The Housing Boom and Bust

By: Thomas Sowell

Narrated by: Robertson Dean

There was no single, dramatic event that set the current financial crisis off. A whole series of very questionable decisions by many people, in many places, over a period of years, built up the pressures that led to a sudden collapse of the housing market and of financial institutions that began to fall like dominoes as a result of investing in securities based on housing prices.

This book is designed to unravel the tangled threads of that story. It also attempts to determine whether what is being done to deal with the problem is more likely to make things better or worse.

©2009 Thomas Sowell (P)2009 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Among economists of the past thirty years, [Sowell] stands very proud indeed." ( Wall Street Journal)

From Opinionated to Informed

Like his other books, Sowell lays out a very concise argument without delving overly deep into the data. That's not to say this book is not well supported, quite the opposite. The only change I would make is to have someone a bit more vibrant narrate. This is pretty heavy material.

Should be Required Reading for all

An easy to understand analysis of the dangers of government intervention over the years through over-reach under the guise of good intentions. Listen, anyone who reads or listens to this book will relate to the overwhelming facts and common sense analysis between the negative effects of government policy overreach vs success of allowing market forces and people manage their own financial lives. Dr. Sowell should be lauded for simply presenting what every politician should have learned from past policy mistakes before they enact more bad policies. This book definitely is very relevant to understanding how bad most of the covid stimulus spending is for our country. Only voters can change this behavior. Smaller government should be the goal for all, not more intrusion and control.

Sowell's books are my favorite economics

Sowell's books are my favorite economics literature. he explains things so clearly that even someone with little Econ background can get a lot from them

They should be staples of all University libraries

Phenomenal

While it is true that Sowell could and probably should have been more thorough in providing an account of the many causes behind the meltdown, he brings attention to an oft-ignored cause. The federal crusade for affordable housing is as much a culprit as corporate greed behind a worldwide depression.

Contextual Facts

Great explanation of the government's interference in recovery that began during the great depression and how the failures of those policies and others have been entirely overlooked.