While most people focus on "the big three" (Worthless, Enjoy the Decline, and Bachelor Pad Economics) the majority of my readership is unaware of my first book "Behind the Housing Crash" as I've gained about 70% of my current day readership AFTER the book was released.
Not that you don't know what the outcome of the housing bubble has been (yes, it did crash, and yes, the economy did tank btw), but if you are looking for kind of a "Sam Spade" "film noir" themed book that focuses on financial analytical work instead of detective work, Behind the Housing Crash is it.
It basically is an expose that chronicles my trials and tribulations being a "credit analyst" in the banking industry during the buildup to the bubble. The reason I mention I was a credit analyst is because that is where the rubber hit the road. As an analyst it was my job to assess and judge the quality and credit of the potential borrower. For the most part, the VAST majority of loans that came across my desk were absolute junk. HOWEVER, management, bankers, mortgage brokers, and the entire housing and banking industries were completely dependent either through commission or sales on getting the loans approved. Naturally this resulted in conflict where you had nothing short of the most corrupt and idiotic bosses ramming heads with the sane and virtuous underdog, and consequently a good story.
However, at the time I was an analyst, and even while writing the book, I did not have the hindsight or bird's eye view I do today of the banking industry. I was still partially under the belief I was a "bad employee" and that my supervisors were "wiser, older" people. But when I found out the FBI was investigating one of the clients of my most hated banker (you'll have to read the book for details), the wool was pulled from my eyes and I transformed into the modern day, hate-filled, "fuck authority" incarnation of Cappy you all love and cherish today. Regardless, because I was at the bottom, it really does provide a "Peter Gunn" detective theme to the book.
Naturally we all know what happened to the housing bubble. Naturally we all know that I was proven right and that most bankers are scum deserving of the most painful death imaginable. But if you want a "behind the scenes" slash "war stories from the front lines" slash "who dunnit" slash "Tracer Bullit" kind of book, Behind the Housing Crash is the book to read.
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