BOOK REVIEW: BROKEN MONEY
Author: Patrick Blair
by Lyn Alden Published in 2023
Book Reviewed by Patrick Blair on June 24, 2026
First Impression Versus Lasting Impression: I imagined the book to delve more into standard economic and political flaws associated with money, but the book takes a ground-up approach to describing money’s evolution as a technology. If you want to hear an interview with the author, here is a terrific one.
The Book in a Word: (An Impressive) Tome.
Summary: The book recounts and analyzes money’s evolution as a technology (to escape the inefficiencies of barter). It takes us from trading shells to precious metals, to paper money, to digital transactions, to cryptocurrencies. The book is essentially a history text or reference book.
What I Liked the Most: The refreshing lens of looking at money as a technology. When asking yourself the question, “what is money?” Lyn Alden makes the answer simple: it is a technology. I also enjoyed the neutral/objective tone and hopeful outlook (at least compared to many commentators who focus on systemic flaws).
What I liked the least: The length and depth of the book (because I can be a lazy reader). Really, you can skim or skip chapters to make it an easier read.
Recommended for: those who really want to understand money on a deeper level (what is it … as opposed to merely how can I make more of it). This book is great for those wanting a framework for understanding the future of money (or even being a part of pioneering its future).
Not Recommended for: those who want a short read, easy answers, or just want to hear complaints about today’s monetary system.
Faith-finances.com Website Categories Covered: Personal Finance, Investing
Reading Level: Basic … Intermediate … Advanced toScholarly.
Interesting Concept: Money as a technology.
Great Quotes: p.14-15 what makes good money; p. 16-19 why gold and silver make good money; “Many people consider money to be a shared delusion. In this way of thinking, a society can pick anything it wants as money, as long as most of its members believe in it. … While this seems to be true at first, it’s not sustainable.” -p. 19; p. 179 circularity of the fiat currency systems on page 179; p. 222-3 why central planning amplifies booms and busts; p.239-40 why there’s constant inflation in the fiat system; p. 252 key to investing and wealth growth in modern times; p. 261 explanation of the Cantillon Effect; p. 494 good forms of cryptocurrency is positive and better than the system we have now; “… why money has been broken … while almost everything else has improved substantially …, it’s due to this gap between transaction and settlement speeds that the telecommunications era has created.” P. 301.
Spiritual Content: None.
Book Citation: Alden, Lyn. Broken Money: Why Our Financial System is Failing Us and How We Can Make it Better. United States: Timestamp Press, 2023. The Faith and Finances Ministry is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program where it earns fees when readers purchase this product through the Amazon.com link provided.
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