<p>I highly recommend the following books on municipal finance, with a strong focus on municipal bonds:</p>

<ol>
<li><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20814015-encyclopedia-of-municipal-bonds" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Encyclopedia of Municipal Bonds</a> (Joe Mysak), despite the name a small book with quick overviews of almost all major topics in municipal finance. </li>
<li><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4195886-the-handbook-of-municipal-bonds" rel="nofollow noreferrer">The Handbook of Municipal Bonds</a> (various authors, a collection of essays), a more detailed and technical volume to build on after reading Mysaks' shorter encyclopedia. </li>
<li><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2048821.The_Fundamentals_of_Municipal_Bonds?ac=1&amp;from_search=true&amp;qid=2yNwm5WxYF&amp;rank=1" rel="nofollow noreferrer">The Fundamentals of Municipal Bonds</a> (<a href="http://www.msrb.org/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">MSRB</a>), a short technical volume on the municipal bond market. Filled with useful charts and statistics.  </li>
</ol>

<p>For color on the evolution of the municipal market, through the lens of major municipal defaults, I recommend:</p>

<ol>
<li><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32191746-detroit-resurrected?ac=1&amp;from_search=true&amp;qid=u4JguZmIcK&amp;rank=1" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Detroit Resurrected: To Bankruptcy and Back</a>.  </li>
<li><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26792268-fear-city?from_search=true&amp;qid=qOXUG23dh0&amp;rank=4" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Fear City: New York's Fiscal Crisis and the Rise of Austerity Politics</a>. I preferred the Detroit one if you are only going to read one.</li>
</ol>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-03-03T19:04:34.147Z
Thank you so much for the great resources
Conrad G
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-03-03T18:49:09.643Z
2020-03-03T19:27:12.783Z
2020-03-03T19:27:12.783Z
BKay
<p><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4442632-the-guide-to-municipal-bonds" rel="nofollow noreferrer">The Guidebook to Municipal Bonds: The History, the Industry, the Mechanics</a> (1991) by George J. Malvin</p>

<p>The Tax Policy Center Briefing Book on <a href="https://www.taxpolicycenter.org/briefing-book/what-are-municipal-bonds-and-how-are-they-used" rel="nofollow noreferrer">The State of State (and Local) Tax Policy</a> might be a good place to call.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-02-07T13:13:11.197Z
2020-03-04T15:23:14.303Z
2020-03-04T15:23:14.303Z
Mike J
<p>Does anyone have a good book on the <strong>history of Muni Bonds</strong> that focuses on the reasons why they grew in popularity, adoption, and gov policy souring them. </p>

<p><strong>Background on why I need this info</strong></p>

<p>I am writing a paper for my college history class, titled when wall street met main street. We are allowed to self select a topic and I chose to focus on the change in  the bond markets and that relationship with the public.</p>

<p>What I think could be a great topic is the rise <strong>lease revenue bonds</strong> for funding prisons, and how this has played out.</p>

<reference-request><bonds><history>
History of Municipal Bonds
Conrad G
# History of Municipal Bonds

(Asked by: username_0 on 2019-02-07)

Does anyone have a good book on the **history of Muni Bonds** that focuses on the reasons why they grew in popularity, adoption, and gov policy souring them.

**Background on why I need this info**

I am writing a paper for my college history class, titled when wall street met main street. We are allowed to self select a topic and I chose to focus on the change in the bond markets and that relationship with the public.

What I think could be a great topic is the rise **lease revenue bonds** for funding prisons, and how this has played out.

**Tags:** reference-request, bonds, history


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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2020-03-03. Score: 2 | Accepted answer

I highly recommend the following books on municipal finance, with a strong focus on municipal bonds:

1. [Encyclopedia of Municipal Bonds](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20814015-encyclopedia-of-municipal-bonds) (Joe Mysak), despite the name a small book with quick overviews of almost all major topics in municipal finance.
2. [The Handbook of Municipal Bonds](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4195886-the-handbook-of-municipal-bonds) (various authors, a collection of essays), a more detailed and technical volume to build on after reading Mysaks' shorter encyclopedia.
3. [The Fundamentals of Municipal Bonds](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2048821.The_Fundamentals_of_Municipal_Bonds?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=2yNwm5WxYF&rank=1) ([MSRB](http://www.msrb.org/)), a short technical volume on the municipal bond market. Filled with useful charts and statistics.

For color on the evolution of the municipal market, through the lens of major municipal defaults, I recommend:

1. [Detroit Resurrected: To Bankruptcy and Back](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32191746-detroit-resurrected?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=u4JguZmIcK&rank=1).
2. [Fear City: New York's Fiscal Crisis and the Rise of Austerity Politics](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26792268-fear-city?from_search=true&qid=qOXUG23dh0&rank=4). I preferred the Detroit one if you are only going to read one.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Thank you so much for the great resources  

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### Answer by username_2 on 2019-02-07. Score: 2

[The Guidebook to Municipal Bonds: The History, the Industry, the Mechanics](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4442632-the-guide-to-municipal-bonds) (1991) by George J. Malvin

The Tax Policy Center Briefing Book on [The State of State (and Local) Tax Policy](https://www.taxpolicycenter.org/briefing-book/what-are-municipal-bonds-and-how-are-they-used) might be a good place to call.


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