SKU: 64290858947

The Wisdom of Finance: Discovering Humanity in the World of Risk and Return

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The Wisdom of Finance: Discovering Humanity in the World of Risk and Return"Entertaining and informative. Desai takes us on a journey through the fundamentals of finance, from asset pricing to risk and risk management, via options, mergers, debt, and bankruptcy." John Lanchester, The New Yorker "A fascinating new perspective on modern finance," Oliver Hart, 2016 Nobel Laureate in Economics "Lucid, witty and delightfully erudite From the French revolution to film noir, from the history of probability to Jane Austen and The

"Entertaining and informative. Desai takes us on a journey through the fundamentals of finance, from asset pricing to risk and risk management, via options, mergers, debt, and bankruptcy."- John Lanchester, The New Yorker

"A fascinating new perspective on modern finance," --Oliver Hart, 2016 Nobel Laureate in Economics

"Lucid, witty and delightfully erudite...From the French revolution to film noir, from the history of probability to Jane Austen and The Simpsons, this is an astonishing intellectual feast." --Sebastian Mallaby, author of The Man Who Knew: The Life and Times of Alan Greenspan

Longlisted for 2017 Financial Times/McKinsey Business Book of the Year

A 2017 AMAZON PICK IN BUSINESS & LEADERSHIP

A WealthManagement.com BEST BUSINESS BOOK OF 2017

In 1688, essayist Josef de la Vega described finance as both "the fairest and most deceitful business . . . the noblest and the most infamous in the world, the finest and most vulgar on earth."

The characterization of finance as deceitful, infamous, and vulgar still rings true today - particularly in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis. But, what happened to the fairest, noblest, and finest profession that de la Vega saw?

De la Vega hit on an essential truth that has been forgotten: finance can be just as principled, life-affirming, and worthy as it can be fraught with questionable practices. Today, finance is shrouded in mystery for outsiders, while many insiders are uneasy with the disrepute of their profession. How can finance become more accessible and also recover its nobility?

Harvard Business School professor Mihir Desai, in his "last lecture" to the graduating Harvard MBA class of 2015, took up the cause of restoring humanity to finance. With incisive wit and irony, his lecture drew upon a rich knowledge of literature, film, history, and philosophy to explain the inner workings of finance in a manner that has never been seen before.

This book captures Desai's lucid exploration of the ideas of finance as seen through the unusual prism of the humanities. Through this novel, creative approach, Desai shows that outsiders can access the underlying ideas easily and insiders can reacquaint themselves with the core humanity of their profession.

The mix of finance and the humanities creates unusual pairings: Jane Austen and Anthony Trollope are guides to risk management; Jeff Koons becomes an advocate of leverage; and Mel Brooks's The Producers teaches us about fiduciary responsibility. In Desai's vision, the principles of finance also provide answers to critical questions in our lives. Among many surprising parallels, bankruptcy teaches us how to react to failure, the lessons of mergers apply to marriages, and the Capital Asset Pricing Model demonstrates the true value of relationships.
THE WISDOM OF FINANCE is a wholly unique book, offering a refreshing new perspective on one of the world's most complex and misunderstood professions.

Binding Type: Hardcover
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin
Published: 05/23/2017
ISBN: 9780544911130
Pages: 240
Weight: 0.75lbs
Size: 8.40h x 5.70w x 1.10d

Review Citations: Publishers Weekly 02/27/2017
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SKU: 64290858947

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JoJo
Phoenix, US
★★★★★ 5
Absorbent and Make Cleaning Easier
I purchased this Scott paper towel pack for everyday household cleaning, and overall, they have worked very well for daily use. They are practical, easy to store, and convenient for families that go through paper towels frequently. One of the biggest advantages is the pack size. The family-size bundle lasts a long time, and I like that the rolls are packaged into two separate bundles inside the larger pack, which makes storage and organization easier. The rolls themselves are slightly smaller in width, which actually works well because they fit easily onto any paper towel holder without being bulky or difficult to spin. In terms of performance, these towels are surprisingly absorbent despite being thinner than some leading brands. The ridged texture on each sheet helps pick up dirt, spills, and grime more effectively, and the “select-a-size” feature is very convenient since you can use smaller sheets when you only need a little. One of my favorite features is that they are lint free, which makes them especially useful for cleaning glass, mirrors, counters, and other surfaces where leftover fibers can be annoying. There are a couple of minor downsides. The paper towels are definitely thinner compared to other leading brands, and the overall roll size is somewhat smaller as well. However, they still absorb a good amount of liquid and hold up well enough for normal household cleaning tasks. Overall, these are a reliable and convenient everyday paper towel option. They may not be the thickest on the market, but the absorbency, lint-free design, and practical roll size make them a great choice for regular use around the house.
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Reviewed in the United States on May 29, 2026
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Katie A.
Natrona Heights, US
★★★★★ 5
Good paper towels.
At the time of my review this set of 16 double layered paper towels are going for about $18.99. Not a bad price for a namebrand paper towel. I usually use Great Value paper towels because they are not only inexpensive but have good absorbency so it was interesting to compare it to the Scott namebrand, whom I use just about exclusively for my toilet tissue. The papertowels worked well as I expected them to but I did not specifically see a dramatic difference between it and the ones I usually used. The only noticeable differences to me were: - Scott paper towels had a prettier pattern - Scott paper towels visually had a much more tidy design and *looked* higher quality - Scott paper towels felt softer to the touch As for absorbency though? I felt like they performed identically. And trust me, we burn through paper towels. We have two small children and still have to wash bottles daily. So, we try to balance cost versus efficacy for papertowels because we use them so much every day. For the what they are these are great, but I will probably stick to the other brand unless I'm in a pinch and need to order papertowels more conveniently OR if these ever go on sale or have a coupon. I don't need my papertowels to look or feel pretty (the sloppy floral print and more coarse feel of the GV ones work for us right now because they are used exclusively for clean up), I need them to absorb and pick up gunk well. Would I still recommend these, though? Absolutely. Maybe appearance and texture are more important to you for a paper towels. We aren't there yet with our littles. Lol.
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Reviewed in the United States on May 11, 2026
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H. Duell
West Palm Beach, US
★★★★★ 1
Junk
Just pay for the better ones, these are cheap junk. They can’t even be torn off without falling apart.
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Reviewed in the United States on May 30, 2026
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Anthony Ingram
San Leandro, US
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MY DOG LOVES IT
Size: 20.0"L x 20.0"W x 6.0''TH, Style: Round, Pattern Name: Bed
MY CHIHUAHUA WON'T GET OUT OF THIS BED! she loves it! from the first moment we brought it in and put it on the floor. she gently scratches at the sides and cuddles in with her blankey and likes she's not there. ohhh... great value for the price! nice size, big enough for both of my chihuahuas to lay in comfortably. soft, but very sturdy sides, the bottom is fluffy, padded very well. the outside bottom, there is a non stick covering so the bed doesn't scootch around on tile floor, it stays put.
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Reviewed in the United States on January 28, 2026
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Bonnie Murphy
Waukegan, US
★★★★★ 5
It's lasted
Size: 20.0"L x 20.0"W x 6.0''TH, Style: Round, Pattern Name: Bed
I've had this bed for 5 years and it is still in great shape. Washes up in the washing machine just fine. My littlest dog absolutely loves it and is lost when our other bigger dog steals it. She barely fits in it but she loves it too. Ha! Good quality at a good price. Couldn't ask for more.
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Reviewed in the United States on May 27, 2026

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