Andrew Ross Sorkin
He became the definitive chronicler of Wall Street's 2008 meltdown, turning complex financial drama into a bestselling book and film.
Born 1977 (age 49)·American journalist and author·Birthday: February 19·Generation X
Biography
Andrew Ross Sorkin didn't just report on finance; he built a multimedia empire that decoded high-stakes dealmaking for a mainstream audience. While still in college, he began contributing to The New York Times, displaying a precocious grasp of markets and power. His breakthrough came with 'Too Big to Fail,' a minute-by-minute narrative of the 2008 crisis that read like a thriller, cementing his reputation as a master financial storyteller. He leveraged that success into DealBook, his influential newsletter that became a must-read for executives and policymakers, and expanded his presence as a CNBC anchor. Sorkin's move into co-creating the drama series 'Billions' demonstrated his understanding that the real tension in finance is human, not just numerical.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Andrew was born in 1977, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Andrew Was Born
The biggest hits of 1977
#1 Movie
Star Wars
Best Picture
Annie Hall
#1 TV Show
Happy Days
Andrew's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1977Born
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1982Started school
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1990Became a teenager
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
1993Could drive
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
1995Could vote
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
1998Turned 21
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2007Turned 30
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2017Turned 40
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2026Age 49 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Authored the bestselling financial crisis narrative 'Too Big to Fail,' which was adapted into an HBO film.
- Founded and edits DealBook, a major financial news and analysis newsletter published by The New York Times.
- Co-created the hit Showtime television series 'Billions,' which explores themes of power and finance.
- Serves as a co-anchor of CNBC's flagship morning program 'Squawk Box.'
Did You Know?
He began writing for The New York Times as a college intern at the age of 19.
He played a cameo role as himself in the film 'The Other Guys.'
Sorkin was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for his coverage of Wall Street.
““The problem with a free market is that it requires regulation to be free.””
