Going Infinite

From the #1 bestselling author of The Big Short and Flash Boys comes Going Infinite, a high-octane narrative that delves into the enigmatic life and rapid rise of Sam Bankman-Fried, a figure central to one of the most astonishing financial collapses of the 21st century. Michael Lewis offers a riveting exploration of how a young man with a brilliant mind and insatiable ambition amassed a monumental fortune in the throes of the crypto frenzy, only to see it all disintegrate just as spectacularly.

Sam Bankman-Fried, before reaching the age of thirty, had not only become the world’s youngest billionaire but was also a magnet for the attention of CEOs, celebrities, and world leaders. Rich far beyond ordinary comprehension, he even contemplated settling the entire national debt of the Bahamas to anchor his business there. Yet, behind this extraordinary success was a man of paradoxes—an unassuming figure often seen in rumpled cargo shorts, whose eyes darted during television interviews as he simultaneously played video games.

Even those who invested millions in his ventures found him to be a mystery. What was the source of his prodigious talent for generating wealth? And what led to the dramatic collapse of his empire?

Michael Lewis, renowned for his keen narrative eye, had direct access to Bankman-Fried during his meteoric rise and was uniquely positioned to witness the incredible unraveling of his financial world. Going Infinite serves as both a psychological portrait of a profoundly gifted 'thinking machine' and an exhilarating chronicle of high-frequency trading and even higher stakes. The book captures the essence of the crypto mania that gripped the world, exposing the immense sums of money, the hubris, and the eventual downfall of a modern financial giant.

Lewis's storytelling brilliance turns this tale of a twenty-first-century financial roller-coaster into a gripping saga filled with intense drama and intriguing character study. Through his unmatched ability to weave complex financial themes into compelling human narratives, Lewis presents an epic that is as enlightening as it is entertaining, cementing his status as the ideal chronicler of contemporary financial phenomena.

Going Infinite is more than a story of wealth and collapse; it is an incisive look at the boundaries of ambition and the perilous heights one can reach before tumbling into the abyss. For readers seeking a deep understanding of the crypto world, the psychological makeup of its mavens, and the staggering volatility of modern finance, this book is a must-read. No one but Michael Lewis could tell it better.