Girish's Reviews > Liar's Poker

Not impressed.

Way back in 2008 when Lehman Brothers had just folded and I was preparing for CAT exams, this book got added to my TBR as the book that will explain it all. Finally in 2022, I read the book. A lot had changed including my outlook on financial instruments (I don't understand), investment bankers (have money don't have a life) and even the concept of money (an illusion).

The book starts out as an earnest effort to explain the disillusionment of investment banking, expose corporate greed and then the inevitable politics when it comes to power. The complexity of the instruments themselves and the cluelessness of the customers who trade in them making huge money - though true, is something I despised. So all through the downward spiral of the author's experience and the organisation's fortunes - I could not wait for it to come down. By that logic it was long drawn.

The home mortgage instruments origin (thrift instruments) was a trivia of sorts and the German bonds episode an anecdote for pettiness. The last part of the company takeover and layoffs I sort of speed read skipping a few pages (something I dont do normally). I felt bored and desperate to get the book over with and it is never a good sign.

Skip it and you won't miss a thing.