Romane Donadini | Photo Editor
From Print [November 3, 2015] | Legacy

Lindenwood finance professor Edward Morris presented his newly published book on Oct. 29 in Harmon Hall.

In his second book, “Wall Streeters: The Creators and Corruptors of American Finance,” published on Oct. 13 by Columbia University Press, Morris offers biographies of 14 men who changed Wall Street and American finance.

“I wanted to educate people on how Wall Street works by profiling people who really shaped it,” Morris said.

Through the storytelling of those 14 men’s lives, Morris addresses themes such as regulation or the lack of it, democratization, academics, and the fact that “Wall Street tends to take good ideas to excess”.

Morris stated the decision to write his book came from a class he taught during J-Term six years ago.

“It happened the fall 2008 when the financial crisis was really crescendoing,” he said.

“I thought ‘I’ll teach the J-Term course and enlighten the students on what Wall Street is about and on the financial crisis,” he said.

Morris said his book was intended for general readers. He said he wanted to “bring the subject [of finance and of Wall Street history] alive” and make it more pleasant for people to apprehend.

Dean of the Plaster School of Business and Entrepreneurship Roger Ellis said he believes Morris is the first professor in the business department to have got a book published. He added that having a published author as one of the school’s professors is beneficial.

“It sets us apart from other schools and shows our and Ed Morris’ commitment to researches,” Ellis said.

“Professor Morris can share what he has discovered through his writing and students can learn from him. It is a big plus.”