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82nd out of 261 books
—
180 voters
Confessions of a Tax Collector: One Man's Tour of Duty Inside the IRS
by
Rick Yancey
Twelve years ago, Richard Yancey answered a blind ad in the newspaper offering a salary higher than what he'd made over the three previous years combined. It turned out that the job was for the Internal Revenue Service -- the most hated and feared organization in the federal government.
So Yancey became the man who got in his car, drove to your house, knocked on your door,...more
So Yancey became the man who got in his car, drove to your house, knocked on your door,...more
Paperback, 400 pages
Published
December 28th 2004
by Harper Perennial
(first published 2004)
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Subtitled "One Man's Tour of Duty Inside the IRS". Richard Yancey, not the name he worked under, served as a Revenue Officer for approximately thirteen years, some of it in North Florida. As a long time IRS employee myself (19 years, 10 months), although not in Collections, I was interested to see what Yancey had to say.
I'm sorry to report that I was somewhat disappointed. Although the technical side is dead on and I'll be among the first to admit that there are strange people both in and out o...more
I'm sorry to report that I was somewhat disappointed. Although the technical side is dead on and I'll be among the first to admit that there are strange people both in and out o...more
I don't know how much of it was exactly true (he's a novelist and playwright after all), but very readable account of his 12 years as a collections guy (revenue officer) for the IRS. Works well on a couple levels --
(a) insider stuff about how tax collections, seizures, etc. work, how much leeway they have to decide whether or not to be lenient or patient with a particular taxpayer, and so on;
(b) author's own personal transformations while on the job -- he's a rail-thin cigarette smoker who bec...more
(a) insider stuff about how tax collections, seizures, etc. work, how much leeway they have to decide whether or not to be lenient or patient with a particular taxpayer, and so on;
(b) author's own personal transformations while on the job -- he's a rail-thin cigarette smoker who bec...more
Feed the beast, feed the beast.
I can see hints of The Monstrumologist in these pages, as if the IRS had trained Yancey, given him the experience to be able to write such a novel as The Monstrumologist. After all, The Monstrumologist is, ultimately, about the monstrosity that is humanity. And the Confessions of a Tax Collector is straightforwardly about the monster that is humanity.
The writing is so Yancey-esque, one can see the moral door that characters have to go through. If the IRS created t...more
I can see hints of The Monstrumologist in these pages, as if the IRS had trained Yancey, given him the experience to be able to write such a novel as The Monstrumologist. After all, The Monstrumologist is, ultimately, about the monstrosity that is humanity. And the Confessions of a Tax Collector is straightforwardly about the monster that is humanity.
The writing is so Yancey-esque, one can see the moral door that characters have to go through. If the IRS created t...more
In "Confessions of a Tax Collector," Richard Yancey tells the story of his time working for the IRS. At the time, Yancey was an aimless twenty-something with no career path and a live-in fiancee he had no plans to marry who viewed tax collection as his last shot at success. As a tax collector, Yancey sees some of the worst American society can offer--and finds a new side of himself, a person who is more focused, but also less connected to humanity.
The story is fascinating, and told with flair. A...more
The story is fascinating, and told with flair. A...more
Basically a really strange cross between a tell-all book about the IRS in the 1990s and one guy’s mental bender. The stuff about the crazy tax deadbeats is interesting, but interoffice politics and his exercise routine are not. I thought the ending was going to come about 50 pages beforehand and so the last pages felt like wading through muck. The author is pretty much a jerk for most of the book, but it sounds like his completely messed-up relationship contributed a lot to that. He definitely m...more
This book was interesting, but lacked some of the "gory" details of tax collecting. Or maybe the details are not actually very gory, so that is why he didn't tell them. One thing that was weird is the book jacket references some things that sound really interesting, like the author had to use a fake name while he was a tax collector and the name had to be approved by the governemnt...but he never actually talked about that in the book.
The end of the book, actually the very last sentence, made m...more
The end of the book, actually the very last sentence, made m...more
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Well, I was hoping for a memoir akin to that of Perkin's "Confession of an Economic Hitman". While it did illuminate some of the practices and protocol of the IRS, I was hoping for greater insight and analysis, some existential crisis all circling around the ultimate unconstiutionality of the IRS, of the Federal Reserve, "the beast" that requires tax dollars, not for health care, roads, education, so much as funding drug wars, foreign wars.
Though it was a fairly entertaining read, I was left de...more
Though it was a fairly entertaining read, I was left de...more
Apr 05, 2009
Abby
marked it as to-read
My baby is due on April 13th, so I was thinking today that she might end up with April 15th (tax day) as her birthday! That will make her whole life lame. I hope she is born before or after. Maybe the day after, as a way to celebrate being done with the government stealing her hard earned money, or a way to celebrate with her refund. Or... maybe she could just be born whenever the heck, because I am sick of being pregnant. Seriously! Get out of me already!!
It's supposed to be humorous, and perhaps it is. I just found the power of the IRS frightening and the agents inhuman. There was little to laugh about. He later remarks that the IRS has been greatly curbed by some act in 1998.
On personal level, it was like watching a nice man walk into Hell and learning to like it, and finally redeeming himself at the end.
On personal level, it was like watching a nice man walk into Hell and learning to like it, and finally redeeming himself at the end.
This book is about how a job can destroy a man's soul. As one who is yet to start his professional career, I was curious to find out the harsh realities of the 9 to 5 lifestyle. The book on occasion is very witty and humorous but fails to grab the reader's attention, primarily because of the author's tendency to digress along various irrelevant tangents. I also found myself unable to empathize with any of the characters which made this book less enjoyable than it could have been. The second half...more
Maybe I should give this three stars because it was entertaining enough to read all the way through. But I really disliked everyone in the book, especially the narrator. He reminded me of James Frey - way too impressed with his own 'I was a fucked up loser but I redeemed myself by being a bad ass' narrative. Makes me grouchy.
Surprising read in many ways. The author details his struggles and successes as a revenue officer in the IRS. I actually picked it up looking for some technical tips to avoid an audit but the story turned into a readable mortality tale. Yancey writes with a smooth complexity and is a master at evoking sympathy on command.
Interesting look at how the IRS used to work, and maybe will work again soon. Well paced and plotted with some clearly drawn characters, but I was a bit annoyed by the pages and pages of "recollected" conversations that read like scenes from a play.
I learned some things about the IRS and taxes. It was surprisingly interesting. Yancey is a pretty big dick and I can't imagine how he and Pam ever got together. He starts off ok, but I become less and less of a fan, especially by the end.
This book started out as an informative peek into life working for the IRS. unfortunately the author started trying to tie in his own descent into madness -maybe related to his job, but it sounds like he was kind of strange bird to begin with - but I found his whole downward spiral a little boring. I didnt really care about him or get why he was turning into such a freak. I mean what kind of man wears colored contacts? granted this was the early-to-mid-nineties. anyhow, it did make me wonder how...more
Feb 27, 2013
Levi
marked it as to-read
Now that the trivial/epic saga of Hawaii Tax Compliance I've been going through for the past five or six months seems to be drawing to a close, I thought this might be an illuminating read.
Amusing autobiographical account of Mr. Yancey's experiences in the 90's working as a revenue officer. The IRS is way less scary now! Fast read. Not overly profound but entertaining.
This was interesting take on how the IRS operates on the inside. It since has changed. The book is really about the authors journey in finding himself and love because of his "tour" in the IRS. If you are worried about language, this book has quite a bit of language in it. If you can get over that, it's an enjoyable read. Overall, I've enjoyed books from this author.
Was a 3.5 Rating. Had a lot of good information about what RO's do in the service or what they used to do. Would have liked for it to include more cases and less of the other political/personal stuff. Thats just my view.
An excellent look into the "old" IRS way of doing things. Simultaneously chilling and hilarious. A great memoir that may make you a little more careful when doing your taxes this year!
interesting at first, but really had no redeeming value. lots of language. didn't finish.
A laugh out loud memoir of a tax collector.
A produced playwright, former theater critic, and published novelist, Yancey worked for the Internal Revenue Service for 12 years, beginning in 1990. His account of life in the IRS--with the names, personal appearances, and histories of the real individuals changed to protect their identities--reads like a novel, and provides a firsthand view of the institution, its policies and practices, its particular workplace culture, what it's like to learn the ropes as a trainee, and life as a full-fledge...more
This was a surprisingly good story. Don't let the title fool you…this book isn't the least bit boring or dry! Mr. Yancey is a great story-teller and you will have a lot of fun as you accompany him on his journey through his IRS career! A must-read for anyone who works for the government, or in the world of taxes and finance. Heck, just about anyone would enjoy this story!
a 3.5 really.
Written in 2005:
"A fascinating look at working for the Internal Revenue Service that reads like a novel. Humorous, with just enough self-revelation and shading to give it body and allow it to stand on its own."
"A fascinating look at working for the Internal Revenue Service that reads like a novel. Humorous, with just enough self-revelation and shading to give it body and allow it to stand on its own."
Yancey spent a couple of years as a collection agent for the IRS, mainly going after owners of small businesses that messed up payroll and other taxes beyond redemption. While it is true that many of the harsh collection methods described in the book were prohibited by Congress after Yancey left the IRS, this account gives proof why we ought to be afraid, very afraid, of unchecked government power directed at individual citizens.
I found the author so unlikeable that I had a very hard time caring about him and the book. Also thought the "plot" as it were was pretty thin for a 350 page book.
I liked this a lot. I thought the information about the job was interesting and the writing was good as well.
It felt just a touch like...it was trying to tell the story of working for the IRS AND trying to tell this personal tale of woe and redemption? And not quite getting to the depth it needed to on either side.
But I still liked it. Interesting characters, for sure.
It felt just a touch like...it was trying to tell the story of working for the IRS AND trying to tell this personal tale of woe and redemption? And not quite getting to the depth it needed to on either side.
But I still liked it. Interesting characters, for sure.
Writing was mediocre but the inside scoop on the functionings of the IRS was interesting. Not sure I'd recommend it....dragged on in so many places.
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| the haney group, Hong Kong firm at core of fraud that sparked investigation into tax havens | 2 | 2 | Apr 07, 2013 02:23am |
aka Richard Yancey
Rick is a native Floridian and a graduate of Roosevelt University in Chicago. He earned a B.A. in English which he put to use as a field officer for the Internal Revenue Service. Inspired and encouraged by his wife, he decided his degree might also be useful in writing books and in 2004 he began writing full-time.
Since then he has launched two critically acclaimed series: The Ext...more
More about Rick Yancey...
Rick is a native Floridian and a graduate of Roosevelt University in Chicago. He earned a B.A. in English which he put to use as a field officer for the Internal Revenue Service. Inspired and encouraged by his wife, he decided his degree might also be useful in writing books and in 2004 he began writing full-time.
Since then he has launched two critically acclaimed series: The Ext...more
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