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  • Naked Money

  • A Revealing Look at What It Is and Why It Matters
  • By: Charles Wheelan
  • Narrated by: Jonathan Davis
  • Length: 13 hrs and 11 mins
  • 4.6 out of 5 stars (51 ratings)
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Naked Money

By: Charles Wheelan
Narrated by: Jonathan Davis
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Summary

Consider the $20 bill. It has no more value, as a simple slip of paper, than Monopoly money. Yet even children recognize that tearing one into small pieces is an act of inconceivable stupidity. What makes a $20 bill actually worth $20?

In the third volume of his best-selling Naked series, Charles Wheelan uses this seemingly simple question to open the door to the surprisingly colorful world of money and banking. The search for an answer triggers countless other questions along the way: Why does paper money (fiat currency, if you want to be fancy) even exist? And why do some nations, like Zimbabwe in the 1990s, print so much of it that it becomes more valuable as toilet paper than as currency? How do central banks use the power of money creation to stop financial crises? Why does most of Europe share a common currency, and why has that arrangement caused so much trouble? And will payment apps, bitcoin, or other new technologies render all of this moot?

In Naked Money, Wheelan tackles all of the above and more, showing us how our banking and monetary systems should work in ideal situations and revealing the havoc and suffering caused in real situations by inflation, deflation, illiquidity, and other monetary effects. Throughout, Wheelan's uniquely bright-eyed, whimsical style brings levity and clarity to a subject often devoid of both. With illuminating stories from Argentina, Zimbabwe, North Korea, America, China, and elsewhere around the globe, Wheelan demystifies the curious world behind the paper in our wallets and the digits in our bank accounts.

©2016 Charles Wheelan (P)2016 Audible, Inc.

What listeners say about Naked Money

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Excellent listen

Clear and lively explanation of what money is, what money isn't, how its used and the essential work of central banks. Good overview of monetary policy responses to the crashes of 1929 and 2008, and even a chapter on bitcoin. First class.

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3 people found this helpful

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Great content

This is my second reading of the book and I love it.
As someone who has never formally studied economics but finds it fascinating this strikes the balance between intelligent and fun

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3 people found this helpful

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Great

Great content, great narration. Naked Money, Naked Economics and Naked Statistics are full of great content and they all compliment each other.

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Very good, indeed

I like the author's style and the examples he utilizes are very good indeed. I am not working in finances and some parts of this book were a bit challenging for me but I learnt a lot about the money - I believe it will be somehow helpful at the decisions regarding my own finances.

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  • 27-12-22

enjoyable introduction to money/curreny

A fantastic explanation of how money works, building up every concept from very simple primative forms of currency to super complex monetary policies by central banks. Why things are the way they are, what the gold standard is and is not, the pros and cons of pegging any currency to gold, or anything else.

The first 80% of the book is easy to understand and can be listened to fairly casually, the last 20% is rather more detailed and really needs your full attention to grasp the concepts properly. Still a fantastic and enjoyable introduction to the functions of money in economies around the world.

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Money... makes my head spin round

A really useful, interesting, & informative overview, surprisingly easy to listen too! A topic so rarely talked about and something that is exploited by politicians the world over in justifying fiscal policy.

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Informative and Entertaining

I’m so glad I stumbled upon this book. It explains money and the financial system with humorous, witty analogies that made me laugh whilst being educated at the same time.

It has made me think in a different way about the system having previously listened to other books on money that are more critical of leaving the gold standard, whilst this book explains the benefits of fiat currencies and the central banks having control and flexibility.

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