Book review: The Devil’s Casino, Vicky Ward, Wiley & Sons
Picking up where Ken Aulettaâs Greed And Glory On Wall Street left off, Vicky Wardâs The Devilâs Casino traces the story of US financial giant Lehman Brothers from its takeover in 1984 to its demise in 2008.
It’s divided into two sections: the rise and fall of inspiring chief operating officer Chris Pettit and the subsequent descent into paranoia, arrogance and dysfunction that led to the company’s bankruptcy as a result of the sub-prime mortgage crisis; while the second half focuses on the magnetically appalling Joe Gregory, the company’s former president.
Ward’s book is unlikely to tell anybody interested in global financial matters anything new but that doesn’t detract from the fact this is a fascinating, deftly paced tale.