Paul Erdman with a Doctorate in Economics has been an International Economist, a practicing Executive, and CEO of a Swiss Bank, in addition to being an accomplished author of a number of bestsellers. He is also a columnist for CBS marketwatch, and a regular writer/contributor on economic and financial matters.
Very often, we citizens get confounded by the happenings in Stockmarkets, Foreign Exchange fluctuations, Interest rate fluctuations, Balance of payments crisis, and many such esoteric matters of hi-finance and economics which have such a deep impact on the life and times of all of us. Reading text books on Applied Economics, Finance etc will not only bore us to death, but will also add to the confusion!
Paul Erdman’s books are the best way to learn all this in an entertaining manner. As a qualified economist with practical hands on knowledge of Financial and Economic matters, and his creative abilities of writing good fiction, he weaves very interesting stories which are not only thrillingly entertaining but also very educative.
Though he had written 2 books in 1973 and 74, but his 1976 book “The Crash of 79” made him a celebrity overnight. Erdman has written a number of financial thrillers, and has netted an aggregate of 152 weeks on New York Times best seller lists!
This book ’’ Last days of America’ is a chilling tale of how economic crisis could lead to major political upheavals and dangerous shifts in the balance of powers. The book published in 1981 based on political and economic trends then prevailing as well the expected scenario developments outlines a scenario that is really frightening, yet so plausible. Thank God no such thing happened.The story;
Frank Rogers is the President of an American aerospace company CMDS, making cruise missiles among other things, and Herb Patterson is the Chairman. A major missile deal from NATO on which CMDS has bet 750 million dollars in under threat which can put the very survival of CMDS at stake. Frank is commissioned to ensure that CMDS gets the order. Frank reaches Switzerland and ropes in the influential middlemen who can swing deals for a ‘consideration’. The deal is worked out at highest levels, monies are spent, but still the deal falls through!(rings a bell? HDW submarine deal and Bofors?)CMDS is on the verge of bankruptcy, which was the original master plan of the Politicians who wanted CMDS to sell them the technology of making the special cruise missiles. Will the plan be successful? Will the mighty Government of the US allow this to happen?What happens to Frank who gets caught in the middle and gets victimized as a sacrificial goat? How can one business transaction be used to change the entire global balance of power? Will US allow itself to be humbled?
To know the answers read this very interesting book which has been very well written, has great deal of infotainment, you will just love the style of Paul Erdman!