Biz journalist Lewis to speak at Princeton commencement

Michael Lewis, the well-known financial journalist and Bloomberg News columnist, will be the commencement speaker for Princeton in June 2012.

He is the second business journalist to be named a 2012 commencement speaker. New York Times business columnist James Stewart will speak at the DePauw commencement.

Ellie Wilkinson of the Daily Princetonian writes, “Lewis is someone who ‘profoundly understands both life as a Princeton student and the drastic changes that transform our society today,’ Li wrote in the email.

“‘He’s one of the most formidable financial journalists of our time,’ Li said, explaining why Lewis topped the list of options for Baccalaureate speakers. Yet Lewis understands not only finance but also ‘what it’s like to be us because oftentimes the speakers are those who resonate most profoundly with us,’ she added.

“At Princeton, Lewis studied art history and was a member of Ivy Club. After graduating with a degree in art and archaeology, he attended the London School of Economics, where he received a master’s degree. He then went to work for the investment bank Salomon Brothers.

“Lewis’ diverse experiences led him to write ‘Liar’s Poker: Rising Through the Wreckage on Wall Street’ — an insider’s account of his four years at the firm —  in which he described experiences ranging from his training to his years as a bond trader. When Lewis began writing ‘Liar’s Poker,’ he left Wall Street and committed to writing full-time. The book was published in 1989 and stayed on The New York Times bestseller list for 62 weeks.”

Read more here.