I had high expectations when I selected this book to read based on the description. What I got was not what I expected. The first chapter threw out a flurry of common anti-conservative rants and talking points sprinkled with plenty of foul language and personal attacks. I almost stopped reading right there. But I continued on to see if the author would eventually get to the topic that made me want to read the book, how Wall Street and the big banks are screwing over common Americans. He did start to get into it but, for me, his credibility took a serious hit. He did finally settle in on the promissed topic but continued with foul language and threw in more disparaging comments and personal attacks through the remainder of the book. Having recently read several well written books with documented references to back up what they said, this book was a disappointment. And the other books were able to do what they did without having to slew personal attacks and swearing throughout. While I do feel I learned something about how the the financial sector interacts and works with Washington politicians, I never knew for sure what was fact, what was opinion, and where the truth really was. At the begining, after I decided to continue reading, I was already thinking about what rating I would give...there was not an option for zero stars so I was planning to rate it one star. Although I really didn't care for this author's writing style, if that's what it is. But I felt that there were enough nuggets of worthwhile information that when I finished I felt I could stretch and rate it two stars; my lowest book rating ever, and I usually rate very lenient. I'm just happy I could borrow this from the library so I didn't have to spend any of my money on it. If this book had left out the first chapter, which seemed to serve no purpose other than shock value, dropped all the name calling and personal attacks, and cited some references for the information the author presented, this would have been a much better book and more enjoyable to read. I will not read anything else by this author after this experience. Blunt to the point of rudeness, but that doesn't make him wrongJDN 2456675 EDT 23:23.A review of Griftopia by Matt TaibbiFrom his writing style, Matt Taibbi seems like he'd be fun to be around if he likes you, and absolutely insufferable if he doesn't. He is beyond blunt, and his language will make your head spin as he uses words like "fucking bullshit" and "synthetic derivative" in the same sentence—indeed he may actually say "fucking bullshit synthetic derivative" at some point. He does not hesitate to call some of our world's most powerful leaders criminals and their corporations criminal enterprises. He despises Alan Greenspan at a level that cannot be psychologically healthy. Yet his journalism is impeccable—literally some of the best I've ever read in America—and his facts all check out. He calls them criminals—and then documents their crimes. His anger is palpable, but coming out of reading it, the question is not why Matt Taibbi is angry; the question is why everyone else isn't. Think of everything you've heard Occupy Wall Street accuse banks of doing: Most of that has been documented as indisputable fact. The one I always bring up, simple because it is so blatant and terrible, is the fact that HSBC laundered money for terrorists. LAUNDERED MONEY FOR TERRORISTS. In this post-9/11 world in which our airports are fortresses and the NSA is reading this right now, one of the world's largest banks can be caught red-handed working directly with actual terrorists and end up paying a fine. Maybe Matt Taibbi isn't the best man to deliver this message—his bluntness and salty language get grating after awhile—but he is actually delivering it, which is better than I can say for most other so-called "journalists".
What do You think about Cleptopía (2012)?
A comprehensive explanation of the financial crisis that is as subtle as a kick in the nuts.
—Eve
Economics for the non-economist - really enjoyed it.
—davism
Some oldies but goodies as well as some new stuff.
—ahmorland
