Daily Show - Scott Patterson THE QUANTS

[AMEM]

I was just wondering, has anyone already read the book of Scott Patterson "THE QUANTS"? I saw the Daily Show last week and want to know if it is worth to read. Even if the author seems to be an opponent to all quant finance, I still like to read such stuff, as long as it is not pure populism....

 

[Andy Nguyen]

http://www.nuclearphynance.com/Show%20Post.aspx?PostIDKey=138551

 

[AMEM]

Thanks for the link. How about the books
"The Partnership: The making of Goldman Sachs" by Charles D. Ellis.
"The Snowball: Warren Buffett and the Business of Life - Rough Cut" by Alice Schroeder von Bantam

Sorry for beeing annoying, but i don't like buying books and waste money, or actually more important, i don't like reading books and waste time! I am currentyl reading "Liars Poker", I like it. I know i should check the threat about Wallstreet books...Thank you

 

[Andy Nguyen]

In general, the book in our master reading list are those have been judged favorably by many members here. The new books are not much so.

On the original question, I have sent Scott Patterson an email to see what he got to say.

 

[AMEM]

Has he answered already? You should also e-mail jon steward and ask if you can join him in his show defending the quants.....

 

[Andy Nguyen]

Just ordered these 3 books. They seem to be very entertaining books, specially the one by Michael Lewis. Will read in that order.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/0393072231/
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0307453375/
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0385529910/

 

[Joy Pathak]

I got the Michael lewis book too yesterday from Indigo.

 

[alain]

I listened to the Lewis' book (books on tape). It was entertaining. The Quants book is sort of boring from my point of view. I didn't like it. Haven't read the other one.

 

[dstefan]

I read The Big Short - excellent book, in particular for people not familiar with credit derivatives.

I like Lewis'style in general; Moneyball is a favorite of mine, as are Liar's Poker and The Blind Side; also, the artical on the Icelandic Male from Vanity Fair is a great read
http://depts.washington.edu/teclass/articles472/Wall%20Street%20on%20the%20Tundra%20_%20vanityfair.pdf

Aaron Bown wrote a rebuttal of "The Quants", called "Do Quants Destroy?", in the April 2010 issue of Risk Professional, the GARP magazine.

Aaron's piece is MUCH better than the book... :-k :D =D>

 

[Andy Nguyen]

The "Do Quants Destroy" article is online at Risk Professional - April 2010

You have to be a member to read full-article.

 

[Andy Nguyen]

We have reprinted the full article "Do Quants Destroy?" courtesy of GARP and Aaron Brown.

Do Quants Destroy? | Quant Network

 

[dstefan]

Thanks a lot, Andy!

I found it to be a great piece, much better articulated than the book.