The Ascent of Money

A Financial History of the World

De: Niall Ferguson

Narrado por: Simon Prebble

Duración: 11 h y 27 m

Resumen del Editor

Niall Ferguson follows the money to tell the human story behind the evolution of finance, from its origins in ancient Mesopotamia to the latest upheavals on what he calls Planet Finance.

Bread, cash, dosh, dough, loot, lucre, moolah, readies, the wherewithal: Call it what you like, it matters. To Christians, love of it is the root of all evil. To generals, it's the sinews of war. To revolutionaries, it's the chains of labor. But in The Ascent of Money, Niall Ferguson shows that finance is in fact the foundation of human progress. What's more, he reveals financial history as the essential back story behind all history.

Through Ferguson's expert lens familiar historical landmarks appear in a new and sharper financial focus. Suddenly, the civilization of the Renaissance looks very different: a boom in the market for art and architecture made possible when Italian bankers adopted Arabic mathematics. The rise of the Dutch republic is reinterpreted as the triumph of the world's first modern bond market over insolvent Habsburg absolutism. And the origins of the French Revolution are traced back to a stock market bubble caused by a convicted Scot murderer.

©2008 Niall Ferguson (P)2008 Tantor

Financial History - Clear and simple

If you’re interested in understanding finance, this is a helpful read on our financial history. It marches through time reviewing and explaining major events from thousands of years ago all the way to today. The premise was highly informative and relevant, but not necessarily too complex. It’s a very informative history of finance - nothing more, nothing less.

Informative book; too many author opinions

Any additional comments?

The author offers an interesting profile, literally, of the history of money. Tracing its historical 'development

Covers Money and Finance

I thought this book was straying away from the history of money proper and into international and national finance instead (then I reread the title).

The best sections for me were the sections I was least informed in - the speculation games that stock, real estate, and currency speculators play (personally I pictured clueless beasts who, being clueless, had nothing better to do, and who thought they were being clever). I did enjoy the history of money - it complimented the other books I've listened to by covering different ground with different anecdotes with different perspectives.. No one book on the topic will cover everything adequately. This book made a good contribution.

Decent book on money policy history

I enjoyed Ferguson's Civilization more but this was still a good read on the history of money and money policy up to the depths of the financial crash of 2008.

Need to know!

To understad todays economy system and how it effekt us all. Also to see the one sided view of money as the only important tving. How we are brainwashed!

Very good book.

I love history, but my new favorite is the history of money. very interesting stuff.

A good overview of financial concepts and history

Would you listen to The Ascent of Money again? Why?

Sure, it was an interesting listen. Makes you a bit more aware of all the background of the financial world.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Ascent of Money?

Not really sure if there was a "memorable" part, but the accounts of how leveraged people and cities become in the past and the rates at which returns are given is a bit mind-boggling.

What does Simon Prebble bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I think there's a continued interest in listening to books like this rather than reading them. Sometimes the concepts on paper don't seem as interesting as someone vocalizing it.

good work and summary

like a poet trapped in his own words and phrases, this must be deciphered to be understood by the non_intellectuals. perhaps he author could ask a friend to put simply each chapter into a page without the flowers and wallpaper (grin)

Very insightful

I have only one complaint for this work. There was not enough. Excellent overview of the rise of the banking industry. I would love to see a follow up that includes the reaction of government in the aftermath of 2008, the rise of crypto and the breakdown of global trade in the aftermath of Covid.

Must read historical text

This book is a must read for anyone who wants to understand the evolution of capitalism and the role it has played in shaping modern geopolitics