Plunder

What Hacker News says

1. Shared404Oct 2025
   > Apollo Global Management

   Oh hey, the company that orchestrated my first layoff!

   Highly recommend Plunder (ISBN: 978-1541702103) for those who want to learn more about the enshittification these companies bring.

   thread
2. ssudsJul 2025
   Brendan Ballou’s book “Plunder” is an excellent read about the effects of private equity across industries, if you want to go deeper on the topic. I recently had him on my podcast talking about the effects of PE in HVAC. There are quirks in each realm but the themes are common (I guess in libraries, too).

   Here’s that episode if any of you are curious: https://www.heatpumped.org/p/plunder-how-private-equity-is-r...

   thread
3. manifoldgeoMay 2024
   For a more long-form answer to your question, I recommend checking out "Plunder - Private Equity's Plan to Pillage America" by Brendan Ballou [0]. He gives some insights into the tactics used by private equity firms to acquire, gut, and destroy existing companies and profit by doing so.

   Refs: 0: https://www.plunderthebook.com/

   thread
4. godzillafartsDec 2023
   - Ballou, Brendan. Plunder: Private Equity's Plan to Pillage America.

   - Smil, Vaclav. How the World Really Works: The Science Behind How We Got Here and Where We're Going.

   - Doucleff, Michaeleen. Hunt, Gather, Parent: What Ancient Cultures Can Teach Us About the Lost Art of Raising Happy, Helpful Little Humans.

   thread