The Housing Boom and Bust

By: Thomas Sowell

Narrated by: Robertson Dean

Length: 4 hrs and 41 mins

Publisher's summary

There was no single, dramatic event that set the current financial crisis off. A whole series of very questionable decisions by many people, in many places, over a period of years, built up the pressures that led to a sudden collapse of the housing market and of financial institutions that began to fall like dominoes as a result of investing in securities based on housing prices.

This book is designed to unravel the tangled threads of that story. It also attempts to determine whether what is being done to deal with the problem is more likely to make things better or worse.

©2009 Thomas Sowell (P)2009 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Among economists of the past thirty years, [Sowell] stands very proud indeed." ( Wall Street Journal)

get this one!

I am a simple man. I see Thomas Sowell, I buy it. True wisdom.

Sowell is a treasure.

Clear assessment of the decisions that led to the 2008 crash. This should be required reading of every person in elected office, both parties.

Informative, especially for this liberal listener

I was reluctant to hear Sowell due to his right leaning, and my left leaning, politics. But I am very glad I did. His book is very clearly written. While I did not agree with all of his suppositions and conclusions, I found them to be well reasoned and supported. I also found his tone to be far less severe than I feared. He does not treat the left with kid gloves, but he does not employ the hyperbole and theatrics of other current conservative authors. Most important is that I feel much more informed, and curious, about economics and politics as a whole after having listened to this book. Any book that held my attention though out, and inspired me to ask more questions and seek more information, is a 4-5 star listen for me. What makes this one a 5 star listen is the excellent narration by Robertson Dean (who kept reminding me of a serious Elliot Gould).

Awesome Book, would recommend it to anyone

very dense but enjoyable to read. vivid and thoughtout reasoning and examples. liberals wouldn't be too happy though.

Excellent As Always

Thomas Sowell once again masterfully explains a seemingly complex topic easily and with great wisdom. Robertson Dean's performance was also enjoyable as always and he definitely does Powell's writings justice with his narration.

A must read

Anyone interested in impact of policy on economy must read/listen this book. Our study of history has been reduced to study of character rather than lessons we can draw on from the past. Sowell does a fantastic job in this book by focusing on the important lessons.

yepper

Easy would like a deep dive on the counties that caused the mose damage and lead the bust.

Thomas Sowell is a genius

This book is an absolute repudiation of the modern liberal concept that government intervention is necessary to "save" the economy. Government intervention leads to economic stagnation, and this book very effectively points that out with irrefutable evidence.

Put me to sleep but the information is useful.

Put me to sleep but the information is useful. Very clever and succinct in the way information are delivered.

detailed and in-depth at a complicated situation

understanding causality in the economy can be a daunting task. using scholarship and experience Thomas Sowell breaks things down and away that are easy to understand and follow the logic behind the situations