A Fool And His Money – Payback Time
By Martin Baker
Market Mania, Currency Chaos, Bonkers Bankers
It’s truer – and scarier – than ever…
Author Martin Baker revisits A Fool And His Money, his ground-breaking satire on the fragility of global markets and the sporadic insanity of those who work in them. With some sadness and a touch of anger, he notes how his warnings, published in the 90s, were not heeded, and how the mess we’re in now could have been avoided.
Baker offers a clear-sighted – and occasionally chilling – analysis of where we were, where we are, and where we’re going. The first installment of A Fool & His Money -Payback – is a hilarious but deadly accurate examination of the mania in today’s markets – from currencies in crisis, to the still-unrestrained avidity of traders, and the near-universal refusal to consider that there might be anything better than the ultra-liberal market system that’s delivered us such an almighty mess.
A Fool And His Money founded a whole genre of gonzo financial books, beating the path for publications such as Freakonomics. It was published to great critical acclaim:
‘A witty and pointed new book… Baker is wise to the follies of the market and the ignorance of even its most skilled players.’ – Randall Rothenberg, Esquire magazine
‘At once a hilarious and serious insight into late twentieth-century financial egos.’ – Offshore Alert
‘Damon Runyon meets Adam Smith on the dealing floor.’ – Hamish McRae, The Independent
‘Always sceptical and often cynical, by turns erudite or just plain rude, this is a witty and amoral analysis of polite society’s last taboo: money,’ – Ian Cowie, The Daily Telegraph
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