As long as you’re observing from a safe distance, business failures can be incredibly interesting. Many of the business books I’ve found the most enjoyable and instructive have been about failures: When Genius Failed (Long Term Capital Management), Conspiracy of Fools (Enron), and How Markets Fail (numerous financial institutions) are a few of my favorites that break down catastrophic failures in compelling detail. And despite the carnage wrought by some of these blowups, I find the narratives comforting in a way. After all, if your idea, product, or business fails, at least you’re in good company.
