When Genius Failed: The Rise and Fall of Long-Term Capital Management

non-fiction by Roger Lowenstein

Blurb

When Genius Failed: The Rise and Fall of Long-Term Capital Management is a book by Roger Lowenstein published by Random House on October 9, 2000. The book puts forth an unauthorized account of the creation, early success, abrupt collapse, and rushed bailout of Long-Term Capital Management. LTCM was a tightly-held American hedge fund founded in 1993 which commanded more than $100 billion in assets at its height, then collapsed abruptly in August/September 1998. Prompted by deep concerns about LTCM's thousands of derivative contracts, in order to avoid a panic by banks and investors worldwide, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York stepped in to organize a bailout with the various major banks at risk.
The book's account is largely based on interviews conducted with former employees of LTCM, the six primary banks involved in the rescue, and the Federal Reserve, as well as informal interactions by phone and e-mail with Eric Rosenfeld, one LTCM's founding partners. As of 2014, there have been four editions in English, five editions in Japanese, and one edition in Chinese.
The book received numerous accolades, including being chosen by BusinessWeek among the best business books of 2000.

First Published

2000

Member Reviews Write your own review

Be the first person to review

Log in to comment