Wow! What an incredible story, I was intrigued once I received an e-arc, and it certainly didn't disappoint. Very eye opening and not what I was expecting. It is thoroughly enjoyable, like your above watching this happening as you read, and you don't want to put it down because you need to see how it goes.

Thank you to the author, publisher and netgalley for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

There are times when I look at my list of books to review and think "Did I REALLY ask for that? What was I thinking?"

That's the thought that buzzed through my mind when I realised this was a book about being a foreign exchange trader in the City.

What did I know about such things? Did I even care? Weren't they all a bunch of arrogant BSDs (to use the Bonfire of the Vanities term, Big Swinging Dicks). I was expecting to be bored.

I was completely wrong.

Gary should have been a broker. That's where the greedy working class Essex boys were supposed to land. Traders were all about pink shirts, monogrammed coughs, braying public school accents and an inflated sense of self importance. How was a boy from Essex who'd been kicked out of grammar school for selling drugs supposed to become one of the youngest and most successful FX traders in the world?

By being smarter, more fearless, and by understanding how to play The Trading Game.

This is a great book. I was quickly sucked into Gary's dysfunctional world, reading about his outsider view of how trading for the big international banks works. His descriptions of colleagues - The Slug, The Frog, Snoopy and others - were all so well drawn that I felt I could be sitting next to him, squawking at the brokers, doing the whole buying and selling and moving the world.

In real rags to riches to "let me out of here", Gary takes us on a tour of one of the most bizarre global systems where hard work and being right when everybody else is wrong can pay massive rewards. But, like a Faustian pact, he finds it's even harder to get out than it was to get into this world.

Loved it.
Thanks to Netgalley and Gary's publishers for my copy.

I have never given much thought to traders but this book absolutely fascinated me. What an incredible writer Gary is, keeping the audience engaged consistently through some quite meaty topics. I listened to parts of this on audiobook narrated by the author and can throughly recommend. 10/10 HIGHLY RECOMMEND

“I was a clever, poor, ambitious kid, who just didn’t want to be poor any more.” An unusually gifted mathematician, Stevenson beats the odds first by getting into the London School of Economics, and then wins a trading game to get internship at Citibank. He has no idea what kind of job it would lead to – just that it would give him the chance to make a lot of money. And it does. Not bad for an unsuccessful grime musician (MC Gaz) who was expelled from school for drug dealing.

Ironically, it’s not Stevenson’s numeric skills that enable him to advance. Initially perplexed that he can’t understand how trading works, he quickly realises that he’s far from alone, and that many longer serving traders are as clueless as he initially is. Knowing that many interns are never offered jobs, he makes himself useful in the best way he can think of – fetching lunches, coffees, at his desk by 6am, and always ready to take note as and when a dealer decides to share a few gems of wisdom. Gems like you won’t necessarily make money by being right, but you can really cash in by being right when others are wrong.

Stevenson outlines some of the mechanics of the work he did. Despite his best efforts it can be hard to follow, but it’s still possible to grasp the arc of his story even if the details don’t make sense. He starts on the STIRT (Short Term Interest Rate Trading) desk, where currencies are traded, taking profits from differences in rates. It’s not long before he’s being taken to Las Vegas for lads weekends with guys he barely knows or likes, and long lunches with brokers where his job is mostly not speaking and thinking he had to eat raw chicken because he didn’t know he could grill it.

It slowly dawns on Stevenson that it’s not actually a job. It’s a lifestyle. It’s not what you know, it’s how you participate. Take the hazing from the more senior guys, expect to be ignored, fetch and carry to ingratiate yourself, and learn to exist in a state of permanent sleep deprivation. One truly surprising revelation is that the basis for the annual bonus payments – which dwarf the base salary – are a secret. Traders endlessly speculate about “getting paid” which is code for “I’m expecting a great bonus”. Although no one talks about exactly how much. It’s known that some banks have fired someone rather than payout big.

Traders have a profit and loss account that is updated in real time as each trade goes through, and can be seen by everyone on the trading floor. In September of 2008 when Lehman Brothers go under and the global financial crisis washes over the world, Citibank get bailed out, and the STIRT traders discover they can make even more money. And everyone can see the huge profits Stevenson makes.
Stevenson never looks back, bets bigger and bigger and rapidly becomes the most profitable trader in the office. The generally accepted wisdom is that markets will fall, then rise again. But Stevenson is determined to be right when the rest are wrong and realizes everything he learned at the LSE was wrong. He bets that there will be no wholesale economic recovery, and cements his position as Citibank’s most successful trader.

Stevenson’s insights to his personal life are strangely detached. Told as if he were an observer, not a participant. Just weeks before he trousers a bonus of almost £400k, he matter of factly describes a Christmas with his parents and his siblings, all of whom buy him presents, while he buys nothing in return. A girlfriend relocates to Japan when Citibank move him there, but opts to live in a different town. Clearly unhappy in his job and keen to find a way out, Stevenson still decides to end his relationship with her rather than have her continue to tell him to quit. In each of these instances he offers little insight as to why.

At the start of the book Stevenson references early moments in his career where people told him “once you get in, you’ll never get out”. By 2011 Stevenson sees a global economy that is terminally broken, with boom and bust replaced by sustained inequality. The bigger his reputation becomes in trading circles, the more bemused he is as to why he doesn’t enjoy it.

The book ends not with a bang, but a rather slow fizzle. He wants out but Citibank have millions of Stevenson’s bonus money locked away all to be forfeit if he quits. Citibank try to bore Stevenson into submission, but Stevenson refuses to leave without his cash despite failing physical and mental health. It gives him a chance to enjoy Tokyo, where they post him to try and distract him but his prodigious work ethic is broken, and he spends weeks off sick. He lawyers up, but knows that ultimately Citibank could keep him in court for years. When Stevenson’s release finally comes, he has no idea why they finally gave in. As showdown’s go, it’s not so much a damp squib, and more a soaking wet one.

So what does a retired millionaire trader do aged 24? Well, the book doesn’t say, but a quick online search reveals he now has 170k subscribers to his “Garys Economics” YouTube channel and has become part of the Patriotic Millionaires movement and campaigns with Millionaires for Humanity for higher taxes on the wealthy.

There’s an insightful documentary here that includes his mum and dad : – https://youtu.be/LJ6ZSgkxgFQ?si=GIaYdYGUAf91XhJY

And here he can be seen on BBC TV getting right up the nose of Nickie Aiken (MP for City of London & Westminster, but not for much longer) and Annabelle Denham a Director at the Institute of Economic Affairs, a hard right “think tank” whose funding remains deliberately opaque.
https://youtu.be/e1sD80TXKwQ?si=W2MtNnkgkx7mIT5f

This is a fascinating story about a young man from the East End who wants to be a millionaire and starts training as a money trader at a large banking corporation. The detail that he goes into is amazing. and his ability in what he does coins millions for the bank and a great salary with bonuses for himself. Eventually it no longer satisfies him and his efforts to leave the Bank are thwarted at every turn. Great conclusion.

Whoa! Where do I start? It's a great read; compelling, enthralling (apart from a slight lag around the middle, which I'll forgive as it hints at the repetitive nature of the job), and fascinating. However, there's darkness in this story that's disturbing.

Gary Stevenson documents the greed and shallowness of his fellow traders. Their nature as human chameleons to court other traders and brokers, the casual and ingrained sexism, prejudice, bullying, cruel "banter" and selfishness made me nauseous to think that these people have significant influence on the well-being of our economies. It's all just a game to them.

There's also a hint of darkness about Gary's own behaviour; so many unanswered questions about his actions and behaviour that you wonder whether he has ever addressed it and decided to keep quiet, or has in fact preferred not to go there. The expected narrative of a young working class lad making good is one of "treating" your parents with some of your windfalls, enjoying events and having a taste of the "good life" with your mates...because you know the good fortune might not last. Instead, there seems to be a shameful secrecy about the huge sums of money he earned. I wondered if Gary saw the cash as not "earned" but spoiled with guilt like Judas' 30 pieces of silver, money received for the betrayal of his own people.

Other readers may have a different take on it, but I was left with a million questions. I would certainly recommend it though!

If you were to bring up an image of a city banker in your mind, you're unlikely to think of someone like Gary Stevenson. A hoodie and jeans replaces the pin-stripe suit and his background is the East End, where he was familiar with violence, poverty and injustice. There was no posh public school on his CV - but he had been to the London School of Economics. Stevenson is bright - extremely bright - and he has a facility with numbers which most of us can only envy. He also realised that most rich people expect poor people to be stupid. It was his ability at what was, essentially, a card game which got him an internship with Citibank. Eventually, this turned into permanent employment as a trader.

His first bonus arrived in 2009 - only months after the banking crisis. It was £13,000 - more than half of what his father made in a year as a postal worker. His next bonus is £395,000 and after that, he's into the millions. His obsession - it can't be described in any other way - is to become the most successful trader in the world. It dominates his life - but he does realise that as the bonuses grow, so does the gap between himself and the people he grew up with. He's never going to be one of the people he works with and he's lost the intimacy with his old group of friends. There's the occasional girlfriend but it's an unsatisfying life.

And then there's the struggle of trying to leave it...

I did wonder if I was going to like this book: vast sums of money made from betting on disaster horrifies me. A few pages in, I realised that I had to judge the book, not on whether or not I admired the values of the author but on whether or not I valued what I was being told. I found that I did. I gained real insight into the way that a trading floor operates - and why it doesn't always operate well. I appreciated just how risky it is.

There was a downside for me. The book is subtitled A Confession. I expected more in the way of introspection and self-examination than I found. I suspected it was there - Stevenson was one of a group of thirty millionaires who signed an open letter in 2021 calling for increased taxes on the rich - but little of it emerged in the book.

I'd like the publishers for sending a copy of the book to the Bookbag. As well as reading the book, I listened to an audio download (which I bought themselves) narrated by the author. I warmed to Stevenson more when I listened to him than when I read what he had to say.

Good pacing but it needs to be more structured as came across as lots of rambling on.

Then learnt that this is non fiction ,completely changed the game. You could hear Gary talking and his behaviours etc. Would like to read more from this author as kept me engaged. The storytelling in Japan was beautiful.

Post on storygraph.
3.75⭐️

There’s no denying that this is a rollicking read. It takes you right into the heart of the city and examines - unsentimentally and without fear - the corrosiveness, venality and pointlessness. Instantly readable.

A very interesting read about a Trader who became a zero-to-hero. It was good to read it having no real interest/experience in the world of trading and reading Gary Stevenson's insight on this was very intriguing.

Would recommend this book to anyone as I feel it is very insightful.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

Gary Stevenson, remember the name of you are interested in the reduction of wealth inequality in the UK then you may already know who he is, it is probable he will become more and more well known as the years go by, his YouTube channel “Garyseconomics” grows followers by the day.

Stevenson, came from a poor working family background in East London and through sheer drive and blessed mathematical brilliance becomes a trader making a fortune out of the process. This is an expose of what happens behind the curtain of the world of trading (plenty of accessible examples of complex themes) and the obscene amounts of money sloshing around the global financial markets.

This is a book that conveys some very important messages (drive, determination, laser focus and a can do attitude) while openly acknowledging that we do not know everything all the time is like a breath of fresh air.

There is an authenticity here in the world of finance that has a ring of Michael Lewis, I am sure this will sell many, many copies and appear on “Book of the Year Lists” 2024.

The story is not of a millionaire looking down on everyone but an example that sometimes what you really want isn’t what you though it might be.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC 5/5.

As an insight into the world of trading this is a great read. It takes you along from the humble beginnings of Gary to his position as one of the top traders in the world for Citibank.
As a novel it could be a bit more polished perhaps, there was the hint of a crescendo ending but it kind of just came and went, which was a bit of a shame.
As a zero-to-hero trader it's an entertaining read seeing how he progresses from a junior office shoulder surfer to something of the real deal in the trading world. However, it's a self-confessed bit of luck on the whole as he repeatedly says that everyone in the trading game is making it up as they go along, which is obviously a bit of a worry with so much riding on what they are doing on the global financial scale. It's frequently said that no one can really be an expert or everyone would be making money - someone has got lo 'lose' what someone else can 'win'. But Gary gets to copy successful trader's strategies and rises in Citibank and then gets his own strategy going which sees him become a trading superstar.

The story is quite sad seeing how, essentially, he is quite lonely throughout with marginalised romantic interests and few real friends. Money can't buy happiness I guess and seeing how he unravels, or certainly becomes mentally disjointed, is really sad as you'd think, again, that serious money would get you serious help when you need it. I guess that's what happens regularly when you're playing a serious stakes poker game every day of your life for years. There's only so much you can take.

I wish Gary well with whatever he turns to next, wherever he ends up.

An amazing book to read. I knew nothing about this world of trading but was completely immersed in the journey. I found it fascinating and clearly written from a very personal experience.
What a lonely world Gary lived in. Moving from a very poor family and harsh life in London where he proved to be exceptionally clever mathematically drove him to do well. Joining Citibank at a young age was in itself challenging.
He neither fitted with his old life and people he knew. His one real friend fell into serious drug use and his work colleagues all climbing their own ladders. Each one had their own idiosyncrasies. Eventually the inevitable burnout came for Gary and with it serious mental health problems.
The story took you from London to Japan. It is both funny at times as well as tragic.
Despite finding it great to read I needed to concentrate hard on the explanations of trading and sometimes it was confusing

This narrative is captivating and deeply personal. I found myself thoroughly engrossed from start to finish. Stevenson's account of his time as a Citibank trader transcends mere financial gains; his introspection on its toll on mental health, relationships, and basic needs like sleep and hygiene is truly eye-opening. Surprisingly, I enjoyed this book even more than expected—it held my attention completely.

A gripping autobiography that reads like a thriller. Gary is a working class boy and Maths whiz who wouldn’t normally fit the demographic for a city trader job. He secures an internship, however, by winning the Trading game set for undergraduates from select universities. This leads to a job at a city bank, at which he proves to be exceptionally good. The author conveys effectively the pace and intensity of his job and the inevitable burn-out when he fails to maintain his position ahead of the competition. The second half of the book, which focuses on the author’s burn-out is less gripping than the first, but it still engages the reader. A must-read for any graduate contemplating a trading job.

With thanks to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an advance copy.

A young guy from the back street of London happens to be a maths whizz. The opportunity to play a “Trading Game” comes his way and he wins thus securing place at a large bank at Canary Wharf in London, where he learns about trading, and brokerage and all the intricacies of buying and selling money.

I would love to have the sort of brain that understands all this, but I don’t, and the complexities of the Game lost me at quite an early stage. The author talks about his early days on an internship where he was ignored by everyone, and then, when he was finally employed full time, we are treated to lengthy details about lunch in a Japanese restaurant , non of which was relevant. And this is why the book, which I so wanted to understand and enjoy, had my head spinning.

Gary seems like a really likeable, down to earth bloke, and I have watched a couple of his videos on the internet which I find easier to digest than his book. I think this will probably appeal to thise who work in this sector and actually understand what he’s saying. I may go back to this at a later date and see if it makes more sense.

This story is a gripping and personal read. I throughly enjoyed it throughout. Stevenson’s experience as a Citibank trader is more than just about making money, his reflections on how it affected his mental health, family, friends and basic needs (sleep, personal hygiene) really makes you realise what people will do to reach the next milestone.
I enjoyed this book more than I thought I would, it really grabbed my attention.

Thank you Netgalley and Penguin Press for the eARC of this book.

This is the first book I have read by this author.

I enjoyed it more than I thought I might intially.

It kept me gripped thoroughout

I was not too sure if I would complete reading this book but it just grabs you and before you know, it's finished. This is an amazing ,personal . funny and extraordinary story, a great read.
I highly recommend this book

Gary won a game of The Trading Game and was employed by a large city bank. He did really well and made lots of money for the bank and therefore for himself. But, that didn’t seem to make him happy yet he didn’t want to give it all up. I loved the story and was really engaged with the characters, despite not all of them being very likeable.
I would have liked to give this book four stars but there was so much swearing it became quite irritating