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Damaged Goods

The Rise and Fall of Sir Philip Green - The Sunday Times Bestseller

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Damaged Goods

By: Oliver Shah
Narrated by: Oliver Shah
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About this listen

Penguin Audio presents Damaged Goods written and read by Oliver Shah.

DISCOVER THE SHOCKING TRUTH BEHIND THE BUSINESS AND LIFESTYLE OF SIR PHILIP GREEN

In this jaw-dropping expose, Oliver Shah uncovers the truth behind one of Britain's biggest business scandals, following Sir Philip Green's journey to the big time, the wild excesses of his heyday and his dramatic demise.

Stunning praise for the book:

'A detailed and entertaining dismantling of the 'king of the high street'' Guardian

'Superb' Evening Standard

'From the glitzy parties to the threatening phone calls, the larger-than-life characters to the speedy downfall, this real-life tale of hubris has all the elements of a Greek tragedy' City AM

'Entertaining stuff, pacily written. Filled with colourful characters - and expletives' The Times

'Shah has written a hard-hitting, often funny, ultimately sobering tale of how fortunes were made and lost in late 20th and early 21st century Britain' Financial Times

The author:

Oliver Shah is the award-winning Business Editor of the Sunday Times who uncovered the methods Green used to amass his gigantic offshore fortune and the desperation that drove his doomed BHS deal. Shah was named business journalist of the year at both the Press Awards and London Press Club Awards in 2017 for his investigation into Sir Philip Green. He studied English at Cambridge University and journalism at City University before joining City AM in 2009 and the Sunday Times in 2010. Aged 34, Shah lives in east London.

Business Business Ethics Corruption & Misconduct Entertainment & Celebrities Politics & Government Professionals & Academics Workplace & Organisational Behavior Celebrity Inspiring Thought-Provoking Banking

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Critic reviews

From the glitzy parties to the threatening phone calls, the larger-than-life characters to the speedy downfall, this real-life tale of hubris has all the elements of a Greek tragedy. Either that or a James Graham box office hit (Alys Key)
Superb. It manages to be both forensic and pacey. It's penetrating, but it's not unfair. If there is a benefit of doubt to be given, Shah gives it.
A sweeping, detailed colourful account of the rise and fall of the king of the UK's High Street, complete with a Dickensian cast of grifters, charlatans, flunkies, the odd dogged hero, and an irresistibly obnoxious protagonist. Shah has written a hard-hitting, often funny, ultimately sobering tale of how fortunes were made and lost in late 20th and early 21st century Britain.
Meticulously researched... it's entertaining stuff, pacily written. Filled with colourful characters - and expletives.
Brilliantly researched and sensational. The book reads as though it is on speed: there are moments when Shah's narrative runs like a frantic James Bond script interspersed with moments of Shakespearean farce. There are times you have to prick yourself to remember that Green's wheeling and dealing is not fiction but what actually took place behind the closed doors of the High Street
A detailed and entertaining dismantling of the 'king of the high street'
A merciless, profanity-strewn dissection of the tumultuous career of UK retail tycoon Philip Green (Andrew Hill)
All stars
Most relevant
OMG... this is a fabulous book for anyone interested in the ins and outs of the City. So much detail but told in a very easy to listen to style. Love him or hate him Green has had an amazing life. Shah actually gives a not unsympathetic narrative about a man who is clearly deeply flawed as a human being but is like we all are a mix of good and bad. If you are offended by lots of expletives then avoid the book as Green seems to use the F Word as others would use a full stop in most sentences... riveting read...

OMG outstanding book

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Oliver Shah is very good. This is a very interesting book and would love to know how accurate it is. The entire book is thorough and compelling.

Interesting and well produced

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Story of greed and the many lives ruined by Sir Philip Green due to collapse of BHS.

Eye opening must read for anyone in finance

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This is a remarkable story of greed, and how the U.K.’s London based economy has worked over the past two decades. Lawyers, accountants, merchant bankers all deserve as much disapproval as Green’s methods and the fantasist Dominic Chappell he was so keen to pass the business to. Quite a listen, and together with the excellent Bad Blood a real indictment of vanity, corruption and a form of Capitalism that has run out of control.

Compelling

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Wow!
I didn’t realise half of what went on in retail.
Amazed to hear that bankers, politicians and fraudsters go hand in hand.
Thinking long and hard, after listening to this superbly written and narrated book, whether to cash in my private pension now too!
Highly recommend!

Fantastic book!

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