by Ken Auletta
First published 2022
Ken Auletta returns to a story that haunted him for two decades. In 2002, he profiled Harvey Weinstein at the peak of his influence, exposing the mogul's volatility and violence toward employees. Yet darker rumors remained unproven. Sexual predation allegations swirled, but no victims would speak publicly. Years later, Auletta shared his notes with Ronan Farrow, watching as Farrow, Jodi Kantor, and Megan Twohey exposed Weinstein's crimes. Still, larger questions persisted. How did Weinstein operate a company with hundreds of employees and massive revenues while maintaining a shadow life of assault? What enabled his decades of impunity? Auletta spent three years pursuing answers, interviewing film stars, Miramax employees, board members, friends, family, and Harvey's brother Bob. The result examines not just Weinstein's predation but the power structures that protected him. This book reveals the spider web that trapped victims and explores how Hollywood's culture of influence allowed such behavior to flourish unchecked.
Genres: biography, abuse, crime, non-fiction, 21st-century, current-affairs
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: true-story
Setting: Hollywood
Period: 2002, 2020s
480 pages · Hardcover · Penguin Random House Publishing Group
Content warnings: abuse, sexual-assault