Lords of Finance: The Bankers Who Broke the WorldLords of Finance: The Bankers Who Broke the World
Score Modern
What it's about
After the First World War, four central bankers, in London, New York, Paris and Berlin, tried to rebuild the world economy by returning to the gold standard. Liaquat Ahamed tells their story, their personalities, their friendships and their blunders, and how their decisions helped bring about the crash of 1929 and the Great Depression.
Why it's worth reading
It won the Pulitzer Prize for history. It makes economic history read like a character drama, and its lessons felt urgent after the 2008 financial crisis.
You'll love it if you liked
Paris 1919: Six Months That Changed the World
The Guns of August
The Worst Hard TimeGood to know
It explains the economics clearly, but some chapters are still technical.
By the numbers
- Readers50 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics72 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller28 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #36 of the 85 self-help and business books we rank
- #142 of the 290 memoirs and biographies we rank
- #438 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #843 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
True story
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Memoirs and biographiesTop 25 · 290 ranked
Self-help and business booksTop 25 · 85 ranked
Modern booksTop 25 · 1,573 ranked
Books of the 2000sTop 25 · 490 ranked
Fantasy booksTop 25 · 459 ranked
Mysteries and thrillersTop 25 · 555 ranked
Literary novelsTop 25 · 309 ranked
Science fiction booksTop 25 · 313 rankedQuick answers
Is Lords of Finance: The Bankers Who Broke the World worth reading?
Yes. It won the Pulitzer Prize for history. It ranks #843 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 74.5 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Lords of Finance: The Bankers Who Broke the World about?
After the First World War, four central bankers, in London, New York, Paris and Berlin, tried to rebuild the world economy by returning to the gold standard. Liaquat Ahamed tells their story, their personalities, their friendships and their blunders, and how their decisions helped bring about the crash of 1929 and the Great Depression.
How long does it take to read Lords of Finance: The Bankers Who Broke the World?
About 14 hours (564 pages), or about 4 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What awards has Lords of Finance: The Bankers Who Broke the World won?
Pulitzer Prize (History) winner (2010).
What should I read after Lords of Finance: The Bankers Who Broke the World?
If you liked it, try Paris 1919: Six Months That Changed the World by Margaret MacMillan, The Guns of August by Barbara W. Tuchman or The Worst Hard Time by Timothy Egan.