Countrywide Financial is arguably the company at the heart of the mortgage financial crisis. Kai Ryssdal speaks with Countrywide's former Senior Vice President of Marketing Adam Michaelson about his experiences at the company.
Earlier this year, Tess Vigeland spoke with author Margaret Atwood about the importance of trust in keeping the banking system working properly. In this extended interview, she explores whether we will learn from our past credit mistakes.
Niall Ferguson, author of "Ascent of Money," talks with Kai Ryssdal about how competition between banks and their drive to boost share prices has led to today's financial mess.
Yale economist Robert Shiller's been watching the real estate market for a long time. He's the author of a new book called "The Subprime Solution." Since that would be a pretty popular thing right now, Kai Ryssdal asked him to explain it.
Trouble's not new to Caribbean banana growers. Author Peter Chapman chronicles the rise and fall of the company at the center of a lot of that trouble, the United Fruit Company, in his book, "Bananas!" He talks with Kai Ryssdal.
The price of crude has reached record per barrel highs just to make sudden startling drops. Stacey Vanek-Smith talks these market extremes with Raymond Learsy, who's written a book about oil and its trends.
Are there people in your office who plaster their cubicles with stuff like kitten calendars and motivational sayings? Commentator and economist Tyler Cowen introduces us to a book that wonders what all that stuff tells us about those people.
Influenced by the sudden downturn in the 90's, Generation X'ers are notorious for their "slacker chic." Stacey Vanek-Smith talks to Lisa Chamberlain, author of "Slackonomics," which covers Gen X and their take on economy.
Whether you crave one that's glazed, cream-filled or you can't stand them at all, donuts tend to come out on top in a down economy. Scott Jagow talks about a sweet world with Paul Mullins, who wrote a book on donuts.
