Publishers Keep Releasing Enron Books

HOUSTON -- Publishers are undaunted by lukewarm interest in the first wave of books chronicling the failure of Enron Corp. and are heavily promoting two more destined for bookstores -- one on Tuesday, the other in October, The Associated Press reported Sunday.

"There is much bigger, badder news going on in the world today, which I would say doesn't make Enron a diminutive story, but it's not as hugely important and captivating a story as it was," said literary agent Richard Pine, president of Arthur Pine Associates Inc. who has represented authors of business books.

Doubleday's Power Failure, written by Texas Monthly editor Mimi Swartz with former Enron executive Sherron Watkins contributing, got good reviews. But its March release coincided with the war in Iraq, adding another hurdle to competition from four Enron titles released since June 2002.

Due out Tuesday is HarperCollins' 24 Days: How Two Wall Street Journal Reporters Uncovered the Lies That Destroyed Faith in Corporate America, written by Journal reporters Rebecca Smith and John Emshwiller.

On Oct. 16 Penguin Putnam will release The Smartest Guys in the Room, by Fortune Magazine reporters Bethany McLean and Peter Elkind. McLean's March 2001 cover story for Fortune, "Is Enron Overpriced?," questioned how the company earned its billions months before any problems surfaced.

-- NYSSCPA.org News Staff

Posted on 8/2/03