What We Are Reading Today: The Trading Game
Author: Gary Stevenson
Gary Stevenson's thinly veiled vehicle for launching a political career is an undeniable rags-to-riches story which has captured the attention of 'Broken Britain' at a time when living costs are spiraling, public services are in disarray and politicians seem unable to provide solutions.
A math prodigy from a working-class background, Stevenson paints a vivid picture of a career that took him from playing football on the streets of Ilford to becoming Citibank's 'most profitable trader' in the years after the 2008 financial crisis. (A claim, incidentally, credibly rebuked by his former colleagues in a Financial Times report.)
The pugnacious self-starter won a scholarship to the London School of Economics and was hired by Citibank after winning the eponymous trading game designed to jumpstart the careers of graduates based on their potential merit as traders.
He describes the characters he encounters along the way with a mix of bemusement and admiration, and overall his insider's look at the world of banking has a vicarious pull.
The central thrust unfolds as Stevenson comes to the realization he is making his millions betting against the chances of the world economy recovering.
As his bonuses grow larger, his mental health declines and he decides to commit himself to the cause of fighting inequality— something that has garnered him a large online following and which is starting to look like an entry into politics.
While the book suffers from some of the conceit that puts any autobiographical work at risk, and some jarring editing (the first-person narration, for some reason, switches to using more slang about halfway through), it is still a strong piece of storytelling and the emotional rawness of Stevenson's style makes a real impression.
While his political takeaways might raise the eyebrows of more conservative readers, his voice still cuts through the noise of British politics and speaks directly to ordinary people from the unique viewpoint of someone who has escaped poverty, lived the life of the ultra-rich, and decided to turn around in an apparent effort to help those less fortunate.
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