I am impressed by Ivar Kreuger. I think he was amazing, he exhibited excellent social skills, while being very introvert, and had a master's business mind. He invented new ways to make money, lended money to countries that were in financial difficulties in return for match monopolies and was one of the richest men of his time.

Then during the depression his business turned sour, liquids dried up and eventually found his companies without money to meet payments. The low mark of his legacy are the forged Italian treasury bills that he had left in his safe. He did not use them for a long time, but felt forced to show them to his bank when he was desperate to find collateral for a loan. Those bills destroys his reputation.

Apart from those forged bills.. He might have been the only person in any of his companies who actually had the full picture of what assets were kept in which company, and if any assets were listed in several. He might also have used inventive book keeping methods, but as far as I understand those were all legal and his companies were the only companies on Wall Street using obscure accounting methods. He might also have aimed high, too high, and he might have taken risks that were too great. But he almost succeeded, and his companies were very very successful. Also after his death.

Great book. Great story. But also a story of caution.