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davefilkins's review against another edition
5.0
I never thought I would find myself reading a book about the antics of Wall Street. If anyone had convinced me that I would, there is absolutely no way I would have believed I would end up absolutely loving it - but I stuck with Michael Lewis' riveting tale and I cannot praise it enough. "The Big Short" is the incredibly unbelievable true story of the set of events leading up to the housing and credit bubble of the 2000s. Not just a book of numbers, this is a tale with engaging human characters (some easier to empathize with than others) who really drive the story and remind us that whatever terms we use to describe the reallocation of assets, at the heart of it all is the human element behind the money. This was also a good and humbling reminder to me (I admit, I have an inherent bias to loathe anyone who works in financial hedging and speculation, who reap their benefits from the blood and sweat of the working class without providing any service to anyone but themselves and shareholders) that there were both heroes and villains in this tale. There were seemingly endless complexities which led to the subprime mortgage catastrophe and that also brought public awareness to the countless problems inherent in the very idea of credit default swaps. At the root of these problems was the unchecked greed of the villains, a small few who disregarded all warning signs provided by the heroes along the way. The moral of this tale - Wall Street needs more heroes.
emilyb_chicago's review against another edition
4.0
I've always found Michael Lewis a bit pompous and think that his books are just okay. This book however was really good.
It describes the mortgage crisis of the late 2000s clearly and straightforwardly. He assumes the reader knows nothing about the world and describes it in such a way that I really think anyone would understand. Lewis always has his opinions and he isn't shy about telling them, but in this case they don't seem as condescending.
I'd recommend this book if you're even a little curious; it'll make sense even if you just know "something really bad happened".
It describes the mortgage crisis of the late 2000s clearly and straightforwardly. He assumes the reader knows nothing about the world and describes it in such a way that I really think anyone would understand. Lewis always has his opinions and he isn't shy about telling them, but in this case they don't seem as condescending.
I'd recommend this book if you're even a little curious; it'll make sense even if you just know "something really bad happened".
jayseewhy's review against another edition
3.0
As books on the GFC go, this wasn't too bad. I feel like it would make for a decent movie.
eiridium's review against another edition
5.0
A superb read. Thick, think novel like form, but gripping and approachable. The three interspersed biographical narratives blend well and approach collapse from unique perspectives. Michael Lewis is a skillful writer and now must put his two other books on my must read list.
supermdguy's review against another edition
funny
informative
fast-paced
4.0
Great read, made a complex news item very understandable
jsilverman84's review against another edition
4.0
This was a fun read. I learned a lot, however, I am left feeling that it is missing some of the wonkish rigor that a first pass at the economic history of the 2008 recession might include. I would love to follow up with a drier version of the same story with more historical context.