Aaron Van Wirdum is one of the best writers working in the bitcoin space. I first heard of him when this book was released. I don’t know why. Maybe I never check Bitcoin Magazine bylines. I read the glowing reviews. I even downloaded a free digital copy, which I can’t seem to find. I didn’t read it because I thought it only focused on the cryptographic work that preceded the genesis block, so I was afraid it would be over my head technically. I’m glad I finally decided to give it a try. It is a must read for anyone interested in bitcoin.
Aaron has already had a long, impressive career. He studied journalism and politics in college, where he “adopted a focus on the historic influence of new technologies on societal structures.” He bought his first bitcoin in 2013, and has been writing about it for Bitcoin Magazine ever since. He also served as the editor in chief of the print edition of that publication.
This book is by no means a straight chronological history. The author weaves parallel narratives together which ultimately concludes with the bitcoin white paper. These narratives include the origins of money, the formation of the “Austrian” school of economics, twentieth century geopolitics, the anarchic origins of hacker culture and the FOSS ethos, as well as the cryptographic advances of the cypherpunks. In its telling, these distinct histories are blended brilliantly to tell a fascinating story.
I wondered if it was my imagination, or has this book flown a bit under the radar? Is it as good as I think it is? I sought the opinions of people who I respected. Here are some quotes:
“Until now you could find many books about Bitcoin, but none that covered its multifaceted cultural background in a complete, systematic, and elegant way. Aaron van Wirdum, already famous for his ability to accurately convey subtle technical matters to a generalist audience, just wrote it. A must-read if you want to understand where Bitcoin came from.” — Giacomo Zucco
“Why is Bitcoin so different from its predecessors? This book sheds light on the problems which vexed smart, hardworking people in the pre-Bitcoin era. That is the right way to tell a technology story. All of the important problems are included, and they're all in the proper order. The best Bitcoin book yet written.” — Paul Sztorc
“The Genesis Book takes us on a century-long journey through the little-known stories of visionaries whose insights and innovations laid the foundation for the revolutionary creation of Bitcoin. From the economists who challenged conventional wisdom to cypherpunks who blazed new trails in privacy, Aaron van Wirdum meticulously weaves together a tapestry of technological triumphs, setbacks, and extraordinary breakthroughs. You'll be captivated by the anecdotes of individuals who dared to dream beyond the status quo, pushing the envelope to reshape the landscape of money itself.” — Jameson Lopp
I feel fortunate that so many highly regarded bitcoin related books have been published over the past few months. This was the first one I read of the recent releases, and I made a good choice. Read this book.