Review of Jack Cashill’s Popes & Bankers
“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” – George Santayana
Truer words were never spoken, especially on the topic of credit and debt. In Jack Cashill’s Popes & Bankers: A Cultural History of Credit and Debt, from Aristotle to AIG, Cashill educates, entertains and enlightens the readers with numerous historical stories about the progression of credit and debt starting with Aristotle and ending with the epic failure of AIG.
This must read book will give everyone a new perspective on the history of credit, debt, and finance. If you want to know how we got into this most recent crisis, this book will not only explain that but also the thousands of years that led up to it. I could not believe how many times history has repeated itself. The most in depth parts of the book dealt with American financial history and the chapters about the foundation of the Federal Reserve and J.P. Morgan were especially interesting.
This book is incredibly well written and researched. Cashill’s style, though he utilizes his massive vocabulary, is easy to read and understand. This book is for both finance buffs and history buffs. I enjoyed every chapter and back story.
