Digital Gold: Bitcoin and the Inside Story of the Misfits and Millionaires Trying to Reinvent Money
Nathaniel Popper

Just the bitcoin book for me – the kind of guy very interested in the personalities involved and the political and economic repercussions, perhaps not the book for people interested primarily in the technical issues related to the currency. This is so good, and so accessible to the layman, that I’m surprised it hasn’t gotten even more attention. Popper has clearly been covering this story for quite some time. He has a good handle on the tech, and has deep knowledge of most of the major players (except of course for the mysterious Satoshi).

Speaking of Satoshi, it’s nice to read something about bitcoin that doesn’t become obsessed with figuring out who he (or they) might be. Popper cover the Satoshi angle, include the Newsweek debacle, and other theories of his identity, but he doesn’t dwell on it. Real, known, characters like Ross William Ulbricht from Silk Road, Mark Karpeles  from Mt. Gox, and others get more of the attention. I found that refreshing.

Like Black Flags, this is an early book about an important phenomenon, and surely the story of Bitcoin will deepen and change as time goes on, but this is an excellent introduction to the story of the digital currencies creation and early days.

Recommended.