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BookBrowse Reviews Red Notice by Bill Browder
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A True Story of High Finance, Murder, and One Man's Fight for Justice
by Bill Browder
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- Biography & Memoir
- History, Current Affairs and Religion
- Russia (North Asia)
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An exposé of corruption in the Russian government turns into a high-stakes game with potentially dangerous implications for the author, as outlined in this gripping non-fiction account.
The dissolution of the USSR in 1991 opened new doors to foreign investment. Bill Browder, a young and aspiring entrepreneur, sought to take advantage of the emerging Russian markets and so in 1996 formed Hermitage Capital Management, an investment and asset management firm focused on the country's economy. Red Notice chronicles his career as he made and lost fortunes and eventually ended up on the wrong side of some very powerful men. The book is really comprised of two parts. The first 150 pages or so relate Browder's adventures (and misadventures) as he established himself in the world of high finance. Told with a self-deprecating charm and sense of humor, the story of the author's formative years is involving without becoming too technical for the layperson. It's exceptionally entertaining and as the monetary stakes rise to astronomical levels, the narrative starts to resemble a high-speed fictional thriller. It's rare that I'd call a non-fiction account a page-turner, but in this case the description is apt. The second part of the book becomes darker as Browder describes how his firm began uncovering corruption in the financing of Russian corporations, which benefited a small cadre of officials at the expense of the country's citizens. As the author and his legal team exposed this exploitation, their actions had increasingly serious repercussions, eventually resulting in the incarceration, torture and death of Sergei Magnitsky, one of Hermitage's lawyers. Browder subsequently decided to enlist the help of American politicians to raise awareness of the ongoing human rights abuses perpetrated by the Russian government - an effort that continues today. This section is as engrossing as the first half in spite of the somewhat slow pace as the author navigates the complexities of the U.S. political scene. Although Red Notice is set firmly in the realm of finance and politics, Browder successfully weaves a human element into the tapestry to create a truly moving tribute to Magnitsky and his family. My attention was also completely absorbed by the author's straightforward storytelling and I appreciated his ability to present complicated financial and political topics in a way that was both accessible and interesting. For example, I remember learning the complex path an idea takes on its way to becoming a law - and being bored to tears by the process, in high school civics class. Browder covers this territory with such a personal slant and so much emotion that it's more like following a sporting event; I found myself inwardly cheering as each hurdle was overcome. I generally approach first-person accounts with a healthy amount of skepticism, since naturally the author's personal "spin" comes into play, and often readers are getting only one side of the story. However, as the book progresses it becomes clear that the circumstances Browder portrays have been thoroughly vetted by both politicians and journalists, and as a result the account leaves little room for doubt that events occurred as described. I did enjoy the book – very much, in fact – but at the same time, as a reader, I felt a little bit used. As the narrative moves along, it begins to resemble a high-stakes chess match, with each side making a move calculated to figuratively inflict damage on the opponent. It's not to say that Browder's crusade is unjustified in any way, but this story feels like his next step in upping the ante, and that by reading it I've become an unwilling participant in someone else's battle. This impression may be exacerbated by the sense that the conflict isn't resolved - that there's more to come - and so the book feels premature in some respects. High finance and politics may not be among many readers' first choices when making a non-fiction selection, so I do wonder what type of audience Red Notice will attract. I hope that it will bring people out of their comfort zones, though, as it's a compelling narrative that deserves a wide readership. It's accessible enough that people who generally prefer fiction will almost certainly find that it will keep them entertained, and the subject matter is important enough that it will likely resonate with those who prefer books about social issues.
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Beyond the Book: Interpol and Red Notices
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A vital exposé that is also a bravura feat of storytelling.
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March 18, 2015. The grandson of the head of the American Communist Party commits the ultimate act of rebellion: He gets a business degree from Stanford. From there, he goes on to build the biggest ...
Red Notice is one of the best nonfiction books I've read in a long time. I could not put it down. ... I don't have time to review this book properly. In a nutshell, I was fascinated by the first half of it - all about the author learning to become a hedge fund manager, and his experiences in Russia and the highs and the lows of that ...
It may be that "Russian stories never have happy endings," but Browder's account more than compensates by ferociously unmasking Putin's thugocracy. 2. Pub Date: Feb. 3, 2015. ISBN: 978-1-4767-5571-7. Page Count: 400. Publisher: Simon & Schuster. Review Posted Online: Nov. 19, 2014. Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2014.
Red Notice is a dramatic, moving and thriller-like account of how Magnitsky's death transformed Browder from hedge-fund manager to global human rights crusader. Its title refers to the ...
Feb. 2, 2015 7:38 pm ET. Share. Resize. Hermitage Capital CEO Bill Browder on his new book, "Red Notice," and getting on the wrong side of the Russian dictator. Photo credit: Getty Images. For ...
Red Notice tells the story of how a group of people led by the author, battled economic corruption in Russia, exposing the illegal acts of billionaire oligarchs who scoffed at the law. The range of emotions is wide: pride, fear, excitement, joy, sadness, despair, hope. It's one of the best books I've read, certainly the best true crime.
In Red Notice, Bill Browder tells the harrowing and inspiring story of how his fight for justice in Russia made him an unlikely international human rights leader and Vladimir Putin's number-one enemy.It is the book for anyone interested in understanding the culture of corruption and impunity in Putin's Russia today, and Browder's heroic example of how to fight back.
book review 'Red Notice' by Bill Browder. By James Zug Globe Correspondent, January 31, 2015, 11:09 a.m. Justin Renteria for the boston globe. This is the tale of an accidental activist. ...
His most recent book is The Last Man in Russia, and the Struggle to Save a Dying Nation. Red Notice is published by Bantam Press, £8.99. Click here to buy it for £7.19 .
Red Notice chronicles his career as he made and lost fortunes and eventually ended up on the wrong side of some very powerful men. The book is really comprised of two parts. The first 150 pages or so relate Browder's adventures (and misadventures) as he established himself in the world of high finance.
Bill Browder. 4.48. 81 ratings6 reviews. Red Notice is a story about how an accidental activist. Bill Browder started out his adult life as the Wall Street maverick whose instincts led him to Russia just after the breakup of the Soviet Union, where he made his fortune. Following his explosive New York Times bestseller Red Notice, Bill Browder ...
In 2019, I read and reviewed 62 books for my Goodreads Challenge. My reviews were also posted on Amazon and Bookbub. My favourite genres include inspirational memoirs, travel, environmental awareness, self help and crime thrillers. Red Notice was my favourite read from last year. It is an inspirational memoir, but it reads rather like a John Le ...
Freezing Order, the follow-up to Red Notice, is available now! "[Red Notice] does for investing in Russia and the former Soviet Union what Liar's Poker did for our understanding of Salomon Brothers, Wall Street, and the mortgage-backed securities business in the 1980s.Browder's business saga meshes well with the story of corruption and murder in Vladimir Putin's Russia, making Red ...
Freezing Order, the follow-up to Red Notice, is available now!"[Red Notice] does for investing in Russia and the former Soviet Union what Liar's Poker did for our understanding of Salomon Brothers, Wall Street, and the mortgage-backed securities business in the 1980s.Browder's business saga meshes well with the story of corruption and murder in Vladimir Putin's Russia, making Red ...
Key Ideas. The book "Red Notice: A True Story of High Finance, Murder, and One Man's Fight for Justice" by Bill Browder explores several key ideas that shed light on the dark underbelly of high finance, political corruption, and the fight for justice.Some of these key ideas include: Corruption and Power Browder vividly portrays the pervasive corruption in Russian politics and business.
Red Notice has garnered a tremendous amount of attention since publication in 2015, but given the ongoing current events, it still feels like 95% of Americans aren't aware of the true nature of the Russian state under Vladimir Putin. All Bankers Anonymous books in one place! Post read (2006) times. And I mean that as the highest form of praise.
"Reads like a classic thriller, with an everyman hero alone and in danger in a hostile foreign city . . . but it's all true." -- Lee Child, bestselling author of the Jack Reacher series "The first half of Red Notice traces Browder's improbable journey from prep-school washout through college, business school, and a series of consulting and Wall Street jobs before becoming Russia's ...
THE BOOK THAT EXPLAINS WHY RUSSIANS WANTED TO MEET WITH THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN" Part John Grisham-like thriller, part business and political memoir." —The New York Times. Characters: 159. Amazon rating: 5 stars. Genre: Non-Fiction. Discussion Questions: Red Notice. Discussion Questions: General.
In his book Red Notice, Bill Browder peels back Russia's thin skin and exposes the maggot-infested viscera that are Vladimir Putin's organs of state. Browder, once the largest foreign investor in Russia through his Hermitage Fund, made his money after the fall of the Soviet Union by buying shares in Russian enterprises at fire-sale prices. ...
Freezing Order, the follow-up to Red Notice, is available now!"[Red Notice] does for investing in Russia and the former Soviet Union what Liar's Poker did for our understanding of Salomon Brothers, Wall Street, and the mortgage-backed securities business in the 1980s.Browder's business saga meshes well with the story of corruption and murder in Vladimir Putin's Russia, making Red ...
Overall, Red Notice is a very good book. Browder's compelling story and writing style make this book easy to rapidly get through. In a way, it's almost like a well-written spy novel, though the story is real. ... Book reviews & recommendations : IMDb Movies, TV & Celebrities: IMDbPro Get Info Entertainment Professionals Need: Kindle Direct ...
"A fascinating exposé." (The Guardian (UK)) "A tale that makes the dirty dealings of House of Cards look like Snow White." (The Toronto Star) "The financial thriller book category just met its match." (Pensions and Investments) "Hard to put down . . . Red Notice is part John Grisham-like thriller, part business and political memoir." (Andrew Ross Sorkin New York Times) "Reads like a ...