The Great Crash 1929

by John Kenneth Galbraith
The Great Crash 1929  
published April 30th 1997 by Mariner Books
binding Paperback
isbn 0395859999   (isbn13: 9780395859995)
pages 224
description Rampant speculation. Record trading volumes. Assets bought not because of their value but because the buyer believes he can sell them for more in a da...more
date added
01-24-07



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Trevor
Trevor rated it: 4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars
04/24/08

Even though he said that he would eventually get to talk about the causes of the great depression I have to admit that for much of this book I thought we would be just getting a series of increasingly horrible stories about the crash. But this turned out to be an infinitely better book than I anticipated.

There are quotable quotes – “If there must be madness something may be said for having it on a heroic scale”. Or “This is the rite of the meeting which is called not to do business ...more
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David
David rated it: 5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars
12/04/07

Read in November, 2007
again Galbraith has insights into the machinery of the economic world on a scale that amazes me. A brilliant dissection of a hugely complicated event. HE peers into the turmoil of the time and sifts out the core elements that made a crash possible- leverage that works while assets rise, then telescopes back just as fast when they fall. At this day and age with the contractions in real-estate caused in EXACTLY the same way, it is remarkable what this qualitative economist seems able to perceiv...more
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James
James rated it: 3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars
03/21/08

Read in January, 2008
I anticipated this to be a dry, heavy cautionary tale about men's constant quest for misfortune. Instead its rather breezy NYT-heavy recap of the spring and summer of 1929. And its decidedly one note in its moral convictions: speculators are bad. Okay. No one complains when speculators pump up values only when they deflate them. (As George Carlin once said: 'Everybody needs oil but they get pissed when it washes up on their beach!') Galbraith is simply post-facto whining rather than actual...more
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Book
Book rated it: 3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars
07/28/08

Read in July, 2008
I was expecting a great analysis of this event, since it was touted by so many sources, but instead it is almost like a chartist's account of the event. I don't recommend it.

The only interesting item - The rumor of a suicide boom during this crash is only rumor. The numbers show that it never happened.
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Hugo
Hugo rated it: 3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars
09/04/07

Read in July, 2007
Heavy on the economic side of the Great Depression. (which I like)


Has many good anecdotes about the idiotic things said in '29 about how the prosperity would never end.

Also debunks several myths about the crash. Overall a good quick read about a dramatic economic event.
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Daniel
Daniel rated it: 5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars
12/08/07

recommends it for: all
One of the few books that Galbraith failed to make money on.

But it's well worth reading because as I write this today on the 10th of December 2007, it looks like this housing bubble is going to be UNPECEDENTED in the amount of damage done as it finally bursts.

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Mark
Mark rated it: 3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars
08/20/07

bookshelves: 2007, finance
Read in August, 2007
Description of the crash of 1929. Amazing similarities to what happened in 2001.
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Carl
Carl rated it: 4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars
06/25/08

Apparently things were not all that different in 1929.
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Joseph
Joseph added it
06/27/07

A lot of fun, even if you don't like economic history.
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Lewis
Lewis marked it as to-read
01/17/08

bookshelves: to-read
Ever get the feeling history's about to repeat itself?
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Chris
Chris rated it: 2 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars
02/11/08

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
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Rob
Rob rated it: 5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars
01/13/08

 

Christina
Christina is currently reading it
05/04/08

bookshelves: currently-reading
 

Jeremy
Jeremy marked it as to-read
08/01/08

bookshelves: to-read
 

Jeffrey
Jeffrey rated it: 4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars
06/27/08

 

Joeaebi
Joeaebi added it
07/08/08

 

Colin
Colin marked it as to-read
04/19/08

bookshelves: nonfiction, own, to-read
 

Steven
Steven rated it: 3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars
04/15/07

 

MReza
MReza rated it: 5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars
12/08/07

 

Billy
Billy marked it as to-read
06/24/08

bookshelves: 20th-century--great-depression, to-read
 


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book data (includes all editions)

avg rating (all editions): 3.82 (45 ratings)
avg rating (this edition): 3.82 (45 ratings)
number of reviews: 11






other editions

The Great Crash, 1929 (Penguin Business)
The Great Crash (Hardcover)
The Great Crash 1929 (Paperback)