Book Review: The Complete Guide to Spotting Accounting Fraud and Cover-Ups

Our Librarywala website has a whole lot of corporate members and they're feeling slightly ignored with our reviews on books in the fiction category. So we gladly dedicate this book review to all of them!

The book we bring to you was the first place winner of the Indie Awards held in 2010 in the Finance Category. Guest reviewer, Erin E. Schmidt Smith pitched in this week with her review of Martha Maeda's brilliant book on accounting fraud. By all standards, this is a book that will definitely help you spot a muddled up balance sheet when you see one! This is what she says about it:

When I first started The Complete Guide to Spotting Accounting Fraud & Cover-Ups: Everything You Need to Know Explained Simply by Martha Maeda (Atlantic Publishing Group, 2010), I thought I was going to be bored. Actually, this book is quite fascinating. It promises to be easy to read, and it lives up to that promise, even for someone who'd had no background in accounting or finances.

There are plenty of examples, including the cases of Bernard Madoff and Martha Stewart and examples from Coca-Cola, AOL, the International Olympic Committee and more that show how the lessons apply to real life. As a psychology major, I found the discussion of psychopathic personality disorder in business especially fascinating.

 This book is also very thorough. It discusses in detail the different kinds of frauds that are most likely to occur, why they occur, and who is most likely to be involved in them. More important, it details the ways owners of businesses large and small and investors can keep an eye out for the various kinds of fraud. Numerous resources went into researching this book, and Maeda shares the particularly valuable and user-friendly resources with the reader.

 According to the introduction, organizations in the USA lose about 7% of their annual revenue to fraud, or an estimated $994 billion total. For these reasons, anyone who runs a business or a charity (even church groups) or who has investments should read through it at least once.

A List of the 5 Most Popular Books on Librarywala.com and The Views of a Happy Librarywala.

Our online book rental website (http://www.librarywala.com/) has been doing a phenomenal job at making readers happy all over the country. Numbers most definitely are the best way to judge a book's popularity. After pouring over Excel sheets and analysing numbers, we bring to you a definitive list of the most circulated books across genres on the site.

A true storyteller keeps the reader hooked by unravelling the suspense at the very end. True to that, we go backwards and start with the 5th most circulated book on our website leading up to the most popular book. 

5. The Kite Runner- Khaled Hosseini

About the Book:

"Hosseini's stunning debut novel starts as an eloquent Afghan version of the American immigrant experience in the late 20th century, but betrayal and redemption come to the forefront when the narrator, a writer, returns to his ravaged homeland to rescue the son of his childhood friend after the boy's parents are shot during the Taliban takeover in the mid '90s....Add an incisive, perceptive examination of recent Afghan history and its ramifications in both America and the Middle East, and the result is a complete work of literature that succeeds in exploring the culture of a previously obscure nation that has become a pivot point in the global politics of the new millennium."

Rent it here:

http://www.librarywala.com/WEB/BookDetail.aspx?BID=5510

4. 2 States-The Story of My Marriage by Chetan Bhagat

About the Book:

"Love marriages around the world are simple: Boy loves girl. Girl loves boy. They get married. In India, there are a few more steps: Boy loves Girl. Girl loves Boy. Girl's family has to love boy. Boy's family has to love girl. Girl's Family has to love Boy's Family. Boy's family has to love girl's family. Girl and Boy still love each other. They get married. Welcome to 2 States, a story about Krish and Ananya. They are from two different states of India, deeply in love and want to get married. Of course, their parents don t agree. To convert their love story into a love marriage, the couple have a tough battle in front of them. For it is easy to fight and rebel, but it is much harder to convince. Will they make it?"

Rent it here:

http://www.librarywala.com/WEB/BookDetail.aspx?BID=8716

3. A Thousand Splendid Suns-Khaled Hosseini

About the book:
"The story covers three decades of anti-Soviet jihad, civil war and Taliban tyranny through the lives of two women. Mariam is the scorned illegitimate daughter of a wealthy businessman, forced at age 15 into marrying the 40-year-old Rasheed, who grows increasingly brutal as she fails to produce a child. Eighteen years later, Rasheed takes another wife, 14-year-old Laila, a smart and spirited girl whose only other options, after her parents are killed by rocket fire, are prostitution or starvation. Against a backdrop of unending war, Mariam and Laila become allies in an asymmetrical battle with Rasheed, whose violent misogyny is endorsed by custom and law. His tale is a powerful, harrowing depiction of Afghanistan, but also a lyrical evocation of the lives and enduring hopes of its resilient characters."


Rent it here:
http://www.librarywala.com/WEB/BookDetail.aspx?BID=5424


2. The Lost Symbol- Dan Brown

About the Book:
"The Lost Symbol once again features Dan Brown’s unforgettable protagonist, Robert Langdon. The book’s narrative takes place in a twelve-hour period, and from the first page, readers will feel the thrill of discovery as they follow Langdon through a masterful and unexpected landscape. Dan Brown’s prodigious talent for storytelling, infused with history, codes and intrigue, is on full display in this riveting novel."


Rent it here:
http://www.librarywala.com/WEB/BookDetail.aspx?BID=8502

The number one book won by a huge margin. It is a book loved by many Indians and undoubtedly one of the most popular authors in recent times, Chetan Bhagat.

To the sound of resounding applause, let's usher in the most popular book on Librarywala.com! 

About the book:

"In late-2000, a young boy in Ahmedabad called Govind dreamt of having a business. To accomodate his friends Ish and Omi's passion, they open a cricket shop. Govind's wants to make money and thinks big. Ish is all about nurturing Ali, the batsman with a rare gift. Omi knows his limited capabiltiies and just wants to be with his friends. However, nothing comes easy in a turbulent city. To realize their goals, they will have to face it all - religious politics, earthquakes, riots, unacceptable love and above all, their own mistakes. Will they make it? Can an individual's dreams overcome the nightmares offered by real life? Can we succeed despite a few mistakes? Based on real events, from the bestselling author of "Five Point Someone" and "One Night @ the call centre", comes another dark, witty tale about modern India."

Rent it here:

http://www.librarywala.com/WEB/BookDetail.aspx?BID=6993

On a different note, while we don't rest on our laurels, we definitely appreciate the voices of our loyal customers. Subhash Macha has been a satisfied customer at Librarywala.com for more than 2 and a half years now. He is an avid reader of both English and multi lingual books. His reading appetite gets full at Librarywala.com. Press PLAY to see what the happy Librarywala user had to say about our service: 

Thank you, Mr.Macha. 


Till next time,
Happy reading, Librarywalas. 

First Look of "What About the Boy?" by Stephen Gallup

At Librarywala, we make an effort to connect with readers and writers the world over in search of stories that are heartwarming and beautiful. It was an absolute pleasure to stumble upon the story Stephen Gallup has to share with the world in his poignant parental memoir "What About the Boy?" due to release in September this year. A story of undying devotion to his developmentally challenged son, it promises to take readers on an emotional roller-coaster like none other. It is a story of courage, love and belief that a silver lining does exist. 

Here's a little bio on this wonderful father Stephen Gallup.

Stephen Gallup grew up in North Carolina and Virginia. He studied at NC State University, earning a bachelor's degree in the life sciences, and then at the University of Virginia, where he received a master’s in English.

Beginning in 1977, he worked in various roles in technical communication in the aerospace and wireless telecommunications industries, with projects ranging from proposals for satellite launches and feasibility studies of space missions, to user guides for trendy new cell phones. In the early years, he wrote occasional short fiction on the side, and features for newspapers.

Gallup’s life changed dramatically with the birth of his son Joseph in 1985. Upon learning that there was a problem, he applied his energies to a pursuit of answers that he felt certain must exist. After a year of consulting with physicians to no effect, he located other resources. For the next four years, he and his wife Judy implemented an intensive two-pronged treatment campaign that resulted in dramatic improvements in Joseph’s condition.

His memoir What About the Boy? shows what the family did, and what happened next.

Here is an unpublished piece about his upcoming memoir, 'What About the Boy?' due to hit stores in September this year.

What would you do if you had a new baby who cried, not just sometimes but all the time? And what would you do if several months passed and your baby was not making any developmental progress?

Of course, you would take your baby to the doctor. But what would you do if, instead of offering treatment, the doctor simply told you to be less anxious? Time passes, and your baby is already one year old. The way he cries, and thrashes about, and vomits, you know he’s in distress. And he still cannot crawl or even sit up by himself.

Finally, without ever diagnosing your baby’s problem, the doctors tell you that you need counseling. They see a problem in you. You need to change your focus. The baby? Well, there’s not much to be done about the baby.

There is a choice to be made at such times. Yes, we must rely on specialists who surely know more than we do about such things, but if the specialists do not even try to help—what then?

What About the Boy? A Father’s Pledge to His Disabled Son is a memoir written by the father of such a child. Stephen Gallup and his wife Judy were a young couple who had recently moved to California, thousands of miles from their families and friends. When the doctors let them down, they had no support other than their own sense of what was right.

They knew their son Joseph depended on them to overcome whatever it was that bothered him, and they knew that, ultimately,  trying to find real help for him was their responsibility.

The memoir follows their reluctant first steps into the realm of alternative medicine. Some of the providers they find do not inspire confidence, but others personify common sense. What is more important is that, under a new regimen, Joseph finally attains peace within himself and begins the slow process of developing new skills. Such as crawling. And walking.

In the interests of disclosure, the victories this family achieves do not come without a heavy price, nor are they as complete and final as one might wish. Joseph’s path to wellness goes only so far.

Given that, let’s return to the question with which we began. Should the family have accepted the advice of authorities, or should they have dedicated their lives to an uphill battle that had no guarantee of success?

The book promises to be a compelling and honest read, offering a remarkable view of families who have to deal with similar situations in their lives. We champion the author's cause and hope this book is a grand success.

Do share your opinions with us. You may also connect with the author on his blog http://fatherspledge.com/.

The Coughed Up Questions As One Cruises Down 'River of Smoke'.

River of Smoke, the latest by the internationally renowned, snow-white haired Amitav Ghosh, has captured the collective imagination of readers as it sails down the Pearl River in Canton, China.  The second in the Ibis trilogy on the opium wars between China and Britain, the author takes us across the broad canvas of globalization in that era. It has already topped fiction lists worldwide and deservedly so. The author and his literature have a reputation for being ‘cerebral’ or a tough read for the average reader.  Here, we raise some pertinent questions that arise out of this book.

As one skims the pages of this book, what springs out is the attention to detail in characterization and location. Through the vivid depiction of places, persons and events, the author takes us back into time to view a panoramic world history, which is at once intriguing and enlightening. The narrative goes a long way in providing the reader a bird’s eye view of cross cultural influences and free trade in the 1800s. The book has an exciting plot on a grand scale, and gets bonus points for historical accuracy. Ghosh’s time working as an anthropologist clearly shines through as the book is a riveting and discursive history lesson for the interested. Can one ever really relate to experiences where they were not actually present, we ask? Also, as a society, have we forgotten how to empathise?

Interestingly portrayed are the characters in the book who struggle coping with their sudden loss as well as unimaginable freedom. Take for example, the intimate struggles of warm and charming Barham Modi, the Parsi trader battling with the ethics of the opium trade. Great sympathy is evoked for him when he suffers a reversal of fortune, which forces the reader to empathize and duly imagine the anguish he must have experienced.  An Arab proverb poignantly says, “All sunshine made the desert”, implying that life is a journey of joys as well as misfortunes.  Can the convergence of money and power have unexpected consequences, we contemplate.

Ghosh is an author who wears his love for language on his sleeve. In the first few paragraphs of the book, one is bombarded with obscure words such as “belsers”, “bowjis” and “pus-pus” which add colour and local identity to the conversation of the characters. These are words that not only you, but dictionaries may have forgotten, which makes you reach for ancient dictionaries or make frantic calls to grandmothers. Far too much of the book is laden with these words and unless you have an in-depth knowledge of the root language or a great dictionary, this can be a tiresome read. We ask: Are we losing consciousness of regional words and flavor when opting for books written in pure English? Is our 5000-year old culture suffering as a result of globalization?

The rich detail in this book results in the creation of cinematic shots in the mind of the reader, where we are transported to early 19^th century China with literary ease. As we turned the last page and were transported back to 21^st century reality, we were overcome with a flood of emotions and questions that are as relevant today as they were in that era. Not only did this take us by surprise, it overwhelmed us; the sign of a great novel. It forces us to question not only the myriad styles and slow evolution of readership in India, but the basis of our chosen morals and circumstantial opinions and decisions.

Please feel free to share your opinions and questions on this article.

A Pat On Our Backs!

Look who is saying good things about us! The team at Lighthouse Insights, a company that captures India social media updates and insights came up with an interesting article about Librarywala.com's interactions with its members. 


Here is an excerpt from their piece on Librarywala that made us glow with pride:


"Terrific use of Blog: We always think a blog is a must if you really want to spread your wings in social media. It’s your digital asset and Librarywala definitely knows this. The content on the blog is quite innovative and engaging too. From book reviews to interviews they have a mix of content. The content is being appreciated by the community which is reflected in the recent comments widget. The Blog also reflects presence on other social networks in a simple way. Post more and keep your blog growing, you guys are doing a great job on your blog."


For more: Please click HERE. 


It is this sort of encouragement that keeps our spirits high, and drives our passion of serving you better. Thank You, Lighthouse Insights. We promise to work on your suggestions with sincerity and not get light-headed with the appreciation. Thanks to all our dear readers for all their kind support and we hope to continue with it all through!


And hey, if you guys are thinking of catching up on some more of Charles Dickens, here are our suggestions- 
http://www.librarywala.com/WEB/AdvanceSearch.aspx

We recommend A Tale of Two Cities, Oliver Twist and Hard Times by this marvelously eccentric author, who has been known to say, "Have a heart that never hardens, and a temper that never tires, and a touch that never hurts."


Till next time,
Rent-Read- Return with
Librarywala.com

Quote of The Week.

"Whether I shall turn out to be the hero of my own life, or whether that station will be held by anybody else, these pages must show."


The opening lines of David Copperfield set the stage for a remarkable novel. Not too many people would disagree that Charles Dickens truly was a genius with words. These dramatic first lines prove it. 
Many of us choose to live life like a spectator sport. It's time you show up in your own life.
Have you read this book yet? :)

Exclusive Book Review: I Have A Dream

A review of Rashmi Bansal’s recent book, ‘I Have a Dream’, that captures the fascinating true stories of 20 social entrepreneurs in India

Author: Rashmi Bansal

Pages:  337

Format: Paperback; Non-Fiction

Publisher: Westland Publications

Note from the Blog Editor: For those not in the know, I am going to let you in on a secret. The experience of having a recently launched book in perfect condition delivered at your doorstep is simply priceless. It is also addictive, may I warn you. Try it :)

At the very outset, the title of the book instantly brings to mind Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. passionately delivering the hair-raising speech on racial equality in hazy black and white. In a country inebriated by its own economic prowess, Rashmi Bansal’s “I Have a Dream” captures the lives of twenty individuals who looked past the glossy images of Bollywood stars, IT entrepreneurs and equally clichéd Indian stereotypes. It is a story of ordinary persons choosing to tread a new path of social service that millions of us chose to ignore. They went on to dedicate their lives to seal the cracks in the system with sheer courage and determination.

In her previous bestseller, Stay Hungry Stay Foolish, the author had featured two social entrepreneurs, Venkat Krishnan of Give India and Vijay Mahajan of Basix. She realized that “entrepreneurship is not only about commerce… it can be a tool to create social impact.” The author credits the fantastic response these stories received to pen a book on focused on “Social Entrepreneurship”. 

To begin with, the author’s note in her latest work, points out the apathetic nature of the bustling middle class towards social evils, and their complete ignorance of problems plaguing the society.  The dreary background creates a dramatic literary pedestal from where the stories of the social entrepreneurs launch.

Reminiscent of the style of her previous two bestsellers, the entrepreneurs here are categorized neatly into three sections as the Rainmakers, Changemakers and The Spiritual Capitalists. Interestingly, the names of the individual chapters are taken from popular songs (The Sound of Silence), bestsellers (The Hungry Tide), universal hymns (Lead Kindly, Light) and colloquial proverbs (Teach a Man to Fish). With instantly identifiable references, Bansal has fortified her status as an author responsive to the masses. A section titled ‘Advice to Young Entrepreneurs’ by these wonderful individuals is to be found at the end of every chapter.

A myriad mix of people with big dreams and innovative ideas to achieve their dreams are weaved into the narrative of the book. “Our movement is to restore the human rights and dignity of untouchables,” says Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak. He reveals with Gandhiesque simplicity, his experience of leading the Sulabh movement that has created a revolution in toilets, and providing respect to the people who clean them. The genuine passion for polishing rough diamonds to reveal their natural brilliance is seen best in the story of Anand Kumar (of Super 30 fame) whose “intention is not only restricted to earning money. Sometimes a 45 minute lecture will go on for 2 hours-until we find a solution to the problem.” From founding a courier service employing only the deaf (Dhruv Lakra) to creating a company that makes solar lighting affordable for villagers (Harish Hande), the book is replete with instances of innovative offbeat thinking applied to combating several social issues. While J.K. Rowling may be credited for making people believe in the power of imagination once again, these 20 social entrepreneurs are truly the embodiment of what happens when imagination meets social consciousness.

Some of the common themes running across the 20 stories are the occurrence of a life-changing experience, a person with blind belief in the profiled entrepreneur and their determination and zest to bring about sustained. They have been chosen from a wide spectrum of social enterprise. The advice dished out by these socially-driven individuals is practical and inspiring. In the light of recent events, the story of Arvind Kejriwal adds those personal tidbits Wikipedia may have missed out. However, the 20 personality profiles seem slightly one-dimensional, owing to the fact that in most cases, just the person being profiled has been interviewed.  An effort to speak with family members, colleagues or at the very least, the person who believed in the change maker from an early stage would have yielded sweeter fruit.

Bansal makes a considerable effort to engage our moral imagination. The writing is simple, almost too simple, which might aid the first-time reader, but leaves seasoned readers wishing for much more.  Peppered with vernacular, this book may be hailed as the Dabanng of business writing. The author feels the need to break into Hindi every few lines, and the Hindi transliterated in English text can become an eyesore to some readers.  

In a genre filled with shining examples of brilliant writing, this is a book that could have been extraordinary.  Conceptually strong, these are stories that demanded better literary treatment.

However, the book fulfills the aim of driving aspiring entrepreneurs and socially active people alike. The author must be lauded for bringing these beautiful stories into the light for the world to see, respect and emulate. If our nation is proudly shedding its history of poverty, underdevelopment and to some extent, corruption, here are at least 20 people we should thank for it. There are a million others whose stories haven’t been scripted but are contributing bit-by-bit to improving this nation and taking it to the top. The dream of Shining India 2020 might just be a reality as these efforts go on and create a nation-wide revelation.

This book asks one question of the cynics and armchair critics, ‘How will you change reality if you choose not to see it?’

We know you're busy, so get the book in the comfort of your home by just ordering from Librarywala. Here's the link: http://librarywala.com/WEB/BookDetail.aspx?BID=13469

What do you think of the book? Do write in. :)