The Trading Game

A Confession

De: Gary Stevenson

Narrado por: Gary Stevenson

Brought to you by Penguin.

In this bestselling audiobook read by the author, Gary Stevenson relives his time on the trading floor with raw honesty, gritty humour and true conviction.

An outrageous, white-knuckle journey to the dark heart of an intoxicating world - from someone who survived the trading game and then blew it all wide open

Ever since he was a kid, kicking broken footballs on the streets of East London in the shadow of Canary Wharf's skyscrapers, Gary wanted something better. Something a whole lot bigger.

Then he won a competition run by a bank: 'The Trading Game'. The prize: a golden ticket to a new life, as the youngest trader in the whole city. A place where you could make more money than you'd ever imagined. Where your colleagues are dysfunctional maths geniuses, overfed public schoolboys and borderline psychopaths, yet they start to feel like family. Where soon you're the bank's most profitable trader, dealing in nearly a trillion dollars. A day. Where you dream of numbers in your sleep - and then stop sleeping at all.

But what happens when winning starts to feel like losing? When the easiest way to make money is to bet on millions becoming poorer and poorer - and, as the economy starts slipping off a precipice, your own sanity starts slipping with it? You want to stop, but you can't. Because nobody ever leaves.

Would you stick, or quit? Even if it meant risking everything?

This is an outrageous, unvarnished, white-knuckle journey to the dark heart of an intoxicating world - from someone who survived the game and then blew it all wide open.

'An unforgettable story of greed, financial madness and moral decay' Rory Stewart

'Hilarious, shocking and deeply sad — often in the same sentence' Sunday Times

'The Wolf of Wall Street with a moral compass' Irvine Welsh

©2024 Gary Stevenson (P)2024 Penguin Audio

Gripping story, very nice production.

It’s usually a bad sign when someone makes their origins their entire personality. It isn’t the case with Gary Stevenson. His heartfelt, sometimes over-the-top narrative is equally gripping and informative.


Nit pick. Like the Clockwork Orange, this one would have been better without the last chapter.

Amazing look behind the curtain

what a nice change to hear a frank, no holds barred account of the inside of these institutions that hold so much power. Gary is a great writer and narrator. interesting to hear the differences between his accent on the audiobook and his YouTube channel or podcast appearances.

highly recommended

Authentic, funny, critical

Gary Stevenson reads his own story and brings it very much to life through his accent and anecdotes. At the same time an authentic and unapologetic description of trading and the I-bank culture driven by competitiveness and the pleasure of maling money for its own sake and a critical reflection of it. A modern version of Michael Lewis liar’s poker.

fascinating read

a real page turner; very well told account of life behind the scenes at an investment bank

To the void of cynisism and back

Never would I have dreamed to be riveted to a book of a trader. Very inlightening. Now I understand a bit more of that madness.

Eat the rich bruv

The first hand account of the a long term issue of wealth inequality and how we as the people of the world must come together to solve this problem.

Great book

Really enjoyed this. Good story and well told. Like the little food and drink details.

Open your eyes to the traders’ world

Gary’s story is vivid, real and I highly recommend his book.
Diving inside the biggest legit gambling world from below. You realize that you’ve seen them next to you, you’ve seen them boasting and being miserable. Unfortunately this rigged game is killing all of us, some quicker than others… Through your eyes, I have lived our slow collective demise. It seems we’re going down a slope without having the opportunity to use the gears available to stop the fall. All hoping to be the last to live it the best… riding « the system ».

Hooking, funny, nicely read

So nice that Gary himself read it. He has a very unique style of writing, i’d say, and the story is of course very interesting. Learned a lot about working at banks, and a summary of his economic thought. Worthwhile read.

What a bloody good listen

Like most, I came to know Gary from his YouTube videos. Love the story and message, and why we need to fix the system.
There's no real bad guy, just guys who are where they are because of the cards they're dealt. Wonderful narration and message. certainly given me a fresh perspective