First published 2010
Hank Paulson sits in his Treasury Secretary office as Bear Stearns collapses around him. The former Goldman Sachs CEO thought his biggest challenge would be adjusting from Wall Street to Washington politics. Instead, he finds himself managing the worst financial catastrophe since the Great Depression. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac buckle. Lehman Brothers fails. AIG requires a massive bailout. Merrill Lynch scrambles for a buyer. Markets across the globe spiral downward as credit freezes and unemployment soars. Paulson must make split second decisions that will determine whether the entire global economy survives. He negotiates with Wall Street executives, argues with Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke and Treasury official Timothy Geithner, and briefs President Bush while presidential candidates Obama and McCain demand answers. Every choice carries enormous consequences as millions of American families watch their financial security evaporate. Paulson races against time to prevent complete economic collapse while navigating the political pressures of Congress and an anxious public demanding accountability.
Genres: history, business, economics, non-fiction, 21st-century, finance
Vibes: emotional, fast-paced, thought-provoking
Tropes: high-stakes, insider-perspective
Setting: Treasury Department, Wall Street, Washington D.C.
Period: 2008 Financial Crisis
496 pages · Hardcover · Business Plus