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
History Has Begun
The God Proof
Buffett
An Elegant Defense
Competition Demystified
Diaminds
The Inevitable
The Checklist Manifesto
Thai Stick
Live Free or Die
Leonardo Da Vinci
A Random Walk Down Wall Street
Total Freedom
Shook One
The Light Of Other Days
The Tyrrany of Guilt
The Warren Buffett Way
Zurich International Chess Tournament, 1953
Off The Record
Physics from Finance
Everything Happens For a Reason
The Art Of Doing Science And Engineering
An Astronaut's Guide to Life on Earth
Ghost Fleet
Conspiracy of Fools
How to Teach Your Baby to Read
The Future Is Faster Than You Think
Startups
We Are The Nerds
The Autobiography of Malcolm X
Tribe
The Alchemy of Air
The Death and Life of Great American Cities
A Confederacy of Dunces
The Spy and The Traitor
Born to Run
Million Dollar Weekend
The 10,000 Year Explosion
A Life
One Simple Idea
The Obstacle Is the Way
In Pursuit of the Common Good
Zen in the Art of Archery
The Ones We Have Been Waiting For
The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy
What It Takes
The Song of the Cell
Scaling People
Accidental Presidents
I am Anne Frank
Deng Xiaoping and The Transformation of China
I Think, Therefore I Laugh
A Bold Return to Giving a Damn
The Art of Living and Dying
The Complete Calvin and Hobbes
The Spider Network
The Tartar Steppe
Technopoly
In Defense of a Liberal Education
The River War
The Dream Machine
The Story of Design
Leaders
Why Information Grows
The Price of Tomorrow
Virtual Economies
Adaptive Markets
Grit
The Infidel and the Professor
Virtual Society
Foundation and Earth
The Robotics Primer
The Black Dahlia
Payoff
The Princeton Companion to Mathematics
King Lear
Remote: Office Not Required
Game of Thorns
The Basic Laws of Human Stupidity
Complexity
Leonardo Da Vinci
The 4 Hour Body
The Gospel of Wealth
Winning
Dune Messiah
More Heat Than Light
An Inconvenient Truth
The Utopia of Rules
Out of Mao's Shadow
The Three Body Problem
The Science of Success
How To Win at the Sport of Business
Hell Yeah or No
The Oz Principle
The Great Rupture
The Promise of a Pencil
The Great Illusion
The Venture Mindset
The Age of Entitlement
The World