A Brief History of AIG

I've been reading a fascinating book recently that tells the history of the AIG company and its fabled chief executive, Maurice "Hank" Greenberg. The book is Fallen Giant, The Amazing Story of Hank Greenberg and The History of AIG, by Ron Shelp. Shelp is a former AIG insider who worked for Greenberg, and it provides a comprehensive history of both the insurance company and its legendary head honcho.

The book seems to provide a balanced examination of both subjects--it doesn't read like a hatchet job of either the company or the man. The book reinforces the well-known reputation of Greenberg as being a difficult man to work for (reportedly he got upset when he was left off the annual list of worst bosses to work for) but the picture painted here is not entirely unsympathetic.

All in all, a very interesting book for those of us with an interest in how AIG got to be the world's largest insurance company (which only happened after Greenberg got the reins) and in how AIG managed to collapse so spectacularly in more recent times.