Niall Ferguson in his book, The Ascent of Money is a broad overview of financial history, ranging from the clay tokens of Ancient Mesopotamia 5,000 years ago to the hedge funds today. Ferguson examines the financial plot behind some of the major historical powers like ancient Mesopotamia, the Roman society, gold and silver in the civilization of the Incas, descriptions of financial families like the Medicis and the Rothchilds, and how they became banking dynasties. This book traces the genesis and evolution of the pillars of modern finance: currency, bonds, corporate stock, insurance, and real estate. It talks about the history behind how international finance got to its current position. Read it for an easily accessible and entertaining history of finance.
