Too Big to Fail - Andrew Ross Sorkin

Too Big to Fail

By Andrew Ross Sorkin

  • Release Date: 2009-10-20
  • Genre: Economics
Score: 4.5
4.5
From 554 Ratings

Description

Brand New for 2018: an updated edition featuring a new afterword to mark the 10th anniversary of the financial crisis
 
The brilliantly reported New York Times bestseller that goes behind the scenes of the financial crisis on Wall Street and in Washington to give the definitive account of the crisis, the basis for the HBO film
 
Too Big To Fail is too good to put down. . . . It is the story of the actors in the most extraordinary financial spectacle in 80 years, and it is told brilliantly.” —The Economist
 
In one of the most gripping financial narratives in decades, Andrew Ross Sorkin—a New York Times columnist and one of the country's most respected financial reporters—delivers the first definitive blow-by-blow account of the epochal economic crisis that brought the world to the brink. Through unprecedented access to the players involved, he re-creates all the drama and turmoil of these turbulent days, revealing never-before-disclosed details and recounting how, motivated as often by ego and greed as by fear and self-preservation, the most powerful men and women in finance and politics decided the fate of the world's economy.

Reviews

  • What a narrative!

    5
    By MPNVPA
    I’m fascinated by the 2008 financial collapse. Greed at its core caused this. That’s why I couldn’t wait to read this book. But at first, this book was a bit hard to get into; there were so many people to sort out. But as the story came together to reveal the financial tsunami facing all of the players I simply couldn’t put it down. I consider this book to be the unofficial narrative of the collapse. But it’s scary. Proverbs says that NOT money, but the LOVE of money is the root of all evil, and this book proves it. What’s most scary is that under difference circumstances to come, this disaster could happen again, and next time it could be even worse.
  • Extraordinary Detail

    5
    By TimesAddicto.O
    A fly on every wall, Sorkin carries the reader across the breadth of the crisis, from the first systemic shock in the collapse of Bear Stearns in March of 08 through the populist political aftershocks the following spring and beyond. Balancing questions of moral hazard, the government’s role in highly unusual economic circumstances, and the moral ambiguity of the people in the ring, this is a seminal topology worth a spot on the shelf.
  • Excellent Narrative on the Financial Crisis

    5
    By BigHatNoCattle
    I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The one feature of the book that surprised me was the extensive background offered on the major figures in the story. I recommend that you pair this book with "The Big Short" for a full picture of what was going on. I really enjoyed Sorkin's writing and storytelling style.
  • Educational AND Entertaining

    5
    By Higgidy Wiggidy
    This book was so well written and rather well narrated that I have a hard time hitting stop when I get to the end of my commute. It's written as a story line, and it's written very well. This book had to take a serious amount of time to put together propertly. I am very impressed at the reasearch and information gathering. I can't fathom the amount of interviews this would have had to take, on the record or off. Great job Andrew Ross Sorkin. I will read anything you write moving forward. Regardless of party lines, you will want to read this. It's long, but you will wish it kept going, outside of the fact that this was a real story. That's the unfortunate part. This should be a movie now. I am seriously convinced there is enough information here to put one together and it would be a hit. I listened to the unabridged audio book and enjoyed the narrator. At times he was off in his punctuation, etc, but for the most part did a great job. Likely it's hard and takes forever to properly narrate this long of a book. Dang! Great job on all parts. Get it.
  • A great read

    5
    By RLRosas
    It was amazing-like a soap opera that has a basis in reality. I loved it and would read more by this man. It was fantastic!
  • Too long to read

    2
    By TK88888
    Read the first third of the book but got bored by the fluff. Author spent too much time paistakingly describing every character's background, unnecessarily slowing down the story to the point where it was difficult to keep track of the main plot. If there was a way to remove the "fluff" I would finish reading the book (feature request for iBooks!?)
  • To big to fail

    5
    By olddoc60
    Scares the bejesus out of me on what happened. What a book it's amazing how much money was getting throw around. Great read
  • Extraordinary!

    5
    By Sherry607
    The world still hangs in the balance and this book outlines exactly what needs to be done to stop the madness---is anybody listening!
  • Great read!

    5
    By Kminnesota1;
    Great book, well written and very engaging! I highly recommend!
  • Great read

    5
    By Jrhubes
    I read the Big Short first then this and the two really helped piece the financial picture and subsequent meltdown nicely. It still amazes me all the power the big Wall Street firms have and makes me really appreciate Warren Buffet's integrity. After reading these books and hearing of the profits they are making and bonuses they are giving out, it really makes me sick. It reinforces that the rich keep getting richer which the average Joe just foots the bill.