The Greatest Trade Ever came out last November and has been sitting on my nightstand since then. It’s a lot like The Big Short by Michael Lewis, which I reviewed here. The two books cover the same basic topic and storyline, though I found The Big Short to be a more interesting read overall. That may be because The Big Short came out several months later and had the opportunity to reflect a bit on the amazing story. Still, The Greatest Trade Ever is a book worth reading if you want to understand how a few folks made a ton of money betting against the sub-prime mortgage market. It’s fast paced, easily understood, and insightful. Best of all, it’s unbiased (a trait seldom seen in the wake of the economic meltdown).

Zuckerman is an accomplished reporter and he digs out the story of John Paulson and a few others who shorted the sub-prime mortgage market. Paulson became famous for his trade, which Zuckerman deems the greatest ever. Billions of dollars were created amidst the chaos of the biggest economic meltdown since the Great Depression. I found the story fascinating, if a bit irritating because I didn’t see the trade myself!

Bottom line, this book is well worth reading if the topic interests you. If business stories bore you, don’t bother.