Updates

  1. Search groups its results by kind: people, companies, geographies, subjects, topics, books, funds, fund letters and papers.
  2. The Books table lists who recommended each book by name, and the browser tab names the section you are in.
  3. Feedback can take a screenshot of the page, or one you paste or choose, and opens in the corner beside Updates.
  4. Each rail button reopens its section where you left it, and Browse, Table and People show on every book and subject page.
  5. Filters grey out choices that hold nothing instead of hiding them, and Books › People filters by authors or recommenders.
  6. Feedback takes a subject line and up to three screenshots.
  7. Biographies are grouped by the person they are about: 41 new pages, from Abraham Lincoln to Lee Kuan Yew.
  8. Sport splits into 23 sports, and Religion into one topic per faith.
  9. Book lists show as cards: the cover, one recommendation quote and every recommender by name.
  10. Seventeen subjects that had two or three pages under different names now have one page each.
  11. Every page lists its Experts as authors and recommenders, with a link to them on the Experts tab.
  12. Economics, Financial history, Financial panics and Accounting are subjects of their own, with one page per financial crisis.
  13. Book, person and subject pages open inside the app, so the tabs stay in view.
  14. 996 more book covers, and photographs or logos for 227 more people and companies.
  15. Books › Browse shows every subject as cards, and the rail holds Fund letters, Papers, Experts, Books and Funds.
  16. Every topic over 150 books splits into narrower topics, each with a page of its own.

Send feedback

What is it?
Screenshots, up to 3 (optional)
or paste one with Ctrl+V

We use your email only to reply to you.
2F

The 2008 financial crisis

Financial panics

The American housing and mortgage bust, the failures of Bear Stearns, Lehman Brothers and AIG, and the rescues that followed.

50 books on The 2008 financial crisis, 2 of them tier 1, recommended by 12 people including Mohnish Pabrai and Seth Klarman.

50 books · 21 experts

Start here

  1. Fool's GoldGillian Tett, 2009
  2. Crashed: How a Decade of Financial Crises Changed the WorldAdam Tooze, 2018
  3. A Demon of Our Own DesignRichard M. Bookstaber, 2007
  4. A Colossal Failure of Common SenseLawrence G. McDonald, Patrick Robinson, 2009
  5. Street Fighters: The Last 72 Hours of Bear StearnsKate Kelly, 2009

The best books on The 2008 financial crisis 50

Fool's GoldFool's Gold
T1 Fool's Gold
Gillian Tett · 2009
The J.P. Morgan derivatives team that built the modern credit swap.
Open Library
Crashed: How a Decade of Financial Crises ChCrashed: How a Decade of Financial Crises Changed the World
T1 Crashed: How a Decade of Financial Crises Changed the World
Adam Tooze · 2018
2008 as a global dollar-funding crisis, not an American one.
Open Library
A Demon of Our Own DesignA Demon of Our Own Design
T2 A Demon of Our Own Design
Richard M. Bookstaber · 2007
A risk manager on how hedging machinery creates the crashes it insures against.
Open Library
A Colossal Failure of Common SenseA Colossal Failure of Common Sense
T2 A Colossal Failure of Common Sense
Lawrence G. McDonald, Patrick Robinson · 2009
Insider account by a former Lehman convertible bond trader.
Open Library
Street Fighters: The Last 72 Hours of Bear SStreet Fighters: The Last 72 Hours of Bear Stearns
T2 Street Fighters: The Last 72 Hours of Bear Stearns
Kate Kelly · 2009
Open Library
Fault LinesFault Lines
T2 Fault Lines
Raghuram G. Rajan · 2010
Inequality, global imbalances and credit as substitutes for income.
Open Library
Slapped by the Invisible HandSlapped by the Invisible Hand
T2 Slapped by the Invisible Hand
Gary Gorton · 2010
2007-08 read as a classic run on repo, not on retail deposits.
Open Library
The Devil's Casino: Friendship, Betrayal, anThe Devil's Casino: Friendship, Betrayal, and the High-Stakes Games Played Inside Lehman Brothers
T2 The Devil's Casino: Friendship, Betrayal, and the High-Stakes Games Played Inside Lehman Brothers
Vicky Ward · 2010
Open Library
The Quants: How a New Breed of Math Whizzes The Quants: How a New Breed of Math Whizzes Conquered Wall Street and Nearly Destroyed It
T2 The Quants: How a New Breed of Math Whizzes Conquered Wall Street and Nearly Destroyed It
Scott Patterson · 2010
Places Simons's fund inside the wider quant industry it seeded.
Open Library
Recommended byMohnish Pabrai
Fatal Risk: A Cautionary Tale of AIG's CorpoFatal Risk: A Cautionary Tale of AIG's Corporate Suicide
T2 Fatal Risk: A Cautionary Tale of AIG's Corporate Suicide
Roddy Boyd · 2011
The fullest dedicated account of AIG Financial Products.
Open Library
Misunderstanding Financial CrisesMisunderstanding Financial Crises
T2 Misunderstanding Financial Crises
Gary Gorton · 2012
Why short-term debt is information-insensitive until suddenly it is not.
Open Library
The Lost Bank: The Story of Washington MutuaThe Lost Bank: The Story of Washington Mutual, the Biggest Bank Failure in American History
T2 The Lost Bank: The Story of Washington Mutual, the Biggest Bank Failure in American History
Kirsten Grind · 2012
The only full account, by the local reporter who covered the collapse.
Open Library
After the Music StoppedAfter the Music Stopped
T2 After the Music Stopped
Alan S. Blinder · 2013
The clearest economist's account of the crisis and the policy response.
Open Library
The AlchemistsThe Alchemists
T2 The Alchemists
Neil Irwin · 2013
Bernanke, Trichet and King through the crisis; central banks as FX actors.
Open Library
The Bankers' New ClothesThe Bankers' New Clothes
T2 The Bankers' New Clothes
Anat Admati, Martin Hellwig · 2013
The case that bank equity is cheap and the objections are self-serving.
Open Library
House of DebtHouse of Debt
T2 House of Debt
Atif Mian, Amir Sufi · 2014
The household-leverage explanation, argued from micro data.
Open Library
The Fed and Lehman BrothersThe Fed and Lehman Brothers
T2 The Fed and Lehman Brothers
Laurence M. Ball · 2018
Academic rebuttal to the claim that rescue was legally impossible.
Open Library
Dark TowersDark Towers
T2 Dark Towers
David Enrich · 2020
Deutsche Bank's decades of risk-taking and control failure.
Open Library
Chain of Blame: How Wall Street Caused the MChain of Blame: How Wall Street Caused the Mortgage and Credit Crisis
T3 Chain of Blame: How Wall Street Caused the Mortgage and Credit Crisis
Paul Muolo, Mathew Padilla · 2008
Closest coverage: Countrywide is a central thread in the trade-press account of the industry.
Open Library
The Crunch: The Scandal of Northern Rock andThe Crunch: The Scandal of Northern Rock and the Escalating Credit Crisis
T3 The Crunch: The Scandal of Northern Rock and the Escalating Credit Crisis
Alex Brummer · 2008
By the Daily Mail City editor; Northern Rock as the opening of the crisis.
Open Library
The Fall of Northern RockThe Fall of Northern Rock
T3 The Fall of Northern Rock
Brian Walters · 2008
The main dedicated narrative account.
Open Library
The Foreclosure of America: The Inside StoryThe Foreclosure of America: The Inside Story of the Rise and Fall of Countrywide Home Loans, the Mortgage Crisis, and the Default of the American Dream
T3 The Foreclosure of America: The Inside Story of the Rise and Fall of Countrywide Home Loans, the Mortgage Crisis, and the Default of the American Dream
Adam Michaelson · 2009
Insider account by a Countrywide marketing executive; the one dedicated book.
Open Library
The Monster: How a Gang of Predatory LendersThe Monster: How a Gang of Predatory Lenders and Wall Street Bankers Fleeced America
T3 The Monster: How a Gang of Predatory Lenders and Wall Street Bankers Fleeced America
Michael W. Hudson · 2010
Origination-floor reporting on the subprime lenders Countrywide competed against and copied.
Open Library
The New Lombard StreetThe New Lombard Street
T3 The New Lombard Street
Perry Mehrling · 2010
The central bank as dealer of last resort in a market-based system.
Open Library
Whoops!Whoops!
T3 Whoops!
John Lanchester · 2010
Clearest lay explanation of the UK funding model; Open Library unreachable.
Open Library
Street Freak: Money and Madness at Lehman BrStreet Freak: Money and Madness at Lehman Brothers
T3 Street Freak: Money and Madness at Lehman Brothers
Jared Dillian · 2011
Insider memoir by a Lehman ETF trader.
Open Library
The Devil's DerivativesThe Devil's Derivatives
T3 The Devil's Derivatives
Nicholas Dunbar · 2011
How the swaps trade worked and why AIG sold it; Open Library unreachable.
Open Library
Other People's Houses: How Decades of BailouOther People's Houses: How Decades of Bailouts, Captive Regulators, and Toxic Bankers Made Home Mortgages a Thrilling Business
T3 Other People's Houses: How Decades of Bailouts, Captive Regulators, and Toxic Bankers Made Home Mortgages a Thrilling Business
Jennifer Taub · 2014
Thrift regulation and deposit-funded mortgage lending: the system WaMu exploited.
Open Library
Lehman Brothers: A Crisis of Value
T3 Lehman Brothers: A Crisis of Value
Oonagh McDonald · 2015
Focused on accounting and Repo 105.
Open Library
Bear Trap: The Fall of Bear Stearns and the Bear Trap: The Fall of Bear Stearns and the Panic of 2008
T4 Bear Trap: The Fall of Bear Stearns and the Panic of 2008
Bill Bamber, Andrew Spencer · 2008
Insider account by a former Bear senior managing director.
Open Library
Panic: The Story of Modern Financial InsanitPanic: The Story of Modern Financial Insanity
T4 Panic: The Story of Modern Financial Insanity
Michael Lewis · 2008
Anthology edited by Lewis
Open Library
“A Klarman favorite; he praises Lewis broadly, saying he "hasn't written a bad book.”Seth Klarman
Recommended byMohnish PabraiSeth Klarman
The Subprime SolutionThe Subprime Solution
T4 The Subprime Solution
Robert J. Shiller · 2008
Open Library
While America Aged: How Pension Debts RuinedWhile America Aged: How Pension Debts Ruined General Motors, Stopped the NYC Subways, Bankrupted San Diego and Loom as the Next Financial Crisis
T4 While America Aged: How Pension Debts Ruined General Motors, Stopped the NYC Subways, Bankrupted San Diego and Loom as the Next Financial Crisis
Roger Lowenstein · 2008
Open Library
Recommended byMohnish Pabrai
House of Cards: A Tale of Hubris and WretcheHouse of Cards: A Tale of Hubris and Wretched Excess on Wall Street
T4 House of Cards: A Tale of Hubris and Wretched Excess on Wall Street
William D. Cohan · 2009
Open Library
Recommended byMohnish Pabrai
In FED We TrustIn FED We Trust
T4 In FED We Trust
David Wessel · 2009
The Fed side of the Bear rescue and its precedent; Open Library unreachable.
Open Library
Recommended byBill Gates
The Failure of Northern Rock: A Multi-DimensThe Failure of Northern Rock: A Multi-Dimensional Case Study
T4 The Failure of Northern Rock: A Multi-Dimensional Case Study
Franco Bruni, David T. Llewellyn · 2009
Edited academic volume from SUERF.
Open Library
The Greatest Trade EverThe Greatest Trade Ever
T4 The Greatest Trade Ever
Gregory Zuckerman · 2009
John Paulson's subprime short.
Open Library
Recommended byMohnish PabraiCharlie Munger
The Murder of Lehman Brothers: An Insider's The Murder of Lehman Brothers: An Insider's Look at the Global Meltdown
T4 The Murder of Lehman Brothers: An Insider's Look at the Global Meltdown
Joseph Tibman · 2009
Pseudonymous insider account.
Open Library
Too Big to FailToo Big to Fail
T4 Too Big to Fail
Andrew Ross Sorkin · 2009
Crisis-wide narrative in which the AIG rescue is the central set piece.
Open Library
Recommended byMohnish PabraiBill GatesMax LevchinThe Rational Walk
All the Devils Are Here: The Hidden History All the Devils Are Here: The Hidden History of the Financial Crisis
T4 All the Devils Are Here: The Hidden History of the Financial Crisis
Joe Nocera · 2010
Traces AIG Financial Products' swap book back to its origins.
Open Library
On the Brink: Inside the Race to Stop the CoOn the Brink: Inside the Race to Stop the Collapse of the Global Financial System
T4 On the Brink: Inside the Race to Stop the Collapse of the Global Financial System
Henry M. Paulson · 2010
Insider memoir: the Treasury Secretary's version of the same weeks.
Open Library
Recommended byMohnish Pabrai
Overhaul: An Insider's Account of the Obama Overhaul: An Insider's Account of the Obama Administration's Emergency Rescue of the Auto Industry
T4 Overhaul: An Insider's Account of the Obama Administration's Emergency Rescue of the Auto Industry
Steven Rattner · 2010
Open Library
Recommended byMohnish Pabrai
The End of Wall StreetThe End of Wall Street
T4 The End of Wall Street
Roger Lowenstein · 2010
Open Library
“Named among Klarman's favorite books on the financial crisis era.”Seth Klarman
Recommended byMohnish PabraiSeth Klarman
Guaranteed to Fail: Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac,Guaranteed to Fail: Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and the Debacle of Mortgage Finance
T4 Guaranteed to Fail: Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and the Debacle of Mortgage Finance
Viral V. Acharya, Matthew Richardson, Stijn van Nieuwerburgh, Lawrence J. White · 2011
Open Library
Recommended byMohnish Pabrai
Bull by the Horns: Fighting to Save Main StrBull by the Horns: Fighting to Save Main Street from Wall Street and Wall Street from Itself
T4 Bull by the Horns: Fighting to Save Main Street from Wall Street and Wall Street from Itself
Sheila Blair · 2012
FDIC chair's own account of seizing WaMu and selling it to JPMorgan.
Open Library
Recommended byMohnish Pabrai
Other People's Money
T4 Other People's Money
Charles V. Bagli · 2013
The Stuyvesant Town deal and the largest real estate loss on record.
Open Library
Recommended byVinod Khosla
Stress TestStress Test
T4 Stress Test
Timothy F. Geithner · 2014
Insider account by the New York Fed president who ran the $182bn rescue.
Open Library
Recommended byBill GatesMohnish PabraiMr. Money MustacheWarren Buffett
Shaky Ground: The Strange Saga of the U.S. MShaky Ground: The Strange Saga of the U.S. Mortgage Giants
T4 Shaky Ground: The Strange Saga of the U.S. Mortgage Giants
Bethany McLean · 2015
Open Library
Firefighting
T4 Firefighting
Ben S. Bernanke et al.
unverified
Recommended byWarren Buffett
The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday MachineThe Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine
T4 The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine
Michael Lewis · 2010
OL records first publish year as 2009
Open Library
“Lewis's account of the 2008 crisis is one Dalio has recommended for understanding how institutional incentives and information failures compound into systemic collapse. He cites 2008 as one of the debt-cycle templates in his own research.”Ray Dalio
Recommended byMohnish PabraiRational Capital Investment FundSheryl SandbergRay DalioSeth KlarmanThe Rational Walk

Experts 21

The people who wrote this page's books, and the people who recommend them.

Authors 9

Michael Lewiswrote 2 books here
RL
Roger Lowensteinwrote 2 books hereBethany McLeanwrote 2 books hereRobert J. Shillerwrote 1 book hereAndrew Ross Sorkinwrote 1 book hereGillian Tettwrote 1 book here
GZ
Gregory Zuckermanwrote 1 book here
WD
William D. Cohanwrote 1 book here
SP
Scott Pattersonwrote 1 book here

Recommenders 12

MP
Mohnish Pabrairecommends 13 books hereSeth Klarmanrecommends 3 books hereBill Gatesrecommends 3 books hereWarren Buffettrecommends 2 books here
RW
The Rational Walkrecommends 2 books hereCharlie Mungerrecommends 1 book hereRay Daliorecommends 1 book hereMax Levchinrecommends 1 book here
MM
Mr. Money Mustacherecommends 1 book here
RC
Rational Capital Investment Fundrecommends 1 book hereSheryl Sandbergrecommends 1 book hereVinod Khoslarecommends 1 book here
See all 21 in the Experts tab →

More financial panics: ← The 1929 crash and the Great Depression · The dot-com bubble → · All financial panics