NYT best-selling author Michael Lewis to speak at UC Merced on current markets

New York Times best-selling author Michael Lewis will visit the UC Merced campus for a conversation with interim Chancellor Nathan Brostrom on the future of economic markets.

While some authors achieve the honor of being New York Times best-sellers, not many can say their books have inspired Academy Award-nominated films - thrice. Known to immerse himself in the lives of the people and industries he covers, Lewis counts three best-selling books turned Oscar-worthy films among his accomplishments: “Moneyball,” “The Blind Side” and “The Big Short.”

“Moneyball” chronicles the story of the Oakland A’s general manager, who reinvents his team on a tight budget by foregoing baseball scouts and instead selecting players by their on-base percentage.

“The Blind Side” is a story of transformation for an African American foster youth who, with a new guardian family and loving support, goes on to be a 2009 first-round NFL draft pick. And “The Big Short” describes the lead-up to the 2008 economic collapse, from which a handful of bankers profited, having predicted the fall.

This story was originally published January 27, 2020 at 1:31 PM.