Blockchain Basics

A Non-Technical Introduction in 25 Steps

By: Daniel Drescher

Narrated by: Matthew Boston

Length: 7 hrs and 6 mins

Publisher's summary

In 25 concise steps, you will learn the basics of blockchain technology. No mathematical formulas, program code, or computer science jargon are used. No previous knowledge in computer science, mathematics, programming, or cryptography is required. Terminology is explained through analogies and metaphors. 

This audiobook bridges the gap that exists between purely technical guides about the blockchain and purely business-focused guides. It does so by explaining both the technical concepts that make up the blockchain and their role in business-relevant applications. 

What you'll learn: what the blockchain is; why it is needed and what problem it solves; why there is so much excitement about the blockchain and its potential; major components and their purpose; how various components of the blockchain work and interact; limitations, why they exist, and what has been done to overcome them; and major application scenarios. 

Who this audiobook is for: everyone who wants to get a general idea of what blockchain technology is, how it works, and how it will potentially change the financial system as we know it.

©2017 Daniel Drescher (P)2020 Gildan Media

Great Introduction or Review

This is a non-technical and comprehensive introduction to blockchain. It consists of twenty-five steps in five stages: 1) Terminology and Technical Foundations; 2) Why the Blockchain is Needed; 3) How the Blockchain Works; 4) Limitations and How to Overcome Them; and 5) Using the Blockchain, Summary, and Outlook. After having read a number of technical papers on blockchain several years ago, and also after having researched the topic at the request of my employer, I found this book to be a great review and expansion of my knowledge. Even though I listened to it as an audiobook, I was able to visualize all the diagrams. In addition to the author's clear technical explanations, I found his assessment of the current and future state of blockchain adoption to be very well thought out and credible.

a lot of good info

a lot of good info, but too many graphics being referenced in an audiobook

Good book, not so good audiobook

I was looking for a book to explain what blockchain was and this is exactly the level of detail I wanted. However, I would not recommend it as an audiobook. There are too many references to figures that you can't see. I thought there was a pdf that went with the audiobook but there doesn't seem to be. I also tried going to the author's website where there are additional materials, but not the figures from the book. When is Audible going to develop the capability to show images on the app as you're listening to a book? If I'm listening to a book with images, figures, tables, etc., I want to be able to glance down at my phone screen and see the image at the right spot in the audiobook through the app. I keep thinking this is going to happen, but a decade later it still hasn't happened!

great book but terrible audiobook

it references a document that you have no access to in the audiobook. it makes it very difficult to follow sometimes

A cylical read?

A cyclical read?

I just got done listening to this for the first time on Audible, 16:32:38 Wednesday the 5th of April 2023

It was a good read, honestly, I was going through so much at the time that I was not able to fully process everything. At some points, I felt like they were talking about the same topics over and over again. I think it is partially from knowing the basic concepts from other books, and maybe it was an editing issue where the same sentences were read over.

So dry, I had to punt!

Painfully dry! I hate to admit defeat, I couldn’t endure any more and had to quit.

Bad idea for an audiobook

Although the material itself seems to be fairly well covered, delivering it as an audiobook seems a mistake. The material seems very dry, painful to follow, and it’s filled with detailed references to figures that you would normally see in the printed version.