Synopses & Reviews
With the wry and admiring eye of a modern Tocqueville, Jason Goodwin gives us a biography of the dollar and the story of its astonishing career through the wilds of American history. Looking at the dollar over the years as a form of art, a kind of advertising, and a reflection of American attitudes, Goodwin delves into folklore and the development of printing, investigates wildcats and counterfeiters, explains why a buck is a buck and how Dixie got its name. Bringing together an array of quirky detail and often hilarious anecdote, Goodwin tells the story of America through its most beloved product.
Review
"Splendidly entertaining, fast-paced, and revelatory. . . Goodwin, who possesses the gift of concision and an impious eye for character, is a master at weaving together monetary theory and historical anecdote." --
The Boston Globe"A fanciful and charming meditation on money and the role it plays in our society, history, and culture. . .[Written] with flair, anecdote, and amusing aside.. . . A beguiling narrative." --Chicago Tribune
"[With] tidbits and tales that read more like novels. . . Greenback is a giddy ride into the past." --Barron's
"A riveting story with a quirky cast of American characters that includes a few of the Founding Fathers, inventors, counterfeiters, secret agents, bankers, and swindlers." --The Christian Science Monitor
Synopsis
A biography of the dollar and the story of its astonishing career though the wilds of American history as a form of art, advertising, and as a reflection of American attitudes.
About the Author
Jason Goodwin's previous titles include
Lords of the Horizons, On Foot to the Golden Horn, and
A Time for Tea. He lives in England.