Dinosaur Derivatives and Other Trades

A STUDY IN FINANCIAL FANTASY, ENIGMA AND PHILOSOPHY

Written in an engaging and accessible style, Dinosaur Derivatives and Other Trades reveals the inherent philosophical paradoxes found in the world of finance. Jeremy Josse examines a variety of basic concepts to offer a financial expert′s view into the often contradictory maze of money.

Each topic in the book is introduced through a striking tale that highlights specific hypocrisies or moral dilemmas that lie at the heart of the financial system. The stories, however odd or enigmatic, offer a unique perspective on what′s going on "inside" the world of finance itself.

Finance is a living and breathing subject that we all contend with in our daily lives. With expertise and a good dose of wit, Josse explores a range of compelling questions such as: what is value? what is risk/uncertainty? what is financial innovation? And what is money?

" [Josse′s book] starts like an itch that needs scratching and won′t go away a discussion of the evolution of finance that I now find important and fascinating thanks to this book."
Steve Clemons, Editor at Large, The Atlantic

"A compelling, interdisciplinary journey into the arcane world of finance."
Bruce R. Magid, Dean International Business School, Brandeis University

About the Author

Introduction

Chapter 1 What is Value: Dinosaur Derivatives

Chapter 2 What is Uncertainty: Joseph s Dreams

Chapter 3 What is a Contract: 2, 4, 6, 8

Chapter 4 What is a Financial Instrument: a Legal Fiction

Chapter 5 What is Financial Innovation: Railroads and the Credit Crisis

Chapter 6 What is Ownership: Faust

Chapter 7 What is Money: Cyber Cash

Chapter 8 What is Taxation: Better than Theft

Chapter 9 What is Fraud: when we Meet the Bad

Chapter 10 What is Regulation: Antique Maps

Chapter 11 What is a Bankrupt: a Financial Institution

Epilogue

Index

JEREMY JOSSE has spent the last twenty–plus years of his career working as an executive in some of the world′s leading financial institutions, including Schroders, Citigroup, and N M Rothschild. He has published numerous articles on a wide range of financial subjects including the credit crisis, bank restructurings and financial engineering.