The Interview

by Mark Graham and King Hurley

Book Overview

The Interview takes readers on a wild ride throughout the upper echelon of corporate America, the darkest jungles of Southeast Asia, and the seediest side of Bangkok. The Book's deft narrative style... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0977418804
• ISBN13: 9780977418800
• Release Date: September 2006
• Publisher: Paanadaa
• Length: 245 Pages
• Weight: 1.35 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 6.3" x 9.1"

Customer Reviews

The Best Book I Have Read in Ten Years!

The Interview reminds me of a great Grisham novel, only it is written more intelligently and with greater depth. The insight into the corporate world is amazing and the ending was absolutely fantastic. I work in the corporate world and this novel was closer to reality than any book I have ever read. The style of the book was compelling, the scenes in Bangkok were riveting and the characters were rich and real. A tremendous novel that I highly recommend!

Great Debut Novel

This debut novel by King Hurley gives new meaning to the concept of "the interview from hell," and does so while taking us on a serpentine journey through exotic places, giving us food for thought about what we might sacrifice for the sake of our careers,and making us very sympathetic towards a corporate CEO. While corporate CEOs have become societal pariahs these days, thanks to a few bad apples, this CEO is not only a nice guy, he has scruples. And he is at risk of losing his life in this interview process. This is a skillfully crafted debut novel. Hey, Ron Howard. Are you out there? This would make a great movie, too.

captures the reader's attention

Just how far would you go for employment opportunity? Is your career more important than family, friends, or your happiness? Just how far should companies go to woo their next big players? In King Hurley's novel, "The Interview," readers will come face to face with those questions and will come to realize how dangerous it is to play with tigers. Michael King is the CEO of a pharmaceutical company, making a competitive wage and living a good, albeit stressed, life. He takes on the worries of his investors, and dreams of a simpler life. When his recruiter calls with the offer of a lifetime, he simply cannot say no. Panda Pharmaceuticals is the largest private drug company there is. They are on the cutting edge of medical breakthroughs and employ the greatest minds in the industry. Michael first interviews with the board and then with the partner President in Virginia, where he is wooed without mercy. The final word though, is up to Dr. Chu, the other presidential partner in Thailand. Michael's weeklong visit to Dr. Chu is when the real interview takes place. When dealing with the future of a multi-billion dollar company, one can expect the interview process to be highly scrutinizing. Michael thinks he is prepared, but nothing could be further from the truth. No one could be prepared for such a trial. But how can he say no? The novel is well set up, with great detail to characterization. The plot flows smoothly, gaining strength as the pages turn, developing a running high in the last few chapters. The story idea is fascinating, even compelling. Truly, the book captures the reader's attention. "The Interview" is a very well written piece of fiction. Review by Heather Froeschl.

A Fast And Fun Novel That Would Make A Great Movie

"The Interview" is a fast-paced novel that takes the reader on a wild ride. The hero of "The Interview" is the CEO of a successful pharmaceutical company. When he is wooed by a competitor, he embarks upon an interview process that will take him from his corporate headquarters in Colorado to the streets and opium fields of Thailand. This journey is one filled with dangers; and "The Interview" has more than its fair share of exciting twists and turns. This is the kind of novel that would make for a great movie. It has all of the suspense, drama, and plot-twists that Hollywood executives seem to so enjoy. Additionally, the premise behind this novel is quite unusual and compelling. I thoroughly enjoyed "The Interview" and look forward to King Hurley's future books.

For a first time author, King has created a virtuoso novel with all the poise and erudition of a vet

King Hurley's debut, The Interview novel focuses on Michael King, the CEO of a public company, Peak Pharmaceuticals. Hurley is not exactly ecstatic about his job as he states, "the life of a CEO slugging it out in the public arena was neither glamorous nor fun, but you can count on it aging the hell out of you." Peak Pharmaceuticals is quite successful with yearly sales in the range of five hundred million, however, shareholders are always clamoring for more, like a pack of hound dogs nipping at King's heels. As a result of this constant pressure, King begins to self-examine himself and his job and why he continues to work for a public company, constantly beholden to the shareholders. One evening, he receives a phone call from Karin Baxter, a "head hunter" at a prestigious executive recruitment company, offering him the chance of a lifetime he couldn't refuse- an interview for the position of CEO of the private and incredibly successful company Panda Pharmaceuticals. He could hardly contain himself from saying yes, particularly when their offer included a private jet, a three million dollar housing allowance and an annual salary of five million dollars with a signing bonus of five million dollars, as well as one million dollars guaranteed in twenty years. Panda Pharmaceuticals' seventy-three year old President and CEO, Philip Chatzwirth, was stepping down after thirty-nine years at the helm. Chatzwirth was based at the company's headquarters in Virginia. The company was co-founded by Chatzwirth together with Dr. Chu Zhong Liu, who was based in Thailand. Apparently, the company had quietly introduced three derivatives, all opium based and all, according to one of their scientists, non-addictive. Two of these derivatives-Trifil and Thorafil-were making steady inroads in advanced cancer treatment and the third, Cielmeta was slowly taking hold with patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis. However, all three drugs were being produced in Asia, as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration had not yet accepted them. What bothered King was that the company owned two hundred thousand acres of poppy fields that were located mostly in Thailand. Considering that an acre produces annually fifteen pounds of the opium crop, King began to wonder if the company's activities were all above board and if the entire crop was used in the production of the drugs or if there was anything else going on. Little does King realize that this interview would be unlike the hundred of interviews he experienced-each with its own nuances and quirks, but usually predictable. This one would have King traveling from his home base in Boulder Colorado to Virginia and then to Thailand. In Virginia King meets with the company's board of directors who originate from a wide assortment of backgrounds including a former Governor of Virginia and a former Director of the CIA. After putting King through a mixture of challenging one-on-one interviews, he wins the approval of the board and