House of Lies by Martin Kihn Summary
Overview of House of Lies
Behind Showtime's Golden Globe-winning series lies Martin Kihn's scathing expose of consulting's dark arts. Praised by Vanity Fair's Graydon Carter as "lacerating," this insider memoir reveals how consultants "steal your watch and tell you the time" - a truth that transformed corporate scrutiny forever.
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Key takeaways
The Consulting Carnival: Behind the Trillion-Dollar Curtain
Ever wondered who really runs the business world? Wake up using Gillette products, take medications from Merck, put on Levi's, eat Sara Lee, and turn on GE lights-congratulations, you've just interacted with five companies run by Harvard MBAs or ex-McKinsey consultants. This isn't coincidence. Management consulting represents a shadowy power structure that shapes global commerce while remaining deliberately opaque to outsiders. Martin Kihn's "House of Lies" pulls back the curtain on this $250+ billion industry with the irreverent insider perspective of someone who lived it. The odds of joining this elite club? About 488 billion to 1-from birth to McKinsey partner. That makes winning an Oscar (a mere 3 million to 1) look like a casual weekend achievement. The consulting ecosystem operates as a closed loop of influence: former consultants become clients, creating a self-perpetuating machine that extends beyond business into government policy, nonprofit leadership, and global economics. What's most fascinating isn't just the industry's reach, but how it maintains power despite delivering questionable value. The secret? A carefully constructed facade of expertise, proprietary frameworks that repackage common sense, and linguistic sleight-of-hand that transforms simple ideas into seemingly profound insights.
The Rainmaker's Playbook: How Fabrication Trumps Expertise
Speaking Authoritatively About Nothing: The Consultant's Toolkit
The Feedback Charade: Corporate Mind Games
The Nomadic Lifestyle: Hotels, Points, and Misery
The Client Relationship: Secrecy, Politics, and Manipulation
The Consulting Paradox: Why the Industry Thrives Despite Itself
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"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
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