Age of Greed

A Washington Post Notable Nonfiction Book A fascinating and deeply disturbing tale of hypocrisy, corruption, and insatiable greed. . . . A much-needed reminder of just how we got into the mess we're in. --The New York Review of Books Compelling . . . Important . . . Age of Greed abounds with powerful men, ugly fights, infamous scandals, twists and turns, and, true to the book's title, lots of shameless cupidity. --The Washington Post Richly detailed and often riveting. . . Clear and compelling. . . A must-read. --The Huffington Post Bold. . . Readers will find worthwhile stories in these pages. --The New York Times Book Review The timing could not be better for a book like Age of Greed . . . A solid review of half a century of economic history . . . A commendable compendium. --San Francisco Chronicle Excellent . . . Straightforward . . . We owe Madrick thanks for what he has done. --The American Prospect A compelling and worthy read. Madrick is an able journalist; an excellent and cogent storyteller in a field that often defies the straightforward plot or easy explanation--economics. --Salon Persuasive . . . Vivid . . . As a comprehensive survey of the way institutions work together to create wealth for a few individuals and destroy it for a mass of others, Age of Greed deserves attention. --The Columbus Dispatch Madrick pulls no punches . . . Readers who want to understand where we are, how we got here, and some possible outcomes will repay their investment in reading time if they pick up this new volume. --Free Lance-Star Age of Greed is lucid and compelling because of its character-driven nature. --Dallas Morning News Meticulous . . . Madrick makes a good case--and financial news junkies will savor it. --Boulder Daily Camera Jeff Madrick has written one of those rare, wonderful books that allow us to understand a huge and important historical development that we may not have realized was a coherent and coordinated series of events. Madrick's account of Alan Greenspan's ideologically-driven mistakes alone is worth the price of admission, but it is but one course in a feast of wonderful reporting and writing. If you want to know what has happened to your country, read this book. --Robert G. Kaiser, author of So Damn Much Money: The Triumph of Lobbying and the Corrosion of American Government Jeff Madrick's devastating biography of greed is rife with carefully documented cautionary tales of the rich, greedy and unregulated, which collectively constitute the definitive answer to Milton Friedmanesque laissez faire economics. --Victor Navasky, author of Kennedy Justice In Jeff Madrick's important new book, Age of Greed, we are introduced to some of the best and brightest moneychangers in the murky world of high finance. --Gay Talese, author of A Writer's Life Madrick tells us who did what and how they did it--the ideologues, demagogues, corporate titans, and crooks. A wonderfully insightful but deeply troubling account of the movers and shakers who toppled America. --Robert B. Reich, author of Aftershock: The Next Economy and America's Future This is a book that bears reading by everyone with an interest in the American economy and the American future. --David Nasaw, author of The Chief: The Life of William Randolph Hearst Madrick provides a powerful story of the damage done to our nation by hubris, delusions and lust for money. --David Cay Johnston, author of Free Lunch: How the Wealthiest Americans Enrich Themselves at Government Expense (and Stick You with the Bill)