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The Wisdom Of Finance
Author(s): Mihir Desai

Entertaining and informative. Desai takes us on a journey through the fundamentals of finance, from asset pricing to risk and risk management, via options, mergers, debt, and bankruptcy.”- John Lanchester, The New Yorker

“A fascinating new perspective on modern finance,” –Oliver Hart, 2016 Nobel Laureate in Economics

“Lucid, witty and delightfully erudite…From the French revolution to film noir, from the history of probability to Jane Austen and The Simpsons, thisis an astonishing intellectual feast.” –Sebastian Mallaby, author of The Man Who Knew: The Life and Times of Alan Greenspan

Longlisted for 2017 Financial Times/McKinsey Business Book of the Year

A 2017 AMAZON PICK IN BUSINESS & LEADERSHIP

A WealthManagement.com BEST BUSINESS BOOK OF 2017

In 1688, essayist Josef de la Vega described finance as both the fairest and most deceitful business . . . the noblest and the most infamous in the world, the finest and most vulgar on earth.

The characterization of finance as deceitful, infamous, and vulgar still rings true today particularly in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis. But, what happened to the fairest, noblest, and finest profession that de la Vega saw?

De la Vega hit on an essential truth that has been forgotten: finance can be just as principled, life-affirming, and worthy as it can be fraught with questionable practices. Today, finance is shrouded in mystery for outsiders, while many insiders are uneasy with the disrepute of their profession. How can finance become more accessible and also recover its nobility?

Harvard Business School professor Mihir Desai, in his last lecture to the graduating Harvard MBA class of 2015, took up the cause of restoring humanity to finance. With incisive wit and irony, his lecture drew upon a rich knowledge of literature, film, history, and philosophy to explain the inner workings of finance in a manner that has never been seen before.

This book captures Desais lucid exploration of the ideas of finance as seen through the unusual prism of the humanities. Through this novel, creative approach, Desai shows that outsiders can access the underlying ideas easily and insiders can reacquaint themselves with the core humanity of their profession.

The mix of finance and the humanities creates unusual pairings: Jane Austen and Anthony Trollope are guides to risk management; Jeff Koons becomes an advocate of leverage; and Mel Brookss The Producers teaches us about fiduciary responsibility. In Desais vision, the principles of finance also provide answers to critical questions in our lives. Among many surprising parallels, bankruptcy teaches us how to react to failure, the lessons of mergers apply to marriages, and the Capital Asset Pricing Model demonstrates the true value of relationships.
THE WISDOM OF FINANCE is a wholly unique book, offering a refreshing new perspective on one of the worlds most complex and misunderstood professions.

Review(s):
“Accessible… Desai, a Harvard economist, is an omnivorous reader, referring to Trollope and Hammett amid explanations of such concepts as leverage and options theory.”–New Yorker “A strikingly involving, strangely life-affirming new tome… following Mr Desai through his arguments and explanations is, in practice, a disarming and illuminating process.”–Mr. Porter “This is a charming, provocative and readable book. For non-financiers, it can be a great teaching tool; for financiers, it is a badly needed rap on the knuckles, and perhaps an inspiration.” – Gillian Tett, Financial Times “Those familiar with the world of finance will have their perspective shifted, and for the rest of us, Desai provides a welcome entry.”–The Boston Globe “Mihir Desai is a fortunate person: he is an expert economist who is also well-read. In this book he uses his skills to provide a fascinating new perspective on modern finance, showing how the main concepts have parallels in literature and the arts. Students of finance will learn literature, students of literature will learn finance, and everybody will learn something.” —Oliver Hart, 2016 Nobel Laureate in Economics “For those of us who have long believed that the field of finance was more than a way to make a good living, Mihir Desai has written a liberating book. He shows us how an understanding of the humanities can increase our effectiveness as financial practitioners and add a dimension of joy to process.” —Byron R. Wien, Vice Chairman, Multi-Asset Investments, Blackstone Group “In this lucid, witty and delightfully erudite study, Mihir Desai connects finance to philosophy, literature and the deep essence of the human condition. From the French revolution to film noir, from the history of probability to Jane Austen and The Simpsons, thisis an astonishing intellectual feast.” –Sebastian Mallaby, author of The Man Who Knew: The Life and Times of Alan Greenspan “This book is startling, a stunning, erudite, fascinating look at the world as we think we know it, but it’s a world where all roads lead to finance, and in particular, insurance. Highly recommended.” —Seth Godin, author of Purple Cow ” The Wisdom of Finance is fascinating and delightful throughout. Desai explains the world of economics to those who love literature and the world of literature to those who are passionate about economics. And if you enjoy both — well, then you are in for an extra-special treat. I kept shouting aloud: “I get it, I finally get it!” Here is a book that will make you richer in spirit — and maybe in money, too.” —Will Schwalbe, New York Times bestselling author of The End of Your Life Book Club and Books for Living“The Wisdom of Finance is required reading for anyone interested in finance or in pursuing a career in the industry. Mihir eloquently traces the products, practices, and services of our modern financial system to their roots while providing literary context and illustration. Its a refreshing approach to what can be a turgid topic, and it can provide practitioners with a new appreciation (and understanding) of their role in their companies, the industry, and in the broader economy.” —Vikram Pandit, Chairman and CEO of The Orogen Group and former CEO of Citigroup. “In The Wisdom of Finance, Mihir Desai masterfully achieves two goals – bringing great clarity to how finance works and why it is important, and shining a bright light on how the humanities helps us to bet

ISBN:9780544911130