a book
1929: Inside the Greatest Crash in Wall Street History--and How It Shattered a Nation
Andrew Ross Sorkin · 2025 · 592 pages
Named a Most Anticipated Book by New York Times Books Review, TIME, Washington Post, Associated Press, Town & Country, New York Post, and more
From the bestselling author of Too Big to Fail, “the definitive history of the 2008 banking crisis,”* comes a spellbinding narrative of the most infamous stock market crash in history. With the depth of a classic history and the drama of a thriller, 1929 unravels the greed, blind optimism, and human folly that led to an era-defining collapse—one with ripple effects that still shape our society today.
In 1929, the world watched in shock as the unstoppable Wall Street bull market went into a freefall, wiping out fortunes and igniting a depression that would reshape a generation. But behind the flashing ticker tapes and panicked traders, another drama unfolded—one of visionaries and fraudsters, titans and dreamers, euphoria and ruin.
With unparalleled access to historical records and newly uncovered documents, New York Times bestselling author Andrew Ross Sorkin takes readers inside the chaos of the crash, behind the scenes of a raging battle between Wall Street and Washington and the larger-than-life characters whose ambition and naivete in an endless boom led to disaster. The dizzying highs and brutal lows of this era eerily mirror today’s world—where markets soar, political tensions mount, and the fight over financial influence plays out once again.
This is not just a story about money. 1929 is a tale of power, psychology, and the seductive illusion that “this time is different.” It’s about disregarded alarm bells, financiers who fell from grace, and skeptics who saw the crash coming—only to be dismissed until it was too late.
Hailed as a landmark book, Too Big to Fail reimagined how financial crises are told. Now, with 1929, Sorkin delivers an immersive, electrifying account of the most pivotal market collapse of all time—with lessons that remain as urgent as ever. More than just a history, 1929 is a crucial blueprint for understanding the cycles of speculation, the forces that drive financial upheaval, and the warning signs we ignore at our peril.
*The Atlantic Monthly
From the bestselling author of Too Big to Fail, “the definitive history of the 2008 banking crisis,”* comes a spellbinding narrative of the most infamous stock market crash in history. With the depth of a classic history and the drama of a thriller, 1929 unravels the greed, blind optimism, and human folly that led to an era-defining collapse—one with ripple effects that still shape our society today.
In 1929, the world watched in shock as the unstoppable Wall Street bull market went into a freefall, wiping out fortunes and igniting a depression that would reshape a generation. But behind the flashing ticker tapes and panicked traders, another drama unfolded—one of visionaries and fraudsters, titans and dreamers, euphoria and ruin.
With unparalleled access to historical records and newly uncovered documents, New York Times bestselling author Andrew Ross Sorkin takes readers inside the chaos of the crash, behind the scenes of a raging battle between Wall Street and Washington and the larger-than-life characters whose ambition and naivete in an endless boom led to disaster. The dizzying highs and brutal lows of this era eerily mirror today’s world—where markets soar, political tensions mount, and the fight over financial influence plays out once again.
This is not just a story about money. 1929 is a tale of power, psychology, and the seductive illusion that “this time is different.” It’s about disregarded alarm bells, financiers who fell from grace, and skeptics who saw the crash coming—only to be dismissed until it was too late.
Hailed as a landmark book, Too Big to Fail reimagined how financial crises are told. Now, with 1929, Sorkin delivers an immersive, electrifying account of the most pivotal market collapse of all time—with lessons that remain as urgent as ever. More than just a history, 1929 is a crucial blueprint for understanding the cycles of speculation, the forces that drive financial upheaval, and the warning signs we ignore at our peril.
*The Atlantic Monthly
recommended by 6 people
sourced from public statements
Barack Obama
“From my favorite books of 2025.”↗
Ray Dalio
“"Last week I had a great conversation with @andrewrsorkin about his great new book, 1929: Inside the Greatest Crash in Wall Street History — and How It Shattered a Nation. In it we explored the ways in which "history rhymes", what we can learn from the cause-effect relationships that drive debt bubbles and crashes, and what is relevant now. If you're interested in hearing us discuss what some of the lessons of history are that are especially relevant today, you can hear our conversation here. I also can highly recommend his book which is thoroughly entertaining, educational, and provides a helpful perspective for thinking about what's now happening and what to do about it. You can watch it here: https://t.co/fhEpJ93oET"”↗
Anthony Scaramucci
“"Congrats to @andrewrsorkin on 1929. A masterfully researched book that brings the people of that era to life and shows how the Great Crash continues to shape our world today. A must read."”↗
Bill Ackman
“"I read an advance copy of Andrew Sorkin’s new book ‘1929’. Like ‘Too Big to Fail’, 1929 puts you in the room as the events leading up to the crash and the Great Depression are born and develop. You get to understand the history, meet the players, and watch history unfold. It’s a great read for anyone interested in investing, markets, history, economics, government, politics, and I have recommended only a few books on @X. This is a great one. Not to be missed. I look forward to the movie."”↗
Chamath Palihapitiya
“"Watch the interview…buy the book! I bought it and am excited to read it. Well done @andrewrsorkin 🥂"”↗
Sriram Krishnan
“"“1929” by @andrewrsorkin - one of the best history reads in recent times. Andrew knows how to extract the human narrative out of a complex series of market movements bigger than any one individual while also bringing you along on how these pieces fit together. I find myself writing notes on various pages comparing them to other personalities and incidents. Also fun to go dig deep into people I wasn’t familiar with like Thomas Lamont of JPMorgan & Co. Strong recommend."”↗
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