A witty and acerbic novel for our times about corporate greed, the hubris of bankers, contradictions of the clean energy economy and their unintended consequences on everyday people.
Finance, environmentalism, rare-earth mining and human frailties collide in a complex of flawed motives. We follow Peter Mount, the self-made Chief Executive of a London-based rare-earth mining company as he and his business are buffeted by crisis-torn Royal Bank of Scotland and by his own actions, real and imagined.
Meanwhile in Oregon, Amy Tate and her group of local environmental activists do their contradictory part to undermine a component of the green economy, unwittingly super-charged by the Chinese state. The repercussions of events in pristine Oregon are felt in the corporate and financial corridors of New York and London with drastic consequences.
This is a deeply involving novel about the current workings of capitalism, miscommunication, causes and unexpected effects, love and survival.
About the Author
Born in Scotland, he read Economics at Cambridge, taking a First in 1981 when he was elected a Scholar. He worked as an investment banker before going straight and running a small pharmaceutical company. Now a writer and business consultant he enjoys travel, politics and economics, reading and writing, languages, music and meals with family and friends. Keith suffered a spinal cord injury in March 2018 and since rides a wheelchair.
Industry Reviews
"A witty, globally-scoped expose of corporate greed and environmentalism told through an absorbing character-rich tale" -- Joanne Owen, Love Reading UK; "A caustic novel for our times about corporate greed, the hubris of bankers, contradictions of the clean energy economy, and their unintended consequences on everyday people. This is a hugely entertaining and enlightening look at the banking world post-2007." -- Book Riot: EXCELLENT...BOOKS OUT IN THE UK; "After reading a lot of claustrophobic, navel-gazing books, it is refreshing to pick up The Umbrella Men -- Rich, immersive novel of the type that really isn't seen much these days...what makes this book so readable and likeable are the well formed characters whose lives are disrupted personally and professionally by machinations of those in power. -- Netgalley reviewer; "A highly entertaining romp that very accurately portrays the conflicting objectives and modus operandi of groups of investment bankers, hedgies, environmentalists and a small rare earth mining company as they each try to maximise their own positions, and with abundant human frailties on show." -- Waterstones reviewer
