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Private Finance, Public Power: A History of Bank Supervision in the United States, by economic historians Peter Conti-Brown and Sean Vanatta, offers an illuminating journey through the evolution of American financial regulation and its profound implications for public policy. In this meticulously researched work, the authors trace the development of U.S. supervisory frameworks—ranging from early efforts to impose private liability on bank shareholders to the complex oversight systems that govern modern banking today. The book reveals how the U.S. has cultivated a distinct model of financial governance, one shaped by dynamic tensions between private interests and public authority. By weaving together historical narrative and policy analysis, Conti-Brown and Vanatta shed light on the ways institutional design has influenced stability, growth, and the public trust in finance. Their insights resonate deeply in our current era of renewed scrutiny around the role of banks, regulation, and financial resilience.