#1878

Mentioned in 15 episodes

The ascent of money

A Financial History of the World

Book • 2008

In 'The Ascent of Money', Niall Ferguson explores the human story behind the evolution of finance, from the origins of money in ancient Mesopotamia to the latest financial upheavals.

Ferguson argues that finance is the foundation of human progress and reveals financial history as the essential backstory behind all history.

The book covers key financial institutions and concepts, such as the invention of banking, the development of bonds and stock markets, and the role of insurance and real estate.

It also delves into the impact of financial systems on historical events and the recurring theme that every financial bubble eventually bursts.

Mentioned by

Anthony Scaramucci

Anthony Scaramucci

Sheldon Solomon

Mentioned in 15 episodes

Recommended by

Lex Fridman

as a great book on the history of money.

#94 – Ilya Sutskever: Deep Learning

Recommended by

Lex Fridman

as a great book on the history of money and cryptocurrency.

#73 – Andrew Ng: Deep Learning, Education, and Real-World AI

Mentioned by

Lex Fridman

in the introduction, highlighting Niall Ferguson's prolific writing on various historical topics.

#239 – Niall Ferguson: History of Money, Power, War, and Truth

Mentioned by

Lex Fridman

when discussing Niall Ferguson's book on the history of money.

#239 – Niall Ferguson: History of Money, Power, War, and Truth

Mentioned by

Lacy Hunt

as a world's greatest economic historian.

Lacy Hunt: The Economy Is "Far Worse" Than Wall Street Thinks. Recession Odds Are Actually Over 50%

Recommended by

Lex Fridman

as a great book on the history of money.

#82 – Simon Sinek: Leadership, Hard Work, Optimism and the Infinite Game

Mentioned by

Sheldon Solomon

in the context of economic cycles and creative destruction.

#117 – Sheldon Solomon: Death and Meaning

Recommended by

Ben Shapiro

as a great read for those interested in finance.

An Unfiltered Conversation With Ben Shapiro: The Trump Economy, Corruption, and Fake News

Recommended by

Lex Fridman

for its insights into the history of money.

#102 – Steven Pressfield: The War of Art

Recommended by

Lex Fridman

as a great book on the history of money and cryptocurrency.

#77 – Alex Garland: Ex Machina, Devs, Annihilation, and the Poetry of Science

Mentioned by

Lex Fridman

as a book he listened to on Audible.

#169 – Ryan Hall: Solving Martial Arts from First Principles

Mentioned by

Lex Fridman

as a great history about money.

#159 – Richard Craib: WallStreetBets, Numerai, and the Future of Stock Trading

Mencionado por

Bruno Coutinho

como um livro que o ajudou a entender a função social do mercado financeiro.

#182 | COMO OS EVANGÉLICOS PODEM DECIDIR O FUTURO POLÍTICO DO BRASIL?

Mentioned by

Anthony Scaramucci

when discussing the tenants of money.

#217 Anthony Scaramucci: If I'm Right, Bitcoin Will Be Worth 10X From Where It Is Today

Recommended by

David Mytton

for its insights into the evolution of the economic system and the lessons of boom and bust.

GTM Insights from Top DevTool companies w/ David Mytton #207

Mentioned by

Niall Ferguson

when discussing the financial crisis of 2008 and his research on subprime mortgages.

American Decline Is a Choice. Let's Not Choose It.

Recommended by

Luke Boyenger

as a financial history of the world, from painted seashells to digital currency.

316: How This CFO Spots Failing Businesses in 5 Minutes ft. Luke Boyenger

Mentioned by

Anthony Scaramucci

when recommending some of historian Neil Ferguson's books.

September 2025 Q&A - Work-Life Balance, Working in the White House & Biggest Regrets

Mentioned by

Stewart Alsop

as he prepares to write a book about the history of businesses.

Episode #481: From Rothschilds to Robinhood: Cycles of Finance and Control

Mentioned by

Mike Ippolito

while discussing the evolution of currency markets and business models in TradFi and crypto.

The Future of RWAs and ETHs Store of Value Narrative

The AI-powered Podcast Player

Save insights by tapping your headphones, chat with episodes, discover the best highlights - and more!

App store banner

Play store banner