Steinberg's Ear

A bomb explodes in the men’s room of a crowded Buenos Aires restaurant, blowing the country’s Minister of Economy to chum and killing or wounding scores of customers. The event makes headlines around the world.

This is not good news. It’s 1977 and Argentina is not only on the verge of bankruptcy but besotted with the Montonero terrorists who hope to take down the military government and put the communists back in power.

"Sends a great message to investors and tourists, doesn’t it?" is the first question the hastily replaced Economic Minister, Ernesto Torres, asks his compadres. "Come to Argentina, but don’t go to the restaurants...Hell, don’t even leave your hotel room!"

Minister Torres’ solution?

Easy. Hire an international public relations agency to put a ‘positive spin’ on the nation, and do it PDQ.

Enter McIvor/Healy, the NY-based PR giant and its cast of characters: Mike Dumas, the 40-year-old EVP; Ken Panic, the profligate Client Services Manager; and Josh Steinberg, the left-leaning, pain-in-the-ass Global Media Director.

What can go wrong? Answer: Plenty.

This is an amusing, occasionally violent novel that some have labeled the "public relations version of ‘Mad Men.’" If you have any interest in how big time communications agencies think and operate, this is a book you’ll thoroughly enjoy.

-- Victor Emmanuel