Amid the swirling vortex of the most severe financial crisis since the Great Depression, "In Fed We Trust: Ben Bernanke's War on the Great Panic" by David Wessel offers a riveting exploration of the high-stakes gamble to save the global economy. Anchored by Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke's resolve to do "whatever it takes," this narrative unfolds as a dramatic account of how the shy academic, renowned for his expertise on the Great Depression, was thrust into the eye of an economic storm. With the world teetering on the brink of disaster, Bernanke's Federal Reserve spearheaded a monumental government intervention, unprecedented in scale since World War II, transforming the Fed into the de facto fourth branch of government—powerful, yet shrouded in mystery and operating beyond the immediate reach of voters' scrutiny. David Wessel, in illuminating the inner sanctum of the world's most influential financial institution, crafts a compelling narrative that is as educational as it is thrilling. The book delves deep into the frenetic pace of decision-making that required Bernanke to stretch the limits of the Fed's authority, navigating through legal and ethical gray areas in real time. Through gripping anecdotes and critical analysis, "In Fed We Trust" not only chronicles the Herculean efforts to avert a second Great Depression but also poses profound questions about the role of national economic institutions in global finance. It is a definitive account of leadership under pressure, of a narrowly avoided economic abyss, and of a reassessment of the guardianship of the American economy.