The Library of Mistakes
Episodes
EP 54: The Weekend Of Mistakes (with Leila Johnston)
26 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
The much-anticipated Weekend of Mistakes 2026 took place on 20-22 March, with leading investment and ecomonic thinkers such as Russell Napier, Merryn ...
EP 53: A Practical History of Financial Markets (with Russell Napier)
20 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Russell Napier, founder of the Library of Mistakes, joins Fraser Allen & Leila Johnston to discuss the Library’s Practical History of Financial ...
EP 52: Shelf Life #11 The Smith Conversations
13 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Robbie Mochrie catches up with Leila Johnston and Fraser Allen to discuss a series of events he has organised to celebrate the 250-ye...
EP 51: The Business of History (with Tom Levitt)
04 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Tom Levitt was studying for an Open University degree during the pandemic crisis when he stumbled upon WH Beable’s 'Romance of Great Businesses', a ...
EP 50: Shelf Life #10 The Weekend Of Mistakes (with Alice Sherwood & Paul Greatbatch)
20 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In the latest Shelf Life, we begin with a clip of Russell Napier speaking at this year's Mistake Of The Year awards at the Library of Mistakes - you c...
EP 49: Good Money (with George Selgin)
11 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Join Russell Napier and American economist George Selgin as they discuss George’s book, ‘Good Money – Birmingham Button Makers, the Royal Mint a...
EP 48: Shelf Life #9 (with Jonathan Ford & Neil Collins)
01 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
There's a festive feeling in the air for the last Shelf Life episode of the year, in which our guests are Jonathan Ford and Neil Collins. The pair are...
EP 47: Money and Empire (with Perry Mehrling)
13 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Join Russell Napier in discussion with author Perry Mehrling about the extraordinary life of Charles P. Kindleberger – central banker, US Department...
EP 46: Shelf Life #8 (with Jen Mair)
31 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
There's a student takeover for this episode of Shelf Life as the talented duo of Megan Day and Emilie Stewart interview Jen Mair. Jen is Chair of Futu...
EP 45: Shelf Life #7 (with Errorist In Residence Robbie Mochrie)
03 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Once again, Leila Johnston and Fraser Allen are backstage at the Library of Mistakes, sampling highlights from the book collection, hearing about the ...
EP 44: Cents and Sensibility (with Gary Saul Morson & Morton Schapiro)
29 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What happens when an experienced economist and an English literature expert have a proper conversation? Quite a lot as it turns out. Morton Schapiro a...
EP 43: Shelf Life #6 (with Iona Bain & Michael Gilmore)
03 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Personal finance is the theme of this episode as we hear from two friends of the Library of Mistakes deeply committed to making financial understandin...
EP 42: The CEO (with Michael Aldous & John Turner)
13 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The CEOs of Britain's largest companies wield immense power, but we know very little about them. How did they get to the top? And how have they change...
EP 41: Shelf Life #5 (with Boris Zhilin)
09 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Fraser Allen and Leila Johnston are back with a summer episode exploring life behind the scenes at the Library of Mistakes.Looking to the northern sho...
EP 40: The Irish Bank Strike (with Emma Horgan)
24 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In conversation with Emma Horgan, Russell Napier explores the Irish Bank Strike of 1966, which resulted in shopkeepers and publicans stepping in to ke...
EP 39: Shelf Life #4 (with Ray Perman)
30 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In our latest, behind-the-scenes look at the Library of Mistakes, Leila Johnston joins author and journalist Ray Perman on the streets of Edinburgh, a...
EP 38: Meltdown – Scandal, Sleaze And The Collapse of Credit Suisse (with Duncan Mavin)
13 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Russell Napier invites Duncan Mavin back for a second appearance on the podcast – this time to discuss his recent book on Credit Suisse. Their fasci...
EP 37: Shelf Life #3 (with Herman Brodie)
02 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Fraser Allen and Leila Johnston take you behind the scenes at the Library of Mistakes once more. This month we hear from the brilliant behavioural fin...
EP 36: Shelf Life #2 (with Liam Rees PLUS The Weekend of Mistakes)
31 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Leila Johnston and Fraser Allen are back to take you behind the scenes at the Library of Mistakes. And in this packed episode we...•Hear from theatr...
EP 35: Lending To The Borrower From Hell (with Mauricio Drelichman)
06 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Russell Napier enjoys a fascinating chat with Mauricio Drelichman who (together with Hans Joachim-Voth) is the author of Lending to the Borrower from ...
EP 34: Shelf Life #1 (with Russell Napier)
27 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In the first of a new thread of monthly episodes, we take you behind the scenes at the Library of Mistakes. Join us as we turn the tables on our resid...
EP 33: Money – The Unauthorised Biography (with Felix Martin)
13 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Russell Napier quizzes Felix Martin about his book, Money – The Unauthorised Biography. A fascinating listen for anyone interested in the true natur...
EP 32: Gambling Man (with Lionel Barber)
28 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Lionel Barber, the former editor of the Financial Times, discusses his fascinating biography of Masayoshi Son, one of the world's least-known but most...
EP 31: Money & Promises (Paolo Zannoni)
07 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Money & Promises (Seven Deals That Changed World) is Paolo Zannoni's first book and one of Russell Napier's favourite books of the year. For as we...
EP 30: Money – A Story of Humanity (with David McWilliams)
08 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
"Despite being a fully paid-up member of the economist tribe for many years, I’ve concluded that most economists don’t really understand money," s...
EP 29: The Bankers' New Clothes (with Anat Admati)
19 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this lively episode, Anat Admati (Professor of Finance and Economics at Stanford) explains what she believes to be wrong about banking, and how it ...
EP 28: The Twilight Before The Storm (with Viktor Shvets)
05 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Technology is transforming our societies, promising a far deeper disruption than the industrial revolutions. As a result, humanity is at a major turni...
EP 27: Seven Crashes (with Harold James)
08 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Join Russell Napier for a fascinating discussion with Harold James, author of Seven Crashes: The Economic Crises That Shaped Globalisation. And unlike...
EP 26: The Rise Of Carry (with Tim Lee & Kevin Coldiron)
18 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Russell Napier revisits a book that slipped out during the pandemic crisis but does, he believe, deserve considerable attention. Listen to him quizzin...
EP 25: What I Learned This Week (with Kiril Sokoloff)
22 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
For 40 years, Kiril Sokoloff, the founder of 13D Research & Strategy, has been picking some of the biggest turning points in financial markets. An...
EP 24: Investing in US Financial History (with Mark J Higgins)
22 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Russell Napier and Mark J Higgins explore some of the lessons to be learned from Mark's latest book, Investing in US Financial History: Understanding ...
EP 23: Boom and Bust (with William Quinn & John D. Turner)
05 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In an appetising taster of our Weekend of Mistakes at Hay Castle on 1-3 March 2024, Russell Napier is joined by the authors of Boom And Bust, William ...
EP 22: Humanomics (with Professor Deidre McCloskey)
19 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to this special episode – a lecture by Professor Deirdre McCloskey recorded at the University of Edinburgh. With great humour and wisdom, Pr...
EP 21: War and Gold (with Kwasi Kwarteng)
01 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Financial historian and former Chancellor of the Exchequer Kwasi Kwarteng discusses War And Gold, his 500-year review of 'empires, adventures and debt...
EP 20: The Market Mind Hypothesis (with Patrick Schotanus)
28 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to a special, extended episode recorded live at the Library of Mistakes on 15 November 2023. Cognitive economist and investment 'pracademic' P...
EP 19: Behind the Balance Sheet (with Stephen Clapham)
06 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Stephen Clapham joins Russell Napier to discuss the clues and warnings that are often hiding in plain sight within the pages of a company's accounts –...
EP 18: The Millionaires' Factory (with Joyce Moullakis & Chris Wright)
02 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Hear the authors of the Millionaires' Factory reveal the inside of story of how Macquarie Bank became a global giant – a fascinating tale which also...
Ep 17: The Strange Case of Arif Naqvi (with Simon Clark – Live at the Library of Mistakes)
22 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to a special bonus episode, in which we hear a live talk from Simon Clark recorded at the Library of Mistakes on 20 September 2023. Together w...
Ep 16: How Private Equity is Plundering America (with Brendan Ballou)
18 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
With a skull and crossbones on the cover, and the title of Plunder: Private Equity's Plan to Pillage America, Brendan Ballou's debut book pulls no pun...
Ep 15: Controlling Credit (with Eric Monnet)
09 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Want to learn about monetary policy without interest rates, and how we may be going back to the future? These questions, and many more, are explored a...
Ep 14: Geopolitical Alpha (with Marko Papic)
03 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Marko Papic, author of Geopolitical Alpha, joins our Keeper Russell Napier to discuss his investment framework for predicting the future. In a world w...
Ep 13: Capital Wars - The Rise Of Global Liquidity (with Michael Howell)
06 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Michael Howell, legendary market strategist, author and founder of CrossBorder Capital, joins our Keeper Russell Napier to discuss global liquidity. J...
Ep 12: The Wall Street Renegades who Changed Finance Forever (with Robin Wigglesworth)
15 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Robin Wigglesworth, the FT journalist and author of Trillions, joins us from Oslo to discuss the revolutionists who invented index funds, and the cons...
Ep 11: The Myth of Capitalism (with Denise Hearn)
25 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Wander into any small town in the US and you'll find "a Subway, a Bank of America and some private-equity-owned retail chain".Denise Hearn, co-author ...
EP 10: The Wirecard Criminals (with Dan McCrum)
21 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
When FT investigative journalist Dan McCrum began challenging the financial model of so-called fintech pioneer Wirecard, he was threatened with crimin...
Ep 9: The Extraordinary Story of John Stonehouse (with Sir Philip Augar)
03 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
He was a Labour Cabinet Minister tipped to be a future Prime Minister – charming, handsome and apparently a passionate advocate for social justice. ...
Ep 8: Lex Greensill and the Pyramid of Lies (with Duncan Mavin)
13 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
How did Australian farmer Lex Greensill convince the likes of Credit Suisse and the Softbank Vision Fund that he was a highly investable fintech entre...
Ep 7: The Price of Time (with Edward Chancellor)
22 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
All economic and financial activities take place across time – and interest coordinates those activities. The story of capitalism is thus the story ...
EP 6: Hard Times in the 21st Century (with Helen Thompson)
14 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Disorder, a new book by the political economist Helen Thompson, has made waves with its depiction of the long history behind the world's current polit...
Ep 5: The Economics of the Stock Market (with Andrew Smithers)
20 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Andrew Smithers first dabbled in the stock market as a schoolboy in the 1950s, and grew into one of the most respected economics commentators of his g...
Ep 4: Back from the Brink (with Lord Darling)
02 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Lord Darling opens the new Library of Mistakes in Edinburgh, and explains to business journalist and author Ray Perman what it was like to be Chancell...
Ep 3: Adapting to the New Economic World Order (Hidden Forces v Russell Napier)
25 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This is a special episode, republished by kind permission of the Hidden Forces podcast series, in which Demetri Kofinas interviews our very own Profes...
Ep 2: The Financial Cold War (with James Fok)
18 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
As the West seeks to punish Russia for its invasion of Ukraine through financial sanctions, Russell Napier meets an expert on how this kind of warfare...
Ep 1: Iceland's Secret (with Jared Bibler)
21 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this first episode of the Library of Mistakes podcast series, Russell Napier explores the 2008 financial collapse of Iceland with Jared Bibler, aut...