Welcome to my proof of work book club! Since it’s a bear market right now. I thought it practical to go back and read some books written from previous cycles.
First things first, get a library card! Nearly all these books are available at my library via hardback, eBook, or audio book. In addition, most libraries let you rent video games, ipads, board games, and all sorts of other media. What are you waiting for?! Get a library card.
Digital Gold
Bitcoin and the Inside Story of the Misfits and Millionaires Trying to Reinvent Money
Popper, 2015
As the title suggests, this book focuses on the first adopters of bitcoin that helped shape the crypto landscape. Each chapter of the book tells a piece of bitcoin history through the lens of various early influences that include Hal Finney, Charlie Shrem, Winklesvoss twins, Gavin Andresen, Jed McCaleb, Ross Ulbricht, and the legendary Satoshi_Nakamoto.
If bitcoin was a miracle born from math and libertarian values, it was definitely raised by a variety degenerate parents. These caretakers ranged from a harmless computer scientist to an unintentional drug kingpin. From Bitcoin’s humble beginning in forums to its huge collapse in the Mt. Gox hack, the author paints a vivid picture of the euphoria and suffering caused by bitcoin. Several of the Stories I had actually never heard before. Did you know the Winklevoss twins purposely put in the order to put the BTC market cap past 1billion? Or that Mt. Gox was originally an acronym for Magic the Gathering Online exchange? Though the book bounces around from person to person, it is very cohesive and stays in chronological order. The author provides an easy read because it avoids any technical and programming jargon. Thus, you aren’t going to gain a comprehensive understanding of the bitcoin from reading it.
Conclusion:
This is the book I would recommend if you are looking for an interesting history of BTC, but don’t want to get overwhelmed by the technical aspects. It would be a good book to recommend to a family member that wanted to dip their toes in the crypto pond. I give it a 19/21 or a 19m out of 21m.
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