A review by cheyennedierker
Going Infinite: The Rise and Fall of a New Tycoon by Michael Lewis

adventurous informative reflective medium-paced

4.5

4.5/5.0 ⭐

If you are unfamiliar with the Sam Bankman-Fried story or author Michael Lewis' prior works ('Moneyball', 'The Blind Side', 'The Big Short', ...), but were a fan of Netflix's 'BitConned' or Hulu's 'The Dropout', you'll enjoy this one. 

Sam Bankman-Fried founded and managed Alameda Research, a cryptocurrency trading firm, and FTX, a Bahamas-based crypto exchange. Following FTX's collapse in 2022, Bankman-Fried faced charges of misappropriating customer deposits for political contributions, celebrity marketing, and venture capital investments. He has since been sentenced to 25 years imprisonment. 

Michael Lewis' 'Going Infinite' was written after the company's fall but published at the trial's onset. Lewis spent ample time with Bankman-Fried prior to the collapse and has faced criticism for portraying Bankman-Fried as either too likeable or too innocent. I'm firmly in the camp that Lewis is letting the story speak for itself, particularly highlighting how Bankman-Fried's elusiveness and oddly likeable personality were key factors in how he gained trust. 

The book delves into Bankman-Fried's socially awkward upbringing, his start at Jane Street, his interest in probability, chance, and effective altruism, his cringey romantic relationship with one of his employees, and the management (or lack thereof) of his two companies. 

Kindle Version | Libby