Up next afterward is RAZZMATAZZ, by Christopher Moore. Its the sequel to NOIR.

Interesting that they kept some names the same in the movie (e.g. Michael Burry, Danny Moses, Vinny Daniel) but changed others (e.g. Steve Eisman became Mark Baum, Greg Lippmann became Jared Vennett, Charlie Ledley became Charlie Geller).

The book's details are fascinating and outrageous in equal measure.

Edited to add: one of the best scenes in the film faithfully recounts one of my favourite incidents in the book, which is when (Deutsche Bank bond trader) Lippmann arranges for Eisman's hedgefund team (who are growing sceptical they have been suckered in buying credit default swaps, an instrument that makes them short a vast sum of subprime-mortgage-backed bonds) to sit at a habachi table with a CDO manager -- one of the people essentially on the other end of their short. It ends with Eisman incredulous at the man's ego and stupidity and telling Lippman, "Whatever that guy is buying, I want to short it... I want to short his paper. Sight unseen."

The book contrasts the careers and leadership styles of the four admirals and how they battled the Japanese, their British Allies, Douglas MacArthur's ego, and their own various personalities. There was plenty of friction to go around.

A very good read so far. I can see how it won the Samuel Eliot Morison Award for Naval Literature back when it was published in 2012.

Finished the Hobbit about a week ago and then jumped into this story that I truly love. I would be lying to you if I told you I could remember how many times I’ve read LOTR but at one point in my life I read it annually.

The series started way back in 1983 and Collins still seems to be going strong. Good thing too, as most of my favorite "old guard" mystery writers aren't publishing very often nowadays.