The Bottom Line

by Fletcher Knebel

Book Club Edition

Description: Hardback book published by one of the Doubleday book clubs in 1974. Page 347 has a gutter code of '42 Q', indicating a printing date of October 1974. First published by Doubleday the same year.

From the flaps: One by one the sleek private jets touched down on the sun-splashed runway in Acapulco - airborne chargers bearing the kings, dukes, and knights of Arc-Horn International's globe-spanning empire.

Jim McGowan was one of the kings - i.e., company presidents - joining his fellows for the annual convention of the huge conglomerate whose volume exceeded many national budgets and whose (unadmitted) historic mission was getting the greatest number of goods to the most customers at the greatest price.

Business conventions are routinely similar: present the line, review new figures, and renew old friendships. The difference with Arc-Horn was degree: the profit-and-loss numbers greater, the entertainment more lavish, extracurricular activities more uninhibited, and corporate position-jockeying more deadly.

Nevertheless, nobody was prepared for certain ominous unscheduled developments - particularly Jim McGowan, whose role changed from king to pawn in a bigger game being played.

Condition: Binding - very good, bottom of spine bumped, top board edges sun faded, minor fading of the paper covered boards, page edges age darkened and slightly soiled. Dust jacket - near fine, minor edgewear and wrinkling, slight rubbing, minor soiling, spine slightly age darkened, not price clipped (but no price listed - says 'book club edition'), in dust jacket protector.

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