Liar's Poker

Michael Lewis

Book Reviews

Chamath Palihapitiya: "Probably my favorite book"

Tim Ferriss: "It's a very exciting book."

Book Synopsis

"Liar's Poker" is a captivating non-fiction book written by Michael Lewis that takes readers on a thrilling journey inside the world of Wall Street in the 1980s. Lewis, a former bond salesman at Salomon Brothers, provides a fascinating insider's account of the high-stakes world of investment banking.

Through vivid storytelling, Lewis exposes the outrageous and often absurd culture that dominated Wall Street during this era. He reveals the intense competition, greed, and excess that permeated the trading floors, where young, aggressive traders engaged in a merciless pursuit of money and status.

Lewis explores the rise of the mortgage bond market and the game of "liar's poker," a gambling-style game where traders would bet on the prices of bonds. He delves into the fascinating techniques and strategies used by traders, exposing the manipulation and deceit that often accompanied their dealings.

In "Liar's Poker," Lewis pulls back the curtain on the inner workings of one of the most powerful industries in the world, shedding light on the reckless behavior and unchecked power of those involved. The book serves as a cautionary tale, highlighting the dangerous consequences of unbridled ambition and the devastating impact it can have on both individuals and the economy as a whole.

With its sharp wit and gripping narrative, "Liar's Poker" offers readers an eye-opening and thought-provoking exploration of the financial industry's dark side. Lewis's keen observations and candid storytelling make this book an indispensable read for anyone interested in understanding the forces that shaped Wall Street and continue to influence global finance today.

Explore More Books

See All
Montaigne's Essays
Nourishing Traditions
Intellectual Life in the Middle Ages
The Museum of Other People
The Smartest Guys In The Room
Tao of Philosophy
A Wrinkle in Time
Mathematics: Its Content, Methods and Meaning
You Can Be a Stock Market Genius
The Overview Effect
Hustle Harder, Hustle Smarter
All Over but the Shoutin'
Where Do School Funds Go?
Endure
The Captive Mind
To Kill a Mockingbird
The Razor's Edge
English Culture and the Decline of the Industrial Spirit, 1850-1980
The Visual Display of Quantitative Information
Guns, Germs, and Steel
The Ride of a Lifetime
Creative Selection
The Alchemist
The American Story
All I Want to Know is Where I'm Going To Die So I'll Never Go There
The Surrender Experiment
The Experience Machine
The God Delusion
Catching the Big Fish
A Guide To Econometrics
Hackers & Painters
The Unincorporated Man
Startup
The Origin of Species
The Wisdom of Crowds
Negotiating The Impossible
Rise of the Machines
The Bully Pulpit
Breaking Out of Beginner's Spanish
Rick and Morty Book Two
The New New Thing
Recapturing The Spirit Of Enterprise
The Art of Asking
The Selfish Gene
The Fountainhead
Dictionary of Untranslatables
The Book of Why
Central Banking 101
Command
Lights Out
War Nerd
The Essays of Warren Buffett
The Rational Optimist
Principles of Economics
The Humanure Handbook
P53
Digital Gold
The Advantage
The Inner Studio
Infrastructure
Foundation and Empire
A Practical Guide for Policy Analysis
Twilight of the Bombs
Energy Myths and Realities
Q.E.D.
The Act of Creation
How to Dress an Egg
The Heart
The Devil’s Financial Dictionary
Albert Einstein
Incognito
An Agricultural Testament
Mindfulness in Plain English
The Omnivore's Dilemma
Discourses on Livy
Last Chance to See
Filters Against Folly
Altars of Unhewn Stone
The Dog Stars
Eradication
Why Globalization Works
In Praise of Slowness
An Unquiet Mind
The Power To Compete
The Friction Project
A History of Knowledge
Seven Brief Lessons on Physics
Stalingrad
Skunk Works
We Learn Nothing
Automate This
Philosophy and Scientific Realism
The Amateur
Product Design for the Web
America's Cultural Revolution
Painting and Experience in Fifteenth-Century Italy
Very Good, Jeeves
The Kitchen Cookbook
Behind the Beautiful Forevers
The Power of Glamour