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Disclosure
Thomas Sanders' world collapses in just 24 hours - he is passed over for promotion, his new woman boss comes on to him during a drink after work, then, the next morning, he learns that she has accused him of sexually harassing her. She demands his transfer, thereby threatening to cut him off from the millions he would have made when his high-tech company was floated on the stock market.
What follow next made Disclosure the most talked about novel of the decade.
What follow next made Disclosure the most talked about novel of the decade.
464 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1994
1114 people are currently reading
22206 people want to read
About the author
Michael Crichton
216 books20.2k followersJohn Michael Crichton was an American author, screenwriter, and filmmaker whose prolific career left an indelible mark on popular culture and speculative fiction. Raised on Long Island, he displayed a precocious talent for writing, publishing an article in The New York Times at sixteen. Initially enrolling at Harvard as an English major, he switched to biological anthropology after discovering a preference for scientific study over literature. He graduated summa cum laude and received a fellowship to lecture in anthropology at Cambridge. Later attending Harvard Medical School, he earned his MD but chose not to practice, dedicating himself to writing instead. His medical background profoundly influenced his novels, providing authentic scientific and technical underpinnings that became a hallmark of his work. Crichton began writing under pseudonyms, producing suspenseful thrillers as John Lange, including Odds On, Scratch One, and Easy Go, and as Jeffrey Hudson with A Case of Need, earning him an Edgar Award. His first major success under his own name, The Andromeda Strain, established his signature blend of scientific authenticity, tension, and exploration of technological hazards, leading to its film adaptation. Over his career, he wrote 25 novels, including The Terminal Man, The Great Train Robbery, Congo, Sphere, Jurassic Park, Rising Sun, Disclosure, The Lost World, Airframe, Timeline, Prey, State of Fear, and Next, several adapted into major films, with four additional works published posthumously. Crichton also made significant contributions to film and television. He wrote and directed Westworld, pioneering the use of 2D computer-generated imagery, and later directed Coma, The First Great Train Robbery, Looker, and Runaway. He created the influential medical drama ER, which he executive produced and developed with Steven Spielberg, achieving critical and commercial success. Many of his novels, most famously Jurassic Park and its sequel The Lost World, became cultural phenomena, combining imaginative adventure with grounded scientific speculation, often exploring humanity’s overreach in genetics, biotechnology, and complex systems. His literary style was notable for integrating meticulous scientific detail, suspense, and moral cautionary themes. His works frequently addressed the failure of complex systems—biological, technological, or organizational—demonstrating the unpredictable consequences of human hubris. Employing techniques such as first-person narratives, false documents, fictionalized scientific reports, and assembling expert teams to tackle crises, Crichton created immersive stories appealing to both popular and scholarly audiences. His exploration of genetics, paleontology, nanotechnology, and artificial intelligence revealed both fascination and caution about humanity’s technological ambitions, while his early non-fiction, such as Five Patients and Electronic Life, reflected his scientific insight and forward-thinking approach to computers and programming. Standing 6 feet 9 inches tall, Crichton experienced social isolation in adolescence and later pursued meditation and consultations with psychics, cultivating a lifelong interest in human consciousness and alternative experiences. A workaholic, he approached writing with disciplined ritualistic methodology, often retreating entirely to complete a novel in six or seven weeks. He was married five times, fathered two children, and maintained a wide-ranging collection of 20th-century American art. Crichton engaged in political and scientific discourse, particularly regarding global warming, where he was an outspoken skeptic and testified before the U.S. Senate. He contributed significantly to the discussion of intellectual property, technology, and environmental policy, coining concepts such as the Gell-Mann amnesia effect. Throughout his life, he received numerous awards, including Edgar Awards, a Peabody Award for ER, an Aca
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,342 reviews
March 2, 2016
I read this book on the recommendation of one of my colleagues, a lady, who was also my senior in college. When I told her that I had finished it, she invited me to her room in the evening to discuss it. I said: "Are you crazy? I am not entering your room without a witness!"
Crichton had got to me, very badly...
Crichton had got to me, very badly...
June 30, 2019
The first thing I can say about this book is that it is dated. At one point there are several paragraphs explaining what CD-ROM is and how it is the up and coming technology. Also, they are developing virtual reality that, while it has as far as I know, gotten as far as it is described in the book, is still not very mind blowing with where modern technology is.
But, at the time, I know that this was cutting edge. So, when you read it you must try and read it with a mid-90s mindset. If you do that, you should be fine with the dated parts.
Sexual harassment is the main topic of this book, but I kind of feel like it was forced in to the main storyline and then became the primary focus. Crichton at the end says this book was based on a true story, so maybe it follows what really happened, but it feels like the harassment and main story lines are only loosely related.
As we are in an era where sexual harassment is in the limelight more than ever, I am not quite sure how this story will go over with people. Will people feel that justice was served? Will they think this book does a good job of detailing and investigating a harassment scenario? I cannot say. I will have to leave that up to the individual reader and, because of that, I am hesitant to recommend it (just in case).
Overall, it was okay. Not my favorite Crichton, but it was interesting. In the end, I would say that not a whole lot actually happens. If you are looking to pick up Crichton for the first time, try Jurassic Park. You only need to read this if you are a huge Crichton fan and want to make sure you read them all.
But, at the time, I know that this was cutting edge. So, when you read it you must try and read it with a mid-90s mindset. If you do that, you should be fine with the dated parts.
Sexual harassment is the main topic of this book, but I kind of feel like it was forced in to the main storyline and then became the primary focus. Crichton at the end says this book was based on a true story, so maybe it follows what really happened, but it feels like the harassment and main story lines are only loosely related.
As we are in an era where sexual harassment is in the limelight more than ever, I am not quite sure how this story will go over with people. Will people feel that justice was served? Will they think this book does a good job of detailing and investigating a harassment scenario? I cannot say. I will have to leave that up to the individual reader and, because of that, I am hesitant to recommend it (just in case).
Overall, it was okay. Not my favorite Crichton, but it was interesting. In the end, I would say that not a whole lot actually happens. If you are looking to pick up Crichton for the first time, try Jurassic Park. You only need to read this if you are a huge Crichton fan and want to make sure you read them all.
August 13, 2017
Good book.
Read the book and saw the movie fifteen years ago. It was nice to spend couple days with Sanders, happy with his personal life and work. Sexual harassment, office politics turns him inside out.
Read the book and saw the movie fifteen years ago. It was nice to spend couple days with Sanders, happy with his personal life and work. Sexual harassment, office politics turns him inside out.
August 18, 2017
"Power is neither male nor female."
Ultimately I'm giving this one a three star rating for various reasons, but it was engrossing and harder to put down than most 3 star books.
Crichton touches on the very real but often neglected and non-discussed issue of using sexual harassment as a weapon and political maneuver. Usually this subject is brought up because of the power being leaked out of the other end of the spectrum, producing victims, yet here he shows that certainly isn't always the case, even if it's not politically correct to point that out. The issue of diversity and women's rights come up often, but rather than making it sound like sexism digs, he's showing the black and white angles that aren't influenced by only emotive responses.
Despite having Meredith Johnson be a manipulative shrew who used sex as a weapon, and his wife Susan sadly seeing herself as a victim while not able to hold it together well, Crichton did deliver the excellent female character Fernandez as the attorney, and the intelligent and well-appreciated Stephanie Kaplan. Tom himself as a lead was relatively mediocre and not fully convincing by himself, but still the story was a hard to put down soap opera.
Technology in it is severely dated – oooh! Shiny cd drives alert! --- but I read it for the story and not the dinosaur advancements.
Sometimes first names are overused in dialogue, and sometimes characters are slightly one-dimensional, but it was an enjoyable corporate soap opera with a satisfying take-off turn in the end. I still have a lot of Michael Crichton left to read, which excites me since I’ve enjoyed most of the books by him I’ve tried so far.
Ultimately I'm giving this one a three star rating for various reasons, but it was engrossing and harder to put down than most 3 star books.
Crichton touches on the very real but often neglected and non-discussed issue of using sexual harassment as a weapon and political maneuver. Usually this subject is brought up because of the power being leaked out of the other end of the spectrum, producing victims, yet here he shows that certainly isn't always the case, even if it's not politically correct to point that out. The issue of diversity and women's rights come up often, but rather than making it sound like sexism digs, he's showing the black and white angles that aren't influenced by only emotive responses.
Despite having Meredith Johnson be a manipulative shrew who used sex as a weapon, and his wife Susan sadly seeing herself as a victim while not able to hold it together well, Crichton did deliver the excellent female character Fernandez as the attorney, and the intelligent and well-appreciated Stephanie Kaplan. Tom himself as a lead was relatively mediocre and not fully convincing by himself, but still the story was a hard to put down soap opera.
Technology in it is severely dated – oooh! Shiny cd drives alert! --- but I read it for the story and not the dinosaur advancements.
Sometimes first names are overused in dialogue, and sometimes characters are slightly one-dimensional, but it was an enjoyable corporate soap opera with a satisfying take-off turn in the end. I still have a lot of Michael Crichton left to read, which excites me since I’ve enjoyed most of the books by him I’ve tried so far.
September 5, 2020
Thomas Sanders has a new female boss.He has known her in the past.But now,she has a lot of power over him.
She comes on to him after work,he finds that he has been passed over for promotion,and the next morning,she accuses him of sexual assault.This woman is now playing the innocent victim.
Now,he has a fight on his hands,to save his career,and his reputation.
Michael Crichton could come up with some interesting ideas for his books,and this is one of them.
But stretching this book,for over 400 pages,was not such a great idea.It drags a fair bit in the middle.The story could easily have been told in half the number of pages.
It became a motion picture,featuring Michael Douglas,and Demi Moore.It also became a Bollywood movie,Aitraaz.
And that movie,although it was a copy, was very good.Priyanka Chopra's performance,as the female villain,very early in her career,was unforgettable.
She comes on to him after work,he finds that he has been passed over for promotion,and the next morning,she accuses him of sexual assault.This woman is now playing the innocent victim.
Now,he has a fight on his hands,to save his career,and his reputation.
Michael Crichton could come up with some interesting ideas for his books,and this is one of them.
But stretching this book,for over 400 pages,was not such a great idea.It drags a fair bit in the middle.The story could easily have been told in half the number of pages.
It became a motion picture,featuring Michael Douglas,and Demi Moore.It also became a Bollywood movie,Aitraaz.
And that movie,although it was a copy, was very good.Priyanka Chopra's performance,as the female villain,very early in her career,was unforgettable.
July 21, 2019
This started out with way too much technical mumbo-jumbo in the first 150 pages concerning a corporate merger. Then the pace picked up and went right to the heart of the plot. A legal thriller about a sexual harassment case. An interesting story that was well written and a page-turner. A good read after all.
July 28, 2025
“Harassment is about power---the undue exercise of power by a superior over a subordinate.”
― Michael Crichton, Disclosure
I would love to see, how this book would be received were it released today. As it was, it did cause a stir way back when it was first released. I thought it was a great book and the movie, while not AS good was pretty awesome as well.
I happen to know that this sort of thing happens..harrassers can be either female or male. It is all about control and really does not have anything to do with sex although some people, even as far as we have come, cannot seem to come to grips with that fact.
I believe this book was in fact, based on a true story and names and situations were in fact changed.
It is a strong and powerful read and anyone who has missed this one really should read it. It remains one of my all time favorites.
― Michael Crichton, Disclosure
I would love to see, how this book would be received were it released today. As it was, it did cause a stir way back when it was first released. I thought it was a great book and the movie, while not AS good was pretty awesome as well.
I happen to know that this sort of thing happens..harrassers can be either female or male. It is all about control and really does not have anything to do with sex although some people, even as far as we have come, cannot seem to come to grips with that fact.
I believe this book was in fact, based on a true story and names and situations were in fact changed.
It is a strong and powerful read and anyone who has missed this one really should read it. It remains one of my all time favorites.
July 8, 2020
Jar of Death Pick #35
Disclosure is a 1993 novel written by Michael Crichton who is best known for writing Jurassic Park one of my all time favorite movies(I haven't read the book...yet) about sexual harassment in the tech industry.
Tom Sanders is an up and coming executive at a Seattle computer firm who expects to be made Vice President of his division but is shocked when his ex girlfriend Meredith Johnson gets the job instead. Despite being disappointed and a little angry he accepts it and agrees to an after hours meeting with her. Things quickly spin out of control and Meredith forces herself on Tom, he fights her off and leaves but the next morning he learns that Meredith has accused him of trying to rape her. Threatened with being fired a rightfully pissed off Tom decides to get a lawyer and fight the accusation.
I wanted to read this book because the premise seemed problematic and because I knew it was made into a movie in 1994. This book surprised me. I liked a lot and I didn't think I would. I've been in a reading slump for about 3 weeks and haven't been able to read anything but non fiction. Disclosure is the first fiction book I've been able to read and I just flew threw this.
Is the story problematic?
Not really once you read it, its a slick take on a still very topical issue.
Will I watch the movie?
Yes! I watched the trailer on YouTube and it looks like it sticks pretty close to the book.
I will say one thing about the movie, movie starred Demi Moore & Michael Douglas but as I read I pictured Heather Locklear(Melrose Place) & David Duchovny(The X Files). But I'm sure Moore and Douglas killed it.
Despite being nearly 30 years old I think the issues Disclosure brought up are still very relevant. Men do get sexually harassed. Men do get raped. And sometimes women are the perpetrators. Its extremely hard if you're a woman to come forward if you've been abused but I don't think enough is said about male sex assault victims. In this book Tom is ridiculed by both men and women when he says that Meredith assaulted him. People flat out say that a man can't be raped by a woman.Now one would think that most people know this isn't true but I think that a lot of people believe this.
I liked Disclosure a lot but it was written in 1993 so some of the language is cringy and the tech talk is super out of date(An entire paragraph is spent explaining what the internet is) but you can skim the tech talk and not miss anything.
Recommended to 90's nighttime soap opera lovers.
Disclosure is a 1993 novel written by Michael Crichton who is best known for writing Jurassic Park one of my all time favorite movies(I haven't read the book...yet) about sexual harassment in the tech industry.
Tom Sanders is an up and coming executive at a Seattle computer firm who expects to be made Vice President of his division but is shocked when his ex girlfriend Meredith Johnson gets the job instead. Despite being disappointed and a little angry he accepts it and agrees to an after hours meeting with her. Things quickly spin out of control and Meredith forces herself on Tom, he fights her off and leaves but the next morning he learns that Meredith has accused him of trying to rape her. Threatened with being fired a rightfully pissed off Tom decides to get a lawyer and fight the accusation.
I wanted to read this book because the premise seemed problematic and because I knew it was made into a movie in 1994. This book surprised me. I liked a lot and I didn't think I would. I've been in a reading slump for about 3 weeks and haven't been able to read anything but non fiction. Disclosure is the first fiction book I've been able to read and I just flew threw this.
Is the story problematic?
Not really once you read it, its a slick take on a still very topical issue.
Will I watch the movie?
Yes! I watched the trailer on YouTube and it looks like it sticks pretty close to the book.
I will say one thing about the movie, movie starred Demi Moore & Michael Douglas but as I read I pictured Heather Locklear(Melrose Place) & David Duchovny(The X Files). But I'm sure Moore and Douglas killed it.
Despite being nearly 30 years old I think the issues Disclosure brought up are still very relevant. Men do get sexually harassed. Men do get raped. And sometimes women are the perpetrators. Its extremely hard if you're a woman to come forward if you've been abused but I don't think enough is said about male sex assault victims. In this book Tom is ridiculed by both men and women when he says that Meredith assaulted him. People flat out say that a man can't be raped by a woman.Now one would think that most people know this isn't true but I think that a lot of people believe this.
I liked Disclosure a lot but it was written in 1993 so some of the language is cringy and the tech talk is super out of date(An entire paragraph is spent explaining what the internet is) but you can skim the tech talk and not miss anything.
Recommended to 90's nighttime soap opera lovers.
October 27, 2017
The first time I saw the movie based on the book, it was fabulous. Normally i try to avoid books based on movies if I have already seen the movie. So i gave up many opportunities to buy this book. Finally I couldn't resist when I saw a bargain on this one and I bought it since it was almost 15 years since i watched the movie. I was not disappointed at all. The movie might have taken liberties with the plot subtly but it was not so obvious.
The plot is about our protagonist who is sexually harassed by his female boss and how he unravels the plot with the help of a female attorney. The subject of sexual harassment is equally relevant today. It might have been a novel thing 20 years back and to bring out a book on the subject where the harasser is a woman, is definitely commendable at that time. According to the author, it was based on a true incident.
The plot is wonderful and the climax is equally rivetting with its twists and turns. I couldn't put down the book. Real edge-of-the seat thriller.
The plot is about our protagonist who is sexually harassed by his female boss and how he unravels the plot with the help of a female attorney. The subject of sexual harassment is equally relevant today. It might have been a novel thing 20 years back and to bring out a book on the subject where the harasser is a woman, is definitely commendable at that time. According to the author, it was based on a true incident.
The plot is wonderful and the climax is equally rivetting with its twists and turns. I couldn't put down the book. Real edge-of-the seat thriller.
August 12, 2013
Holy fuck is this some misogynistic hot garbage. How this viciously misogynistic drivel became a best seller and pop culture phenomenon is beyond me. This is arguably the single worst book I've ever hate-read, and I have read Dustin Diamond's memoir.
February 24, 2009
I recommend it if you are looking for a quick read. It's about 400 pages and I read it in three days. The story is extremely complicated. The plot is so convoluted that I'm still not quite sure it all ties together. There are plot twists every few pages. In fact, there really is nothing but plot twists. Crichton does not allow plot threads to play out before there is another turn in the story. This might make the novel sound like hackery, but a confusing and meandering plot is necessary to the themes Crichton wants to stress.
Crichton used a technique in this book I don't think I've ever encountered. A few of the major plot twists are incredibly obvious, even hundreds of pages in advance. They are so obvious that it is obvious to me that Crichton wanted them to be obvious to the reader. (How many times can you use the word "obvious" in one sentence?) These obvious plot twists depend on the characters putting things together that the reader, in a position of relative omnipotence, can't help but put together. This creates a different type of suspense to the novel. As you read, you keep waiting for the obvious plot twist to materialize, imploring the characters to connect dots, yet knowing they can't until they become educated on what the dots actually are. This suspense, combined with the suspense that arises with unexpected plot twists, makes for a fascinating read.
The book is not literature, but it isn't merely escape fiction either. It raises a lot of provoking questions concerning allegations of sexual harassment and how they are used as weapons in the business world; corporate politics and the moral ambiguities associated with "getting ahead" in the corporate structure; and the psychology of self-justification and self-delusion.
Crichton used a technique in this book I don't think I've ever encountered. A few of the major plot twists are incredibly obvious, even hundreds of pages in advance. They are so obvious that it is obvious to me that Crichton wanted them to be obvious to the reader. (How many times can you use the word "obvious" in one sentence?) These obvious plot twists depend on the characters putting things together that the reader, in a position of relative omnipotence, can't help but put together. This creates a different type of suspense to the novel. As you read, you keep waiting for the obvious plot twist to materialize, imploring the characters to connect dots, yet knowing they can't until they become educated on what the dots actually are. This suspense, combined with the suspense that arises with unexpected plot twists, makes for a fascinating read.
The book is not literature, but it isn't merely escape fiction either. It raises a lot of provoking questions concerning allegations of sexual harassment and how they are used as weapons in the business world; corporate politics and the moral ambiguities associated with "getting ahead" in the corporate structure; and the psychology of self-justification and self-delusion.
December 17, 2024
I love this book. I love the thriller. The haunting game between the boss and her employee on sexual harassment case. I was young adult then when i read this book. And this book spoke to me about respect and greed. I also like the movie.
December 8, 2022
I don’t know how well this has aged in the era of Weinstein and me too. I’m not saying it doesn’t happen, I just don’t think it happens with the frequency I was inferring Crichton proposed (something along the lines of 50/50).
That being said- I read it in three days - it was entertaining and fast paced and sort of just what I needed. It entertained me. That’s all I really needed.
Not my favorite of Crichton’s but not the worst.
That being said- I read it in three days - it was entertaining and fast paced and sort of just what I needed. It entertained me. That’s all I really needed.
Not my favorite of Crichton’s but not the worst.
May 6, 2014
MINI-REVIEW
DISCLOSURE investigates what it's like for a man to be sexually harassed but have no one believe him (i.e. instead the computer company sides with the woman). As things worsen, we get to see the man's working world constrict around him as all his friends turn away.
Of course, this all leads to a bigger matter, typical of the Crichton novels, but we love it.
A very good read.
OVERALL GRADE: B plus
DISCLOSURE investigates what it's like for a man to be sexually harassed but have no one believe him (i.e. instead the computer company sides with the woman). As things worsen, we get to see the man's working world constrict around him as all his friends turn away.
Of course, this all leads to a bigger matter, typical of the Crichton novels, but we love it.
A very good read.
OVERALL GRADE: B plus
January 24, 2019
Provocative. Still relevant. Makes you think. Whom would you believe?
Log in.
August 23, 2021
Brilliant, marvellously brilliant. “The system did not screw you, the system revealed you.” Crichton once again showcased his writing prowess to me in a high-fuelled, exceptional piece of writing.
August 10, 2012
Micheal Crichton is an ingenious story teller with beautifully crafted plot that revolves around corporate environment in a high-tech company. The one thing about Mr. Crichton's books are his trademark use of technological advancement which he entwines perfectly in the design of his plot.
This book is no different. But one would be skeptical thinking it will be all technological blabber. So wrong!
The most pleasurable thing about reading the book is, it is articulate. All technology is explained in simple conversation which makes the book simple and a really fast read.
But its not just technology; the story is also about sexual harassment by the newly appointed boss Meredith Johnson (also the ex-lover)of Tom Sanders (our protagonist)and the abuse and manipulativeness of executive power in a corporate structure.
The book is 497 pgs but you never know how those pages fly by, so much are you involved in the story. The characters are well defined. But the story in itself is so well build up and spans in duration 4 days.
Gripping, intriguing, provocative and totally a good read.
This book is no different. But one would be skeptical thinking it will be all technological blabber. So wrong!
The most pleasurable thing about reading the book is, it is articulate. All technology is explained in simple conversation which makes the book simple and a really fast read.
But its not just technology; the story is also about sexual harassment by the newly appointed boss Meredith Johnson (also the ex-lover)of Tom Sanders (our protagonist)and the abuse and manipulativeness of executive power in a corporate structure.
The book is 497 pgs but you never know how those pages fly by, so much are you involved in the story. The characters are well defined. But the story in itself is so well build up and spans in duration 4 days.
Gripping, intriguing, provocative and totally a good read.
March 29, 2018
Very good book. It's my first by Michael Crichton, and now I want to read more. It was one of this month's selections (did not win) for one of my book clubs. I could hardly put the book down, because I wanted to know what was going to happen!
September 14, 2023
Chrichton is always compelling reading
August 18, 2016
An interesting read
read it sometimes in 2001
you won't regret paying for it.
read it sometimes in 2001
you won't regret paying for it.
November 29, 2010
CD-ROMs! Small (aka, hilariously clunky) cell phones! Modems! Virtual reality! Sexual harassment lawsuits! And hey, what's this Internet thing?
Yes, it's ripped right from the headlines... of the early 90s. Which is fine, that's when the book was written, but it's so funny how the book trying so hard to seem contemporary and topical makes it feel dated that much sooner.
So it was fine, it kept me reading.
But... I'm not sure it actually all came together in the end.
(SPOILERS)
OK, at the end, we find out that Meredith's goal was to get rid of Tom, so that she wouldn't be blamed for her screw ups. Fine, but... how exactly was she planning on doing that? It was clearly her intent to actually have sex with him. When that didn't work out, she decided to file the false sexual harassment complaint, but what was the original plan? The only thing I can figure is that maybe she was going to blackmail him, him being a married man and so on... but this is not at all clear, and it feels more like it just wasn't thought out very well.
Yes, it's ripped right from the headlines... of the early 90s. Which is fine, that's when the book was written, but it's so funny how the book trying so hard to seem contemporary and topical makes it feel dated that much sooner.
So it was fine, it kept me reading.
But... I'm not sure it actually all came together in the end.
(SPOILERS)
OK, at the end, we find out that Meredith's goal was to get rid of Tom, so that she wouldn't be blamed for her screw ups. Fine, but... how exactly was she planning on doing that? It was clearly her intent to actually have sex with him. When that didn't work out, she decided to file the false sexual harassment complaint, but what was the original plan? The only thing I can figure is that maybe she was going to blackmail him, him being a married man and so on... but this is not at all clear, and it feels more like it just wasn't thought out very well.
January 24, 2013
Michael Crichton is an excellent author, he really knows a lot about his technology. A business executive, Tom Sanders who works for a computer firm is expecting to become the new director of his company. But things change when a female employee named Meredith Johnson gets promoted, and Meredith happens to be Tom's former lover. One night Tom goes into Meredith's office, she tries to sexually assault him.
When word of it gets out, no one believes his story, and Meredith has everybody believing Tom is the villain. As Tom scrambles to defend himself, he finds an electronic trail into the company's secrets and discovers a scheme that could cost him his job. Anyone who likes Michael Crichton or techno-thrillers, I recommend this book.
When word of it gets out, no one believes his story, and Meredith has everybody believing Tom is the villain. As Tom scrambles to defend himself, he finds an electronic trail into the company's secrets and discovers a scheme that could cost him his job. Anyone who likes Michael Crichton or techno-thrillers, I recommend this book.
February 4, 2008
Someone loaned this to me once and I really wasn't expecting to like it. My expectations were completely dashed after the first chapter. I could not put it down.
A riveting tale of sexual harrassment in the workplace where the man is the victim (yeah, he could have said 'No') of his beautiful boss.
Highly recommended!
A riveting tale of sexual harrassment in the workplace where the man is the victim (yeah, he could have said 'No') of his beautiful boss.
Highly recommended!
May 26, 2013
First published in 1994, Disclosure by Michael Crichton, is one of those novels based on actual events, though this is not made clear until the end of the book, in an ‘afterword’. Whether that information would have made any difference to my reading is an unknown. It reads like fiction, so I read it in that spirit.
The stated theme is that of sexual harassment and its potentially corrosive effects on both corporations and society in general. Written at a time when such complaints were increasingly being made by men against female employers, it examines the subject in detail, without ever making it into a treatise. The facts and ideas emerge naturally as part of the plot, as guided by the characters. So, it’s a cleverly constructed work. There was, for me, another underlying theme, though I’m not certain the author presented it consciously: I hope he did. That other idea concerns the corrupt foundation that underpins many commercial ideas and actions. The presentation of many characters as ruthless, uncaringly ambitious and utterly devoid of any moral compass creates an atmosphere in which even a flawed hero can appear almost saintly by comparison.
There were times, early in the book, when I was unsure whether I would read to the end. For reasons that have nothing to do with the story, I had to read it in a number of small bites. Only the last third of the 450 pages was I able read in anything like uninterrupted form, which was just as well, since the denouement starts early and builds very well over these last pages. But the reason for my initial hesitation was twofold. There’s a deal of inconsequential detail; the sort of thing that apprentice writers are warned against: what someone had for breakfast, the processes of domestic living, etc. The second barrier was the amount of technical information given in the form of either business or product-specific jargon, often without sufficient explanation. Having been involved in both business and computers during my lengthy employment, I was able to interpret enough of this to make it at least comprehensible. But I suspect many could be thoroughly confused by it, and I doubt it was essential to the story; less technical descriptions could have been given instead.
However, I’m glad I persevered. The story grew more engaging as I learned more about the main characters and came to care what happened to them; both good and bad. It’s an absolutely essential aspect of the story for me: without at least one character I can empathise with, I’m unlikely to finish a novel. Fortunately, due to good writing, there were many well-written and engaging characters in this tale.
Lauded as ‘The thriller that opened a new chapter on the sex wars’, this is a book that allows the modern reader to more thoroughly understand the mechanisms, philosophies, emotions and ambitions that drive some of the sexual harassment cases that continue to be made by both genders.
Is it a good read? The curate’s egg comes to mind, but, once over the unnecessary detail and jargon, I found the book illuminating, interesting and even engaging. So, for me, this turned out to be a good read in spite of its flaws. And I’d recommend it to those who have some knowledge of business and the world of computing. For others, it may be sensible to have a dictionary of business terms and another of computer jargon to guide them through the sometimes cryptic language.
The stated theme is that of sexual harassment and its potentially corrosive effects on both corporations and society in general. Written at a time when such complaints were increasingly being made by men against female employers, it examines the subject in detail, without ever making it into a treatise. The facts and ideas emerge naturally as part of the plot, as guided by the characters. So, it’s a cleverly constructed work. There was, for me, another underlying theme, though I’m not certain the author presented it consciously: I hope he did. That other idea concerns the corrupt foundation that underpins many commercial ideas and actions. The presentation of many characters as ruthless, uncaringly ambitious and utterly devoid of any moral compass creates an atmosphere in which even a flawed hero can appear almost saintly by comparison.
There were times, early in the book, when I was unsure whether I would read to the end. For reasons that have nothing to do with the story, I had to read it in a number of small bites. Only the last third of the 450 pages was I able read in anything like uninterrupted form, which was just as well, since the denouement starts early and builds very well over these last pages. But the reason for my initial hesitation was twofold. There’s a deal of inconsequential detail; the sort of thing that apprentice writers are warned against: what someone had for breakfast, the processes of domestic living, etc. The second barrier was the amount of technical information given in the form of either business or product-specific jargon, often without sufficient explanation. Having been involved in both business and computers during my lengthy employment, I was able to interpret enough of this to make it at least comprehensible. But I suspect many could be thoroughly confused by it, and I doubt it was essential to the story; less technical descriptions could have been given instead.
However, I’m glad I persevered. The story grew more engaging as I learned more about the main characters and came to care what happened to them; both good and bad. It’s an absolutely essential aspect of the story for me: without at least one character I can empathise with, I’m unlikely to finish a novel. Fortunately, due to good writing, there were many well-written and engaging characters in this tale.
Lauded as ‘The thriller that opened a new chapter on the sex wars’, this is a book that allows the modern reader to more thoroughly understand the mechanisms, philosophies, emotions and ambitions that drive some of the sexual harassment cases that continue to be made by both genders.
Is it a good read? The curate’s egg comes to mind, but, once over the unnecessary detail and jargon, I found the book illuminating, interesting and even engaging. So, for me, this turned out to be a good read in spite of its flaws. And I’d recommend it to those who have some knowledge of business and the world of computing. For others, it may be sensible to have a dictionary of business terms and another of computer jargon to guide them through the sometimes cryptic language.
October 8, 2011
I feel very ambivalently about this book. On the one hand, i was engrossed in the plot and really wanted to know what was going to happen. It is also very important for the stories of men who are sexually harassed by women bosses to be told.
On the other hand, this book's take on the subject did not come off as feminist or liberatory for people of any gender. Of the book's women characters, only one is decent; the others are "bitches" or neutral. The one self-identified feminist character in the book, sadly, falls into the "bitch" category. Add to that the many comments by various characters in the book disparaging women's right, anti-harassment laws, and women's position in the corporate world. All of those statements could have been over-ridden by the book's characterization of its female actors. Unfortunately, Crichton lost an opportunity to show how women in the corporate world can be allies of men in the fight against sexual harassment and how men can support other men in the same fight. His brief epilogue fails to counter the overall impression that the book leaves.
On the other hand, this book's take on the subject did not come off as feminist or liberatory for people of any gender. Of the book's women characters, only one is decent; the others are "bitches" or neutral. The one self-identified feminist character in the book, sadly, falls into the "bitch" category. Add to that the many comments by various characters in the book disparaging women's right, anti-harassment laws, and women's position in the corporate world. All of those statements could have been over-ridden by the book's characterization of its female actors. Unfortunately, Crichton lost an opportunity to show how women in the corporate world can be allies of men in the fight against sexual harassment and how men can support other men in the same fight. His brief epilogue fails to counter the overall impression that the book leaves.
June 19, 2019
To be honest, this is the second time I started reading this book. To tell the story, the author had to include details about CD-ROMs that a non geek doesn’t want to read. However, I am glad I gave this book a second shot!
The basis for the story is sexual harassment in the workplace, but “flipped” by the author for our reading pleasure so it’s a man being harassed by his female superior. Make no mistakes about it, the harasser is as bold and brash as they come. A real corporate ladder climber 🧗♀️
Once you get past (or inured to) the technical jargon, the story is a breeze. The characters are superbly fleshed out. For me, having seen the movie version of this story, I easily pictured Michael Douglas as Tom Sanders and Demi Moore as Meredith Johnson.
Not to give too much away, but just when you think Tom Sanders, the accused, has gotten ahead of the game and you find yourself really rooting for him from the sidelines, something happens and his winning edge slips away.
One more comment, it pays to have friends!
The basis for the story is sexual harassment in the workplace, but “flipped” by the author for our reading pleasure so it’s a man being harassed by his female superior. Make no mistakes about it, the harasser is as bold and brash as they come. A real corporate ladder climber 🧗♀️
Once you get past (or inured to) the technical jargon, the story is a breeze. The characters are superbly fleshed out. For me, having seen the movie version of this story, I easily pictured Michael Douglas as Tom Sanders and Demi Moore as Meredith Johnson.
Not to give too much away, but just when you think Tom Sanders, the accused, has gotten ahead of the game and you find yourself really rooting for him from the sidelines, something happens and his winning edge slips away.
One more comment, it pays to have friends!
Read
March 10, 2016A book that demonstrates the corporate world can be just as dangerous as any geopolitical venue. This novel, along with John Grisham's The Firm, strongly influenced my own first novel, Terminal Value. It strikes just the right balance of the details required to inform the reader about business and the actions necessary to propel its plot.
May 21, 2015
All I say is, it's much better than both Movies. (Yes, there a Hindi/Indian Version too)
April 27, 2019
This could have been a good book IF he would have continued with the harassment part of it instead of turning the story into corporate drivel.
November 28, 2025
Nobody should ever say anything they don’t like, or tell a joke they don’t like. But the thing is, nobody can make the world be the way they want it to be all the time.
I read this in high school and gave it one star but I honestly don't really remember anything about it. Probably I was looking for dinosaurs and got a social commentary and was not thrilled. Haha!
I completely forgot what this was about and picked it for my next MC retrospective read because it was one with a movie (doing those first) and it was one of the cheaper Kindle books to buy. I started reading it, realized it wasn't really sci-fi/fantasy, looked up the synopsis, and was instantly disappointed. I do not like reading about money grabbing corporations and power plays taking advantage of the little guys.
But when it comes to reading goals I'm a bit of a perfectionist and I said I was going to read every Michael Crichton book so I dived into this story.
Tom Sanders has worked at Digicom for the past ten years. A new merger is happening and it's expected that Tom will be promoted. He's disappointed and surprised to learn that an old girlfriend, from a decade ago, will be getting the position. Meredith Johnson is a gorgeous, confident woman and she's been the sidekick to Garvin, the CEO for a long time.
The first day on the job, Meredith requests that Tom meet her for a late night meeting. Tom goes and Meredith tries to have sex with him. The next day Tom learns that Meredith is accusing him of sexual assault.
Now, as the reader, we were right there in the room and know exactly what happened, but I was thinking about if I had just heard the two stories side-by-side in real life I would've definitely sided with Meredith. Swapping the typical gender roles definitely makes you think about it a little differently.
From the book: “About five percent of sexual harassment claims are brought by men against women. It’s a relatively small figure. But then, only five percent of corporate supervisors are women. So the figures suggest that women executives harass men in the same proportion as men harass women. And as more women get corporate jobs, the percentage of claims by men is going up. Because the fact is, harassment is a power issue. And power is neither male nor female.
I did a quick search to see if there was truth to this. Apparently, 16-17% of sexual harassment claims were filed by men. (Obviously, filing does not equal the amount that actually happens.) There is also evidence showing that men who worked for men were less likely to be harassed than men who worked for women and I'm sure that the opposite is true for women. I think that shows that harassment is indeed "a power issue."
“How do you know they have damaging information to give?” Fernandez smiled. “Because Johnson is a harasser. And with harassers, there’s always a pattern. It’s never the first time.”
My favorite character in the book was the alwayer Sanders went to. He decided not to take kind of abuse and fight back.
But we have a gal in our firm, Louise Fernandez, a Hispanic gal, and she is just lethal on these discrimination cases.
My favorite part of the book was definitely the end.
It took me a minuted to watch the movie because I really didn't want to. Haha! I gave in yesterday and put it on. It's got an all star cast - Michael Douglas, Demi Moore, Donald Sutherland - and was well done. I felt the same way about the book. It was well written and put together, I just really don't care for that type of story.
The movie definitely focused more on the sexual aspects. Like, it shows Michael Douglas hitting his secretary's butt and he comes across as a bit more of a sleaze, than in the book. Tom Sanders in the book is completely innocent. The opening scene is him getting his children ready for the day - a typical family guy. There is also some crude sex talk in the movie and none of that happens in the book. The book focuses a lot more on what's happening with the company, and the problems on the line in Malaysia. It sort of makes you think that
Susan, Sander's wife, is more involved in the movie which was kind of a fun addition. She came to the mediation and she was in a lot more scenes. In the book, we get her being a grumpy mom in the morning, and the hearing what happened from Tom and whisking the children away to another state. So she's not around at all.
The overall story is pretty exact from book to movie but the focus is different. Definitely more sexual in the movie. Demi Moore's character is extremely sexual, whereas in the book, Meredith is more cold and calculating. Weirdly, they changed the name of the lawyer in the movie to Catherine Alvarez. They also portray her as more of a media hog, which is not true to the book.
Watching the movie did remind me of one of my favorite movies from childhood, Romancing the Stone, a Michael Douglas classic. I don't know why, but I LOVE that movie. So, after watching Disclosure, I immediately bought Romancing the Stone on Amazon and had a jolly good time.
I will most likely never read or watch this again. (Unless I decide to do another MC retrospective twenty years from now, haha!) While I thought both versions were actually well done, they were both a little too long, and the story is not my fave.
Michael Crichton Retrospective (in order of "like")
1. Jurassic Park - 5 stars (July 2025)
2. Timeline - 4 stars (July 2025)
3. Sphere - 4 stars (July 2025)
4. Eaters of the Dead - 3 stars (October 2025)
5. Congo - 3 stars (July 2025)
6. Disclosure - 3 stars (October 2025)
I read this in high school and gave it one star but I honestly don't really remember anything about it. Probably I was looking for dinosaurs and got a social commentary and was not thrilled. Haha!
I completely forgot what this was about and picked it for my next MC retrospective read because it was one with a movie (doing those first) and it was one of the cheaper Kindle books to buy. I started reading it, realized it wasn't really sci-fi/fantasy, looked up the synopsis, and was instantly disappointed. I do not like reading about money grabbing corporations and power plays taking advantage of the little guys.
But when it comes to reading goals I'm a bit of a perfectionist and I said I was going to read every Michael Crichton book so I dived into this story.
Tom Sanders has worked at Digicom for the past ten years. A new merger is happening and it's expected that Tom will be promoted. He's disappointed and surprised to learn that an old girlfriend, from a decade ago, will be getting the position. Meredith Johnson is a gorgeous, confident woman and she's been the sidekick to Garvin, the CEO for a long time.
The first day on the job, Meredith requests that Tom meet her for a late night meeting. Tom goes and Meredith tries to have sex with him. The next day Tom learns that Meredith is accusing him of sexual assault.
Now, as the reader, we were right there in the room and know exactly what happened, but I was thinking about if I had just heard the two stories side-by-side in real life I would've definitely sided with Meredith. Swapping the typical gender roles definitely makes you think about it a little differently.
From the book: “About five percent of sexual harassment claims are brought by men against women. It’s a relatively small figure. But then, only five percent of corporate supervisors are women. So the figures suggest that women executives harass men in the same proportion as men harass women. And as more women get corporate jobs, the percentage of claims by men is going up. Because the fact is, harassment is a power issue. And power is neither male nor female.
I did a quick search to see if there was truth to this. Apparently, 16-17% of sexual harassment claims were filed by men. (Obviously, filing does not equal the amount that actually happens.) There is also evidence showing that men who worked for men were less likely to be harassed than men who worked for women and I'm sure that the opposite is true for women. I think that shows that harassment is indeed "a power issue."
“How do you know they have damaging information to give?” Fernandez smiled. “Because Johnson is a harasser. And with harassers, there’s always a pattern. It’s never the first time.”
My favorite character in the book was the alwayer Sanders went to. He decided not to take kind of abuse and fight back.
But we have a gal in our firm, Louise Fernandez, a Hispanic gal, and she is just lethal on these discrimination cases.
My favorite part of the book was definitely the end.
It took me a minuted to watch the movie because I really didn't want to. Haha! I gave in yesterday and put it on. It's got an all star cast - Michael Douglas, Demi Moore, Donald Sutherland - and was well done. I felt the same way about the book. It was well written and put together, I just really don't care for that type of story.
The movie definitely focused more on the sexual aspects. Like, it shows Michael Douglas hitting his secretary's butt and he comes across as a bit more of a sleaze, than in the book. Tom Sanders in the book is completely innocent. The opening scene is him getting his children ready for the day - a typical family guy. There is also some crude sex talk in the movie and none of that happens in the book. The book focuses a lot more on what's happening with the company, and the problems on the line in Malaysia. It sort of makes you think that
Susan, Sander's wife, is more involved in the movie which was kind of a fun addition. She came to the mediation and she was in a lot more scenes. In the book, we get her being a grumpy mom in the morning, and the hearing what happened from Tom and whisking the children away to another state. So she's not around at all.
The overall story is pretty exact from book to movie but the focus is different. Definitely more sexual in the movie. Demi Moore's character is extremely sexual, whereas in the book, Meredith is more cold and calculating. Weirdly, they changed the name of the lawyer in the movie to Catherine Alvarez. They also portray her as more of a media hog, which is not true to the book.
Watching the movie did remind me of one of my favorite movies from childhood, Romancing the Stone, a Michael Douglas classic. I don't know why, but I LOVE that movie. So, after watching Disclosure, I immediately bought Romancing the Stone on Amazon and had a jolly good time.
I will most likely never read or watch this again. (Unless I decide to do another MC retrospective twenty years from now, haha!) While I thought both versions were actually well done, they were both a little too long, and the story is not my fave.
Michael Crichton Retrospective (in order of "like")
1. Jurassic Park - 5 stars (July 2025)
2. Timeline - 4 stars (July 2025)
3. Sphere - 4 stars (July 2025)
4. Eaters of the Dead - 3 stars (October 2025)
5. Congo - 3 stars (July 2025)
6. Disclosure - 3 stars (October 2025)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,342 reviews