Winner of the Pulitzer Prize“A magisterial work.” —New York Times Book Review“The rich and charming story of the end of the world.” —TIME“Highly readable.” —Financial Times“This absorbing study of the first collective of central bankers is provocative, not least because it is still relevant.” —The EconomistIt is commonly believed that the Great Depression that began in 1929 resulted from a confluence of events beyond any one person's or government's control. In fact, as Liaquat Ahamed reveals, it was the decisions made by a small number of central bankers that were the primary cause of that economic meltdown, the effects of which set the stage for World War II and reverberated for decades. As we continue to grapple with economic turmoil, Lords of Finance is a potent reminder of the enormous impact that the decisions of central bankers can have, their fallibility, and the terrible human consequences that can result when they are wrong.