- Paperback: 256 pages
- Publisher: Flamingo; New edition edition (21 Feb 2000)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0006530672
- ISBN-13: 978-0006530671
- Product Dimensions: 19.6 x 12.8 x 1.8 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 637,576 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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More About the Author
Product Description
Review
‘An inspirational book, crammed with ideas’
TES
Product Description
Only our limited idea of money is keeping us poor. David Boyle introduces us to alternative cash and people who can conjure money – that is, spending power – out of nothing.
Until recently, the growth of alternative cash had been the province of big business: phone cards, stamps, air miles and Tesco’s clubcard points all have purchasing power, yet are not cash as we know it. Now, locally created money systems like ‘time dollars’, ‘Womanshare’ and ‘Ithaca hours’ are being invented by communities for communities.
With clarity and great humour, Boyle tells the story of this extraordinary revolution: he travels to the USA to visit the people behind local money systems; relates their vision of the future; and describes how to set up your own currency. This is no dry theoretical tome: Boyle writes about his subject in a way that is concrete, illuminating, often very funny and always highly readable.
This paperback edition includes a new epilogue with an update on the latest alternative currency ideas: ‘You just have to cast doubt on the real existence of the money markets and they could just shrivel away. Anything could happen.’
A revolution is underway now: this book tells the story of its leaders and the ideas that inspired them.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Loved it! A wonderful combination of vision, and often curious factual insights and stories which amusingly, informatively (and endearingly!) lead the reader into and through an exciting new approach to money (the thing that effects our lives in more ways than we perhaps acknowledge) - the way we think about it, create it, use it. It challenges our most basic notions about it, makes us laugh in the meanwhile, and presents us with an extraordinary, viable, alternative future.
It's about a new way of thinking about money. It's liberating. It seems as though it could change the world. No longer us and them, but people taking control over "money" funny or otherwise. It's not new age fantasy but very firmly based in our current economical climate - multi-nationals (to whom we are all connected through pension funds etc) through to 'the new alchemists' - small communities creating their own money, their own banks, a sort of barter, but better.
It's inspiring, amusing (wonderfully so! - "Bill Bryson with a purpose" (Norfolk reviewer) absolutely! ), - if you have any interest at all in the way money goes round (and it's a/the key cog to the modern world), or you just want a laugh! - buy it, read it, and change the world into the bargain!
Perhaps I'm beginning to sound like the blurb on a dust jacket - but I just thought it was brilliant! I'd urge anyone to read it - you'll enjoy it and learn more about real economics than you ever envisaged.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
As the introduction to this book points out, we can't go on with the current, increasingly surreal systems of global finance, based on imaginary situations and vast profits. David Boyle explains very clearly how an alternative system, based on bartering skills within individiual communities, could provide an answer, particularly for cash-poor areas. I already know some people involved in similar systems and it seems this will be the way of the future for a lot of people. Funny Money explains how these systems work, so you could set up your own if you want. But rather than preaching, it is a witty, interesting read, describing systems already in place in the US and how they work. I would strongly recommend this book to anyone, particularly if you're not very well off!
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Alternative currencies are counter-cyclical, meaning they become more important in times of recession. It's a great time to be involved in the whole area of community finance, so I picked up a copy of Funny Money to find out a little more.
The book charts David Boyle's visits to various alernative currency projects, mainly in the US, meeting the organisers and the beneficiaries. He visits Ithaca Hours, Edgar Cahn's Washington time bank, and the Schumacher Society's Berkshares programme, among others. Each is an intriguing experiment in finance, often run on a shoestring or by volunteers. The community around the project is always as important as the project itself.
Boyle has chosen to write it partly as a travelogue, so there are digressions, descriptions or observations, and detailed conversations. Some of this is amusing and insightful, some of it is tangential and I found myself skipping ahead. The book is also ten years old now, and many of the projects will have grown beyond recognition or folded.
But, it remains a good introduction to pioneering new currency, and will be inspiring to those now considering similar experiments. It's also a fascinating exploration of the nature of money. After all "if its creation is so simple that banks and governments can do it", says Boyle of money, "we may be entering a world where we can all do the same thing for ourselves."
The book charts David Boyle's visits to various alernative currency projects, mainly in the US, meeting the organisers and the beneficiaries. He visits Ithaca Hours, Edgar Cahn's Washington time bank, and the Schumacher Society's Berkshares programme, among others. Each is an intriguing experiment in finance, often run on a shoestring or by volunteers. The community around the project is always as important as the project itself.
Boyle has chosen to write it partly as a travelogue, so there are digressions, descriptions or observations, and detailed conversations. Some of this is amusing and insightful, some of it is tangential and I found myself skipping ahead. The book is also ten years old now, and many of the projects will have grown beyond recognition or folded.
But, it remains a good introduction to pioneering new currency, and will be inspiring to those now considering similar experiments. It's also a fascinating exploration of the nature of money. After all "if its creation is so simple that banks and governments can do it", says Boyle of money, "we may be entering a world where we can all do the same thing for ourselves."
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Good to hear that some people are prepared to challenge the current...
This is an important book for those who have seen or might see the problems that the current money system has created. Read more
Published on 3 Sep 2007 by Sansome
Apologetics for existing economic relations
Funny Money David Boyle
Since money is the existing and active concept of value, Boyle questions it's omnipotence, while coyly admitting he would not mind a little bit more of it... Read more
Published on 21 Mar 2001
Alternative economics with a heart
When there's so much depressing news to read about market crashes, financial disaster and how short of money everyone is, it's a delight to read David Boyle's uplifting tales of a... Read more
Published on 28 Mar 2000
excellent on local "money" just as good on "real"...
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I practically read the index I was enjoying it so much and didn't want it to end. Read more
Published on 26 Mar 2000
Inspiring guide to make money work for people.
This book is really a great read. It is funny and inspiring - quite an achievement as money normally makes me depressed. The book is full of hope. Read more
Published on 21 Mar 2000 by sanjiv.lingayah@neweconomics.org
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