A Splendid Exchange

How Trade Shaped the World

By: William J. Bernstein

Narrated by: Mel Foster

Adam Smith wrote that man has an intrinsic "propensity to truck, barter, and exchange one thing for another". But how did trade evolve to the point where we don't think twice about biting into an apple from the other side of the world?

In A Splendid Exchange, William J. Bernstein tells the extraordinary story of global commerce from its prehistoric origins to the myriad controversies surrounding it today. He transports listeners from ancient sailing ships that brought the silk trade from China to Rome in the second century to the rise and fall of the Portuguese monopoly in spices in the 16th; from the rush for sugar that brought the British to Jamaica in 1655 to the American trade battles of the early 20th century; from key innovations such as steam, steel, and refrigeration to the modern era of televisions from Taiwan, lettuce from Mexico, and T-shirts from China.

Along the way, Bernstein examines how our age-old dependency on trade has contributed to our planet's agricultural bounty, stimulated intellectual progress, and made us both prosperous and vulnerable. Although the impulse to trade often takes a backseat to xenophobia and war, Bernstein concludes that trade is ultimately a force for good among nations, and he argues that societies are far more successful and stable when they are involved in vigorous trade with their neighbors.

Lively, authoritative, and astonishing in scope, A Splendid Exchange is a riveting narrative that views trade and globalization not in political terms, but rather as an evolutionary process as old as war and religion - a historical constant - that will continue to foster the growth of intellectual capital, shrink the world, and propel the trajectory of the human species.

©2008 William J. Bernstein (P)2008 Tantor

Critic reviews

"The book is not just essential reading; it is fun all the way." (Peter L. Bernstein, author of Against the Gods)
"Bernstein has given us a master's insights into the past to help us understand an issue of deep divisions in the present age." (Sara Bongiorni, author of A Year without 'Made in China')

Narrator sounds like a computer generated voice

Is there anything you would change about this book?

It is a shame that such a well written book is read by such an awful narrator. It sounds like this book is read by a computer generated voice with unexplained pauses and lack of emotion.

Would you be willing to try another one of Mel Foster’s performances?

No

Could you see A Splendid Exchange being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be?

Very information book but not movie material.

Very interesting information but.....

Any additional comments?

..... not given in the most compelling manner. The authurs could have spiced it up a little bit and the narraction could have been of higher dramatic quality, but overall I recommend this audiobook to the layman interested in world history and to those who believe that wars are fought for anything except money.

Five stars for text, Two stars for narration

The book is very interesting. It adds a new dimension to history, making it very personal and believable. As for the narration, the reader is frequently so mechanical that it sounds like it could be computer speech. Very disappointing.

Extremely thought provoking

This book is eye opening and answered many questions that every educated person should understand: why free trade is the best option we have and how to handle the side effects correctly

Awesome!

Fantastic book. You get a very clear view of how trade had influenced history. Very refreshing way to see history, separated from kings and wars. The perspective it offers about commerce and trade in the Indian Ocean is eye opening, particularly for those used to an eurocentric view of the world