Mr. Bernstein has turned this story - not an obvious golden opportunity for even a writer of Mr. Bernstein"s skill - into a real page-turner. The Wall Street Journal Bernstein"s volume is a tour de force with a satisfying conclusion: The characters in this drama prove themselves "fools for gold, chasing an illusion." Business Week This book is an eloquent, brilliantly written historical review of how gold has influenced the evolution of monetary systems and trade, from early civilizations to the present day. Bernstein succeeds in presenting an enormous amount of research in a format as easy to read and as captivating as the best murder mystery. Risk magazine