This book gave an exceptional review of the Bond Market in the 1980's ending with the stock market crash in 1987, and the attempted hostile takeover of Solomon Brothers. This is the fifth book of Michael Lewis I've read and he delivered a great story once again.

This story certainly filled in some gaps in my knowledge of the 1980's economic scene. Discovering this book after I completed "The Big Short" made it difficult to believe the existence of the U.S. bond market for mortgages is younger than I am. As always it is difficult to go back and read an author's prior works, as they always seem choppy and most author's get better over time, but Lewis did a great job here for his first foray into a complicated subject for a novel.

With all the consolidation that occurred in the banking and financial industry post 2008 market crash, I still have trouble figuring out which companies have merged with other companies in the 20 years since this book was written.
Once again after reading the inside scoop of on bond salesmen, I'm more assured that anyone managing your money but you is a big mistake. Also, Lewis makes it clear that all a salesman wants to do is push you a sale, whether it works out for you or not, their loyalty is to their commission, and to the firm long before their customers. Parts of the book were dry, but what can you expect from a book about bonds.

I'm very excited to read Boomerang when it comes out in October of 2011, and if nothing else I learned how to play the game liar's poker. Lewis explains the rules on first four pages of the book, but once you get that far he draws you into the rest.