Debt - Updated and Expanded

The First 5,000 Years

By: David Graeber

Narrated by: Grover Gardner

Length: 17 hrs and 48 mins

Publisher's summary

Now in audio, the updated and expanded edition: David Graeber's "fresh...fascinating...thought-provoking...and exceedingly timely" (Financial Times) history of debt.

Here, anthropologist David Graeber presents a stunning reversal of conventional wisdom: He shows that before there was money, there was debt. For more than 5,000 years, since the beginnings of the first agrarian empires, humans have used elaborate credit systems to buy and sell goods - that is, long before the invention of coins or cash. It is in this era, Graeber argues, that we also first encounter a society divided into debtors and creditors.

Graeber shows that arguments about debt and debt forgiveness have been at the center of political debates from Italy to China, as well as sparking innumerable insurrections. He also brilliantly demonstrates that the language of the ancient works of law and religion (words like "guilt", "sin", and "redemption") derive in large part from ancient debates about debt, and shape even our most basic ideas of right and wrong. We are still fighting these battles today without knowing it.

©2014 David Graeber (P)2015 Gildan Media LLC

Critic reviews

"Controversial and thought-provoking, an excellent book." (Booklist)

Great insights but theme is hard to follow

The beginning and end of the book are absolutely riveting. They present a highly original reexamination of fundamental economic, social and moral tenets that calls into question many near universal assumptions about human relationships and political organizations.

However the long middle of the book is an academic treatise on several historical societies. I'm sure the author has a clear vision of how these meandering surprises connect to the core theme of debt, but I found myself frequently unable to see their relevance. So that part of the book was a tedious slog for me.

I am going to try rereading it without the middle chapters to see if I can gain a better understanding of the main arguments of how debt relates to violence and social organization. I think there is an important message here.

Recommended

Very interesting material that is well presented. This book is te come Ed to anyone interested in the subject and is worth the time.

Reader

Would you listen to Debt - Updated and Expanded again? Why?

I have to listen again, because Grover Gardner read much too fast for me to grasp the important facts. I should really read the actual book. It would be worth the effort.

What was the most compelling aspect of this narrative?

The book contains important information for everyone who has ever or will borrow money or use a credit card.

Have you listened to any of Grover Gardner’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

First and last time for Grover Gardner as a narrator.

What’s the most interesting tidbit you’ve picked up from this book?

The war in Iraq was not about weapons of mass destruction but Husain's drive to use the Euro instead of the US dollar for OPEC transactions.

Good overall, but anti-capitalist at the end

The bulk of the book was very good. The author goes through the history and the story is very interesting and I though offered a good perspective. However the author is heavily anti-capitalist, and that starts to grate in the introduction and the last few chapters. If I had known the author was an occupy wall street activist I probably wouldn't have bought the book, but I would have missed out because the bulk of it was good. I'd recommend skipping the last two chapters if you don't want to sit through anti-capitalist rants though.

More to the book than I thought there'd be.

I work in finance and thought this would be an examination of the history of debt. But there is much more to it. It's also about the ethics, morals, anthropology, and economics of debt in the greater sense...over the past 5,000 years.

an excellent Anthro look into money and markets

it was an excellent book and told well. it provides an in depth look at money and markets with a fun black and red view

Fascinating.

I thought the book was great, a little slow at times. Narrator was great, well paced, good energy. Easy listen. Boom itself made me think about where we came from and how debt has formed the relationships we have with virtually everything. I really enjoyed it.

mind-blowing

I studied languages and history in college and Graeber's analysis there checks out. If the rest of his analysis is also true, this is a pretty important book to understanding money and economics.

incredibly damning stuff

this, this is very unsettling .
harrowing, and I dare say, pretty dang messed up.

Required Reading

Required reading for anyone who wants to fully understand the nature of money, currency, debt & exchange, as well as for history lovers and for those who want to learn more about the history of "the economy"