes quite a chore. Way too much repetition about the author's inability to generate sufficient revenues. Toffler does not distinguish herself as a Big Person within Arthur Andersen as she merely makes excuses that anyone reading this review could make. The chapters on massive billing are such a bore. This issue happens everyday at law firms. Anyone who has every watched LA Law would know this. The repeated obstacles that Toffler faced really could have happened anywhere.

All of a sudden, Toffler jumps into the Enron and MCI incidents without sufficient detail. Why did Duncan order the paper shredding? Furthermore, the dry writing style makes it nearly impossible for an outsider to maintain their attention span. Its like you had either work for Arthur Andersen or a similar firm to even relate.

The conclusion to Final Accounting is decent. Toffler is fair in her judgement and places some blame on her own shoulders. However, there are way too many questions left unanswered. Overall, a better book still needs to be written on this subject that will appeal to the average worker in a large corporation.

27 of 31 found the following review helpful:


Biased, Hypocritical & Untruthful in Part  Nov 15, 2003
I had the displeasure of meeting Ms. Toffler a number of times at Andersen. Her personality made Leona Helmsley seem like Miss Manners by comparison. She was abrupt and rude to almost everyone she met and would never have fitted in at any large professional firm. Her antipathy to Andersen makes her book so biased as to lack credibility. It seems oriented more to profitable revenge than to providing insight. I know at least one of her descriptions in the book is factually untrue but her fiction makes for a more entertaining read. A pity this "ethics consultant" didn't walk the talk herself. A career as a writer for the National Enquirer seems a better fit.

If you want insights rather than insults, buy "Inside Arthur Andersen" instead. It is written by people skilled in analyzing organizational behavior, appears to be far more objective despite the authors' positions within Andersen, is better researched, and identifies and explains the issues well. It also shows that the key issues affect other firms too, not just Andersen. That book should be required reading for all CPAs, accounting professors and students.

16 of 18 found the following review helpful:


Physician, heal thyself...  Mar 07, 2004 By Blaine Lilly
This is an odd book, because it's actually two separate books in one cover. The first book, which is essentially a short history of the rise and fall of Arthur Andersen, was no doubt written by the ghostwriter, Jennifer Reingold, and is actually fairly informative. This is the part that gets the three stars - not great by any means, but at least informative.

The second book is interspersed with the first, and purports to be a scathing indictment of the culture of Arthur Andersen, a respected American institution that was subverted and destroyed by arrogance and greed. It's easy to read a lot into this story, since it's really just the current American business ethic in microcosm. Nothing matters here but greed and taking pleasure in stepping in the other guy's face.

What's interesting here is the fact that Barbara Toffler, who clearly considers herself to be an "ethics expert", openly confesses that she was just as ruthless and greedy as everyone else at Andersen. But the reader is left wondering if she ever really quite gets it - does she understand she's just as morally culpable as the Andersen partners she eviscerates? She certainly doesn't seem to be too troubled by her own long list of questionable actions, in any case. The old joke about the definition of "chutzpah" being a person who murders his parents and then pleads for mercy because he's an orphan gets an update here: an unethical peddlar of "ethical services" who turns a quick buck by selling her story. You might feel like taking a shower after you finish this one.

21 of 25 found the following review helpful:


Are you people crazy!  Mar 28, 2003 By DCC
I used to work for Arthur Andersen and happily call myself an Android. As a manager in the consulting practice for over 7 years, incidentally three years longer than Toffler, I saw how we collectively worked exceptionally hard to serve our clients. At no point in my career did I experience anything other than think straight, talk straight...and by the way I too intereacted with many of the Partners Toffler refers to. The bottom-line is this...Toffler is trying to make a buck on the fall of the firm. Her inability to assimiliate and contribute to the firm has manisfested itself in her speculative and unsubstantiated rhetoric. Finally, Toffler tries to establish herself as intelligent and credible by citing her work at Harvard, etc. Hey Toffler, I had a professor in college who said "be wary of those of try to convince others they are smart by simply stating so." DO NOT BUY THIS BOOK!

10 of 11 found the following review helpful:


Good but somewhat hypocritical  Mar 30, 2003
I am not a former Android, nor am I a CPA, but I am a Harvard MBA who has served in various chief financial positions with smaller organizations. The book is interesting and fascinating reading, that's for sure. It confirms many of the reprehensible practices that I eyewitnessed even in nonprofit arenas, where attorneys and CPA's are in bed together and do all they can to take advantage of their client's ignorance. Their goal is to build a dependency to annuitize their fees. I was actually fired for confronting these egregious acts.

The hypocritical part is that Ms. Toffler succumbed to some of the tactics for the sake of her job. Although she's admittedly ashamed now, she is still presumably profiting from her Andersen connections (through book sale proceeds), just on the other side of the table now. No criticism to her--she's obviously seen the light now. But that's just a recurring thought I had as I was reading the book. It was an oxymoron that she was brought in for ethics and yet succumbed to the pressures and did unethical acts. I'm sure the pressure can be amazing--I've been there. But in the end, I chose to walk away to my own harm rather than join the club where you make lots of money, but you must silence your conscience and become someone that you flat out don't like.

Overall, it's still great that she wrote the book. People need to know what really goes on. She's highlighted the serious problems in the industry. It's also great reading. Were it not for her being a part of the wrongdoing and continuing to profit from it, I would have rated the book a "5". (If she has donated the book proceeds to some of the investors she helped bilk, then good for her. She has TRULY seen the light, and she gets a 5+!)

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