God in the Pits: Confessions of a Commodities Trader

by Mark Andrew Ritchie

Ritchie gives the story of the astonishing early growth of his options-trading company and the dilemma of newfound wealth against his background of Christian faith.

Genres: Nonfiction, Finance, Business, Christian

271 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1990

About the author

Mark Andrew Ritchie is a veteran commodities trader and co-founder of Chicago Research and Trading (CRT), once the largest options firm in the industry. He spent over 20 years in finance, trading on the Chicago Board of Trade and the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. Also an author, he wrote God in the Pits and Spirit of the Rainforest. A former theology student and prison guard, he has traveled extensively as an amateur anthropologist with a deep interest in global poverty.

Reviews

[Tim O'Hearn · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was fooled by the title. The "commodities trader" part is maybe 5% of the book, while "god" is the majority of the book. I naively expected the story to follow a plot where Ritchie starts seriously grappling with his faith (and morals) once he strikes it rich. Instead, it turns out he's spent his entire life grappling with his faith and is extremely ethical and charitable on his path to success.

I found the story's progression from countless tragedies/setbacks/adventures to millionaire to be strange. It's as if he wrote the book knowing that being Joe Ritchie's brother would garner a certain amount of interest in the book, but then made a point to write as little as possible about trading.

Mark Ritchie certainly has a life's story worth being told, but the dull narration and constant questions of faith detracted from my enjoyment.

See this and reviews of similar books on my blog

[Kacie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book should really be renamed, because the title would seem to suggest that the book is about religion as it plays out in the “pits” of the stock exchange. Although Ritchie uses multiple stories from the Chicago Board of Trade (where he became a wealthy man), that’s not the focus of the book. The “Enron-Jihad Edition” refers to the fact that the book was reprinted after 9/11 because Ritchie grew up in Afghanistan as a missionary kid and has much to say about Islam and Afghanistan, how it interfaces with the western world, and the corruption of the western world (as shown by Enron). However, that is also not the focus of the book.

Bottom line, the book is sort of memoirs of Ritchie’s unique life. He’s completely opinionated, the sort of head-strong man who did his soul searching in the 60’s and 70’s and now has stories to tell. He details his own childhood, complete with some very early deaths of people close to him, his years in Afghanistan, and then his intense spiritual questions that pushed him out of Bible college and out of fundamentalism. It’s clear that he’s still quite a cynical guy, which is why I like him – he asks really honest questions that people at my stage of life can relate to.


You’ll like the book if

A: You grew up in the church and have dealt with cynicism towards the church.

B: You were a missionary kid.

C: You’re interested in the stock market.

D: You’re wrestling with how to do relief/humanitarian work overseas.

E: Islamic/Western world relations are interesting to you.


It’s an easy read though it sometimes feels a bit disjointed. Ritchie is headstrong and opinionated and at times I disagreed with him, but I enjoyed the book immensely anyways.

[Paul Barnes · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought this out of interest in his trading story. But I recommend it for what it teaches you about humanity and charity - that charity is more than giving dollars - it requires active involvement.

[American Oligarch · Rating 3 out of 5]

Authentic and faith oriented. Almost nothing actionable trading wise. Still cool for me given where I was mentally at the time

[Andrea Hitefield]

The title is deceptive. This is not a book about the trading floor of Chicago. I assumed it would be similar to "Spirit of the Rainforest" (in which Ritchie provided an intriguing anthropological look at the Yanomamo Tribe). I assumed the same approach to the stock market; I assumed an anthropological look at the traders from an inside perspective in the pits. I was wrong. It was better.

This was a look at one man, Mark Ritchie. It is his own personal search for the truth of God through a childhood in Afghanistan and Oregon to an adult life of poverty and wealth in Chicago. He weaves his story chronologically without losing the momentum of his "search".

A fascinating and recommended read!

[David Robins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mostly biographical, partly financial, interwoven with his search to find himself and find a personal relationship with Christ, from growing up in Afghanistan with his missionary father to his commodity futures trading company Chicago. A moving story of a search of self, and for an old-fashioned Savior that turned out to be highly relevant in a fast-paced world. Highly recommended.