The Quants: How a New Breed of Mat宽客 英文原版

图书标准信息

• 作者 Scott Patterson（斯科特·帕特森） 著
• 出版社 Random House US
• 出版时间 2011-01
• 版次 1
• ISBN 9780307453389
• 定价 119.50元
• 装帧 平装
• 开本 16开
• 纸张 胶版纸
• 页数 352页
• 正文语种 英语

【内容简介】

"Bewareofgeeksbearingformulas."--WarrenBuffett

InMarchof2006,theworld'srichestmensippedchampagneinanopulentNewYorkhotel.Theywerepreparingtocompeteinapokertournamentwithmillion-dollarstakes,butthosenumbersmeantnothingtothem.Theywereaccustomedtoriskingbillions.

AtthecardtablethatnightwasPeterMuller,aneccentric,whip-smartwhizkidwho'dstudiedtheoreticalmathematicsatPrincetonandnowmanagedafabulouslysuccessfulhedgefundcalledPDT…whenhewasn'tplayinghiskeyboardformorningcommutersontheNewYorksubway.WithhimwasKenGriffin,whoasanundergraduatetradingconvertiblebondsoutofhisHarvarddormroomhadoutsmartedtheWallStreetprosandmademoneyinoneoftheworstbearmarketsofalltime.Nowhewasthetough-as-nailsheadofCitadelInvestmentGroup,oneofthemostpowerfulmoneymachinesonearth.TheretoowereCliffAsness,thesharp-tongued,mercurialfounderofthehedgefundAQR,amanasfamousforhiscomputer-smashingragesasforhisbrilliance,andBoazWeinstein,chesslife-masterandkingofthecreditdefaultswap,whowhilejuggling$30billionworthofpositionsforDeutscheBankfoundtimeforfrequentvisitstoLasVegaswiththefamedMITcard-countingteam.

Onthatnightin2006,thesefourmenandtheircohortswerethenewkingsofWallStreet.Muller,Griffin,Asness,andWeinsteinwereamongthebestandbrightestofanewbreed,thequants.Overthepriortwentyyears,thisspeciesofmathwhiz--technocratswhomakebillionsnotwithgutcallsorfundamentalanalysisbutwithformulasandhigh-speedcomputers--hadusurpedthetestosterone-fueled,kill-or-be-killedrisk-takerswho'dlongbeenthealphamalestheworld'slargestcasino.Thequantsbelievedthatadizzying,indecipherable-to-mere-mortalscocktailofdifferentialcalculus,quantumphysics,andadvancedgeometryheldthekeytoreapingrichesfromthefinancialmarkets.Andtheyhelpedcreateadigitizedmoney-tradingmachinethatcouldshiftbillionsaroundtheglobewiththeclickofamouse.

Fewrealizedthatnight,though,thatincreatingthisunprecedentedmachine,menlikeMuller,Griffin,AsnessandWeinsteinhadsowedtheseedsforhistory'sgreatestfinancialdisaster.

Drawingonunprecedentedaccesstothesefournumber-crunchingtitans,TheQuantstellstheinsidestoryofwhattheythoughtandfeltinthedaysandweekswhentheyhelplesslywatchedmuchoftheirnetworthvaporize–andwonderedjusthowtheirmind-bendingformulasandgenius-levelIQ'shadledthemsowrong,sofast.Hadtheiryearsofsuccessbeendumbluck,fool'sgold,agoodrunthatcouldcometoanendonanygivenday?WhatifTheTruththeysought--thesecretofthemarkets--wasn'tknowable?Worse,whatiftherewasn'tanyTruth?

InTheQuants,ScottPattersontellsthestorynotjustofthesemen,butofJimSimons,thereclusivefounderofthemostsuccessfulhedgefundinhistory;AaronBrown,thequantwhousedhismathskillstohumiliateWallStreet'soldguardattheirtrademarkgameofLiar'sPoker,andyearslaterfoundhimselfwithafront-rowseattotherapidemergenceofmortgage-backedsecurities;andgadfliesanddissenterssuchasPaulWilmott,NassimTaleb,andBenoitMandelbrot.

Withtheimmediacyoftoday'sNASDAQcloseandthetimelesspowerofaGreektragedy,TheQuantsisatonceamasterpieceofexplanatoryjournalism,agrippingtaleofambitionandhubris…andanominouswarningaboutWallStreet'sfuture.

【作者简介】

ScottPattersonisastaffreporteratTheWallStreetJournalcoveringthelatestcutting-edgetechnologicaladvancesonWallStreet.Thisishisfirstbook.