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1929: Inside the Greatest Crash in Wall Street History--and How It Shattered a Nation

1929: Inside the Greatest Crash in Wall Street History--and How It Shattered a Nation

by Andrew Ross Sorkin

Viking ·2025 ·592 pages ·Business
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Top of the Pile

88/99

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About This Book

From the bestselling author of Too Big to Fail, "the definitive history of the 2008 banking crisis,"* comes a spellbinding narrative of the most infamous stock market crash in history. With the depth of a classic history and the drama of a thriller, 1929 unravels the greed, blind optimism, and human folly that led to an era-defining collapse—one with ripple effects that still shape our society today. In 1929, the world watched in shock as the unstoppable Wall Street bull market went into a devastating freefall, wiping out fortunes overnight and igniting a crisis that would reshape a generation. But behind the flashing ticker tapes and panicked traders, another drama unfolded—one of visionaries and fraudsters, titans and dreamers, euphoria and ruin.With unparalleled access to historical records and newly uncovered documents, New York Times bestselling author Andrew Ross Sorkin takes readers inside the chaos of the crash, behind the scenes of a raging battle between Wall Street and Washington and the larger-than-life characters whose ambition and naivete in an endless boom led to wreckage. The dizzying highs and brutal lows of this era eerily mirror today's world—where markets soar, political tensions mount, and the fight over financial influence plays out once again.This is not just a story about money. 1929 is a tale of power, psychology, and the seductive illusion that "this time is different." It's about disregarded alarm bells, financiers who fell from grace, and skeptics who saw the crash coming—only to be dismissed until it was too late.Hailed as a landmark book, Too Big to Fail reimagined how financial crises are told. Now, with 1929, Sorkin delivers an immersive, electrifying account of the most pivotal market collapse of all time—with lessons that remain as urgent as ever. More than just a history, 1929 is a crucial blueprint for understanding the cycles of speculation, the forces that drive financial upheaval, and the warning signs we ignore at our peril.*The Atlantic Monthly


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Reviews

"It is also completely justified given the balance of power, of private over public, at the time ..."

Andy Haldane· Financial Times Read review ↗ Top of the Pile

"[A] pacey, blow by blow account ..."

Pratinav Anil· The Times (UK) Read review ↗ Top of the Pile

"He has consulted weather reports, diaries, architectural records and every newspaper imaginable to create a vivid and historically accurate account of the boom, crash and aftermath ..."

Judge Glock· The Wall Street Journal Top of the Pile

"A nimble history of the stock market's collapse centers on the upper crust."

Kirkus Read review ↗ Near the Top

"It may not be his fault that it only intermittently works ..."

Jacob Weisberg· New York Review of Books Read review ↗ Near the Top

"One wishes that Sorkin had more to say about the disquieting similarities between that time and our own, but the warning comes through nonetheless."

Barbara Spindel· The Christian Science Monitor Read review ↗ Near the Top

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