The Big Eight

by Mark Stevens

Provides an inside look at eight of the most influential accounting firms in the United States, examining their pivotal roles in the world of national and international finance.

Genres: Business, History

256 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1981

About the author

Mark Stevens is a quintuple threat:
•Lifelong entrepreneur
•CEO
•Bestselling author
•Animal lover
•Die hard romantic
Mark has published more than 25 books including most recently:
•His debut novel Evidence Of Love
•A first children’s book Sky’s Amazing Dream (focused on his beloved Golden Retriever)
•An inspirational leadership book, Hike A Thousand Miles
•In the style of his classic best seller, Your Marketing Sucks, the soon to be classic sales guide, Everything You Learned About Selling Is A Lie.

Reviews

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mark Steven's The Big Eight, appears to be an authority on the major accounting firms leading up to the publication of the book.
I am unsure if this suggests more about the large accounting firms ability to conceal their identity from the public or conversely the utter disinterest the public has toward large accounting firms.
As an authority this book presents value in the sense that it provides the reader with general insight as to how a firm saw itself & how those within the firms viewed themselves, without revealing the monumental impact the macro effects this industry plays on the general public.
One notion that brought a wry smile to my face was that of concern in regard to the advancement in revenue of the large accounting firms being derived from consulting services versus that of auditing services.

[Tom Golden · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was a cigarette salesman for RJ Reynolds tobacco company when i began exploring other careers and stumbled upon The Big Eight. After I completed it I quit my job at the age of 30, got an MBA from Indiana University, somehow passed the CPA exam, even though I was a marketing major, and landed an audit staff position at one of the Big Eight firms, Coopers & Lybrand. During my career I co-authored a John Wiley professional book on forensic accounting, which was my specialty. Thirty-five years later I am a retired Pwc partner (C&L later merged with Price Waterhouse). Mark Stevens's book inspired me to turn my life around. I owe him a lot!

[Keith · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm getting old or the author did a great job of making this subject interesting. The author managed to seem bias for and against the Big Eight, depending on the topic. Achieving moderation through extremes? I wonder if anything I learned will be useful thirty years after.

[Ray Cerrone · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting book for anyone entering the accounting profession. However, I would suggest looking for something more current.

[Carol Collins]

read years ago