Throughout the 20th century, American corporations were governed by autocratic, almost unaccountable chief executives. Their word was law, and the only check on their power was a board of directors composed of their friends and allies. Then, in a stunning reversal, a momentous series of firings deposed the heads of some of the world's best-known companies.

In Revolt in the Boardroom, Alan Murray examines the new world of corporate power. Using the access afforded to him by his influential Wall Street Journal column, Murray tells the story of three seminal board revolts: the now-famous Hewlett-Packard drama, the ousting of Boeing's Harry Stonecipher, and the deposing of one of the world's most autocratic executives, Hank Greenberg, from AIG.