"Contrary to widespread perception, real estate is no different than any other financial asset-its value can plunge. This program examines the volatility of property investment and the ramifications of buying and selling bulk mortgages and mortgage-backed securities. Beginning with an example from British history, scholar Niall Ferguson discusses the fate of the 2nd Duke of Buckingham, whose vast holdings were bound up in a severe 19th-century property-values crash. Refocusing on Detroit, Memphis, and other American locales, Ferguson draws links between corporate myopia, banking scandals, and the vision of an "ownership society." Microfinance in the developing world is also explored."--Container.