This illuminating little book has been the subject of a great deal of controversy.

Originally published in 1944 as The Unwritten Rules of Engineering, this book by W.J. King was an underground college textbook best-seller until much of its content was co-opted by Raytheon CEO Bill Swanson, who published a short booklet called Swanson's Unwritten Rules of Management. The booklet became a minor sensation, receiving accolades from everyone from Jack Welch to Warren Buffett, until the copycatting was discovered, leading to a very public scandal and a dark smudge on Swanson's reputation.

Swanson, to his credit, picked a very good book to plagiarize: The Unwritten Laws of Business is a short, no-nonsense primer on how to work effectively in a modern company.

A collection of short maxims and meditations, this book speaks with the air of authority and hard-won experience. Like a commercial Confucius, King has a knack for presenting the realities of working in a complex organization clearly and simply.

Covering everything from estimating project schedules to confirming commitments, The Unwritten Laws of Business is a good book to keep handy by your desk if you work for a company - you'll consult it often.