Includes bibliographical references and index.

Introduction – 2. The Spanish Banking Crisis of the 1970s and 1980s – 3. The Microeconomic Roots of the Banking Crises – 4. 'False Friends' and Banking Reform – 5. The Dynamics of Undisclosed Insolvency – 6. Obstacles to Crisis Resolution (Excerpts from "Clearing the Decks") – 7. The Financial Systems and the Ethics of Restructuring – 8. Liquidity and Euphoria – 9. The Recommended Option – 10. The Problems of the European Banking Union – 11. Stability and Its Risks – 12. Practical Lessons for Dealing with Problem Banks – 13. Non‑performing Loans: NPLs – 14. Whys and Wherefores of the Spanish Crisis – References and Index.

In this collection of writings spanning a 50-year career in central banking and international consulting, de Juan reflects on the recurring causes and consequences of financial crises—from poor lending and speculative behavior to systemic failures in regulation and supervision—and offers lessons gleaned from a lifetime of experience addressing banking crises worldwide.