Rollercoaster is a fast-paced and compelling business narrative that chronicles one of the most dramatic periods in business history. It is the story of Chris Gent and Vodafone.

Loved by the City as a brilliant dealmaker, Gent himself is often described by those who know him as affable and self-effacing. Yet he has somehow fostered a deeply engrained culture of ruthless ambition in those who run Vodafone in his name. But as the telecommunications sector has imploded, Vodafone has been swept along by bad news amongst accusations of poor acquisitions, over-investment and -fat...

This book is about - but not only about - Napster. The story of Napster is important in its own right, but its legacy even more so. The phenomenon that surrounds Napster has highlighted the extraordinary potential for the mass mobilisation of consumer and community power. This irresistible force - the underground Internet - has blown apart conventional models of doing business.

Merriden charts the birth of Napster and its genesis in Internet music communities. He describes in detail how big businesses felt complacent enough to ignore Napster, only to turn on it when the truth about their...