Plenty of fantastic crypto education exists in bite-sized blocks online, but books will always be one of the best learning resources.
I’ve been hoping to pull together a list of books on bitcoin for months. Before making any recommendations, though, I wanted to get several 5-star reads under my belt.
Thanks to the Bitcoin Book Club through Pomp’s Crypto (led by Fabian @quierespowpow and Jack @stillearlyjack, with select recordings on HODLcast), I’ve spent a good chunk of 2021 and 2022 with some of the most interesting texts on cryptocurrency and our global economy.
I’m thrilled to share my top 6 with you. I’ll be splitting this into two parts, featuring the first three books this week.
What I Recommend for Noobs — and In What Order
These are all books that I’ve read (or listened to on audio) and discussed at length with peers. While there are many other titles out there that could surely compete for these spots, we’ll stick to the stuff I know so I can give an informed synopsis.
These will appear in a particular order: readings I see as the most necessary for newbies as well as what might complement each other best when read one after the other. We will start with my strongest reco in the #1 spot, and I’ll indicate whenever an alternate reading track may be preferred for a given audience.
Happy reading!
1. The Bitcoin Standard, Saifedean Ammous
The Bitcoin Standard is often considered the holy grail of bitcoin texts due to its organized chapters, comprehensive guides, and insights from an author who deeply understands the nuances of digital currency. Saifedean covers topics like the history and origins of money, its role within our global economy, and how bitcoin solves for specific financial and sociopolitical obstacles.
Note: It does get into some technical nitty-gritty, so if you’re looking for a lighter read with a more sweeping financial lens, my #5 pick (The Price of Tomorrow) might be a more suitable intro for you. That said, if you’re looking for a bitcoin focus…stick with Saifedean!
EXTRA CREDIT: The Fiat Standard — Read Saifedean’s most recent work to learn more about our banking system and how debt and inflation are tied to the mining of fiat currency. IMO, Saifedean’s reads are best treated as a package deal; these two pair perfectly in succession, or even at the same time.
2. The Book of Satoshi, Phil Champagne
This book is so cool; it felt like I was reading the diary of Satoshi himself. There’s correspondence between the anonymous creator of bitcoin and his colleague Hal Finney, and each chapter begins with a summary of the conversations that follow.
You’ll feel like you’re eavesdropping on chat forums with Satoshi and the earliest players in the crypto space, just as bitcoin was first emerging. It’s one of the best ways to learn about the ins and outs of bitcoin and the exciting journey these brilliant minds experienced when creating and implementing the first successful digital currency.
I had the privilege of virtually meeting author Phil Champagne (watch our book discussion here with Jack, Kelly and Fabian). He is a fantastic writer and curator with keen insights into this thrilling block of time when bitcoin was in its nascent stages. You could take on this collection at any point in your bitcoin journey, but having some basic knowledge beforehand doesn’t hurt.
To put it simply, this one ranks #2 because I had the most fun reading it! Perfect buddy read or book club pick.
TIP: It’s laid out nicely for eReaders, if that format appeals to you. Easy to skip around if needed, plus lots of quotes serve as ideal pivots for highlights and annotations.
3. 21 Lessons, Gigi
Gigi is a well-respected engineer and writer in the bitcoin space. He worked on the bitcoin code and has penned 21 Lessons: What I’ve Learned from Falling Down the Bitcoin Rabbit Hole, a series of essays on cryptocurrency and the history, function and potential of bitcoin. I would highly recommend this for anyone first starting out in the space because the topics are far-reaching — but very fundamental — and he breaks them down eloquently.
This may be a good first step for those who want the lowdown on crypto but feel they’re not yet ready for Saifedean.
Check out the Der Gigi website to read or listen to some of these thoughts in any order you please. When I first began Pomp’s Crypto Academy, I listened to a few of these audio recordings on-site, and they helped me grasp so many key concepts that I was struggling to understand in class or conversations with my peers. His Bitcoin is Time may be my favorite of the bunch (prepare to have your mind blown).
Spoiler ahead: Next week’s newsletter will cover The Sovereign Individual (an all-time favorite) by James Dale Davidson and William Reese-Mogg, as well as Jeff Booth’s The Price of Tomorrow and Ray Dalio’s Principles. These each have more of a macroeconomic focus, emphasizing financial crises and solutions on an individual or collective scale.
Stay tuned!
Note: Book cover images sourced through Amazon’s GoodReads under fair use; not image linked.