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The Trading Game - Gary Stevenson
James White • 26 September 2024
Hilarious, insightful, even if possibly exaggerated.
I recently finished listening to Gary Stevenson's Trading Game: A Confession on Audible, and what an entertaining listen it was. I found it great that the author himself reads out the book, making it a more 'personal' experience. I thought he also did a great job on all the various accents.
The review:
The book combines Gary's personal narrative with an inside look into how things are on a trading desk. Having worked in financial services my whole life, I found the stories relatable, often hilarious (even laughing out loud at times!), while also insightful and informative.
I half expected this to be a 'trading book' which unpacks strategies and technical aspects of the markets, which there are elements of, but that's not what this book is about. Rather Gary shares his experiences, brags about the money he made, but also makes some serious observations about the state of the world, income inequality, and what he thinks is needed.
The observations of how economic systems are biased and benefit the (already) wealthy are interesting. He tackles ethical dilemmas head-on, even though he profited from the very systems that, in his view, exacerbate the inequality. Stevenson also reflects on his decision to leave the trading world, a rare choice for someone making as much money as he claims.
I enjoyed the fact that he distills some complex economic and financial ideas to make them understandable to those without a background in finance (even being in finance, some concepts were foreign to me). It’s an enjoyable listen (or read) for anyone interested.
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