Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. How did the book’s central idea of humanity as a “plutophyte” species, one shaped by money, change your overall perspective on the role of money in your own life and in history?

2. How does McWilliams’s focus on money as the central driver of human history compare to broader historical narratives like the one in Yuval Noah Harari’s Sapiens (2011), which also identifies money as a key fiction for mass cooperation? Did one approach resonate with you more?

3. Did you find McWilliams’s storytelling approach, using biographical sketches of figures like John Law and Alexander Hamilton, effective in making complex economic history feel accessible and engaging? Which person’s story was the most memorable for you?

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. The book reveals the existence of the massive, unregulated Eurodollar market, suggesting central banks have less control than we think. How does this idea of a hidden, parallel financial system affect your trust in economic institutions?

2. McWilliams describes the “economics of gossip,” where emotions like the fear of missing out drive speculative bubbles (171). How have you experienced this kind of social pressure in a financial decision, whether related to stocks, crypto, or even the housing market?

3. The guide highlights Kenya’s M-Pesa as a truly successful monetary innovation because it solved a real-world problem for ordinary people. Can you think of a recent technology or app that has similarly changed how you interact with money in your daily life?

4. The narrative contrasts the rigid, deflationary Gold Standard, which benefited creditors, with modern fiat systems that are more forgiving to debtors. Have you felt impacted by tension between savers and borrowers playing out today, such as through inflation, interest rates, or student debt? How so?

5. What do you make of the idea that numeracy and abstract thought developed alongside commerce, from the invention of the interest rate in Mesopotamia to the spread of “Saracen magic” in Florence? Has learning about finances or the economy ever made you feel more reflective about other concepts, such as time, culture, or relationships?

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

1. Where do you see parallels today between economic instability and the rise of populist movements, echoing the connection McWilliams draws between Weimar Germany’s hyperinflation and the rise of Adolf Hitler?

2. The book frames the current debate between state-backed currencies and private innovations like Bitcoin as a fundamental battle for control. After reading McWilliams’s critique of crypto as a speculative asset that solves no real problem, has your perspective on the future of money shifted?

3. What is your reaction to the story of the Belgian Congo, where consumer demand for bicycle tires in Europe fueled horrific atrocities financed by an abstract, globalized financial system? How does this historical example make you think about the supply chains behind products you use today?

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

1. How does McWilliams use biographical sketches of figures like Talleyrand and Johannes Gutenberg to drive the narrative forward? How does this narrative-driven approach to history compare to other popular works you’ve read, such as Erik Larson’s The Devil in the White City (2003)?

2. What role does the recurring motif of the speculative bubble play in the book’s narrative? How do the stories of Tulipmania, the Mississippi Bubble, and the 2008 crisis illustrate McWilliams’s arguments about human psychology and the instability that can accompany financial innovation?

3. McWilliams uses literary and cultural allegories, like interpreting The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900) as a commentary on the Gold Standard debate. Did you find these connections insightful? How did they affect your experience of reading a book about economic history?

4. How does the author’s authorial voice, which blends personal anecdotes from his career with historical analysis, shape your trust in his arguments and conclusions?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. You’re tasked with designing a museum exhibit based on the theme Innovation Brings Progress and Crises. Which three monetary artifacts from the book, such as a Lydian coin, a French assignat, or a Sumerian Drehem tablet, would you choose as centerpieces for the exhibit?

2. The book describes how different societies created currencies from grain, silver, cacao beans, or mulberry-bark paper. What object or commodity would you choose to base a new currency on today, and what rules would you create to ensure people trust and use it?

3. You’ve discovered a letter exchange between Alexander Hamilton and John Law, two figures who never met but represent different philosophies of money. What advice or warnings do you think they would offer each other about balancing innovation, stability, and public trust in a financial system?