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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.
njdarkish's review against another edition
4.0
Very informative, but the reality of all that happened is infuriating.
gayatriii's review against another edition
4.0
Super compelling read, even for someone who didn't quite understand it all. I had to google a lot of terms for the book to make sense, and often just skipped over a few concepts altogether hoping they wouldn't be crucial to the narrative. Despite all that, it is deeply insightful and shocks you into realising that the great recession wasn't just the making of a few million greedy American home-owners (which is what I believed until now). Must read for everyone, definite must read if you understand financial jargon.
gemblebeeb's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
sad
tense
medium-paced
4.25
Did I enjoy it? Yes!
Did I understand it? Almost!
Will have to re-listen again soon. See if I get more second time around.
Did I understand it? Almost!
Will have to re-listen again soon. See if I get more second time around.
kivt's review against another edition
5.0
this is some of the best writing i’ve read in a long time.
j_m_alexander's review against another edition
informative
reflective
fast-paced
4.25
I am real late to this read and doubt I have any new insights to really add - so, simply: A well-told, quick-paced deep dive into what lead up to the housing market crash/financial crisis/great recession by focusing on a few individuals that saw the shenanigans in the market for what it was and what it would inevitably lead to before everyone else and figured out how to make a smart bet against the house before the whole Jenga tower of bad debt came crashing down.
It was interesting to look back at an event that seemed so calamitous at the time and directly or indirectly had a real impact on all of our lives, but it generally feels like we moved on from... probably because there have been other calamitous crises since + short attention spans and all that.
Very consumable. Excellent portraits of people at the center of the story. Makes you feel smarter.
It was interesting to look back at an event that seemed so calamitous at the time and directly or indirectly had a real impact on all of our lives, but it generally feels like we moved on from... probably because there have been other calamitous crises since + short attention spans and all that.
Very consumable. Excellent portraits of people at the center of the story. Makes you feel smarter.
bookph1le's review against another edition
4.0
Only in America can you be so incompetent at your job that you go beyond the mere bonds of not knowing what you're doing. You lose BILLIONS of dollars and still end up making millions. Wow, would use middle and lower class folk like to know the secret of screwing up that spectacularly at our jobs, and still getting rich while doing it. If you feel like getting angry all over again at the financial meltdown, read this book. If not, well, it might be best for your sanity if you avoid it.
In other words, this is an excellent, revealing, and rage-making book about one of the biggest financial disasters in history.
In other words, this is an excellent, revealing, and rage-making book about one of the biggest financial disasters in history.