Book recommendations
(updated sporadically)
The Man Who Solved the Market: How Jim Simons Launched the Quant Revolution
Gregory ZuckermanI have always been intrigued by quantitative hedge funds and their blackbox models and, as such, looked forward to learning about the genesis of Long Island’s notorious Renaissance Technologies. This book delves into the weeds of Renaissance’s quantitative strategies enough to satisfy the finance and math nerds among us, while still telling a compelling and surprisingly nuanced story that is chock full of colorful characters. To put it mildly, Simons and Robert Mercer seem like they would be difficult co-workers.
Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland
Patrick Radden KeefeThe conflict in Northern Ireland (aka The Troubles) is something that I have always been interested in but had never really invested much time in understanding before I read this book. Upon reflection, any pseudo-knowledge on the topic that I previously possessed came mostly from movies. The stories on the origins of the paramilitary groups that comprised the IRA are fascinating, as are many of the charismatic central characters like the Price sister and Gerry Adams. The final leg of the book stretched on a bit longer than I would have hoped but, overall, this is an excellent and informative look at a difficult topic.
Warlock
Oakley Hall
Grant
Ron ChernowAn intimidating tome at first approach, but ultimately absorbing and richly rewarding. I was surprised by how inspiring I found this book and have included it ahead of John Adams (McCullough) and The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt (Morris); two other towering biographies that had a big impact on me. I cannot imagine a greater transformation than Grant’s ascension from hard-scrabble failure to war hero (despite the criticisms that have lasted for 250 years). While Grant was undoubtedly a flawed character, the sheer determination, force of will, and coolness in the face of adversity that he exhibited are a marvel.