We are living in the most reckless financial environment in recent history. Arcane credit derivative bets are now well into the tens of trillions. According to Charles R. Morris, the astronomical leverage at investment banks and their hedge fund and private equity clients virtually guarantees massive disruption in global markets. The crash, when it comes, will have no firebreaks. A quarter century of free-market zealotry that extolled asset stripping, abusive lending, and hedge fund secrecy will come crashing down with it.

The Trillion Dollar Meltdown explains how we got here, and what is about to happen. After the crash our priorities will be quite different. But things are likely to get worse before they better. Whether you are an active investor, a homeowner, or a contributor to your 401(k) plan, The Trillion Dollar Meltdown will be indispensable to understanding the gross excess that has put the world economy on the brink—and what the new landscape will look like.

CUSTOMER REVIEWS (Average Customer Rating: 4.0 based on 62 reviews)

Excellent

What many reviewers have not mentioned is that, despite the serious subject, the author is a very entertaining writer.

For instance, on post-WWII industry in the US:

'Like flightless birds on a predator free island, American companies had no defenses when hungry and hard-eyed competitors finally came hunting from overseas'

The author also provides a very good description of the financial instruments that got us into thiscredit hell. I know have, at least, some idea of what a synthetic CDO is, or, hopefully, was.

October 11, 2008

This book should be required reading for congress and members of the executive branch

A well researched and reasoned analysis of the current financial crisis. The author's assessment of the economic and political forces that have resulted in the current crisis are presented in an understandable and balanced manner. He exposes the complicated financial instruments created and the excessive risks taken within our financial markets in the name of greater returns and paints a dire picture of the consequences that the eventual unwinding of these assets may have. Finally, he provides a tempered approached for future regulation of our financial markets.

The author's insight and presentation style leave the reader with a sense that there is someone who acutally has a sense of what's going on and that these current problems may be correctable if reasonable men are allowed to prevail.
October 10, 2008

Deja'Vu

I no sooner finished reading this book than we all started living it. What we are watching unfold on Wall Street and in Washingtion D.C. is exactly what was fortold, in excruciating detail.
October 06, 2008

I read this book 6 months ago....wow

Around 6 months ago I read this book. Talk about timeliness!! it deserves many accolades, I will definately read anything else this author publishes!
Excellent read, intelligent, concise and understandable for all.
September 30, 2008

Incisive, Informative, Balanced History of the Current Crisis

Buzz Aldrin once told me that the secret to success was to be in the right place at the right time. To that advice, I would add, that one must bring the right stuff to the table. The historian of this fluid and incisive analysis fulfills both criteria. Morris states that his intention is to tell the story of how we got there, "as briefy and crisply" as he can. He succeeds, brilliantly. The book seems to be the culminating work of a lifetime of preparation for solely this task - production of an unpretentious, eminently readable, accessible, closely argued and well-documented, to the chase, history of the cycles of financial markets over the past half century which have brought us to the point of possible national bankruptcy - a history of debt capitalism in its most perilous moment.
While the mechanics of banking have never held much interest for me, I found this read gripping and highly informative - at a time when we all need to become informed about the mess engulfing us.

September 27, 2008

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