The Spider Network

Riveting narrative of the Libor scandal of a few yearsa ago - bios of the people involved especially the main one Hayes, and a clear setting out of what they all did wrong, and what LIBOR is anyway in straightforward terms what is also clear is the oral turpitude of the participants who forgot wht they were in it for - banking as a money-grubbing activity and cheat-the-other-guy. The author has examined all the figures involved, and the history of the financial product under examination closely - the political ties and the banking culture (up to date - in footnotes there are comments from banks involved that the culture is not as described ... but a wry note from the author contracdicst this0. Obviously the author is not only knowledgeable but clear and up to date, and knows how to write a narrative of all this which is gripping recounting of misdeeds and in some cases incompetence. Important reading as we see banks plunging again into unregulated activity ... excellent read.

Addictive non-fiction that lets the reader take a look into a fascinating, complex scandal that spanned years and involved people right at the top of the banking industry. Enrich tells the story in minute detail, giving a real sense of exactly what was going on, making the most of the brilliant sources he had access to. It is narrative non-fiction, and the scene is set well. It reads so much like a story that I found myself hooked and wanting to know how it was all going to play out.

As well as what was happening with Libor and its variations, there's a strong focus on the banking environment and community, something which I, with no ties to the industry at all, found shocking and utterly engrossing! We get to see how manipulating Libor evolved - from becoming standard practice across many banks, to 'do it but don't talk about', to it completely unravelling and no one wanting to admit they had ever even seen it happen.

I would most strongly recommend The Spider Network to those with some understanding of the financial markets, looking for a more in depth look at what happened from sources right at the heart of it. There is obviously a necessary use of financial terms, all of which are explained, and it can sometimes be name heavy, but it is still accessible to a layperson. I went in with very little knowledge, only to find myself both educated and engaged!

If you liked The Big Short, Flash Boys and Moneyball, you'll love this. It's a gripping yarn told in user-friendly terms (though you will need patience for some pretty complex financial stuff!) It beggars belief how much these guys got away with and how badly a lot of them behaved getting there. No sympathy from me, but interesting to see how the investigation worked.

David Enrich had unrivalled access to Tom Hayes, and it shows across The Spider Network... perhaps a bit too much, as you can't help to see some bias towards Hayes and how much of a "victim" he was in the LIBOR scandal. Notwithstanding, this is a very very solid book, with unique insights no only to the scandal and the live of Hayes and his cohorts, but also to the wider financial culture post 2008 crisis. And yes... we will never learn. If you are interested on understanding what the LIBOR scandal was, and what repercussions it had on the financial system and the wider world, this book is for you. Very well researched, and very well told. Strongly recommended. 4.5/5.

This was a brilliant read, although sometimes difficult to get through it was one that I feel everyone would benefit reading.