Fallen giant

Shelp worked for years alongside Maurice "Hank" Greenberg and inside American International Group, and with co-writer Al Ehrbar he returns to both the company and its longtime leader in this revised edition. Greenberg ran AIG for close to four decades, during which he turned a modest insurer whose main asset was a strong Chinese business into one of the most profitable firms in the world.

This update covers what has happened since the first edition. It follows the lawsuits now pending against Greenberg and the company, including a criminal case in which five men, one of whom still works for Greenberg, face prison time. It also recounts how the Federal Reserve came to rescue AIG and why Washington felt it had no real alternative.

The book traces AIG's roots to Shanghai in 1919, describes the events that led to the fall of its chief executive, and shows how the company came close to collapsing. Its mix of international intrigue and business analysis is aimed at readers interested in corporate power, financial crisis and the people behind them.