The Madness of Markets Hardcover by Alex Edmans

Product Details

• Publisher: Crown Currency (2026-09-22)
• Language: English
• Paperback: 384 pages
• ISBN-13: 9798217089543
• Item Weight: 453.6 grams
• Dimensions: 21.72 x 14.61 x 3.28 cm

A groundbreaking look at what drives even the smartest investors to make irrational choices and a practical roadmap for profiting when the market loses its mind—from one of the world’s leading finance professors

“A fascinating and indispensable guide to the hidden psychology that drives markets.”—Annie Duke, decision strategist and author of Thinking in Bets and Quit

Why did Isaac Newton lose a fortune in the South Sea Bubble? Why did people spend millions on cartoon apes during the NFT frenzy? Why does the stock market fall when a national soccer team loses, or rise on a sunny day?

In this lively, eye-opening, and highly practical book, Alex Edmans reveals the hidden psychological forces that push markets away from logic—and create opportunities for those who stay sane while others panic. Drawing on cutting-edge studies and his more than twenty years at the intersection of academia and Wall Street, Edmans explains why investors chronically overreact, underreact, and misreact—and how these mistakes lead to bubbles, crashes, hype cycles, and portfolio wipeouts.

But The Madness of Markets isn’t just about spotting irrationality—it’s about outsmarting it. Edmans shows you how to think sharper, invest smarter, dodge predictable traps, and recognize when the crowd has lost the plot. Playfully rigorous and packed with unforgettable stories—from Reddit frenzies to CEO ego trips to World Cup upsets—The Madness of Markets offers an accessible yet thorough guide for anyone looking to make smarter decisions in a noisy financial world.

This book is for anyone with a pension, an IRA, or a long-term stake in the market—whether you’re chasing crypto highs or simply protecting your retirement while the world spins out of control.

About the Author

Alex Edmans is Professor of Finance at London Business School and a widely recognized global expert on behavioral finance, responsible business, and misinformation. He has spoken at Davos, testified in the UK House of Commons, and reached millions through his TED talks and contributions to the BBC, CNBC, and The Guardian. He is the author of May Contain Lies, which received huge acclaim from the Times, The Guardian, Wall Street Journal, and the Financial Times. His first book, Grow the Pie, was a Financial Times Book of the Year.