Mary's Book Review: The Lords of Easy Money

Few would point to the Federal Reserve if you asked most people what factors have contributed to today's unprecedented levels of income inequality and financial instability. For much of its history, the media has hailed the Fed as a savior. When the economy thrived, it was credited to the Fed's actions; when the 2008 financial collapse occurred, the Fed was celebrated for pulling the economy back from the brink.

Now, a decade later, the consequences are clear: the wealth gap between the rich and poor has widened dramatically, inflation is surging, and the stock market is increasingly volatile, driven by cycles of boom, bust, and bailout. The middle class feels stuck in permanent stagnation, with wages failing to keep pace with rising prices while burdened with mounting credit card balances, student loans, and car loans. Meanwhile, the nation's biggest banks have only grown more powerful, and the wealthiest Americans continue to profit from a financial system that has been turbocharged to their benefit.