Introducing Other People's Money: A Liar's Poker Companion

Episode Summary

Executive Summary: Michael Lewis previews a new podcast mini-series, Other People's Money, tied to the unabridged release of Liar's Poker. He reflects on revisiting his 1980s Wall Street book, interviews former colleagues about what changed, and frames the project as both a nostalgic return and a critique of Wall Street's continued excesses.

Main Topics: Promotion of 'Other People's Money' and 'Liar's Poker' audiobook (Priority: 5/5): Lewis introduces a new companion mini-series and announces the first fully unabridged audiobook edition of Liar's Poker through Pushkin Industries and Audible. Revisiting Lewis's early Wall Street career (Priority: 5/5): He recounts writing Liar's Poker after leaving Solomon Brothers and explains that he has returned to the material with fresh perspective. Reflection on Wall Street culture and escalation (Priority: 4/5): Lewis says he wondered why Wall Street became 'more crazy, not less' after the events in the book, suggesting the industry's excesses persisted and intensified. Self-critique of younger Michael Lewis (Priority: 4/5): Lewis repeatedly evaluates his 27-year-old self, admitting annoyance and describing the younger writer as flawed and full of 'character defects.' Interviews and creative process (Priority: 4/5): He says he spoke with former Wall Street colleagues, plus Ira Glass and George Saunders, to explore both the people from the book and how writers find their voices. Platform and distribution messaging (Priority: 3/5): The promo encourages listeners to use Amazon Music, Alexa, Pushkin.fm, and Audible to access the podcast, audiobook, and related content.

Key Arguments: Liar's Poker is being released as a fully unabridged audiobook for the first time, making the original work newly accessible. Other People's Money is positioned as a companion piece that updates and interrogates the world Lewis wrote about decades ago. Lewis believes his original book captured a pivotal Wall Street era, but he is now interested in what happened afterward and why the culture worsened. The project blends memoir, reporting, and craft discussion by combining old colleagues' perspectives with conversations about writing and voice. Lewis distances himself from the mythic Wall Street trader image, joking that he was more 'antelope' or 'rabbit' than 'wolf.'

Data Points: Age when first book was written: 27 years old - Lewis says he was 27 when he wrote Liar's Poker. Year he quit Wall Street: 1987 - Narration says his friends thought he was crazy when he quit in 1987 to write a book. Year Solomon Brothers context referenced: 1989 - Lewis mentions 'Solomon Brothers in 1989' as a kind of golden age for women. Time span referenced for quick killings: Past 10 years or so - Excerpt from Liar's Poker describes quick killings on Wall Street over the past decade.

Pivotal Quotes: "I was 27 years old when I wrote my first book." — Michael Lewis: Lewis introduces the backstory of Liar's Poker and his early career pivot. "Why did Wall Street keep getting more crazy, not less, after the events I described?" — Michael Lewis: Lewis explains the motivating question behind the new mini-series. "27-year-old me has got serious character defects that are coming through between every line." — Michael Lewis: Lewis reflects self-critically on his younger writing and mindset.

Implications: Listeners get a new entry point into Liar's Poker and a contemporary reconsideration of Wall Street’s evolution. The project expands Lewis's original work into a reflective series on finance, memory, and writing.