The Wall Street Journal Guide to the End of Wall Street as We Know It: What You Need to Know About the Greatest Financial Crisis of Our Time-and How to Survive It

by Dave Kansas

The definitive guide for Main Street readers who want to make sense of what′s happening on Wall Street, and better understand how we got here and what we need to know to in days to come. Written by seasoned financial writer Dave Kansas, this official Wall Street Journal guide will be filled with practical information, revealing what the crisis means for reader′s financial lives, and what steps they should be taking now to inform and protect themselves.

Genres: Business, Finance, Economics, Nonfiction

199 pages, Paperback

First published December 30, 2008

Reviews

[Feras · Rating 3 out of 5]

كتاب سريع يتحدث عن الأزمة المالية، لكن تم التطرق لسبل تخطي الأزمة بطريقة مختصرة جداً
من وجهة نظري ينصح فقط للمختصين لكثرة المصطلحات الاختصاصية

[Ahmed · Rating 3 out of 5]

يتحدث الكتاب عن أحوال الكثير من المستثمرين الصغار الذين عانوا من ازمه المرهون العقاريه و يقدم عديد نصائح لشرائح مختلفه من الأفراد.
هي تجربه لسرد وقائع تعطي الموعظه لمن ذاق صعوبه فقدان المال او الوظيفه او مميزات الحياه.
يعطي بعض التوجيهات لاداره أمور الحياه الماليه و تنظيمها بطريقه تجعلك لا تواجه مشاكل صعبه مستقبلا

[Leih · Rating 2 out of 5]

If you read up on some of the financial crisis in history and its key people, you'd learn a thing or two, right? "The End of Wall Street," goes over some key concepts and financial crisis U.S. has undergone in history. Some key terms and parties like "value at risk," derivatives, private equity funds, Fannie/Freddie, federal reserve systems help you see their roles in financial crises. Some key players are noted briefly and failed/troubled companies are explored briefly--Alan Greenspan, Robert Shiller, Henry Paulson , Lehman Brothers, Merrill Lynch, AIG, and Morgan Stanley. Observing handling of our past crises may help you prevent the similar mistakes that lead to future losses.

[Rajesh Kurup · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fairly even recounting of the events of the financial meltdown of 2008. The author was the editor-in-chief of the Street.com and an editor of the WSJ so was in the thick of things as they occurred.
It's a pretty short read so I was able to read in the bookstore. If you followed along the financial press from the end of 2007 and through Oct 2009, the book would be pointless. If you are one the millions of investors that watched your retirement accounts go poof and then saw AIG execs first get bailed out but keep hefty bonuses and don't know why, the book is a good primer into how we got where we are.
The book was written in Dec 08 so is a recounting of the events, but was written too soon to get past the what and into the why. As we sit about a year later in Oct 09, without any major reforms, it would appear that the title is overly dramatic. As of now, there has been no sweeping regulatory reform, no increased regulation of derivatives, nor of hedge funds or clawbacks of compensation/bonus. So, this has not been the End of Wall Street as we know it.

[Greg · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a brief synopsis of how the banking crisis unfolded. There is not a lot of new material here. The book also is too dumbed down for the average financially illiterate reader with weak explanations of derivatives and how they worked. The one factoid I learned that I did not already know was that had Wachovia not been merged with Wells Fargo FDIC would have been insolvent. Same thing goes for the shotgun wedding between WaMu and JPMC.

[Hoan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was pretty fascinating if you are interested in the financial world. It really brings current events and past historical periods into perspective and ties them together very well.

I also learned alot about the banking industry and investment powerhouses. Quite a thrill to read but slow at times if you are not as financially savvy. More historical than helpful to find investment advice!

[Eric · Rating 3 out of 5]

Accurate portrayal of the current economic crisis; however lacked a great deal of original thought or foresight.

[Deborah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderfully readable history of current events.

[Jun Peralta · Rating 4 out of 5]

good book to know about the financial mess

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

Skimmer for a economic novices who wants a very simple overview of the recent financial crises.