by Jess Walter
First published 2010
Matt Prior is a former newspaper columnist facing foreclosure on his home. Desperate to avoid homelessness, he hatches a wild plan to get rich quick by day-trading on the stock market. As his losses mount and his marriage crumbles, Matt must confront the consequences of his reckless decisions. "Financial Lives of the Poets" is a sharp, poignant comedy about a man forced to choose between his family's security and his own fading dreams.
Genres: fiction, literary-fiction, contemporary, family-drama
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: family-drama, financial-troubles, midlife-crisis
Period: 21st-Century
304 pages · Paperback · Penguin