THE POWER OF GOLD

Gold has been worshipped, coveted and fought for throughout the history of human civilization. The universal attraction of gold has been the source of death, destruction, beauty and cruelty - from rapacity to rectitude, myth to truth, monetary standards to mystical symbols. Gold has been worshipped over so many centuries, has served as the ultimate form of wealth and has bedecked both the icons of the gods as well as the most beautiful woman in history. Humans have risked their lives to mine it from the most uncomfortable corners of the earth and destroyed whole civilizations to obtain it. In the narrative style of his bestseller Against the Gods, Peter Bernstein reveals a record of human nature in the ubiquity of gold. From mines to myths, worship to war, museums to financial markets, the role of gold has been engraved in the annals of human civilization. The richly-woven drama of human life is revealed in the ways people have behaved around this precious metal. Incorporating the legends of kingdoms and tribes, journeys and societies, Bernstein tells the story of how human beings have become intoxicated, obsessed, enriched, impoverished, humble, and proud for the sake of gold. From the past to the future, Bernstein's portrayal of gold is intimately linked to the character of humankind.

The new edition of this bestselling book reveals a record of human nature in the ubiquity of gold In this exciting book, the late Peter L. Bernstein tells the story of history's most coveted, celebrated, and inglorious asset: gold. From the ancient fascinations of Moses and Midas through the modern convulsions caused by the gold standard and its aftermath, gold has led many of its most eager and proud possessors to a bad end. And while the same cycle of obsession and desperation may reverberate in today's fast-moving, electronically-driven markets, the role of gold in shaping human history is the striking feature of this tumultuous tale. Such is the power of gold. Whether it is Egyptian pharaohs with depraved tastes, the luxury-mad survivors of the Black Death, the Chinese inventor of paper money, the pirates on the Spanish Main, or the hardnosed believers in the international gold standard, gold has been the supreme possession. It has been an icon for greed and an emblem of rectitude, as well as a vehicle for vanity and a badge of power that has shaped the destiny of humanity through the ages. Discusses the beginnings of gold as something with magical, religious, and artistic qualities and follows its trail as we progress to the invention of coinage, the transformation of gold into money, and the gold standard Other bestselling books by the late Peter Bernstein: Against the Gods, Capital Ideas, and Capital Ideas Evolving Contemplates gold from the diverse perspectives of monarchs and moneyers, potentates and politicians, men of legendary wealth and others of more plebeian beginnings Far more than a tale of romantic myths, daring explorations, and the history of money and power struggles, The Power of Gold suggests that the true significance of this infamous element may lie in the timeless passions it continues to evoke, and what this reveals about ourselves.