This book is the epitome of understanding what money is. The late Rothbard captured the very essence of money from a free market perspective. Rather that confuse the reader with economic mumbo jumbo and charts and graphs, Rothbard leads the reader in a simple way to seeing that money is not confusing and not intimidating but a simple way to exchange our labor with the world.

The beginning chapters of the book teach you exactly what money is. Reading these chapters in just an hour or two is enough to make the book worthy of a purchase. Rothbard continues the rest of the book to teach the reader the mistakes government has made with money for 2 centuries — most of these mistakes have been very specific manipulations to mask the crimes and frauds that have plagued money for not just centuries but millenia.

Rothbard comes down hard on many accomplices in the destruction of wealth and value — the Federal Reserve, various executive and congressional politicians, economists and educators. He helps one realize that money is simple, and it is only when others try to make it complex can we see what their true intentions are: wealth transfer and power. His story is magnificent, and the first read of this book will not be your last. After reading it, many people I know went out and bought more copies for their children, their friends and their elders. They likely won’t put it down either.

Rothbard calls for a de-evolution in money — a return to money that can’t be manipulated, can’t be inflated by force, and can’t be used to control the lower and middle classes. His solution for fixing the money supply would also fix many of the economic and politican headaches we have all come to expect and just live with. Rothbard’s book was a life-changing event for me, more powerful than almost any other read, even though his words are simple and his thoughts are easy to understand for even the youngest reader.

If you don’t own it, this is a requirement. For those who purchase the book and don’t immediately love it, I offer to buy it back for the cost you paid including shipping. I have had this offer for 10 years and have only bought the book back once. The person I bought it from bought it back from me 3 years later.