Book · 2023 · Business & Economics
Going Infinite
The Rise and Fall of a New Tycoon
Why people recommend it
Going Infinite: The Rise and Fall of a New Tycoon by Michael Lewis is a non-fiction book that examines the meteoric ascent and spectacular collapse of cryptocurrency entrepreneur Sam Bankman-Fried and his trading firm Alameda Research. Stephen Dubner concluded an episode of Freakonomics Radio by announcing the title and author, while Jon Lovett cited the work alongside Flash Boys on Pod Save America while interviewing Michael Lewis about modern corporate behavior. On My First Million, Shaan Puri praised Michael Lewis as an exceptional author who chronicled the downfall of FTX. Meanwhile, the host of Freakonomics Radio dedicated significant discussion to the book, highlighting the difficulty in separating Bankman-Fried's illegal activities from his bizarre behaviors. The podcast host noted how the narrative traces Bankman-Fried leaving Jane Street Capital in 2017 to establish Alameda Research, and examined the subject's personal ambition to accumulate infinity dollars, which ultimately inspired the book's title. Furthermore, the Freakonomics Radio host read specific passages from the work, noting Sam Bankman-Fried's perspective that scrutinizing his inner life and its outward consequences was entirely futile.
Who recommended it
- Stephen Dubner Recommended
- Robert Evans Discussed
- Jon Lovett Discussed
- Shaan Puri Discussed
- Michael Lewis Discussed
Stephen Dubner — 7 mentions
“his books include liars poker Moneyball The Big Short Flash Boys and now going infinite the rise and fall of a new Tycoon”
“here's how Michael Lewis begins his new book going infinite this is from the audio version with leis himself reading”
“here is a passage from going infinite”
“here's a passage from going infinite Sam had long since decided that any discussions about his inner life and its consequences for others were feudal”
“the book is called going infinite the rise and fall of a new Tycoon by Michael Lewis coming up next time on the show”
“we speak with Michael Lewis about the rise and fall of Sam bankman freed and Lewis's new book on the topic called going infinite”
“and they that Michael Lewis book on Sam bankman freed has just been published it's called going infinite the rise in Fall of a new Tycoon”
Robert Evans — 6 mentions
“and in fact and this is why that's weird the actual villain of his book going infinite the one person that Lewis is super critical of and like a really uncharitable way is the CEO brought in to take over the FTX after Sam like leaves and declares bankruptcy a guy named John Ray the third.”
“Lewis has all of the ingredients for a great modern Icarus story of hubris and the fall, but making it work tonally would require him to see these things that are obvious warning signs as warning signs and structure his book that way, right? And then you get some catharsis in the payoffs.”
“so perhaps the biggest major through line in going infinite is Michael Lewis not getting the joke”
“One of the most remarkable things about Going Infinite is how much detail Lewis provides about FTX's collapse without ever calling Sam a liar. The Guardian's review noted this, too.”
“this is right at the start of going infinite and it's about a phone call that Sam has during his billionaire ERA”
“this is like the weirdest through line in going infinite which is Michael Lewis does not understand games”
Jon Lovett — 1 mention
“and what whether it's Flash Boys or Going Infinite leads you to wonder about what these companies are doing.”
Shaan Puri — 1 mention
“Michael Lewis is an amazing author wrote about ftxs um downfall”
Michael Lewis — 1 mention
“And I think I could be wrong about this; it's possible they canceled him because they just decided they didn't need him, but I think between the time they teed him up and the time they called him, they read my book and they saw that he presented the same kind of problem I would present.”
Mentioned on the show without a named speaker — 7
“The thing is, as you read Michael Lewis's book, it's hard to separate Bankman-Fried's illegal behaviors from the ones that were just sloppy or weird.”
“The story really begins in 2017 when Bankman-Fried quit his job at the trading firm Jane Street Capital to start his own crypto trading firm, Alameda Research, as Lewis's book makes clear.”
“Here is a passage from Going Infinite.”
“He ultimately decided to make as much money as possible; his personal goal was infinity dollars, thus the title of Michael Lewis's book.”
“Here's a passage from Going Infinite: Sam had long since decided that any discussions about his inner life and its consequences for others were futile.”
“There is a particularly revealing scene, particularly sad scene toward the end of Lewis's book.”
“And that Michael Lewis book on Sam Bankman-Fried has just been published; it's called 'Going Infinite: The Rise and Fall of a New Tycoon.'”
Also mentioned in the same episodes
Other mentions (9: passing, ad reads, own books)
“Michael Lewis, author of Moneyball, Liars Poker, The Blind Side, The Undoing Project, Going Infinite, on and on and on.”
“I bought these shares in 2008 when I was working on going infinite.”
“and what whether it's Flash Boys or Going Infinite uh leads you to wonder about what these companies are doing.”
“and his latest going infinite which delves into the rise and fall of FTX and its founder Sam bankman freed”
“His books include Liars Poker, Moneyball, The Big Short, Flash Boys, and now, Going Infinite: The Rise and Fall of a New Tycoon.”
“But his political spending went in other directions too. Here again is Michael Lewis, author of Going Infinite.”
“The book is called 'Going Infinite: The Rise and Fall of a New Tycoon' by Michael Lewis.”
“We speak with Michael Lewis about the rise and fall of Sam Bankman-Fried and Lewis's new book on the topic called 'Going Infinite.' That's next time on the show.”
“so here he is talking about it because he's got a new book out on it what's the toughest question you think”