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When Giants Fall: An Economic Roadmap for the End of the American Era
In When Giants Fall, Panzner makes his case for the turbulent economic changes that will be occurring over the next few years and examines the resulting economic opportunities.
According to Panzner, the economic changes will be widespread. Businesses will struggle amid wars, shortages, logistical disruptions, and a breakdown of the established monetary order. Individuals will be forced to rethink livelihoods, lifestyles, living arrangements, and locales. Political structures will be in flux, as local leaders gain influence at the expense of national authorities. For many people, it will be nothing short of a modern Dark Ages, where each day brings fresh anxieties, unfamiliar risks, and a sense of foreboding.
However, for those enlightened few who understand what is really going on and what happens next, the chaotic years ahead represent the opportunity of a lifetime - a time when they can realize goals they never thought possible and achieve a level of wealth, security, and inner peace that will leave them head-and-shoulders above everyone else. In this book, Panzner offers cutting-edge insights and strategies that will enable readers to stay well ahead of the game during the uniquely unsettling period ahead.
According to Panzner, the economic changes will be widespread. Businesses will struggle amid wars, shortages, logistical disruptions, and a breakdown of the established monetary order. Individuals will be forced to rethink livelihoods, lifestyles, living arrangements, and locales. Political structures will be in flux, as local leaders gain influence at the expense of national authorities. For many people, it will be nothing short of a modern Dark Ages, where each day brings fresh anxieties, unfamiliar risks, and a sense of foreboding.
However, for those enlightened few who understand what is really going on and what happens next, the chaotic years ahead represent the opportunity of a lifetime - a time when they can realize goals they never thought possible and achieve a level of wealth, security, and inner peace that will leave them head-and-shoulders above everyone else. In this book, Panzner offers cutting-edge insights and strategies that will enable readers to stay well ahead of the game during the uniquely unsettling period ahead.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2009
5 people are currently reading
57 people want to read
About the author
Michael J. Panzner
5 books2 followersMichael J. Panzner is a 30-year veteran of the global financial markets who has worked for such leading companies as HSBC, Soros Funds, ABN Amro, Dresdner Bank, and J.P. Morgan Chase.
He is the author of When Giants Fall: An Economic Roadmap for the End of the American Era, Financial Armageddon: Protecting Your Future from Four Impending Catastrophes, and The New Laws of the Stock Market Jungle: An Insiders Guide to Successful Investing in a Changing World.
He is the author of When Giants Fall: An Economic Roadmap for the End of the American Era, Financial Armageddon: Protecting Your Future from Four Impending Catastrophes, and The New Laws of the Stock Market Jungle: An Insiders Guide to Successful Investing in a Changing World.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
November 7, 2022
Although this book was published in 2009, the inevitable path to the US economy no longer being the driving force behind the world’s economy and other ideas, is still relevant and even more self-fulfilling today.
The path laid out in this book seems obvious to those of us that live outside the US, but to many that live within the American borders this concept must seem a very foreign idea indeed. It is a very arrogant society (which is befitting of many Americans) that believes it will remain #1 forever, and that nothing can stop them. They do not realize that the chants of “USA!! USA!!”, and “We’re #1” have been falling on deaf ears outside of their country for many years now. It is a shame that the American media outlets are still trying to sell their own people on this thought process…as opposed to seeing the truth that is out there. The world is laughing at the US these days…not listening to their directives. Of course, as the recent circus of American politics has shown, do many American people even “care” about the “truth” anymore?? I doubt it. If the American people want to continue believing that they are leading the world…then let them, I am sure the world looks good through their rose-coloured glasses.
The book itself though seems to be “well researched” based merely on the fact that there are almost as many articles listed in the bibliography as there are pages to the actual book itself. A bibliography that is 66 pages long for a book that is less than 200 pages in length seems excessive to me, but it may be necessary in an effort to convince the American people of the harsh reality that are out there. A lot of ground was trying to be covered in a very short space, which made the effort seem a little disjointed at times.
While we may have enjoyed sitting on the sidelines, eating our popcorn, and watching the American society implode…it is time now for the rest of the world to fix the mess that American bravado has created, before it is too late. Don’t you think??
The path laid out in this book seems obvious to those of us that live outside the US, but to many that live within the American borders this concept must seem a very foreign idea indeed. It is a very arrogant society (which is befitting of many Americans) that believes it will remain #1 forever, and that nothing can stop them. They do not realize that the chants of “USA!! USA!!”, and “We’re #1” have been falling on deaf ears outside of their country for many years now. It is a shame that the American media outlets are still trying to sell their own people on this thought process…as opposed to seeing the truth that is out there. The world is laughing at the US these days…not listening to their directives. Of course, as the recent circus of American politics has shown, do many American people even “care” about the “truth” anymore?? I doubt it. If the American people want to continue believing that they are leading the world…then let them, I am sure the world looks good through their rose-coloured glasses.
The book itself though seems to be “well researched” based merely on the fact that there are almost as many articles listed in the bibliography as there are pages to the actual book itself. A bibliography that is 66 pages long for a book that is less than 200 pages in length seems excessive to me, but it may be necessary in an effort to convince the American people of the harsh reality that are out there. A lot of ground was trying to be covered in a very short space, which made the effort seem a little disjointed at times.
While we may have enjoyed sitting on the sidelines, eating our popcorn, and watching the American society implode…it is time now for the rest of the world to fix the mess that American bravado has created, before it is too late. Don’t you think??
June 7, 2009
This is an excellent book to read if you enjoy sloppy research, lousy editing, half-finished thoughts, and authors that churn out dreck in order to make their next boat payment. And I'm being kind.
His argument - a generous noun at best - is that the whole world will go to hell and you should protect yourself from it. Too bad the author couldn't be bothered to defend this with a well-reasoned essay.
Panzner writes that resource scarcity, ideological extremism, and a deteriorating economic situation will lead to extreme violence, ecological disaster, and a fragmentation of social and political bonds. To support his argument, he cites articles in popular publications like the NYT, Economist, WSJ, &c., most which were published since 2006. All - and I mean all - of his citations are simply articles about unfortunate events that occurred in the world in the past several years. This proves nothing, except that "bad things happened over the past several years". He offers no analysis, no trend plotting, nothing to show that what we have today - admittedly not a good situation - should devolve into a global disaster, other than his skimpy research. Look - just because a newspaper publishes an article that states, for example, that Iran doesn't like the United States, doesn't mean that we'll re-enact scenes from the "Road Warrior" in a few years.
Another point the author may want to consider: editorials are not sources. They are opinions. And: "de-globalization" is not a word. "Regionalism" and "isolationism" are two perfectly serviceable words that exist to describe those things your made-up word tries to do.
The second part of the book tries to show how to protect oneself from the coming apocalypse. This section, as amazing as it is to say, is worse than the first section, reaches no useful conclusions, and regularly contradicts opinions made only a few paragraphs earlier. For example, the author states that people will leave the countryside to move to cities where jobs, school and shopping are close by and require less fuel (which will be dear). Then a few paragraphs on he says that people will flee cities because of increasing violence and destructive social pressures. Well, which is it? He recommends that investors buy commodities because of pending shortages of all goods. A few paragraphs later - you guessed it - he says this might not be a good idea. Groan.
The entire book has the feeling that he wrote it over a week, with a word processor and a Google search. What complete junk.
And one more suggestion. Have you heard of footnotes? Writers employ them so that the body of the text is free of frequent citations.
His argument - a generous noun at best - is that the whole world will go to hell and you should protect yourself from it. Too bad the author couldn't be bothered to defend this with a well-reasoned essay.
Panzner writes that resource scarcity, ideological extremism, and a deteriorating economic situation will lead to extreme violence, ecological disaster, and a fragmentation of social and political bonds. To support his argument, he cites articles in popular publications like the NYT, Economist, WSJ, &c., most which were published since 2006. All - and I mean all - of his citations are simply articles about unfortunate events that occurred in the world in the past several years. This proves nothing, except that "bad things happened over the past several years". He offers no analysis, no trend plotting, nothing to show that what we have today - admittedly not a good situation - should devolve into a global disaster, other than his skimpy research. Look - just because a newspaper publishes an article that states, for example, that Iran doesn't like the United States, doesn't mean that we'll re-enact scenes from the "Road Warrior" in a few years.
Another point the author may want to consider: editorials are not sources. They are opinions. And: "de-globalization" is not a word. "Regionalism" and "isolationism" are two perfectly serviceable words that exist to describe those things your made-up word tries to do.
The second part of the book tries to show how to protect oneself from the coming apocalypse. This section, as amazing as it is to say, is worse than the first section, reaches no useful conclusions, and regularly contradicts opinions made only a few paragraphs earlier. For example, the author states that people will leave the countryside to move to cities where jobs, school and shopping are close by and require less fuel (which will be dear). Then a few paragraphs on he says that people will flee cities because of increasing violence and destructive social pressures. Well, which is it? He recommends that investors buy commodities because of pending shortages of all goods. A few paragraphs later - you guessed it - he says this might not be a good idea. Groan.
The entire book has the feeling that he wrote it over a week, with a word processor and a Google search. What complete junk.
And one more suggestion. Have you heard of footnotes? Writers employ them so that the body of the text is free of frequent citations.
February 3, 2009
Paints a very stark picture of the trends facing America, of the waning influence our country once enjoyed and the negative consequences staring our people in the face as our global hegemony declines. Panzner has followed today's headlines to some very (unfortunately) logical ends. It is was interesting to compare this book with Fareed Zakaria's The Post American World which was written in the still growing world economy. Zakaria comes off looking like the eternal optimist in comparison to Panzner.
Sometimes the book gets a bit slow as he seeks to document and footnote every single assertion, but the process adds weight to his arguments. What I found most compelling was the part of the book that dealt with "De-globalization" and the fracturing of trade, treaties and the general cooperative spirit that a global economy seemed to be fostering and how it all stands to be replaced with regional conflict, protectionism, nationalism, racism, and contracted diplomacy, all things that seemingly have trended upward lately.
While the validity of Panzner's arguments won't be completely revealed until we transition through the coming decade, books like his are important because they reveal how some of these scenarios could play out in a quickly changing world. Whether he is ultimately right or wrong, he has held up a mirror to many American policies, prejudices and worldviews to show us things we probably didn't want to see.
Sometimes the book gets a bit slow as he seeks to document and footnote every single assertion, but the process adds weight to his arguments. What I found most compelling was the part of the book that dealt with "De-globalization" and the fracturing of trade, treaties and the general cooperative spirit that a global economy seemed to be fostering and how it all stands to be replaced with regional conflict, protectionism, nationalism, racism, and contracted diplomacy, all things that seemingly have trended upward lately.
While the validity of Panzner's arguments won't be completely revealed until we transition through the coming decade, books like his are important because they reveal how some of these scenarios could play out in a quickly changing world. Whether he is ultimately right or wrong, he has held up a mirror to many American policies, prejudices and worldviews to show us things we probably didn't want to see.
June 29, 2009
How to survive America’s imminent collapse
Books about the future usually mix and match four broad categories: The present is great or awful, and the future will be great or awful. This book builds on the awful end of today’s economic problems. Michael J. Panzner reinforces the seesawing anxiety some people already feel about America and the future by contending that these dreary times will almost certainly worsen. People have been selling books about America’s demise for decades and maybe one of them will be right someday, but this one is pretty dire. getAbstract admires Panzner’s diligence and hard work, but notes that he offers few, if any, mitigating beds of roses to brighten his forecast. Instead, he blends generally negative economic, ecological, demographic and geopolitical news to project a downward trend that would scare even the most daredevil economic rollercoaster rider. Trends that harm America are likely to injure many other nations also, so some positive, mutual pushback seems inevitable, though Panzner cites instead how other nations would benefit from a weaker U.S. Given the reporting on negative trends and dangers he amasses to explain his pessimism, it would be no wonder if Panzner is depressed. If he’s right, there will be plenty of depression to go around.
Books about the future usually mix and match four broad categories: The present is great or awful, and the future will be great or awful. This book builds on the awful end of today’s economic problems. Michael J. Panzner reinforces the seesawing anxiety some people already feel about America and the future by contending that these dreary times will almost certainly worsen. People have been selling books about America’s demise for decades and maybe one of them will be right someday, but this one is pretty dire. getAbstract admires Panzner’s diligence and hard work, but notes that he offers few, if any, mitigating beds of roses to brighten his forecast. Instead, he blends generally negative economic, ecological, demographic and geopolitical news to project a downward trend that would scare even the most daredevil economic rollercoaster rider. Trends that harm America are likely to injure many other nations also, so some positive, mutual pushback seems inevitable, though Panzner cites instead how other nations would benefit from a weaker U.S. Given the reporting on negative trends and dangers he amasses to explain his pessimism, it would be no wonder if Panzner is depressed. If he’s right, there will be plenty of depression to go around.
September 1, 2009
Basically a summery of how the energy crisis, climate crisis, and financial crisis are going F*CK up any concept of the future of civilizaion you may have had.
The author does a good job of explaining how energy and the economy are linked and how problems in one can cause and/or exacerbate problems in the other. While not shy about giving his opinions, Panzer is surprisingly willing to share opposing viewpoints.
The world you know is ending.
I didn't find this book particularly fascinating since I was allready familiar with most of the references used and came to similar conclusions. However, I believe this would be a good introductory text for anyone who really believes "the American way of life is non-negotiable."
The author does a good job of explaining how energy and the economy are linked and how problems in one can cause and/or exacerbate problems in the other. While not shy about giving his opinions, Panzer is surprisingly willing to share opposing viewpoints.
The world you know is ending.
I didn't find this book particularly fascinating since I was allready familiar with most of the references used and came to similar conclusions. However, I believe this would be a good introductory text for anyone who really believes "the American way of life is non-negotiable."
December 15, 2019
Panzer rarely writes 2 paragraphs in a row by himself, he is constantly citing pessimistic articles by copying and pasting manifold links.
Overall, it was hard to keep up with the book.
I'm giving 2 starts because of his different point of view on US's future (negative), which is not usual nowadays.
Overall, it was hard to keep up with the book.
I'm giving 2 starts because of his different point of view on US's future (negative), which is not usual nowadays.
July 2, 2010
This author is anti-religion and is a G.W. Bush basher. Some of his prognostications are plausible but too often are just jumping off points for doomsday scenarios that are a dime a dozen. Not much practical advise here either.
July 7, 2010
Micheal J. Panzer from the very start of the book overly defends his attempt at persuasion. Especially with all the cited quotes and footnotes. He actually doesn't even say anything about America's economic crisis himself. Fail!
March 16, 2009
Panzner has a knack for seeing the big picture....this one will scare any one in terms of the present economic and global situation, as well as future prospects.
April 3, 2009
Sobering. When President Hinckley said he saw portents of economic storms on the horizon, I believe it was probably something akin to what is laid out here.
May 10, 2010
Started reading this one on my Kindle last week and it has been an enlightening and thought provoking read so far. I highly recommend this one to every person I know!
March 6, 2012
See my review at http://www.BillDahl.net or http://www.ThePorpoiseDivingLife.com
February 5, 2016
Great book! Well researched, but he should have put his research into footnotes or endnotes rather than putting them in the body of the book--it made the book read really slowly.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews