Latest news with #MichaelLewis
Chicago Tribune
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
One for the Books: Hit a home run with one of these baseball-themed books
Step up to the plate with these must-read baseball books that celebrate America's favorite pastime. From heartwarming tales of underdog triumphs to the 'Shot Heard Round the World,' baseball-themed romances and more, these novels capture the spirit of the game in all its glory. Whether you're a lifelong fan or simply love a good sports story, here's a lineup of standout reads that really hit it out of the park! 'The Art of Fielding' by Chad Harbach Harpooners baseball star Henry Skrimshander's fight against self-doubt threatens to ruin his future. Westish College president Guert Affenlight, a longtime bachelor, has fallen unexpectedly in love. Owen Dunne, Henry's gay roommate and teammate, becomes caught up in a dangerous affair. Mike Schwartz, the Harpooners' team captain and Henry's best friend, realizes he has guided Henry's career at the expense of his own. And Pella Affenlight, Guert's daughter, returns to Westish after escaping an ill-fated marriage, determined to start a new life. As the season counts down to its climactic final game, these five are forced to confront their deepest hopes, anxieties and secrets. 'Moneyball' by Michael Lewis 'Moneyball' tells the true story of how the low-budget Oakland A's, led by unconventional GM Billy Beane, used data-driven analysis to challenge baseball's old-school thinking — and win. Michael Lewis follows a cast of overlooked players, outsider statisticians and bold executives who proved that brains could beat budget. Both a gripping sports story and a sharp business tale, 'Moneyball' reveals how numbers changed the game forever. 'Underworld' by Don DeLillo Set against the backdrop of one of baseball's most iconic moments, the 1951 'Shot Heard Round the World' that clinched the game between the Brooklyn Dodgers and the New York Giants, this novel intertwines a pivotal day in sports history with the chilling dawn of the Cold War, marked by Russia's first hydrogen bomb test. 'Underworld' then unfolds the intertwined lives of Klara Sax and Nick Shay, tracing half a century of American life through the turbulence of the Cold War and beyond. 'Shoeless Joe' by W. P. Kinsella 'If you build it, he will come.' These mysterious words inspire Ray Kinsella to create a cornfield baseball diamond in honor of his hero, Shoeless Joe Jackson. What follows is a rich, nostalgic look at one of our most cherished national pastimes and a remarkable story about fathers and sons, love and family and the inimitable joy of finding your way home. 'The Brothers K' by David James Duncan A richly layered novel blending family tensions, baseball, politics and religion, both funny and heartbreaking. Narrated by Kincaid Chance, the youngest of seven children, it follows the family's journey from the Eisenhower era through the Vietnam years, shaped by their father's lost baseball career and their mother's deepening religious fervor. 'The Universal Baseball Association' by Robert Coover J. Henry Waugh immerses himself in his fantasy baseball league every night after work. As owner of every team in the league, Henry is flush with pride in a young rookie who is pitching a perfect game. When the pitcher completes the miracle game, Henry's life lights up. But then the rookie is killed by a freak accident, and this 'death' affects Henry's life in ways unimaginable. In a blackly comic novel that takes the reader between the real world and fantasy, Robert Coover delves into the notions of chance and power. 'Caught Up' by Liz Tomforde Kai Rhodes, a single father and star pitcher for Chicago's MLB team, is barely keeping it together. After burning through a string of nannies, his coach steps in, hiring his own daughter, Miller Montgomery, as a last resort. She's everything Kai doesn't need: young, free-spirited and only in town for the summer. Fresh off a major culinary award, Miller is a high-end pastry chef facing creative burnout. Hoping for a reset, she agrees to spend her break caring for Kai's son. What starts as a temporary arrangement quickly turns into something deeper, as unexpected sparks fly, and emotional walls begin to crumble. 'Homerun Proposal' by Maren Moore The plan was simple: hit a home run, then lose my virginity. Only … the proposal landed in the wrong hands. It was meant for my best friend, but fate had other plans, and Lane Collins, his infuriatingly handsome and charming older brother, got it instead. Lane is Orleans University's All-Star baseball captain: cocky, a talented pitcher, and the ultimate player on and off the field. The guy I've secretly crushed on since we were kids. When Lane signs on to my proposal and offers to teach me everything, there's only one rule: once it's over, we walk away. But with my heart in play, this game just got a lot more complicated.
New York Times
09-07-2025
- Business
- New York Times
What happens when college football enters its own Moneyball era?
Welcome back to MoneyCall, The Athletic's weekly sports business cheat sheet. Name-dropped today: Michael Lewis, Felix Ojo, Ben Shelton, Christian Horner, Steph Curry, Sophia Wilson, Joe Burrow, 'High School Musical,' Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano, Mauricio Pochettino, Matthew Berry, John Legend and more. Let's go: A fresh twist on Moneyball This week, as the Big 12 kicks off college football conference media days outside of Dallas, the league finds itself at the center of the college sports universe thanks to Texas Tech, the newest financial superpower. Advertisement A month ago, we were talking about TTU's million-dollar softball ace, NiJaree Canady. This week, it's the Red Raiders' multi-million-dollar offensive tackle Felix Ojo. Next, it could even be a commitment from the No. 1 football player in the Class of 2027, LaDamion Guyton. If Michael Lewis' original 'Moneyball' was about lower-resourced teams capitalizing on market inefficiencies to compete with higher-resourced teams (see: early 2000s A's vs. the Yankees), 'Moneyball 2.0' is an evolution for this new NIL era: What if a mid-tier team — like Texas Tech — simply out-spent everyone else? It's not novel, of course. Money has flowed into the hands of college athletes for over a century — but that wasn't exactly legal until recently. Ohio State's 2024 title was built on out-spending everyone else — but that mostly was about keeping its own star talent from leaving for the pros or other powers. Texas Tech is openly leveraging the enthusiasm of billion-dollar boosters — on top of the $20 million revenue-sharing ante now available to every team — into recruiting the talent necessary to compete at the top of the Big 12, earn a College Football Playoff spot and join the ranks of the college 'blue bloods.' Call TTU and its nouveau-riche peers 'green bloods.' The ultimate inefficiency of the college football market has always been 'willingness to pay without shame.' To the Red Raiders' credit, they are pushing the boundaries beyond their traditional (or even their previous NIL-era) limits, and — if all it takes is money? — they won't be the last. (Remember: The blue bloods have money, too.) A new American sensation at Wimbledon Big talkers from the sports business industry: Speaking of disruptive payouts in college sports: Top 2026 NHL Draft prospect Gavin McKenna officially committed to Penn State hockey last night. (Last verse, same as the first: *All it takes is money…*) (If you're curious: Penn State … really? Go back to this definitive feature we ran back in April about the rise of Penn State's hockey program from nothing to … McKenna.) Advertisement It's the heat: From Club World Cup to the Euros to looking ahead to the World Cup in 2026, the weather is THE story. Ben Shelton vs. Wimbledon: With the 22-year-old Shelton taking the court this morning (U.S. time) for his Wimbledon quarterfinal against world No. 1 Jannik Sinner, he will be the youngest American man to reach the round since Andy Roddick in '04. Is Shelton the most exciting American male athlete right now? How many more rounds would he need to win to claim that title? Man Utd Amazon doc fizzles: Would you watch a behind-the-scenes documentary about the dysfunction at Man U? The fast 'Yes!' is probably why they ducked out of that potentially lucrative opportunity, per my colleagues David Ornstein and Adam Crafton. Breaking news: 'Drive To Survive' star personality Christian Horner is OUT as F1 Red Bull team principal. Other current obsessions: Stephen Curry returning to the American Century celeb golf event to defend his 2023 championship … the British Grand Prix's LEGO trophies … Joe Burrow's unexpected star turn on the new season of Netflix's 'Quarterback' … Sophia Wilson x Stumptown Coffee collab … 'The Athletic FC's' fascinating podcast special about Saudis and soccer … Which 21st century sports movies did YOU love most? Last week, the lead item of MoneyCall featured my list of 10 best (favorite?) sports movies of the 21st century. But I also asked for yours. Got some great responses, and a few notable omissions from my list that earned a place on yours included: Shout-out to Jaya T., who topped my ''Whiplash' is a sports movie' with ''High School Musical' is a sports movie trilogy.' Huge thanks to everyone who wrote in! What I'm Watching: Taylor-Serrano III If Netflix's success with Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul last fall is any indication, there is a big appetite for fighting events among its more than 300 million subscribers. So what happens when, instead of a clown show, it airs the single best rivalry in boxing? We will see Friday night around 11 p.m. ET, when Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano complete their trilogy after previously putting on two of the best boxing matches of the decade. Advertisement (Related: If/when the UFC stages a fight on the White House grounds in 2026, expect an absurd level of attention.) Data Point: 121,077 That was the 21-71 Rockies' home attendance vs. the White Sox over July Fourth weekend, via Sportico's eagle-eyed Jacob Feldman. That is a TON of paying customers, showing up for an otherwise dreadful team (and matchup!). Why? I asked longtime MoneyCall pal Luke Beatty, a Colorado lifer, entrepreneur, coach and die-hard Denver sports fan: 1) Coors Field is the most popular bar in the state and 2) a huge percentage of the attendees are from out of town, just looking for a nice way to spend an evening on the only MLB in the region. Branding of the Week: 'Brawl of the Wild' Great college football rivalries are taken to another level when they are named in a way that plays up their unique appeal. The annual game between Montana and Montana State gets Chris Vannini's top spot in his CFB rivalry name rankings, but the whole list is worth reading, because every one of these names is so distinctive. Investor of the Week: John Legend Legend was part of a new consortium investing in Matthew Berry's Fantasy Life fantasy-sports company, alongside other folks including LeBron James and his LRMR partner Maverick Carter, Jason Stein, Roger Ehrenberg and Larry Fitzgerald. Berry has always been one of the most entrepreneurial talents in sports media, and I am so intrigued to see how he grows his company from here. Also, do you think Legend will let me save a spot in his fantasy football league this fall? Quote of the Week 'I think we need the people. We need the fans. The fans have one year to realize how important are the fans in soccer.' — USMNT coach Mauricio Pochettino, after El Tri's fans dominated the stadium in Houston in the Gold Cup final. Beat Dan in Connections: Sports Edition 0:47 (but I needed two extra guesses!) Try the game here! Great business-adjacent reads for your downtime or commute: The fascinating backstory — not to mention politically charged present and inscrutable future — of the NFL's relationship with Canada, as manifested through the Buffalo Bills' efforts to bridge the divide. Two more: (1) Illuminating dive into how Real Madrid conquered the United States market. (2) If your teens are like mine, they don't have a job this summer. I sent them this link to Cooper Flagg's origin story as a pea-picker in Maine. Get off the couch, kids! Back next Wednesday! As for the rest of today, what better way to spend a hot day in July than forwarding MoneyCall to a friend or colleague? And, as always, give a (free!) try to all The Athletic's other newsletters.
Business Insider
04-07-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
35 books Wall Street investors, dealmakers, and traders say helped them succeed
For the last few years, Business Insider has been spotlighting up-and-comers on Wall Street. We've asked the rising stars about the books that informed both their careers and personal growth. We've compiled their picks for anyone entering the world of finance or kick-starting their career. Aspiring to build a career on Wall Street? One of the best ways to learn the ropes is by picking up the books that helped industry insiders get to where they are today. Over the past few years, we've asked up-and-comers across Wall Street to share the titles that shaped their thinking, sharpened their skills, and inspired their career paths. Their recommendations span everything from billionaire biographies to practical handbooks on leadership, time management, and decision-making. Whether you're just starting out or looking to level up, this list of 35 books offers a curated look at what ambitious professionals on Wall Street have read—and why it matters. "Give and Take" by Adam Grant Amazon "It's about striving to be somebody who gives to others and then expects nothing in return," she said, "and how ironically fruitful that can be for your own life and career." "It shows that it's not just about you. In the grand scheme of things, it's how you help others along the way. How you can grow the pie for everyone." - Rachel Murray, Moelis "How to Lead: Wisdom from the World's Greatest CEOs, Founders, and Game Changers" by David Rubenstein "It's kind of an anthology of various industries. A key takeaway from these stories is the importance of finding your passion. I'm obviously very passionate about finance." "Liar's Poker" by Michael Lewis Amazon "I am a little biased because I started my career at Citigroup, which is formerly Salomon Brothers. I also recommend 'Panic!' by Michael Lewis, and I generally like all the 'Market Wizards' series, which are helpful in knowing what fits your trading style and what doesn't." "Young Money" by Kevin Roose The book holds insights into "all the wrong reasons why you can go into finance." "Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams" by Matthew Walker A "This book explores sleep's impact on your body and mind." "Before the coronavirus pandemic, I was a daily 4:30 A.M. workout warrior and advocate for holistic nutrition, but I certainly was not prioritizing sleep in my health equation. This was an eye-opening and convincing read that has helped me to get significantly more shut-eye." "I'm a bad sleeper. This book puts in layman's terms why you need to sleep and why it's important for so many reasons." "The Master: The Long Run and Beautiful Game of Roger Federer" by Christopher Clarey "I recently read 'The Master' the biography of Roger Federer, who some would argue is one of the best (tennis) players, if not the best player, of all time. Every time I read one of the tennis biographies, you're reminded that it's a very all-consuming commitment to be one of the greatest. At least in the case of tennis, it's a very lonely existence. You're the only person out there. You in your mind battling it out. The key is making sure you surround yourself with the right team. "Every player, at least in the major tournaments, has a player's box. You'll have the family, the coach, and some friends in the player's box. "The lesson I think is who's in my player's box? How do they help me keep going? And, similarly, at least in the investing world, am I in the player's box for others? How do I be the best person on the sidelines supporting?" "Dare to Lead" by Brené Brown "Leaders are in the arena, and there are lots of people in the stands who are there just to criticize or comment on what you're doing. But being in the arena takes courage. It gives you a lot of advice around, how do you think about having that courage?" "The Most Important Thing" by Howard Marks Amazon "It taught me that all decision-making should be driven by the gap between expected value and market price, and expected value is calculated by weighing each outcome by its probability of occurring. "Second-level thinking is all about finding value that others don't appreciate yet. It's risk/reward times the coefficient of likelihood for being right." "Active Portfolio Management: A Quantitative Approach for Producing Superior Returns and Selecting Superior Returns and Controlling Risk" by Richard Grinold and Ronald Kahn Amazon "The Short and Tragic Life of Robert Peace" by Jeff Hobbs "It was a really interesting dichotomy. It's about a young African-American man who grew up in a rougher neighborhood in Newark but went to Yale and ended up being really successful in his academic work. But he struggled at times to mesh the two worlds together." "It shows that the path to equality isn't always as easy and seamless. Going to Yale on a scholarship, it can still be really hard for people. People often don't get that." "Lords of Finance: The Bankers Who Broke the World" by Liaquat Ahamed Amazon "It's a great book about monetary policy in the Depression era that has major implications for how monetary policy and currencies have evolved." "Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup" by John Carreyrou Amazon "Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes was a few years ahead of me at Stanford. It's one of the greatest diligence misses of all time. As you think about that as investor, there are a lot of lessons to be learned." -Katherine Wood, TPG "Originals: How Non-Conformists Move the World" by Adam Grant Amazon "I spend a lot of time with founder-led companies within the tech world. I like working with them because they're very focused on disrupting the status quo, not just in the businesses they're building but in anything they do, and that includes working with bankers and advisors writ large." "They really force their advisors to think outside the box and challenge the traditional way of doing things. Part of Adam Grant's book is talking about what makes founders founders, and it's been incredible watching them ask a question that might be perceived as basic, but there's really sort of that double layer of, 'Why is it being done this way, and why can't we do it in a better, more efficient way?'" "The Happiness Equation" by Neil Pasricha "He wrote this book that really shares some tips about how to have a happier life and ways that you can streamline things in your work; how to find a better work-life balance; and how to think about where you'd like to spend your time and how you're spending your time and the types of things you're investing in." "I've picked up so many helpful tips and tricks from there. I feel like it's a must-read for people — financial-related or not, I think it applies to all different industries — on really how to take a step back and identify what is meaningful to you. And are you spending the right amount of time on things that you deeply care about versus things that are just, you know, background noise?" "The Effective Executive" by Peter Drucker "It's one of the best management books. I think what's unique about the book is when I first looked at the title, I was a little bit intimidated by it — like, this is just for executive positions. "But he looks at everyone being an executive in their role, and he provides some extremely practical advice on how to become more effective in anything we do in our everyday life. Some are well-known — such as time management, focusing on strengths. "Even those obvious things that he brings up, he makes it so simple to apply in your everyday life. For example, on time management, there are just two questions you need to ask yourself on a regular basis: What would happen if I don't do certain things? And can these things be done by somebody else? "That helps you to eliminate a lot of time-wasters and use time more wisely. Super simple, but at the same time, quite practical." "The Obstacle Is the Way: The Timeless Art of Turning Trials Into Triumph" by Ryan Holiday "It's a book framed through the teaching of Marcus Aurelius, who was also a Roman emperor, and it covers how to optimize situations and make the best out of everything. The book does a great job of translating philosophy into modern context." "As for how that translates to me: Clients expect a trusted advisor to maintain poise and equanimity in situations that are stressful to them. So this has been helpful in taking a teaching that is 2,000-plus years old and transferring it to the 21st century." "Factfulness: Ten Reasons We're Wrong About the World — and Why Things Are Better Than You Think" by Hans Rosling "What the author is trying to do is to help the reader look at the world and analyze global trends in a more objective way. In a very engaging and comical way, he shows you that human beings tend to think that the world is more dramatic than it really is. So people's brains are systematically misinterpreting the state of the world. "Something that really hits on that point is the beginning of the book. He presents the reader with a set of 13 questions. Each question has three multiple-choice answers. The bottom line is that most people actually score lower than the theoretical chimpanzee would have on these questions. "He tries to walk you through a formula to avoid looking at the world in this overly dramatized way. I think he's not talking specifically about the financial markets, but I think it's so relevant to investing because this is part of the way you can capitalize on opportunities." "Mindset" by Carol Dweck Amazon The book emphasizes "how a growth mindset — or the belief that talents can be developed with hard work and good strategies and input from others — can enable much better outcomes than people with a fixed mindset, which is believing that talents are just innate gifts." "The reason that a growth mindset matters so much is that it fosters an emphasis on learning and intellectual curiosity instead of trying to seem like the smartest person in the room, and that's something that I often reflect on for my own personal development as well, as a quality to look for as we bring on really amazing management teams." "Drawdown: The Most Comprehensive Plan Ever Proposed to Reverse Global Warming" edited by Paul Hawken Amazon "For me, it's a game plan of how to actually seek solutions to the biggest existential threat that we actually face as a species and as a planet. Whenever I introduce people to the book, you see people get obsessed with the kinds of things that we can be doing, whether that's regenerative agriculture, renewable energy, or reducing food waste." "Beating the Street" by Peter Magellan Amazon "Being a Fidelity person, I had to pick a Peter Lynch book. Beating the Street has been one of my favorites, such a classic. It's about how Peter ran Magellan day-to-day. And so I've just found it to be an excellent guide to investment processes for new fund managers." "Security Analysis" by Benjamin Graham and David Dodd Amazon "Much has been said about 'Margin of Safety' over the years, but in my opinion nothing quite compares to the original "Security Analysis" by Benjamin Graham and David L. Dodd. They epitomized the concept through their careful approach, still relevant to this day." - Paul Kamenski, Man Group's Man Numeric "Shoe Dog" by Phil Knight Amazon "I recently read 'Shoe Dog,' which is Phil Knight's autobiography and the story of how he founded Nike. I chose it because our firm is, in some respects, a startup, as we are launching new lines of business and building upon others, and I wanted to learn about an entrepreneur's success story. Nike certainly had some difficult and existential issues in its early years, and the book was a good reminder about the importance of perseverance and believing in the value of one's work." - Jackie Klaber, Rockefeller Capital Management "Breaking the Bamboo Ceiling: Career Strategies for Asians" by Jane Hyun Amazon We read it as part of an Asian-American affinity group at TPG. It's a very tactical book on how Asian Americans can advance in the workplace, and it's written in a style that gives stories of actual people but gives very tangible advice. I enjoyed it quite a bit. - Akash Pradhan, TPG "How to Win Friends and Influence People" by Dale Carnegie Amazon "Everything in the investing business is relationship-based, and Henry and George, the KKR founders, often talk about doing business with people you like and trust. This is a book I've read three or four times and is really a staple." - Evan Kaufman, KKR "The Ride of a Lifetime: Lessons Learned From 15 Years as a CEO" by Bob Iger Amazon Bob Iger, a former CEO at Disney, "early on saw the need to create digital channels for his customers and understood the virtuous cycle he could create around the right types of content, which informed his M&A strategy. Some of the M&A moves that he did in the preceding 10 years were really prescient." - Tyler Parker, EQT Group "A Man for All Markets: From Las Vegas to Wall Street, How I Beat the Dealer and the Market" by Ed Thorp Amazon "Reading the stories of great investors is both fun and informative. What's most interesting is the commonalities you see between the two investors despite radically different approaches and asset classes." - Philip Dobrin, Bridgewater Associates "Foundation" by Isaac Asimov Amazon "There's a lot of game theory involved, analyzing big data to predict outcomes. The concepts in that book and trilogy are very relevant today." - Vlad Moshinsky, Miller Buckfire "Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World" by David Epstein Amazon "Looks at the benefits of late specialization and a diversity of experience, and how knowledge in a variety of arenas can pay off, especially when solving complex problems that require creative solutions." - Shaan Tehal, Morgan Stanley "Contrarian Investment Strategy: The Psychology of Stock Market Success" by David Dreman Amazon "Compared with what has now often become fairly complex and evolved, his works as an early adopter of the approach were simple, intuitive, and persuasive, establishing clear roots for what it means to use a systematic approach." - Paul Kamenski, Man Group's Man Numeric "Crossing the Chasm: Marketing and Selling Disruptive Products to Mainstream Customers" by Geoffrey A. Moore Amazon A "must-read" for any aspiring tech investors. - John Curtius, Cedar Capital "The Outsiders: Eight Unconventional CEOs and Their Radically Rational Blueprint for Success" by William Thorndike Jr. Amazon "The book best represents how I think about investing and also articulates the success stories and habits of the best CEOs of the 20th century." - Sims Lansing, Lansing Management "Flash Boys: A Wall Street Revolt" by Michael Lewis Amazon "'Flash Boys' was a prime example of how technological innovation and forward-thinkers can reshape an entire industry. In 'Flash Boys,' novel computer algorithms and communications networks caused both market structure and behavioral changes to the trading industry. "Similarly, today we're experiencing the confluence of cryptography, blockchain technology, and distributed systems, which are meaningfully challenging preconceived notions of not just the financial industry but what constitutes money." - Michael Sonnenshein, Securitize "Fooling Some of the People All of the Time," by David Einhorn Amazon "It is an interesting read, and I enjoy how David Einhorn seems so relentless when he believes in something." - Tanaka Maswoswe, Carlyle Group "Building a Second Brain: A Proven Method to Organize Your Digital Life and Unlock Your Creative Potential" by Tiago Forte Amazon "We have all this data and information on our laptops and on our phones, but it's not organized. So is it really serving us, is it really useful for us? "The book talks about knowledge management systems and how to organize the data in such a way that works for the individual, and ultimately, getting to a point where we can share that with others." - Richesh Shah, Oaktree
Bloomberg
24-06-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
Citadel Securities Seeks to Stop Launch of IEX Options Exchange
By and Katherine Doherty Save Citadel Securities is asking the Securities and Exchange Commission to stop a new exchange founded by the stars of Michael Lewis's 2014 book Flash Boys from entering the options market. As part of its planned expansion into the options market, exchange operator IEX Group Inc. would be able to delay, cancel and reprice options orders on behalf of market makers — a new mechanism that IEX has touted as a way to avoid so-called latency arbitrage that it say adds operational costs to the market.
Mint
12-06-2025
- Business
- Mint
The six best films about financial turmoil
Finance is not an obvious subject for dramatists. Interest rates, term sheets, mark-to-market accounting: these are phrases to make the average viewer's eyes glaze over. But when markets plunge—dragging down Main Street along with Wall Street—screenwriters' interest surges. Perhaps viewers can expect some terrific films about the tariff-induced chaos in years to come. Until then, here are the best films made about financial turmoil. The financial crisis of 2007-09 was decidedly serious, but this film—about a group of outsiders and hustlers who bet on the housing bubble bursting, and hence foresaw the crisis—is very funny. (It is adapted from a book of the same name by Michael Lewis.) Various celebrities make cameos to explain financial concepts directly to viewers, while Steve Carell, Christian Bale (pictured below) and a frighteningly tanned and venal Ryan Gosling play three of the men who profit from the crisis. This film is morally complex and gripping; it informs and outrages. This documentary is about financiers who ended up in prison because they thought they were cleverer than everyone else. Greedy and hubristic, Enron's executives used dodgy accounting and aggressive PR tactics to make their energy-trading firm seem more profitable than it was. Investors lost billions and the top executives were convicted of fraud, though the boss, Kenneth Lay, died shortly before his sentencing. Based on an equally enjoyable book by Bethany McLean and Peter Elkind. The Joad family, kicked off their land in Oklahoma during the Great Depression, head west to California to make a better life. The story could easily have been leaden, but Henry Fonda's spiky lead performance as Tom Joad, and the extraordinary cinematography of Gregg Toland (who also filmed 'Citizen Kane'), make it a work of art. John Steinbeck's novel is an American masterpiece; this film is better. A young analyst at an investment bank finds out that the firm is overexposed to risky mortgage-backed securities. This film (pictured below), set in 2008, focuses on the next 24 hours, as the firm sells everything and panic spreads across Wall Street. The ensemble cast is terrific, in particular Paul Bettany as a shark with a well-hidden heart of gold. But watch it for its portrayal of the rituals and culture of high finance: how people dress and defer to superiors, what they talk about outside the office and how they cut each other's throats. Another film about the crisis of 2007-09, this time about the headliners. After the collapse of Lehman Brothers, Hank Paulson, America's treasury secretary (William Hurt), Ben Bernanke, the chair of the Federal Reserve (Paul Giamatti), and the leaders of the biggest banks gather. They negotiate the Troubled Asset Relief Programme, the government's purchase of bad assets from banks to unfreeze credit. The script is instructive—characters explain things to each other for the viewer's benefit—so you'll finish the film having learned something as well as having been entertained. Leonardo DiCaprio plays Jordan Belfort, a smooth-talking huckster who, in real life, made millions in penny-stock scams before going to prison. Martin Scorsese may have intended to make a morality tale about the dangers of filthy lucre, but Belfort and his buddies are clearly having more fun than the honest lawmen who eventually do them in. Jonah Hill offers a grotesque supporting performance aided by a gargantuan set of false teeth.
