The Match King
Ivar Kreuger, the Financial Genius Behind a Century of Wall Street Scandals
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Narrated by:
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L. J. Ganser
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By:
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Frank Partnoy
About this listen
Yet after Kreuger's suicide in 1932, the true nature of his empire emerged. Driven by success to adopt ever-more perilous practices, Kreuger had turned to shell companies in tax havens, fudged accounting figures, off-balance-sheet accounting, even forgery. He created a raft of innovative financial products - many of them precursors to instruments wreaking havoc in today's markets. When his Wall Street empire collapsed, millions went bankrupt.
Frank Partnoy, a frequent commentator on financial disaster for the Financial Times, The New York Times, NPR, and CBS's 60 Minutes, recasts the life story of a remarkable yet forgotten genius in ways that force us to rethink our ideas about the wisdom of crowds, the invisible hand, and the free and unfettered market.
©2009 Frank Partnoy (P)2009 Audible, Inc.Listeners also enjoyed...
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This is the story of silver's transformation from soft money during the 19th century to hard asset today, and how manipulations of the white metal by American president Franklin D. Roosevelt during the 1930s and by the richest man in the world, Texas oil baron Nelson Bunker Hunt, during the 1970s altered the course of American and world history. FDR pumped up the price of silver to help jump start the US economy during the Great Depression, but this move weakened China, which was then on the silver standard, and facilitated Japan's rise to power before World War II.
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A Detailed Account of Silver's Monetary History
- By Brandy Crosby on 01-11-21
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Borrowed Time
- Two Centuries of Booms, Busts, and Bailouts at Citi
- By: James Freeman, Vern McKinley
- Narrated by: Fred Sanders
- Length: 11 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
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To save the economy and keep Citi afloat in 2008, the government provided huge infusions of cash through multiple bailouts that frustrated and angered the American public. But, as Wall Street Journal writer James Freeman and financial expert Vern McKinley reveal, the 2008 crisis was just one of many disasters Citi has experienced since its founding more than 200 years ago. In Borrowed Time they reveal Citi’s disturbing history of instability and government support. It’s a story that neither Citi nor Washington wants told.
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Biased
- By CF on 08-09-19
By: James Freeman, and others
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Too Good to Be True
- The Rise and Fall of Bernie Madoff
- By: Erin Arvedlund
- Narrated by: Karen White
- Length: 12 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
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Erin Arvedlund, the financial reporter who questioned the amazing returns of Bernie Madoff's hedge funds way back in 2001, traces the life of the infamous swindler and addresses the tough questions surrounding the collapse of his Ponzi scheme.
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Doesn't add much more that a lot of details.
- By Robert on 11-07-10
By: Erin Arvedlund
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Tap Dancing to Work
- Warren Buffett on Practically Everything, 1966–2012: A Fortune Magazine Book
- By: Carol J. Loomis
- Narrated by: Susan Boyce, Barry Press
- Length: 17 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
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When Carol Loomis first mentioned a little-known Omaha hedge-fund manager in a 1966 Fortune article, she didn’t dream that Warren Buffett would one day be considered the world’s greatest investor - nor that she and Buffett would become close personal friends. Now Loomis has collected and updated the best Buffett articles Fortune published between 1966 and 2012, including thirteen cover stories and a dozen pieces authored by Buffett himself. Loomis has provided commentary about each major article that supplies context and her own informed point of view.
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A collection of finance articles - not a biography
- By Gerardo A Dada on 08-23-13
By: Carol J. Loomis
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A History of the United States in Five Crashes
- Stock Market Meltdowns That Defined a Nation
- By: Scott Nations
- Narrated by: Christopher Grove
- Length: 12 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
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In this absorbing, smart, and accessible blend of economic and cultural history in the vein of the works of Michael Lewis and Andrew Ross Sorkin, a financial executive and CNBC contributor examines the five most significant stock market crashes in the United States over the past century, revealing how they have defined the nation today.
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A solid telling of crucial history
- By Philo on 06-17-17
By: Scott Nations
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When Genius Failed
- The Rise and Fall of Long-Term Capital Management
- By: Roger Lowenstein
- Narrated by: Roger Lowenstein
- Length: 9 hrs and 12 mins
- Abridged
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Roger Lowenstein, the bestselling author of Buffett, captures Long-Term's roller-coaster ride in gripping detail. Drawing on confidential internal memos and interviews with dozens of key players, Lowenstein crafts a story that reads like a first-rate thriller from beginning to end. He explains not just how the fund made and lost its money, but what it was about the personalities of Long-Term's partners, the arrogance of their mathematical certainties, and the late-nineties culture of Wall Street that made it all possible.
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When Genius Failed
- By Sean on 12-17-08
By: Roger Lowenstein
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A First-Class Catastrophe
- The Road to Black Monday, the Worst Day in Wall Street History
- By: Diana B. Henriques
- Narrated by: Gabra Zackman
- Length: 9 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
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Monday, October 19, 1987, was by far the worst day in Wall Street history. The market fell 22.6% - almost twice as bad as the worst day of 1929 - equal to a one-day loss of nearly 5,000 points today. Black Monday was more than seven years in the making and threatened nearly every US financial institution. Drawing on superlative archival research and dozens of original interviews, Diana B. Henriques weaves a tale of missed opportunities, market delusions, and destructive actions.
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Financial History Rhymes
- By David Larson on 10-07-17
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Good for the Money
- My Fight to Pay Back America
- By: Bob Benmosche
- Narrated by: Sean Pratt
- Length: 9 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
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In 2009, at the peak of the financial crisis, AIG - the American insurance behemoth - was sinking fast. It was the peg upon which the nation hung its ire and resentment during the financial crisis: the pinnacle of Wall Street arrogance and greed. When Bob Benmosche climbed aboard as CEO, it was widely assumed that he would go down with his ship. In mere months, he turned things around, pulling AIG from the brink of financial collapse and restoring its profitability.
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Worthwhile, informative, and just short of inspiring
- By Preston on 11-17-21
By: Bob Benmosche
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The Greatest Trade Ever
- The Behind-the-Scenes Story of How John Paulson Defied Wall Street and Made Financial History
- By: Gregory Zuckerman
- Narrated by: Marc Cashman
- Length: 11 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
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In 2006, hedge fund manager John Paulson realized something few others suspected - that the housing market and the value of subprime mortgages were grossly inflated and headed for a major fall. Paulson's background was in mergers and acquisitions, however, and he knew little about real estate or how to wager against housing. He had spent a career as an also-ran on Wall Street. But Paulson was convinced this was his chance to make his mark. He just wasn't sure how to do it. Colleagues at investment banks scoffed at him and investors dismissed him.
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Better Books Now Available
- By David on 05-02-11
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Rainbow's End: The Crash of 1929
- Oxford University Press: Pivotal Moments in US History
- By: Maury Klein
- Narrated by: Sean Crisden
- Length: 11 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
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The first major history of the Crash in over a decade, Rainbow's End tells the story of the stock market collapse in a colorful, swift-moving narrative that blends a vivid portrait of the 1920s with an intensely gripping account of Wall Street's greatest catastrophe. The book offers a vibrant picture of a world full of plungers, powerful bankers, corporate titans, millionaire brokers, and buoyantly optimistic stock market bulls.
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Plenty of fine detail, especially of the 1920s
- By Philo on 04-18-13
By: Maury Klein
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Volcker
- The Triumph of Persistence
- By: William L. Silber
- Narrated by: Ross Douglas
- Length: 9 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
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Over the course of nearly half a century, five American presidents - three Democrats and two Republicans - have relied on the financial acumen, and the integrity, of Paul A. Volcker. During his tenure as chairman of the Federal Reserve Board, when he battled the Great Inflation of the 1970s, Volcker did nothing less than restore the reputation of an American financial system on the verge of collapse.
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Required Reading for 2022 Economy
- By Marc Uknis on 11-19-22
What listeners say about The Match King
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Thomas W. Wartman
- 02-18-22
Among the best historical listens
A well read tale and unbelievable history that I teuly cannot believe I have never heard of this having actually happened. If you were/are on the fence of deciding your next book, then worry no more. Really a high quality story line with great detail! Highest recommendation!
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- cds48
- 05-08-19
Great Topics, Interesting Man, OK Book
I like the story of Ivar Kreuger, the financial innovations he created, and the time of the roaring 20s.
However, the book itself doesn't have a good flow, doesn't follow a consistent timeline (jumps back and then forward again), and repeats itself on some topics.
At many points I found that I stopped caring on the particulars of the negotiations and financial engineering details.
The narrator didn't help. Would take long inhaling pauses that bothered me. And talked like someone from the time period telling you the story on an old time radio.
Overall a good story, just not well executed IMO.
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- Erick Stowe
- 09-10-09
The Match King
This book is fabulous. Just when I thought the interest level had peaked, it got more interesting, right up to the end.
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2 people found this helpful
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- John Anderson
- 02-17-23
A fascinating figure the Match King
Ivar Kreuger was known for his financial wizardry and one of the most powerful businessmen of his time, although he did a lot of good, he also did a lot of bad things financially and the Great Depression was started in part by his businesses as they started to fail. Truly an interesting man and the book tells the story so well!
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- Jean
- 08-08-15
Financial Genius or Con Artist?
In 1920 Swedish businessman Ivar Kreuger (1880-1932) controlled most of the world’s safety match production, as well as mining, timber, media, banking and construction industries. He was one of the richest men in the world. He took advantage of the financial state of European countries after World War I and managed to push aside J. P. Morgan and Company to become the lender of choice to sovereign governments. He made a deal in 1929 the week the stock market collapsed to lend German 125 million dollars in return for the safety match monopoly that lasted until 1983.
Partnoy asks is the rise and fall of Kreuger a story of what happens to a person when ambition overreaches and maybe edges into the world of fraud? Or is it a tale of a premeditated confidence trick perpetrated by Kreuger?
Partnoy is a Professor of Law at the University of California San Diego and a historian who has studied Kreuger extensively and written a number of books about him. The first part of the book reads like a case for the prosecution. Sort of makes one think of Bernie Madoff but Kreuger was a real business man with real business and most often stayed within the letter of the law. But one must remember how lax the laws were in the 1920s. The collapse of the Kreuger Empire was responsible for the implementation of the 1933-34 security laws in the United States.
The book is meticulously researched and well written. It is more of a business history than a biography. Some of the businesses Kreuger founded or invested in are still standing today such as Swedish Match Company and Ericsson. L. J. Ganser narrated the book.
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2 people found this helpful
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- Michael
- 04-06-12
Intriguing Story About a Financial Genius
Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?
Yes, I would recommend it. The author seems pretty objective in assessing the good and bad of Kreuger, and providing us with evidence. A big plus. It's interesting hearing the story of IK and how he made his fortune. Amazing how he crashed through barriers, created businesses and wealth, and invented new financial instruments.
But, while IK was a genius, he also had some really bad premises that destroyed him: he accepted government involvement in the economy, he agreed with the idea of government monopolies, he engaged in some fraud, deciet and dishonesty. Would have been interesting, if he had better premises, seeing how he turned out and what would have happened.
I'd have liked, though, to have had more identification of what, psychologically and morally, made him wealthy and what conflicts he had to work through to achieve the successes he did. In other words, I'd have liked some rational philosophic analysis.
Any additional comments?
Interesting that, like Steve Jobs, IK had a practiced, intense stare. But, unlike Jobs, he did not focus only on making great, economical products. In both cases, the scale on which they work brings out their premises -- premises other people have, too, but which are not seen much since most people don't live large and develop the consequence of their ideas so fullly and broadly; lots of people just sit around and mope through life.
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1 person found this helpful
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- W. Max Hollmann
- 02-24-13
Fascinating
As a banker and CPA I found the book enthralling. The characters, and what they schemed and accomplished could have been written last week. I never knew that such sophisticated and complicated financing existed in the 1920's. The author describes the financial details so anyone can understand them. I think he could have better developed the various national economies that Kreuger did business in better. His main focus is on Kreuger and at times it appears he is a universe onto himself apart from world affairs. It seems the world depression was just one of many events that get a mention. One does not get an impression that Kreuger, with all of his financial acumen and personal knowledge of world leaders could have foretold what would happen.
I found the coda far fetched. The author seems to feel that all aspects of Kreuger's death have to be explained or theorized upon. Since none of his scenarios can be verified they take on the aura of the worst of sensationalist tabloid journalism.
Aside from the very last chapter, I found the book fascinating, useful and highly recommend it.
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3 people found this helpful
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- Johann Cat
- 02-08-22
Solid; tale and telling not ideal; gasping reader
This is solid history but is of necessity full of elaborate economic schemes, many with numbers counted to places in cents, so it is sometimes tedious or hard to follow as audio. I think the book could still benefit from more dramatic, concise summary statements of what Kreuger was up to as punctuation or prefaces to the multi-paged econ-text book versions of Kreuger's plots (often drained of a vital sense of Kreuger's fear, cunning, and deceptions) that dominate the narrative. The dilution of drama may be intentional; the book's conclusion tries to rationalize Kreuger's lunatic-on-its-face forgery of Italian bonds and make him pitiable. Even in this narrative, Kreuger himself seems too much a character of Shakespearean hybris for this whitewash to work. The reader is good, but inconsistently anglicizes some European names; his anglicizing "Weimar" Germany as "Wimer" and the country Lichtenstein as " . . . STEEN" (not even in the dictionary, that) seems discordant given that the title character's name, e.g., is not anglicized. The reader also needed an audio director: he has a strange habit--I am not sure how any professional reader would not be aware of this, or why he has not been simply, emphatically directed out of it--about once a page, he pauses for emphasis and inhales through his mouth with an audible gasp. It is a tad bizarre and I found this distracting, but others may not care. In any case, he is the first audio book reader I have ever heard do this.
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- Donovan R.
- 06-17-10
excellent Depression era history-biography
A powerful morality tale - Ivar Kreuger's scams are as relevant today as ever, and the reading of financial biography works nicely.
Partnoy peppers his biography with colorful history, as well as the occasional tangent (e.g., where did the term "bucket shop" come from?).
Whereas Ponzi's scheme (and Madoff's variation) are relatively simple pyramids, feasible only when observers opt to maintain their ignorance, Kreuger's methods are far more convoluted, and such methods continue to elude professionals today.
The reading is accessible, the pacing appropriate, and the lessons learned far more useful than those available in most financial/biographical options.
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4 people found this helpful
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- Timmy the G
- 01-01-22
Very interesting
I originally read this on Kindle several years ago, but it was hard for me to follow all the intricacies of Krueger's financial shenanigans for some reason. Listening to it I was more able follow and understand what was going on. Very interesting story and another good case study of why if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. I found it a little off-putting that the author referred to the main character by his first name. I guess to me this nonfiction sounded more like a documentary or news article that I'm used to having people referred to by last name. But that's a small thing.
The narrator was excellent. The sound editor however, should have cut out the many breaths heard between sentences. I know we don't notice someone breathing irl, but in an audio book when you hear someone sucking in air through your earbuds it's kind of weird.
Overall a good book about a now mostly forgotten episode in our sordid history of greed and loss.
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