Fischer Black and the Revolutionary Idea of Finance

Praise for FISCHER BLACK AND THE REVOLUTIONARY IDEA OF FINANCE The story of Fischer Black. . . . is remarkable both because of the creativity of the man and because of the revolution he brought to Wall Street. . . . Mehrling's book is fascinating. --FINANCIAL TIMES A fascinating history of things we take for granted in our everyday financial lives. --THE NEW YORK TIMES Mehrling's book is essential reading for anyone interested in the development of modern finance or the life of an idiosyncratic creative genius. --PUBLISHERS WEEKLY Fischer Black was more than a vital force in the development of finance theory. He was also a character. Perry Mehrling has captured both sides of the picture: the evolution of thinking about the pricing of risk and time, as well as the thinkers, especially this fascinating eccentric, who worked it out. --ROBERT M. SOLOW, Nobel laureate and Institute Professor of Economics, Emeritus, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Although I worked closely with Fischer for nine years at Goldman Sachs and clearly recognized both his genius and the breadth and originality of his ideas, until I read this book, I had only the vaguest grasp of the source of his inspiration and no understanding at all of the source of his many idiosyncrasies. --BOB LITTERMAN, Partner, Kepos Capital Perry Mehrling has done a remarkable job of tracing the intellectual and personal development of one of the most original and complex thinkers of our generation. Fischer Black deserved it: a charming and brilliant book about a charming and brilliant man. --ROBERT E. LUCAS JR., Nobel laureate and Professor of Economics, The University of Chicago