Cook takes the reader on a refreshingly different look on why the crisis happened and who were the government officials responsible. He explains why the conventional reporting is misleading or wrong. Cook makes a convincing case that the Clinton and Bush administrations and members of Congress, Democrats and Republicans, pursued an extreme affordable housing agenda that led to the failure of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Readers will be shocked to learn how Fannie and Freddie officials rewarded themselves with huge salaries and bonuses through fraudulent bookkeeping and dishonest financial reporting. If Fannie and Freddie had not failed requiring a massive government intervention and the largest bailout in our history, it's likely the crisis would have been avoided. He also writes about his personal journey in banking, and it's not what the reader expects. He tells charming stories about the human side of the business and unlikely events including death threats, demonstrations, a violent bank robbery, and the murder of a Boston police officer.