The Big Short
The #1 *New York Times* bestseller: a brilliant account—character-rich and darkly humorous—of how the U.S. economy was driven over the cliff. When the crash of the U. S. stock market became public knowledge in the fall of 2008, it was already old news. The real crash, the silent crash, had taken place over the previous year, in bizarre feeder markets where the sun doesn’t shine, and the SEC doesn’t dare, or bother, to tread: the bond and real estate derivative markets where geeks invent impenetrable securities to profit from the misery of lower- and middle-class Americans who can’t pay their debts. The smart people who understood what was or might be happening were paralyzed by hope and fear; in any case, they weren’t talking. The crucial question is this: Who understood the risk inherent in the assumption of ever-rising real estate prices, a risk compounded daily by the creation of those arcane, artificial securities loosely based on piles of doubtful mortgages? Michael Lewis turns the inquiry on its head to create a fresh, character-driven narrative brimming with indignation and dark humor, a fitting sequel to his #1 best-selling *Liar’s Poker*. Who got it right? he asks. W
Themes & atmosphere
Also by Michael Lewis
What you might want to know about The Big Short
The questions readers send us most often, answered without spoilers.
Michael Lewis tells the story of the 2008 collapse through a few oddballs who saw it coming, including hedge funder Michael Burry, FrontPoint's Steve Eisman, and the Cornwall Capital founders, all shorting the mortgage market.
Yes. The Big Short is Michael Lewis's nonfiction account of the small group of investors who bet against the U.S. housing market before the 2008 financial crisis. Lewis interviewed many of the key figures.
Yes. Adam McKay directed a 2015 film adaptation starring Christian Bale, Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling, and Brad Pitt. The film won the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay.
The Big Short was written by Michael Lewis, published in 2009 by W.W. Norton.
The Big Short is 291 pages in standard print editions, though page counts vary slightly between hardcover, paperback, and large-print formats.
At an average reading pace of about 250 words per minute, The Big Short takes most readers 4 to 6 hours to finish.
The Big Short is a standalone novel by Michael Lewis, not part of a series.
The Big Short is available in hardcover, paperback, ebook, and audiobook formats from Amazon, Bookshop.org, ThriftBooks, and most major bookstores.