When it comes to my reading selections, I have a habit of becoming slightly obsessed with a particular topic and reading any and all books, articles, and blog posts I can about it.  Such is the case with my current (and second go-around) focus on the financial crisis.  I am, by no means, a student of economics (shopaholic, perhaps, is a better term), but I found myself morbidly fascinated by the fall of major banking institutions back in 2008, and even more fascinated by the downfall of entire countries’ economies over the past two years.  Here are some of my favorite reads on the subject (there are many, but I especially enjoyed these), and I look forward to reading A Colossal Failure of Common Sense by Lawrence McDonald upon my return to New York.
The Weekend That Changed Wall Street – This was the first book I read on the subject, and it whetted my appetite for more.  Maria Bartiromo breaks down the weekend that saw the fall of Lehman Brothers and the forced collaboration between the banks and the government into a flowing narrative, with her own unique view on the issue.  An engaging read (I read the majority of the book on my BlackBerry while wandering around Paris last year), I couldn’t put it down until I was finished.  Only to pick up the next book.
Too Big Too Fail – an intense read (over 1000 pages), but worth every word. Â Andrew Ross Sorkin covers the same subject Maria does, but in minute details that answers many of the questions I had after reading Maria’s book. Â Having read the previous book, I had a good grasp of financial terms and the timeline of events – and was able to skim over a good amount of the explanation Sorkin provides. Â I encourage you all to read the book, but there is an (excellent) movie version you should watch as wel.
The Big Short – I was a Michael Lewis fan from the moment I watched The Blind Side (and read the book), so I was curious to be handed his book on the financial crisis (only to find he started his career in finance, and not in sports writing). Â Lewis targets a specific area of the crisis – the people who made killings by shorting sub-prime mortgages and how they did it. Â Lewis narrates this story with such cadence and humor that it was hard for me to put it down when finished. Â Luckily, while I was re-reading The Big Short, he released another book (as seen below).
Boomerang – As my fascination with the downfall of entire countries’ economies rose, Michael Lewis’ book on the issue was published.  I just started this book , but if it’s anything like Lewis’ previous books, I’m in for a treat.  And if you enjoy sports, check out his other books (now turned movies) – The Blind Side and Moneyball.  Sports and finance?  Lewis is an author after my own heart.
Do you have any book recommendations for me (on this topic or others)? Â Leave them below! Â And if you want book recommendations or reading lists on any other books, or have questions in general, send them to me via the “Ask Hitha” box on the left toolbar!
