The New York Stock Exchange in the Crisis of 1914

In the thick of 1914’s unprecedented turmoil, a moment when the world teetered on the brink of chaos, the New York Stock Exchange found itself at the center of a dramatic experiment. The author, a well‑placed insider, pulls back the curtain on the frantic weeks when the Exchange was shut down, revealing the raw discussions and decisions that unfolded behind the scenes. By weaving committee minutes into a readable narrative, the book captures the pulse of a market grappling with war, panic, and public doubt.

Beyond the drama of closure, the work illuminates why the Exchange mattered to a nation desperate for stability. It explains how the brief hiatus turned skeptics into believers, showing listeners the essential role of speculative institutions in a modern economy. The account balances factual detail with clear storytelling, making a complex episode of financial history accessible and compelling for anyone curious about how Wall Street survived its first great crisis.