The Big Short discussion

I know I heard of a novel written in 2006 that foretold the "crash" and those who shorted it. I believe it was mentioned on NPR, and I thought it was the "Girl with the Dragon Tattoo". As I read the summary of that book, it just doesn't fit. Does anyone else have a clue?

Yes. It's the best book to date on "The Lesser Depression" (2008 - 20??).

You might be thinking of 'Fools Gold' by Gillian Tett. She is known for her foresight leading upto the GFC. It's an excellent book, a great companion read to 'The Big Short' albeit without Michael Lewis sensational sense of narrative and story-elling.

Makes some sense out of the crash. Just seems like the big corporations couldn't manage the complexity of the financial environment in this day and age.

Yes you're right Sara, but I think its also a question of outright deception, rather than benign mis-management, on the part of the Wall Street corporations. Matt Taibbi in 'Griftopia' also has some great insights into the makings of whole crash. Like the Big Short its a great read with a riveting narrative.

Louise wrote: "I know I heard of a novel written in 2006 that foretold the "crash" and those who shorted it. I believe it was mentioned on NPR, and I thought it was the "Girl with the Dragon Tattoo". As I read ..."

I think the book you are talking about is "The Real Crash: America's Coming Bankruptcy---How to Save Yourself and Your Country". The author Peter Schiff is wrote "Crash Proof" before recession predicted an imminent decline in the value of the American dollar and advised readers to invest in foreign securities and precious metals.

In 'The Big Short' by Michael Lewis, I was relieved to hear this question again and again, "And this is legal?!" Because as this rodent fornication unwound it was easy to see that many things that happened, in a just and fair and legal world, would not have happened.

Also, 'Diary of a Very Bad Year: Confessions of an Anonymous Hedge Fund Manager,' explains a lot of what happened, and although I didn't understand 100% of what the author was writing about, I'm so much wiser about what goes on in our financial markets. And if you're someone who's played the market and thought a lot about Wall Street, brokers, stocks, bonds and such, what you 'imagined' was going on, well, this book tells you, was actually going on.

BTW @regan, I can't wait for 'Fools Gold' by Gillian Tett to show up at my Phoenix Half Price Book store.