Book description
From award-winning Financial Times journalist Gillian Tett, who enraged Wall Street leaders with her news-breaking warnings of a crisis more than a year ahead of the curve, Fool’s Gold tells the astonishing unknown story at the heart of the 2008 meltdown.
Drawing on exclusive access to J.P. Morgan CEO Jamie…
Why read it?
2 authors picked Fool's Gold as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?
The Great Financial Crisis of 2008 might look like a storm that blew up out of nowhere but it had been brewing for a decade or more in the murky world of structured credit. Written by one of the first journalists to see the problem coming and skillfully unravelling complexity through the story of a small band of derivatives experts, Fool’s Gold shows the unintended consequences of financial innovation as it spun out of control.
From Philip's list on financial history.
Tett got pretty impressive access to JP Morgan and the team of Wall Streeters who revolutionized, and later collapsed, the banking industry. I loved reading this book because it was so approachable and fast-paced, and showed how an ethnographic approach reveals unique (and in this case out-of-control) institutional cultures can have global impacts.
*A little like Karen Ho’s ethnography of Wall Street, but less academic!
From Diana's list on where authors infiltrate a wild community.
If you love Fool's Gold...
These Blue Mountains
A moving story of love, betrayal, and the enduring power of hope in the face of darkness.
German pianist Hedda Schlagel's world collapsed when her fiancé, Fritz, vanished after being sent to an enemy alien camp in the United States during the Great War. Fifteen years later, in 1932, Hedda…
Want books like Fool's Gold?
Our community of 12,000+ authors has personally recommended 100 books like Fool's Gold.
Share your top 3 reads of 2025!
And get a beautiful page showing off your 3 favorite reads.
1,340
readers submitted
so far, will you?
📚 If you like Fool's Gold, you might also like...
Miami Beat
Jose Castillo is a cynical, wise-cracking Cuban-American who restores classic cars. He’s also a private eye whose sarcastic ways sometimes get him into trouble.
One day, in the process of installing a four-barrel carburetor on a 1965 Mustang, into his shop walks trouble—in the shape of a mysterious, beautiful woman…
Bruce Songs
Bruce Songs is an authoritative guide that offers an in-depth exploration of Bruce Springsteen's musical legacy. Covering Springsteen's entire discography, from "Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J." to "Only the Strong Survive", this unique book combines historical context, literary analysis, and meticulous research.
Unlike any other resource, it provides detailed analyses…
