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The World for Sale
- Money, Power and the Traders Who Barter the Earth’s Resources
- Narrated by: John Sackville
- Length: 12 hrs and 4 mins
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Publisher's Summary
Brought to you by Penguin.
Meet the traders who supply the world with oil, metal and food - no matter how corrupt, war-torn or famine-stricken the source.
'This jaw-dropping study shows how much money and global influence is concentrated in the hands of a tiny group . . . As the authors roam from oilfield to wheatfield, they reveal information so staggering you almost gasp.' SUNDAY TIMES
'Fascinating and revealing . . . A gripping book.' ECONOMIST
'The definitive, eye-opening story of the most powerful and secretive traders in the world.' BRADLEY HOPE, co-author of Billion Dollar Whale
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The modern world is built on commodities - from the oil that fuels our cars to the metals that power our smartphones.
We rarely stop to consider where they come from. But we should.
In The World for Sale, two leading journalists lift the lid on one of the least scrutinised corners of the economy: the workings of the billionaire commodity traders who buy, hoard and sell the earth's resources.
It is the story of how a handful of swashbuckling businessmen became indispensable cogs in global markets: enabling an enormous expansion in international trade, and connecting resource-rich countries - no matter how corrupt or war-torn - with the world's financial centres.
And it is the story of how some traders acquired untold political power, right under the noses of Western regulators and politicians - helping Saddam Hussein to sell his oil, fuelling the Libyan rebel army during the Arab Spring, and funnelling cash to Vladimir Putin's Kremlin in spite of strict sanctions.
The result is an eye-opening tour through the wildest frontiers of the global economy, as well as a revelatory guide to how capitalism really works.
__________________________
A Financial Times Best Read of 2021.
'Blas and Farchy shine light on what's long been the financial markets' darkest corner - the crucial, yet underappreciated, role commodity traders play in global finance and geopolitics . . . The World For Sale is a fascinating, eye-opening read.' GREGORY ZUCKERMAN, author of The Man Who Solved the Market
'The World for Sale draws back the covers on a sector where civil wars, dubious regimes and the collapse of states have often been just another business opportunity . . . Intriguing and, at times, alarming.' HELEN THOMAS, Business Editor, BBC Newsnight
'Javier Blas and Jack Farchy should be awaiting the call from Hollywood. The World for Sale contains at least half a dozen narrative threads that would form the basis of a good thriller. But the authors' main achievement is to subject the biggest commodity players, and their impact on the real world, to proper critical scrutiny.' REUTERS
'A remarkable book . . . The colour is fantastic . . . Tracking down some of the biggest names in the business to their German castles and stud farms and persuading them to talk is a rare scoop.' SUNDAY TIMES
'Javier Blas and Jack Farchy deftly peel back the curtain on the amoral swashbucklers of capitalism who trade in commodities . . . The World for Sale is a gripping account of how they achieved their stranglehold over the world economy, and their troubling influence on global politics.' BRAD STONE, author of The Everything Store
PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.
What listeners say about The World for Sale
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 14-08-2021
Compelling
Very compelling storyline and reader is very clear and engaging ! would recommend to anyone interested in finance / politics
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Charl
- 06-10-2022
Well worth it.
Very interesting and follows a well structured timeline. Narrator is easy to listen too. Now one of my favourite books.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 14-04-2022
When Skeletons ☠️ Come Out Of The Closet
A well-researched and smoothly presented deep scratch beneath the surface of global commodity trading history, uncovering the efforts of the companies and personalities charged with making the world go around 🌍. Jack and Javier’s book tells the story how profits were achieved buying and selling natural resources and links economics with economies.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Anonymous User
- 14-12-2022
Eye opener
Fantastically researched and great at contextualising the topic of commodity trading in relation to historical events.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Anonymous User
- 12-11-2023
Couldn’t put it down
Great read, well written. The insights are fascinating, giving you the full picture on world events you thought you knew.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Anonymous User
- 26-10-2021
One of the most interesting books I’ve listened too
This book was excellent - from the get go I was engaged and remain hooked right on til the end. Easy to follow and understand.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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- Pambela
- 04-12-2023
World business exchange
Very educational in reference to how money and a few key commodities are traded, negotiated and are controlled by the few. Ego, greed and the desire to scale. All for the greater benefit or not to the worlds productivity and development.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Anonymous User
- 07-09-2023
Interesting and insightful
An incredibly eye opening insight into the world of trading
Kept me fully engaged from start to finished
Also makes me wish I was born years earlier and live in the trading glory years
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Anonymous User
- 30-10-2024
Bloody brilliant, captivating and insightful.
Authors have outdone themselves with the information, storytelling and structure of this book. Also, read very well by the narrator. There is now a void I will have to find a book for.
Thank you!
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance2 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- BenMK
- 10-11-2024
Potential blockbuster story, let down by slow pace and boring narration.
Potential blockbuster story, let down by slow pace and boring narration. The monotone delivery comes across as flat and disinteresting, which makes it difficult to get engaged in the subject. Had to stop listening about 20% in.
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