{"product_id":"the-wisdom-of-finance-discovering-humanity-in-the-world-of-risk-and-return-9780544911130","title":"The Wisdom of Finance: Discovering Humanity in the World of Risk and Return","description":"\"Entertaining and informative. Desai takes us on a journey through the fundamentals of finance, from asset pricing to risk and risk management, via options, mergers, debt, and bankruptcy.\"- John Lanchester, The New Yorker \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\"A fascinating new perspective on modern finance,\" --Oliver Hart, 2016 Nobel Laureate in Economics\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\"Lucid, witty and delightfully erudite...From the French revolution to film noir, from the history of probability to Jane Austen and \u003cem\u003eThe Simpsons\u003c\/em\u003e, this is an astonishing intellectual feast.\" --Sebastian Mallaby, author of \u003cem\u003eThe Man Who Knew: The Life and Times of Alan Greenspan\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLonglisted for 2017 Financial Times\/McKinsey Business Book of the Year\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA 2017 AMAZON PICK IN BUSINESS \u0026amp; LEADERSHIP\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA WealthManagement.com BEST BUSINESS BOOK OF 2017\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e In 1688, essayist Josef de la Vega described finance as both \"the fairest and most deceitful business . . . the noblest and the most infamous in the world, the finest and most vulgar on earth.\" \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e The characterization of finance as deceitful, infamous, and vulgar still rings true today - particularly in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis. But, what happened to the fairest, noblest, and finest profession that de la Vega saw? \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e De la Vega hit on an essential truth that has been forgotten: finance can be just as principled, life-affirming, and \u003cem\u003eworthy\u003c\/em\u003e as it can be fraught with questionable practices. Today, finance is shrouded in mystery for outsiders, while many insiders are uneasy with the disrepute of their profession. How can finance become more accessible and also recover its nobility? \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e Harvard Business School professor Mihir Desai, in his \"last lecture\" to the graduating Harvard MBA class of 2015, took up the cause of restoring humanity to finance. With incisive wit and irony, his lecture drew upon a rich knowledge of literature, film, history, and philosophy to explain the inner workings of finance in a manner that has never been seen before. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e This book captures Desai's lucid exploration of the ideas of finance as seen through the unusual prism of the humanities. Through this novel, creative approach, Desai shows that outsiders can access the underlying ideas easily and insiders can reacquaint themselves with the core humanity of their profession. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e The mix of finance and the humanities creates unusual pairings: Jane Austen and Anthony Trollope are guides to risk management; Jeff Koons becomes an advocate of leverage; and Mel Brooks's \u003cem\u003eThe Producers\u003c\/em\u003e teaches us about fiduciary responsibility. In Desai's vision, the principles of finance also provide answers to critical questions in our lives. Among many surprising parallels, bankruptcy teaches us how to react to failure, the lessons of mergers apply to marriages, and the Capital Asset Pricing Model demonstrates the true value of relationships. \u003cbr\u003e THE WISDOM OF FINANCE is a wholly unique book, offering a refreshing new perspective on one of the world's most complex and misunderstood professions.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMIHIR DESAIR is the Mizuho Financial Group Professor of Finance at Harvard Business School and a professor of law at Harvard Law School. His research is regularly cited in major publications, and he has testified several times before Congress. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Harper Business","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50634685284626,"sku":"9780544911130","price":21.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_55f57aab-b8e0-4d90-8757-aab828ab44cd.jpg?v=1732821365","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/the-wisdom-of-finance-discovering-humanity-in-the-world-of-risk-and-return-9780544911130","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}