Books The Trading Game: A Confession Book by Gary Stevenson

The Trading Game: A Confession
By Gary Stevenson

Overview:
The Trading Game is a candid memoir by Gary Stevenson, a former Citibank financial trader turned economist and economic commentator. Published by Penguin Books in 2024, the book chronicles his journey from humble beginnings in East London to becoming one of Citibank’s most profitable traders. It offers an insider’s view of the high-stakes, relentless world of financial trading and exposes the moral conflicts, greed, and systemic inequalities inherent in global finance.

Key Themes:

The personal and ethical challenges faced in the world of high finance.

The structural inequalities that persist and deepen economic disparities.

Critique of financial systems that disproportionately benefit the wealthy at the expense of the poor and middle class.

The psychological toll and eventual disillusionment with trading and capitalism.

Advocacy for addressing wealth inequality as a path toward economic repair.

About the Author:
Gary Stevenson was born in Ilford, London, and after overcoming early personal challenges, he studied economics and mathematics at the London School of Economics. He began trading at Citibank in 2008, making significant profits by predicting economic trends related to inequality. In 2014, he left trading to pursue an MPhil in Economics at Oxford and became a vocal advocate for economic reform. He runs the YouTube channel GarysEconomics and contributes to various media outlets.

Reception:
The book has been praised as a gripping, engaging exposé on the greed and moral compromises in financial trading. Notable endorsements include authors Irvine Welsh and Rory Stewart, highlighting its timely importance and compelling narrative. It is described as a mix of The Wolf of Wall Street with a moral conscience.

Notable Quotes:

“The rich get the assets, the poor get the debt, and then the poor have to pay their whole salary to the rich every year just to live in a house.”
“Tax work less. Tax wealth more.”
“The best job a concert pianist can get nowadays is trader for Citibank. It pays very well.”

Where to Find It:
Available in paperback and ebook via Penguin Books, major book retailers like Amazon, Goodreads, and bookstores worldwide.

For further details on Gary Stevenson or The Trading Game, you can check:

Penguin Books Author Page

Goodreads: The Trading Game

Wikipedia: Gary Stevenson