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lastpaige111's review against another edition
3.0
I understood about a third of this book, and both comforted and discomforted knowing that even the people who sold these arcane financial instruments -- and those who bought them -- didn't understand them either. What I did take away from the book is that I am very glad I fled Wall Street in 1981 before I was seduced and became a vampiress who produced nothing but misery.
Hey -- I did figure out what selling short means. That's something, right?
Plus I watched BLINDSIDE while skimming the book -- how gripping Lewis' one narrative is compared to the other. But maybe that's just me. I just can't get excited reading about how Wall Street's CEO's have bankrupted us. Even if the book is about the oddballs who figured it all out in advance ...
I remembered the guys I worked with in 1980-81, and I hated them even more. But they don't care. They're very rich. And we taxpayers took care of that for them.
But I read this entire book and I didn't care about anyone in it, one way or the other. I think that means that Lewis is not the greatest nonfiction story teller of a generation, as he has been touted to be.
And Obama is wrong wanting to end the Bush tax cuts? Puh-lease. They should send all of us personal checks, too.
Hey -- I did figure out what selling short means. That's something, right?
Plus I watched BLINDSIDE while skimming the book -- how gripping Lewis' one narrative is compared to the other. But maybe that's just me. I just can't get excited reading about how Wall Street's CEO's have bankrupted us. Even if the book is about the oddballs who figured it all out in advance ...
I remembered the guys I worked with in 1980-81, and I hated them even more. But they don't care. They're very rich. And we taxpayers took care of that for them.
But I read this entire book and I didn't care about anyone in it, one way or the other. I think that means that Lewis is not the greatest nonfiction story teller of a generation, as he has been touted to be.
And Obama is wrong wanting to end the Bush tax cuts? Puh-lease. They should send all of us personal checks, too.
xcinnamonsugar's review against another edition
5.0
Michael Lewis has an impressively clear writing style and wonderfully creative analogies. He does a fantastic job of explaining products and trades in a way that I believe a non-finance
person can grasp, while adding a healthy dose of hilarious anecdotes. This book is about more than just the subprime mortgage crisis and truly worth a read. Looking forward to checking out more of the author's work (and rewatching the movie adaptation)!
person can grasp, while adding a healthy dose of hilarious anecdotes. This book is about more than just the subprime mortgage crisis and truly worth a read. Looking forward to checking out more of the author's work (and rewatching the movie adaptation)!
the_schaef's review against another edition
4.0
Great insight into the largest financial calamity since the Great Depression. Written in typical Michael Lewis manner that is entertaining and leaves you thinking, why didn't they (whoever they is) do something about it. It helps to have an understanding of asset backed securities or the players involved.
kippenautomat's review against another edition
4.0
"Truth is like poetry.
And most people fucking hate poetry."
- Adam McKay -
And most people fucking hate poetry."
- Adam McKay -
shareen17's review against another edition
4.0
Nonfiction isn't my favorite genre. When I do read it, I like nonfiction that reads like a novel - similar pacing, characters, suspense, humor. This book about the mortgage crisis/financial mess of 2007/2008 has all that and more. I haven't read any other book on the topic, so I'm not even close to knowledgable on the subject, but I found his case very convincing. And his writing is so expressive. For some reason, I just love this sentence: "The argument stopper was Lippman's one-man quantitative support team." This book is full of great sentences like that. Even people who have little to no interest in the financial meltdown would like this book I think. Warning, he does quote from people who swear freely.
sksrenninger's review against another edition
4.0
I don't know much more about credit default swaps and collateralized debt obligations than I did before, but not for lack of trying on either my part or Michael Lewis's. The metaphors that he uses for these financial products--buildings, insurance--were really helpful to me, as were the individual narratives. I can't speak to how accurately it reflects reality, but I really enjoyed reading this book.
seldonsplan's review against another edition
4.0
I really think anyone with even a remote interest in the financial crisis should read this book. It's written in a very entertaining way (more like your friend telling you a story, not like a normal non-fiction) and the story is fascinating in a horrifying kind of way. If you combine this with Crisis Economics or All The Devils Are Here, you might become depressed/incredibly cynical, but you'll be really well informed on our financial system.