Patrick Robinson and Lawrence McDonald talked about their book, A Colossal Failure of Common Sense: The Inside Story of the Collapse of Lehman Brothers (Crown Business; July 21, 2009). In the book a former vice president of Lehman Brothers gives the inside story on the collapse of one of the longest standing investment houses in America. Lehman Brothers declared bankruptcy on September 15, 2008, after 158 years of business. Ghostwriter Patrick Robinson talked about how the book came to be written and read a passage. Then Lawrence McDonald talked about the culture of Lehman Brothers that led it into failure. He also talked about issues such as the need for a board of directors to have the necessary expertize and to maintain control over the chief executive officers, and the need for better coordination of regulators. He responded to questions from members of the audience. Lawrence G. McDonald was, until 2008, vice president of distressed debt and convertible securities trading at Lehman Brothers. He is currently managing director of Pangea Capital Management. He is also co-founder of convertbond.com, a website for convertible securities information. Patrick Robinson is co-author of Lone Survivor, with U.S. Navy SEAL Marcus Luttrell, and the autobiography of Admiral Sir Sandy Woodward, One Hundred Days. This book talk was held at 4:00 p.m. on Sunday August 16, 2009, at Titcomb's Bookshop.