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Economic books about money tend to feature on academic reading lists - rather than becoming bed-time reading.
But Money - A story of Humanity by Irish economist David McWilliams explains how coins have shaped civilisation throughout the ages via King Midas and Darwin.
He tells the story by tracking developments: from 18,000 BC, through the Dutch tulip mania in the 1630s, and Hitler's planned attempt to destroy the British economy through airdrops of counterfeit banknotes.
David McWilliam has worked for the Irish Central Bank, UBS, and Banque Nationale de Paris and is also a writer and journalist, economic commentator and podcaster.
He is in Christchurch next week to appear at the literary festival WORD an speaks to Kathryn Ryan.
