Taking the Harder Right

By Oliver G. Halle

No Synopsis Available.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0977283003
• ISBN13: 9780977283002
• Release Date: March 2006
• Publisher: Concord Bridge Press
• Length: 134 Pages
• Weight: 0.52 lbs.

Customer Reviews

Riveting, exhilarating, and mesmerizing

I have had the pleasure of sitting in two lectures of the author and two of his co-authors. The first time was during my final semester in a graduate course in 2006. Diann Cattani, one of the co-authors, was the only presenter at the time. The presentation was so mesmerizing that you could hear a pin drop in the entire room. This was a true story of personal battles, a good wonderful person with an excellent upbringing, giving into pressures mostly created by her alone, and taking the easier wrong path rather the harder right - and paying dearly as a result. The courage that she displayed as she shared her story truthfully in hopes to reach others that might be falling into the same trap was astounding. I purchased the book that night and could not put it down till I finished it. The main author, Oliver Halle, is a retired special FBI agent, sharing his "life changing" and "life shaping" stories, and defining the distinction between the two. In addition to Diann's story, the book has two other fascinating stories of real people as well, of Josh Kenyon and Walt Pavlo, two other upstanding individuals who somewhere along the way took the easier wrong rather that the harder right; and ended up with having to face dire consequences. These are not fictional characters, these are real people, high upstanding educated professionals who know right from wrong, yet they fell into a downward spiral of destruction after taking the easier wrong, until it led to their total demise. As I began my carrier as an auditor, and began studying for Forensic Accounting, I often thought about Diann's presentation and the message of the book. When I heard there is going to be another presentation at the same class a year later in 2007, I contacted my professor and asked permission to be present. This time, I had the pleasure of listening to Oliver's presentation, as well as listening to Josh's and Diann's story. A year had passed since the first presentation, and listening to Diann's story brought tears to my eyes again. I wanted to hug her and take all of her pain away. A year had passed for me, I had moved on in my career, and Diann was still suffering the consequences of her actions. I read the book again that night from cover to cover, and found it just as intriguing and fascinating as I did the first time. Buy this book, and read it, realizing these are real people, these are real stories, and learn from their mistakes. All people at all different stages of life, in any profession or way of life can benefit from their experience. The more people they reach, the more they have given back to the society that they once wronged. THAT is their ultimate goal.

Excellent Resource

I started reading the book last night, and the next thing I knew, I finished it. This is an excellent resource for our students, and I congratulate the authors for a job extremely well done. Halle's front-end material and the three tragic stories at the end of the book make for a very powerful message. I have had this group speak to my graduate accounting class twice, and they are fantastic! My students have been "blown away" both times, and the book is very consistent with the theme of their seminar.

The price of white-collar crime

In this small volume, Oliver Halle speaks volumes about the compelling lures and lapses in judgment that can lead the best of people into spiraling descents of ruination, culminating in felony convictions and prison terms. His contributing authors are Diann Cattani, Josh Kenyon, and Walt Pavlo-three bright, well-educated people who would have never dreamed they would end their careers as convicted felons. Their lives are tragic: destroyed families, abandonment by friends, disbarment, employment opportunities reduced to menial occupations devoid of even health benefits. Their written stories, including the heartbreak of a child revealed in a Christmas letter to her father in prison, are poignant and painful recollections of how normal, respectable people can rationalize criminal behavior under stress. Living with the consequences of their actions after prison has become a second sentence as they forage through the guilt-ridden ruins of their former lives and struggle to integrate their crimes with their self-perception. Their second chance is working with Halle. As "Taking the Harder Right" presenters, they courageously take their stories public in hopes of sparing others a similar fate. A retired 28-year veteran FBI special agent who holds Juris Doctor and Master of Laws degrees, Halle was certified as a legal advisor and ethics instructor by the FBI. Drawing on his life experiences, Halle shares his personal ethical underpinnings as well as his own disillusionment at discovering that a trusted associate had lapsed into criminal behavior. He is the founding president of Oliver G. Halle & Associates, Inc., featuring a fraud-prevention, ethical awareness training program. Additional information about the company can be found at www.CorporateScaredStraight.com.

Taking that "Harder Right" ...the ONLY choice!

This book shows that anyone can take a 'left' when they know they need to take that "Harder Right". As the participants in this book learn, consequences from the actions may not be foreseen, but are always regretted. Learn how lives were destroyed then how the participants continually suffer and learn from their past discretions. A great read for any corporation to help employees understand consequences of improprieties, both on the corporate and personal level.

Two thumbs up for Taking the Harder Right

Taking the Harder Right is a riveting book dealing with 3 stories that illustrate the devastation that occurred because of someone "taking the easier wrong". Halle is straightforward and bold in his writing. He paints a realistic picture of how good people have fallen into mistakes that negatively impact their lives and those they love in the most devastating manner. I plan on using this book with my seniors high students in my internship class. This book is a must read for anyone wishing to do the right thing.