Michael Lewis’s new book travels through Europe exploring & comparing the cultural characteristics of 4 European countries that led to the current financial disaster. Watch the Daily Show, where Lewis discusses theory with Stewart.

How a country deals with (and possibly causes) a national crisis can tell you heaps about the cultural traits of that particular place- perhaps more so than the tour guides on your last pub crawl. According to Michael Lewis’s book, “Boomerang: Travels in the New Third World”, certain cultural characteristics may have caused certain countries to have to go on a serious ramen-noodle-eating budget.

The book, while strangely provocative,  is a somewhat lighthearted combination of  an ‘economic doomsday commentary’ and a modern-day show you might find on the Travel Channel. In his journey, he explores the cultures of Ireland, Iceland, Germany and Greece in the face of one of the greatest financial disasters of our time. What he finds is the possible connection between culture and crisis.

Watch his interview with comedian Jon Stewart. For the extended interview, click here.