A highly enjoyable, raw and honest look at the greed and excesses in the banking world. It walks a thin line between factual and "preachy", but overall it's a balanced confession well worth the read. Thank you Netgalley for the advanced copy. 4 out of 5.

The Trading Game is an exciting book that dives into the world of a man from East London as he begins to gain influence and wealth in a dog-eat-dog world of Banking and shares. The story is fast paced and incredibly gripping as we experience Gary's life from his lowest as he works his way up. It's highly informative and places us alongside a narrator who we can root for.

“The Trading Game” is the title of autobiographical book by Gary Stevenson, former Citigroup FX trader (who, as he says, the most profitable of the bank) and economist fighting against the gap between the rich and the poor, where he tells his job experience and why he decided to leave finance.
Gary got an internship at Citibank by winning a math game which simulates financial operations. A unique opportunity for a twenty-year-old student from Ilford, London, which gave the start to his brilliant career.
But don’t get fooled, this is not the usual financial drama, neither just a memoir: step by step, chapter after chapter, the book took kafkian tones. The protagonist got trapped by the bureaucratic machine of HR department when he decides to leave the bank, while pretending his final bonus for a sort of revenge, thus becoming a personal class struggle. The narration, from linear, became dizzy, almost nauseating, giving back the suffering and the sensation of suffocating that Stevenson felt in these months, which worsened his mental health. Not just the bank: mental health became a core theme and the trigger of the final events: the former trader started to suffer from depresssion, caused by burn-out. The trading floor is a battlefield which claims attentions and care, even putting in danger the health and personal hygiene of those working there. Gary understood this late, when he looked down and noticed a hole on his shoes.

Gary Stevenson’s the rise to the top of the game, the twists and turns along, and his honest, raw, arrogant observations = this book.
Even if you are not interested in trading (I am not), Stevenson’s account of the game, and his life is fascinating. His voice is so distinct that it makes even something as tedious and amoral trading interesting to read.

I had mix feelings about this book. On the one hand it was entertaining and hard to put down. On the other hand some of it was a little grating. I was also expecting it to include more about what he had done since leaving his job and more about inequality.

Review based on an ARC from NetGalley.

This was an absolutely compulsive, can’t-put-it-down read! I blitzed through it in two nights!

What could’ve been a dry dull subject (working as a trader for a bank) is turned into a Scorsese-like Wolf Of Wall Street type tale that’s totally worth your time!

I must admit this isn’t my usual type of book I would read, but It looked so interesting I thought I would give it ago and read out of my comfort zone.
A very interesting book about the trading world inside Citibank . I really enjoying reading about Gary’s life and following his story as he starts from the bottom and works his way up and following his journey. Towards the end of the book when Gary moves to Japan it takes a dark turn with his mental health and felt myself rooting for him.

I loved this book. Gary Stevenson's story is both eye-opening and anger-invoking. He writes naturally from the heart, unaffected in any way. His story of his journey from grammar-school reject to LSE student to top trader in CITI shines a light on inequality, ridiculous money gambled by banks and the realisation that the economy is broken and is unlikely to recover.

Such a fascinating story, and compellingly told by Gary. It exposes the horrors of the industry and is page-turning in the way I only usually find novels to be.

What a rollicking great read. Having just started dabbling in trading I was keen to read this book. It sure got my heart racing in places and I swear my jaw literally dropped open on a number of paragraphs. It’s fast paced and Gary’s rise to the top is meteoric. The author is super honest, relatable and yes bordering on arrogance but boy do I love his dogged stubbornness, his ‘fuck em’ attitude and his balls by taking on one of the biggest banks in the known world. A favourite quote from the book was when Gary realised that rich people assume poor people are thick, stupid, unintelligent.

I think what was shocking to me was how hard Gary and his colleagues played, how out of touch the traders are with the everyday folks and the staggering amount of money that is mentioned on every page. The colleagues he meets are so far removed from everything he knows. Except Bill - you gotta love Bill. It really is another world to us regular mortals.

It’s a story of the underdog making it and hitting the big time and all the ramifications (physically and mentally) that this entails. It is tender in places and depressing (maybe that is my age but I found it super sad in places), about our economy and how it’s orchestrated by people who may or may not know what they are doing. How more often than not it’s not how intelligent someone is but how much money they are born with and how that gives them opportunities not open to everyone.

I wish Gary would write a sequel I want to hear about him writing this book in a villa overlooking the Sydney harbour - where he still cycles to his fave ramen shop, where he found love but more importantly peace. I hope he found his peace.

A really interesting insight to trading & the world of finance. This is an excellent true life rags to riches story told with raw honesty and no frills, despite the complex world Gary lived in he recounts his story in a very clear ad uncomplicated way.

A very different & eye-opening read.

Loved this book. I must admit that watching 'Industry' the HBO TV series gave me a want to find out more about the investment bank industry and this book did not disappoint. A rollercoaster ride story of a working class boy who rises exponentially to the top until he finds that when he gets there it is something that is a struggle both mentally and physically to continue. A cautious tale.

An honest, gritty and witty insight into trading which is hugely entertaining and well written. I didn’t know much about this subject prior to reading this and although I’m definitely still no expert. I do feel I have learned a lot from this warts and all reflection. A different read for me, but I really enjoyed

Absolutely fantastic book. Takes you through the day to day work and culture of working in trading, which is both shocking and unsurprising. Highly recommend.

Written in such a blunt and honest way, this is a warts and all look at really happens in the trading world. Once you get used to the writing style, which is very much how he was thinking when he was thinking it, so you really get the feel for the speed and intensity of the trading desk. From the naive beginnings where he admits that he didn't have a clue, until the day he finished to save his health, you can feel the highs and lows of this crazy world.

I know nothing about economics and finance so whilst I found this interesting, it was a little over my head and I had to re-read some paragraphs to try to get to grips with it. Is there ever an easy way to explain economics?? I have learned a little something which is always a good thing. I am very glad I never considered to enter the world of high finance.

I came across Gary during my masters studies and found his podcast/YouTube so I had to read this. It was a great ress, educational and explained things in the way any normal person could understand. It made economics feel like it wasn't a hard grasp.

As someone with very little experience/ knowledge of economics and the financial sector, I found myself greatly enjoying this book! I found the book to be a very honest and raw retelling of Gary's journey through his education and career as well as an eye opening account of what it may mean to achieve 'success' in the field. 5/5.

This was interesting to begin with whilst he was at school and university.

Once he started work it became boring, with a repeat of how much bonus was made each year.

It ended a real struggle to finish and ended up jumping some pages.

This compelling book chronicles the extraordinary journey of Gary Stevenson, charting his meteoric rise from humble beginnings to becoming one of the most successful and youngest foreign traders in the city. Gary’s story is a testament to the power of determination and ambition, but it also delves into the substantial personal costs of such rapid success. This narrative is more than just a tale of financial triumph; it's a profound exploration of the sacrifices and challenges that accompany high achievement.

Gary’s remarkable true-life rags-to-riches story is recounted with a refreshing blend of candour, humour, insight, and self-awareness. The author does not shy away from the gritty realities and emotional tolls that come with the territory of high-stakes trading. Instead, he presents an honest and nuanced portrayal of his journey, making it not only an inspiring read but also a deeply human one.

One of the standout aspects of this book is how it demystifies the complex world of FX swap trading. As someone who was initially unfamiliar with this subject, I found Gary’s explanations particularly valuable. He breaks down the terminology and basic concepts with clarity and precision, making the intricate world of foreign exchange trading accessible to readers without a background in finance. Despite his efforts, I must admit that some of the more complex concepts still went over my head, but this did not detract from my overall enjoyment and understanding of his story.