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andrewv14's review against another edition
4.0
A quick and easy read about a very complex industry with an enigmatic and controversial figure at the center of it all. The criticisms of Michael Lewis’ portrayal of SBF are very valid here - he certainly could have at minimum lambasted the effects of SBF’s recklessness (whether intentional or not) and potential nefariousness on all of its stakeholders. At times the prose shares SBF’s lack of empathy.
This book is likely not for those who know more than most about crypto; for more casual observers or participants it’s more a cautionary tale on the impacts of poor management, poor control, and society’s desire for the next big thing. If you view the writing in a vacuum and take it at face value, it can be a pretty enjoyable read. I came away from it feeling more understanding of SBF and effective altruism and both of their faults and downsides. I’ve read three ML books this year and this was my favorite of them; ML tends to get too verbose at times and the directness of this book was a nice change of pace.
This book is likely not for those who know more than most about crypto; for more casual observers or participants it’s more a cautionary tale on the impacts of poor management, poor control, and society’s desire for the next big thing. If you view the writing in a vacuum and take it at face value, it can be a pretty enjoyable read. I came away from it feeling more understanding of SBF and effective altruism and both of their faults and downsides. I’ve read three ML books this year and this was my favorite of them; ML tends to get too verbose at times and the directness of this book was a nice change of pace.
jessicathesun's review against another edition
4.0
Only rated a little lower due to my personal preferences on the topic / genre, however it’s VERY well written and engaging even if I did not fully understand all the technical parts.
acg509553's review against another edition
3.0
unfortunately this book was simply too regular for my mind
nikorico's review against another edition
2.0
About 2/3 through this book, I was ready to come on here and lightly defend it. While it was definitely more deferential to the crypto bro at its core, it was doing a good job of showing me exactly how this type of person can get power and the cause and effect of him maintaining it for so long without oversight. However, the last two chapters really biff it hard. There was a genuine admiration and paternal instinct the author had towards is subject, which retroactively made what I had already read worse. It turns the book from an ambiguous profile of the weirdest rich guy you know to an infantilizing, "but he had his whole life ahead of him" narrative
If you have a crypto fail hyperfixation like I do, it's still worth checking out. But go in with a hefty dose of skepticism and a critical eye.
(2.5, but I'll be rounding down for this one)
If you have a crypto fail hyperfixation like I do, it's still worth checking out. But go in with a hefty dose of skepticism and a critical eye.
(2.5, but I'll be rounding down for this one)
sarenna_m's review against another edition
4.0
somehow the real villain in this book is John J. Ray and that's saying a lot
UPDATE: 05/21/2024 listened to a podcast about this book and must dock my rating by 1 star. I think both myself and Michael Lewis drank the kool aid.
UPDATE: 05/21/2024 listened to a podcast about this book and must dock my rating by 1 star. I think both myself and Michael Lewis drank the kool aid.
caitlin_bookchats's review against another edition
informative
fast-paced
2.0
Lewis is great at finding the right people to follow to shed new light on a confusing issue. He does a good job introducing SBF, his band of effective Altruists, and the beginnings of FTX, but when it comes to the collapse the description is rushed and confusing. Lewis by then is present in the story himself, but doesn't really bother to explain his presence which makes it feel like we're missing something.
Finally, although one might argue Lewis is intentionally making the collapse as confusing to us the reader as it was inside the company, that's not why we're reading this book. We were already confused about what happened when we lived through it on the news.
Also, it's mind boggling to me that Lewis, whose descriptions of SBF make him sound insufferable, seems taken in by his schemes and excuses.
Finally, although one might argue Lewis is intentionally making the collapse as confusing to us the reader as it was inside the company, that's not why we're reading this book. We were already confused about what happened when we lived through it on the news.
Also, it's mind boggling to me that Lewis, whose descriptions of SBF make him sound insufferable, seems taken in by his schemes and excuses.