Against the Gods

The Remarkable Story of Risk

By: Peter L. Bernstein

Narrated by: Mike Fraser

Length: 14 hrs and 27 mins

Publisher's summary

A Business Week, New York Times Business, and USA Today Best Seller

In this unique exploration of the role of risk in our society, Peter Bernstein argues that the notion of bringing risk under control is one of the central ideas that distinguishes modern times from the distant past. Against the Gods chronicles the remarkable intellectual adventure that liberated humanity from oracles and soothsayers by means of the powerful tools of risk management that are available to us today. This brand new audio edition of Bernstein's classic work is masterfully narrated by Mike Fraser.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©1996 Peter L. Bernstein (P)2021 Echo Point Books & Media, LLC

Critic reviews

"Ambitious and readable...an engaging introduction to the oddsmakers, whom Bernstein regards as true humanists helping to release mankind from the choke holds of superstition and fatalism." (The New York Times)

"An extraordinarily entertaining and informative book." (The Wall Street Journal)

"A lively panoramic book.... Against the Gods sets up an ambitious premise and then delivers on it." (Business Week)

The roots before stems

This book is a true definition of roots before stems and leaves.
The introduction and how it fades in the reality of financial risk management is brilliant.

Loved it.

Loved it. I've worked in this realm but not on the financial side. None the less I have recognized that you calculate until more calculation doesn't help. At that time you're on your own but armed with the insight calculations have given you thus far. This book begs for an update since 9/11 and the 2008 crash: neither could have been reliably forecast. I'll have to listen again.

Interesting Concepts

Wonderful observations and complicated theories made understandable. Great narrative with voice and tone that added clarity, spot on. I enjoyed it; thank-you.

A good yarn

Berenstein does a nice job telling a good yarn. The early part of the book was particularly interesting as the ideas that form the basis of what would come later are walked through. I can't imagine the amount of research necessary to piece this story together.

However, I had heard multiple people I trust give this book conspicuously high praise and I would not go that far. Definitely worth it's purchase price but the book seemed to explain ideas with less artfulness as it moved into the modern era. It is difficult to explain, but the latter part of the book dealing with current ideas felt overly detailed in explaining a few niches and yet the explanation was unsatisfying and felt like there were good topics for discussion that were left unexplored.

Listened to it 20+ years after having read it

I had read this book miss than 20 years ago. Now more experienced and knowledgeabe, and why not: wiser too, I enjoyed it as much as the first time. Wonderful book!

Glad it finally got here

I enjoyed the book when I read portions of it decades ago. It's really well narrated. I'm glad that others out there were clamoring for audio content about how cool insurance can be. And it all started with a two page shipping schedule broadsheet tacked to a penny lane cafe house wall.

History but not what expecting

Bernstein does a good job with history but in the end I have no different perspective on risk. If you have taken statistics or college level investing clases there is nothing new to gleam from the entire book in my view. You go from dice to standard statistics to game theory to market volatility and CAPM and portfolio theory. Nothing beyond standard understanding of those subjects, so if you are familiar with those subjects you are just getting names and dates to supplement your understanding.

Excellent book to learn about history of risk

This book was fantastic my Mom gave it to me recommended by Bob Brinker and it had so much information from the history and I’ve never really liked history because I like math and so I learned all kinds of stuff about history from Galileo and Halley this it was really really fun to learn all of this really cool stuff and to see how risk developed and how insurance started with the aristocrats how the aristocrats made money in the old days it’s highly recommended I like to trade stocks and that’s why I got the book but just I love reading nonfiction books and this was so little bit dry in the beginning but boy it is fantastic I finished it quite rapidly I think in one week. If I could remember everything that I read I would sound so smart at parties. (For audible version) I have the book for about a decade but I’m not a reader and now listen to books so finally bought the audible version and completed it today. Highly recommended for folks that like to learn about history, history of risk and I’ll guarantee you’ll be amazed at how smart folks were 500 years ago.

Fascinating

There were times the listing of probability outcomes became a bit tedious to listen to but stick with it. I am NOT an economist but by the end I felt I had a pretty good idea of the flow of the history of probability and risk as well as the major players. Very nicely read and a landmark on the subject. The accompanying pdf was helpful.

Excellent book

Great history of risk with easy to understand writing about difficult concepts.
The narration was excellent
Would
Love a follow up with authors opinion on the 2008 debacle