Finance has developed a bad reputation since the Global Financial Crisis of 2008, with even many insiders decrying the very questionable practices within the industry. But can finance be principled and noble? Mihir Desai certainly thinks so. Drawing on a wealth of knowledge of finance, classic novels and popular culture, he shows how finance addresses the key issues that individuals and societies have faced over the centuries. Whether that be how to finance a very costly war, to guarding against living too long, or the marriage choices of an 18th century woman. 

The Wisdom of Finance is a must-read book for anyone who is interested in business, regardless if you are a finance practitioner.