This book should be subtitled "I was there, and it's not my fault". The author devotes a lot of space cataloging excruciating details surrounding the failures of companies for which he worked, and not much space to analyzing the failures. The style wears thin quickly. I slogged through to the end hoping for some gem to redeem my purchase, but I was left with an interview with Joel of Joel on Software. It was on the strength of his review that I bought the book; Joel needs to stick to shilling his software.