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Against the Gods

The Remarkable Story of Risk
3.96 goodreads logo

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( 14,286 ratings, 666 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Against the Gods by Peter L. Bernstein explores the remarkable history of risk and its role in shaping human progress. This book delves into the development of the concept of risk management, tracing its evolution from ancient times to modern financial markets. It examines how understanding and managing risk has been crucial for advancements in trading, culture, and the economy.
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This book might appeal to you if you're fascinated by the history of risk and how it has shaped human innovation. Peter L. Bernstein provides a captivating exploration of the development of risk management from ancient times to the present, making complex financial concepts accessible and engaging. If you're interested in understanding the intricate relationship between mathematics, probability, and decision-making in the context of finance and investment, this book offers both insight and historical context.

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Against the Gods charts the epic adventures of a group of bold thinkers who embarked on a voyage of intellectual discovery, transforming primeval superstition into the powerful tools of risk control employed today.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Against the Gods is a Business Week, New York Times Business, and USA Today Bestseller.

"Ambitious and readable ... an engaging introduction to the oddsmakers, whom Bernstein regards as true humanists helping to release mankind from the choke holds of superstition and fatalism." - The New York Times

"An extraordinarily entertaining and informative book." - The Wall Street Journal

"A lively panoramic book ... Against the Gods sets up an ambitious premise and then delivers on it." - Business Week

"Deserves to be, and surely will be, widely read." - The Economist

"[A] challenging book, one that may change forever the way people think about the world." - Worth

"No one else could have written a book of such central importance with so much charm and excitement." - Robert Heilbroner, author, The Worldly Philosophers

"With his wonderful knowledge of the history and current manifestations of risk, Peter Bernstein brings us Against the Gods. Nothing like it will come out of the financial world this year or ever. I speak carefully: no one should miss it." - John Kenneth Galbraith, Professor of Economics Emeritus, Harvard University

In this unique exploration of the role of risk in our society, Peter Bernstein argues that the notion of bringing risk under control is one of the central ideas that distinguishes modern times from the distant past. Against the Gods chronicles the remarkable intellectual adventure that liberated humanity from oracles and soothsayers by means of the powerful tools of risk management that are available to us today.

"An extremely readable history of risk." - Barron's

"Fascinating ... this challenging volume will help you understand the uncertainties that every investor must face." - Money

"A singular achievement." - Times Literary Supplement

"There's a growing market for savants who can render the recondite intelligibly - witness Stephen Jay Gould (natural history), Oliver Sacks (disease), Richard Dawkins (heredity), James Gleick (physics), Paul Krugman (economics) - and Bernstein would mingle well in their company." - The Australian

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Against the Gods by Peter L. Bernstein explores the history of humanity's attempts to comprehend risk and probability, tracing developments from ancient Greek gamblers to contemporary chaos theory. It is lauded for its depth and clarity in addressing how these concepts evolved over time.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780471295631

Publisher: John Wiley & Sons Inc

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 29 September 1998

Country: United States

Imprint: John Wiley & Sons Inc

Audience: Tertiary education, Professional and scholarly

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 31.0mm

Width: 152.0mm

Height: 229.0mm

Weight: 476g

Pages: 400

About the Author

PETER L. BERNSTEIN is President of Peter L. Bernstein, Inc., economic consultants to institutional investors. Mr. Bernstein is the author of six books in economics and finance, including the bestselling Capital Ideas: The Improbable Origins of Modern Wall Street, as well as many articles in the professional and popular press. He is the Editor of The Portable MBA in Investment (Wiley) and was the Founding Editor of The Journal of Portfolio Management.

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