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Money

A Story of Humanity

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Money

By: David McWilliams
Narrated by: David McWilliams
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About this listen

 *AS HEARD ON RADIO 4 BOOK OF THE WEEK*

THE INTERNATIONAL #1 BESTSELLER
SHORTLISTED FOR THE AN POST IRISH BOOK AWARDS 2024 NON-FICTION BOOK OF THE YEAR
A WATERSTONES NON-FICTION BOOK OF THE YEAR 2024
A 2024 BOOK OF THE YEAR IN THE OBSERVER, ECONOMIST, FINANCIAL TIMES AND PROSPECT

‘A breathtaking, expansive and imaginative ride through the history and future of money from an author who truly understands it’ PROFESSOR BRIAN COX

‘Exceptional’ FINANCIAL TIMES

​‘A cracking book that is as enjoyable as it is readable’ PETER FRANKOPAN

‘Equally entertaining and insightful’ YANIS VAROUFAKIS
_______________________________________________________
MONEY.
The object of our desires.
The engine of our genius.
Humanity’s greatest invention.
From clay tablets in Mesopotamia to today’s cryptocurrency, global economist David McWilliams takes us on an epic journey of innovation, disruption and transformation that is an astonishing new history of our species.
The question is, over 5,000 years, have we changed money – or has money changed us?
_______________________________________________________

‘A fun history of money told through the stories of the chancers, cheats, scoundrels and geniuses who made it happen’ KATIE MARTIN
‘An impressive journey that fizzes with facts’ ECONOMIST

‘An eye-opening history of what makes the world go round’ EVENING STANDARD

‘Compelling, funny and original’ KATJA HOYER

‘If, as David McWilliams complains, economists take the fun out of money, then he is the exception that proves the rule: a man who could not write a boring sentence if he tried’ TOM HOLLAND Economic History Economics World Thought-Provoking Money Inspiring Imperialism Ancient History Taxation Socialism Capitalism

Critic reviews

‘A hugely ambitious, insightful and readable account of our relationship with money' (Felix Martin)
‘A cracking book that is as enjoyable as it is readable’

(Peter Frankopan, author of 'The Silk Roads')
‘An eye-opening history of what makes the world go round’
'If, as David McWilliams complains, economists take the fun out of money, then he is the exception that proves the rule: a man who could not write a boring sentence if he tried, and who, in this brilliantly informative and entertaining book, has done his subject splendid justice' (Tom Holland)
‘A breathtaking, expansive and imaginative ride through the history and future of Money from an author who truly understands it. If, like me, you’ve never quite figured out where money comes from or even what it is, this is the book for you’

(Professor Brian Cox)
'Equally entertaining and insightful' (Yanis Varoufakis)
‘A tour de force of economic history that manages to be erudite, authoritative and engaging . . . After reading this, you will never look at your bank account in the same way again’

(Gillian Tett)
'Pacey chapters make for a series of entertaining – and at times irreverent – tales which relay a story of money that we all should know!' (Linda Yueh, author of The Great Crashes: Lessons from Global Meltdowns and How to Prevent Them)
‘David McWilliams is the best explainer of economics I know. Here he explains the world through money, and it’s fantastically entertaining. He's the kind of writer who makes you feel clever, because he helps you grasp things you never understood before’ (Simon Kuper, author of 'Chums: How a Tiny Caste of Oxford Tories took over the UK')
‘A timely, fascinating account of how money has powered life on our planet from Ireland’s superstar economist. Money is so often shrouded in secrecy and manipulated by forces we barely understand, so it’s refreshing to read a book that traces our relationship with it with such healthy irreverence!’ (Mariella Frostrup)
‘McWilliams is charismatic, free flowing, unflaggingly engaging’ (Fintan O’Toole)
‘McWilliams has a great knack for bringing a complex economics story to life. He is also funny. In economics, that's a rare and persuasive combination’
‘Compelling, funny and original. If there's one person who can turn an economic history of the world into a page turner, it's David McWilliams'
(Katja Hoyer, author of Beyond the Wall)
'A fun history of money told through the stories of the chancers, cheats, scoundrels and geniuses through the ages who made it happen' (Katie Martin, columnist at the Financial Times)
All stars
Most relevant
David McWilliams has a wonderful, relaxed conversational style that amplifies the clever narrative. He weaves storytelling, history and personality into what would otherwise be a complex topic.

Witty and engaging

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David McWilliams has been blessed with a silky voice that makes money - I wish he would give up being an economist and start reading other books! AND, more importantly, he has been blessed with the ability to explain complex things simply. And of all the complex things, money and the economy probably takes the top prize. For that alone, McWilliams deserves 5 stars for his audiobook, and probably much more.

I have spent a couple of weeks dipping in and out of this audiobook. Not because it was too dense, but because it sparked within me so much insight and revelation about how our world came to be. Admittedly, I am a history nerd so hearing the story of money was particularly fascinating to me. However, regardless of your interest in history, we live in a world full of tricksters and thieves. So if you ever wanted to feel confident to understand when and how to use your money, this is the perfect foundation.

Thank you David! I will be starting your podcast right away.

I finally understand money!

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David McWilliams unique blend of storytelling and economics paints a very enjoyable examination of the origins and evolution of money.

Fascinating perspective and captivating stories

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Easy to listen to and a great book to deep dive into the history of money and how it has changed over the years, from the very beginning to the present.

Fantastic insights into the history of money

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A clear conscience understanding of how the game is played, and how we got to this point; and has changed my view about money almost completely, so more comfortable playing the game through an altered perspective. However, still firmly believe in my own observations in life that all money is, is just permission; a simple yes or no, with an infinite number of grey areas in between! Thank you David for eradicating a little bit of ignorance in the world, always a good thing.

Not just a must read, but a must understand!

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