In the spirit of classics such as "Barbarians at the Gate" and "Liar's Poker", Charles Gasparino traces the rise in power and wealth of America's largest investment banks and brokerage houses beginning in 2002. He shows how and why several of these storied institutions have suffered staggering losses in assets and influence since then, triggering the vast financial crisis that is now devastating individual and institutional wallets through the United States and across the globe. Gasparino is known as a dogged reporter who regularly breaks news about Wall Street's inner workings and who has a direct line into Wall Street's most prominent dealmakers. His book promises to be one of the first books out of the gate in what will prove to be a crowded market of 'financial crisis' books, but his talent for delivering a dramatic narrative and colorful anecdotes and explaining complex financial maneuvers in accessible terms.