Bill Browder graduated from Stanford and entered the world of global finance just as the Soviet Union collapsed. He found himself in Russia, and built a fortune as one of the top western investors in that exploding market.

But before long he discovered the reality: a raw system that was as brutal as it was corrupt. After the extended torture and murder of one of his attorneys, Browder became a human-rights campaigner, and one of the most vocal voices in the world speaking out against corruption and human-rights abuses.

The is a serious page-turner. As rough as the subject matter can be, it is incredibly inspiring and uplifting. It gave me a much deeper appreciation for the term oligarchy, and what it means to fight for justice. It also goes a long way toward explaining the brutal dynamics of Russia and its evil assault on Ukraine.

To my knowledge, Browder and I have never met. But it turns out we went to the same school at the same time, lived in the same towns in the US, and ultimately I lived about a 30 second walk from his office in London. We also share numerous mutual close friends. I hope our paths cross sometime, so I can thank him for his work, and swap stories on some of our common experiences.