ON THE BRINK Inside the Race to Stop the Collapse of the Global Financial System

It takes someone with authority to narrate Hank Paulson's inside view of the 2008 collapse and attempted rescue of the global credit and equity markets. Dan Woren performs the task admirably. For financial-markets followers, this account by the Goldman Sachs CEO-turned-policy-maker is a must-listen. Paulson provides a fast-paced, surprisingly nonpartisan story of the nitty-gritty behind the decisions to save some financial institutions (and not others). Woren's pronunciation of names and complex products is good, and he never loses his way, even when the crises are fast and furious. Fortunately, Woren handles expressions like "imminent danger of systemic risk" and "LIBOR-OIS spread" with credibility. Paulson himself reads the prescriptive afterword, sounding older and wiser. An excellent Q&A with the author is also included. R.M. © AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine [Published: APRIL 2010]