Income Taxes - Effective Income Tax Rate on Earnings from Continuing Operations (Detail)	12 Months Ended
	Nov. 30, 2013	Nov. 30, 2012	Nov. 30, 2011
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]
Statutory U.S. federal income tax rate	(35.00%)	35.00%	35.00%
State and local income taxes, net of U.S. federal income tax effect	(7.40%)	20.40%	29.90%
Changes in state income tax rates	(29.20%)
Tax settlements and refund claims, including interest			3.50%
Reserve adjustments	5.60%	21.50%	0.80%
Valuation allowance adjustments	(680.80%)	98.40%	(44.00%)
Rescindable common stock interest and realized (gains) losses	(1.40%)	1.70%	3.30%
Non-deductible convertible subordinated notes interest	17.30%	21.50%	31.60%
Deferred net operating loss to additional paid in capital		23.00%	2.10%
Research credits	(4.70%)	(75.30%)
Retroactive change in federal tax law	(5.30%)
Benefit of manufacturing deductions		(9.50%)
Other, net	0.80%	6.50%	5.30%
Effective income tax rate	(740.10%)	143.20%	67.50%