This novel intertwines history and imagination, along with the real participants and their histories into a complex story of how the American government developed a way to cripple the Germans ability to pay their bills during Hitlers reign, thereby helping to end the war before they became officially involved.. America was not the only country involved, but that is the direction the story is told from.
The novel has just enough information for the reader understand the complexities of the financial workings on a worldly level whilst still providing an entertaining story.
Very enjoyable. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me this ARC

The Wealth of Shadows is a captivating exploration of power, ambition, and the intricate dance between light and darkness in human nature. The author crafts a richly layered narrative, interweaving multiple perspectives that bring depth to the story's themes. The vivid descriptions and atmospheric setting draw readers in, making the world feel both tangible and immersive. The characters are well-developed, each grappling with their own moral dilemmas and desires, which adds a compelling complexity to the plot.

What truly stands out is the author’s ability to blend suspense with philosophical insights, prompting readers to reflect on the choices that shape our lives. While some plot threads may feel slightly convoluted at times, the overall pacing and tension keep the narrative engaging. The Wealth of Shadows is a thought-provoking read that skillfully balances intrigue with emotional resonance, leaving readers eager to see how the characters will navigate their intertwined fates.

The Wealth of Shadows
By Graham Moore

This is a novel based on true happenings before and during America's entry into World War II. It is the story of a highly secret group of "Researchers" working for the Treasury Department, whose real work was to devise a plan to bring down Nazi Germany's economy. The planning began well before America abandoned its position of neutrality and entered into the war as a result of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.

Virtually all the main characters here were real and the plans made and abandoned were also factual. While many of these personages will be familiar to history buffs, Luxford, and his wife, Angela, are little known. Though they were real and their contributions had great impact, the Luxfords faded from the history of the time.

I found the story intriguing: the people who made up the research team were of widely varied backgrounds, temperaments, and experiences. The antipathy between Harry Dexter White, the leader of the group, and John Maynard Keynes, the British economist considered the foremost economist of his time, spices up the plot – and leaves the reader wondering who really was considered the enemy here. The threat of spies – both Nazis and Soviets – just adds to the suspense. And the planning for the post-war world which led to the forming of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (and which decided what currency would become the world standard) was exciting right to the end.

While the economics sometimes were a little too deep for me, I found the whole idea of taking down a society through its economy fascinating.

[4.5 stars]

This is not your average WWII novel (which I've basically stopped reading over the past few years) and that's why I loved it! The Wealth of Shadows is based on a true story and the book uses real names. In 1939, Ansel Luxford is offered an opportunity to move to DC to work on a secret Treasury Department mission to take out the Nazis using economic warfare while still enabling the U.S. to appear "neutral" in WWII. I never realized all the financial machinations that played a role in WWII. I have never read about this before and it blew my mind. The financial side of WWII is HIGHLY entertaining and this book reads like a thriller. There’s alliances, double crosses, negotiation, and salesmanship. It’s like Succession in the Treasury Department. This story covers John Maynard Keynes, the creation of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, and the summit at Bretton Woods where nations came together to plan for a post WWII future. Do not skip the Author's Note at the end!

Nope, I just absolutely could not get into this book, I finished it because I’m one that has to finish what I start but this book just didn’t float my boat!

First you enjoy the description and enter the scenes. Then you met the ordinary person who may change the course of history. You'll be gripped by the characters, the nuances, and the action.
Would you choose to confront evil or close your eyes to what's going on? Do you care if you're overlooked or become a hero? Would you do what's right, one step at a time, regardless of consequences?

Could an accountant who understands the flow of economics - the links between money and values - change the world? A gripping tale of war and espionage, culture and economy, and what happens in the dark.

If you like a thriller tangled up in WWII history, don't miss this one.

Just when you think you have read everything possible about WWII, a book comes out that completely surprises you. I had no idea about the economic battle that was waged as part of the effort to beat the Germans, and not only end the war, but prevent future wars. This book may be heavy on economics, but it is completely surprising and riveting.

Ansel Luxford and his wife Angela are living a comfortable life. He is a successful tax attorney, and they are raising their beautiful new baby in their own home. However, they want to do more to help as war is raging in Europe. Ansel finds a way to join a clandestine team within the Treasury Department that is tasked with undermining the German economy.

This book reads more like a thriller with spies and traitors battling Nazis and Fascists amidst the halls of the US Government and the boardrooms of Wall Street. Some of the economic explanations are a bit involved, but they add to the understanding of how this plot came together. A thoroughly enjoyable story and a view into a relatively unknown battlefield during the War. This is a work of fiction based on actual characters and incidents.

My thanks to NetGalley and Random House for an advance ecopy. My opinion is my own.

In 1939, Ansel Luxford has everything a person could want--a career, a spouse and a new baby. However he is obsessed by a belief that Europe is on the edge of a war that will grow to consume the world. The United States is officially proclaiming neutrality in any foreign conflict, but when Ansel is offered an opportunity to move to Washington, D.C., to join a clandestine project within the Treasury Department that is working to undermine Nazi Germany, he uproots his family overnight and takes on the challenge of a lifetime. To thwart the Nazis, Ansel and his team invent a powerful theater of battle: economic warfare. Money is a dangerous weapon, and Ansel's efforts will plunge him into a world full of espionage, peril, and deceit. He will crisscross the globe to broker backroom deals, undertake daring heists, and spar with industry titans like J.P. Morgan and the century's greatest economic Britain mind, When Ansel's wife takes a job with the FBI to hunt for spies within the government, the need for subterfuge extends to the home front.

This novel is is a gripping thriller about the mysterious powers of money, the lies worth telling to defeat evil, and a hidden war that shaped the modern world. I would never had expected this novel to inform me about the powers of money. It is a little surprising for me to think of money as having a power that was addressed in the novel. It’s an amazing novel.

I didn't think I could stomach any more WWII, but the mystery element brought something new and unique here and I devoured this. I was pumping my fist and cheering through most of this book, and I highly recommend it!

Whenever I come across a book by Graham Moore mixed emotions follow. Do I really want to tackle the extraordinary linguistics, mental gymnastics and dedicated attention that are required?! And each and every time I dive in I am astounded by how interesting Moore can make a dry topic. He did it with electricity in The Last Days of Night and he has done it again with Keynesian Economics in The Wealth of Shadows. Wrapped up in a shadowy WWII semi-historical story the characters come alive in their deviousness, their duplicity, their ego driven quest to be right. But is it for themselves, for love of country or something very different? The story is so well told that I was never quite sure who was really the outlier, who was the contrarian, who was playing who against who, who was going to give everyone up for the glory, the money, the politics, the virtue, the constancy of belief. Whose theory is going to be believed and put to use and how is going to get done?

I didn’t race through this book and I admit to rereading pages multiple times but I never wanted to put it down. I loved so many of the quotes, especially those cherry picked gems spoken by The Oracle of Omaha, Warren Buffet. There is little that is more interesting than historical fiction when it is well told. Moore has created this great thriller about the people who came together and their plan to destroy Nazi Germany through the use of economics.

Many thanks to Random House and NetGalley for a copy of this thought provoking book.

I love World War 2 books, but I just could not get into this one. It dragged on and on and on and was just not engaging in the slightest.

The Wealth of Shadows
A Novel
by Graham Moore
(This review is based on an ARC sent to me by NetGalley)
From the author’s note:
“An economic writer requires from his reader much goodwill and intelligence and a large measure of cooperation”
John Maynard Keynes

This is a work of historical fiction but contains quite a bit of history.
According to the author every major character depicted in the novel existed This is a story about economic warfare In Minnesota, government employee Ansel Luxford is horrified at the looming Nazi threat and he goes to work for the U.S. Treasury Department with a plan to fight Hitler when the hostilities began with Hitler invading Poland.
The United States was neutral but needed to find a way to provided critical goods to France and Great Britain. The largest single source for the novel is The Battle of Bretton Woods: John Maynard Keynes, Harry Dexter White and the making of a New World Order by Benn Steil.
Once America is in the war, talk turns to the future: Could a world bank and an international monetary fund prevent future global conflicts?
Using meticulous research, the author recounts a little-known aspect of the fight against the Nazis. The reader learns about economic theory, with vigorous debates about the value of the dollar versus sterling.
The Wealth of Shadows will appeal to readers who like historically based thrillers.

DNF @15%

Ohhhhhhh this book is absolutely not for me. At all. I had to listen to the beginning twice and I still have no idea what is really happening and my confusion just grew because I just didn't understand and I was left frustrated and with little desire to read this book.

I have Dyscalculia and so books that deeply involve maths or concepts of finance are really difficult for me and I should have done more research [and will do so in the future] before accepting this book. I am disappointed, but also glad I recognized what the issue was early on so I didnt continue on in frustration.

I am sure this is a magnificent book [I am seeing so many good reviews about it] and even though I cannot read it, I will be recommending it to my friends and family.

I was invited to read.review this book by the publisher [Random House Publishing Group/Random House] and I thank them, NetGalley, and Graham Moore for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Sent from Yahoo Mail on Android

Wealth of Shadows ✨ REVIEW ✨

If you would’ve told me that a WW2 “mostly true” historical fiction story showing the financial underbelly of the government’s motives leading up to the war, I would’ve assumed it would be heavy and slow. But no! Waging financial war on the Nazi’s while trying to remain neutral is riveting stuff! This book is based on real people working in the US Treasury Department , it’s fascinating for the average (financially interested) person and it’s full of espionage and twists and thriller-esque moments. It’s no wonder the author has written award-winning screenplays (hello, The Imitation Game) because he makes us care about the characters and feel invested in the scenes used push the story forward. You’ll find yourself googling the main players, wanting to verify and know more once the book ends.

Don’t miss the Author’s Note at the end where each chapter is addressed— and you see what actually occurred vs the places he added some embellishment. You’ll be shocked, you’ll learn about the origins of the World Bank and you’ll be the most investing person at your next party. Who knew to expect this? I can’t wait to backtrack and read his first novel, The Last Days Of Night.

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Thank you to my first (eeeek!) @netgalley read (and thank you to @randomhouse ) for the ARC. All opinions here are my own.

A perfect blend of a story. This is unlike any novel that I have read this year with a lot of this book being based on real events. Working in finance myself, I enjoyed the amount of financial terminology in this book and was able to follow along with the story. The author built his characters well and I enjoyed the plot of this book. A unexpected unique read! Loved it!

I'd never thought of the "war behind the war" of WWII and was shocked to discover how much more compelling the economics were than I thought they'd be. Moore did an fantastic job laying out the timeline and moving plot along while keeping the story streamlined and focused on actual WWII economic strategies. Can't wait to recommend to all my history-loving family & friends!

I loved the blend of fact and fiction in this historical thriller as it created a compelling narrative. The meticulous research shines through and made the story intriguing. The novel sheds light on the hidden war that shaped our modern world.
Many thanks to Random House and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

I really like how Graham Moore writes. Regardless of the subject, I'm always glued to the page. It may be because of his work as a screenwriter but it really feels like a movie when I'm reading his books. It just flows so well; the pacing is really well done even if all we're following is conversation about economics. But I found it really thrilling.

I love that he finds interesting point of views to known events. I loved that we got to see the current war through the perspective of a lawyer but at the same time the technical eyes were still there (which I loved). I really like how he merges the historical facts with a specific field and just goes for it. It's just so interesting to follow the characters finding ways to combat Germany's aggression during WWII using economy.

I just really loved the book

Thank you Netgalley, author, and publisher for the ARC.

This novel is based on a true story. Ansel Luxford is tasked to bring down the Nazi regime via economics. He moves to Washington, DC to work on the strategy. His wife and baby accompany him. Soon his wife gets a job at the FBI which might conflict with the work Ansel's doing. Manipulating funds to bring down the Nazi regime is an aspect I never heard of before. This is a fascinating story which I doubt many have heard before this book was published earlier this year.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read prior to publication.

Set at the precipice of World War II, this book follows a clandestine group in America tasked with preventing the Nazi Regime from taking over Europe without breaking the stance of neutrality. This is primarily done through economic warfare and because of their actions, many of the institutions and policies they set in place are still there today. Overall, an interesting historical fiction novel highlighting a relatively unknown group of people who played a part in ending WWII. There is a lot of economic theory and legal wording discussed and some sections require closer attention to grasp what's being explained, but it's very interesting to see the groundwork for what we see today.