The World for Sale: Money, Power and the Traders Who Barter the Earth’s Resources

When I was 16, a dear school friend first told me about Marc Rich. This book taught me everything about him, the CRAZY, INSANE world of Commodity trading & the MAD people who operate in this realm.This book is like a DEEP Gold mine? (I've never been in one). Once you get in, you have no clue where you are & getting out takes hours. It is an exhausting read but amazingly informative.Why you must read:- A (terrifying) reminder of how morals & ethics can evaporate when Profits & Business opportunities become irresistible.- The incessant energy of entrepreneurs & their undying will to succeed.- How Nations were saved & manipulated by commodity traders.- This book taught me what I would (personally) NEVER do in business.- Quotes:- Marc Rich + Co made so much money in the oil crisis of 1979 that it would have ranked as one of America’s 10 most profitable companies.- The Cargill family contains 14 billionaires – more than any other family in the world.- X would fly 1st class, booking a full row of seats to keep with him several large suitcases full of paperwork that he always carried with him everywhere.- "Always have something to sell."- The Dutch were wonderful, but they didn’t want to work outside nine to five. That ruled them out quite quickly.- Walking into Glencore’s headquarters at 8.30 a.m. would get you a sarcastic ‘good afternoon’ greeting :)- By the mid-2000s, Africa had become a place where the commodities that no one else wanted could be disposed of.- ‘It’s a business that shouldn’t be public,’- PepsiCo briefly became one of the world’s largest naval powers when it agreed that, in exchange for the Pepsi it was selling to the Soviet Union, it would be paid with 17 Soviet submarines, a cruiser, a frigate and a destroyer. :)Must read (5-6 hours minimum)

For someone interested to know about the history of Commodity traders, Commodity trading companies, influence of traders in the price volatility or regional power balances this book is a must.I have just completed the 10th chapter of the total 13 and I must admit I got to read alot of critical information which I wasn’t aware of before.I would recommend this book.The paperback is fine it does loose some of its cover page colour over the days, however, paperback quality justifies the cost.

A well written book tracing the history of commodity traders from the time of the Second World War till the corona pandemic - it’s a story of the low profile but powerful business men not averse to risk who bartered , tolled and sold natural resources from every continent from the past 80 years unscrupulously for stupendous profits - they traded in minerals metals everything the earth has to offer -aluminium copper zinc cobalt uranium wheat sugar soyabean ethanol and of course oil - from being kingmakers in the political world of Latin America, the Caribbean islands , Africa and Eastern Europe , or feeding supplies to Libyan or Kurdish rebels during the Arab spring enabling toppling of governmentsCompanies like Glencore , Cargill , Transworld and several others floated by these billionaire traders have helped nations fight against UN sanctions by moving their natural resources and supplying them with huge inflow of money be it Russia ,South Africa or Cuba in various periodsPity it wasn’t a hardback edition

This is one of those rare books that gets praise from across the spectrum of readers.The commodities industry is a rather secretive one, and will remain so for the foreseeable future (albeit having had some headway in transparency in the event past). It’s a private world that deals with huge flow of money, people and power, governing most governments globally.This is a book that brilliantly captures said industry, describing it through various stages in history - a splendid account of the movement of goods and the associated thrilling accounts of the traders that made it happen.A must read for anyone interested in knowing why their cup of coffee costs what it costs.Thoroughly griping!

As someone associated with non ferrous metals for three decades, this book was a compelling read. The quality of research is astonishing. Its easy to read and be transported back to time to relive the incidents so vividly narrated. A must have book!

This looks like a first of its kind book which introduces many trading houses who have been the silently moving commodities around the world.The names have appeared in many journals and news articles in the past, but the authors have made lot of effort to bring out the story of these commodity giants which started from himble background.Since many of these companies are not listed, not much info is available publicly. However, all are multi billion dollar companies with interesting past.The book capture tales of how some of them have created strong connections with political power corridors and even have been influential in shaping future of some of the countries where the commodities are housed.Some of the tales can be found in books which have specifically foccused on certain commodities.. the most common being Oil.However, the book is a collectible item for those who wish to read on corporates in commodity trading biz and have eluded the spotlight for long..Easy 4 stars.

I have never come across a book with so small font. I wonder what is the point of extra small print. If it to cut costs, publisher should remember that you try to loose through exercise, not by cutting off your limbs. Ordinary quality of paper is less than 5% of the book cost, and saving 5% of 5% at the cost of so much eye strain is just plain stupid.Silver lining - despite all the benefits I was resisting moving to Kindle. This book finally pushed me over the line.Good luck to Penguin.

If you hesitate to read this because it looks like a recounting of obscure financial manouevres, be assured that it isn't. You don't need to know, or care, much about business or finance to follow these intriguing stories. The writing itself is a joy to read, as the authors demonstrate their mastery of the subject by their ability to clarify it. And they bring to life the personalities who built and dominated this global underworld. But it's at its most valuable in showing how the traders lay behind some major global headlines. So, along with pretty much everybody else, a delighted 5* from this reader.

This is an absolutely cracking read - Blas and Farchy dissect the murky world of commodities traders surgically, slowly peeling back each layer over the decades. It’s an incredibly well-researched book, littered with insightful anecdotes, which highlights how commodity trading straddles the spheres of finance, politics and war. For anyone with a passing interest in commodities this is a must-read, but if you want to learn more about commerce and geopolitics then you need to order this ASAP. You won’t be disappointed.

We all know control of raw materials is a licence to print money for despots and tyrants the world over. Blas and Farchy give the reader a tantalizing glimpse under the hood and reveal the mechanisms within, using real examples. Its a wonderful study of malfeasance by officials and ministers across great swathes of the world. An excellent read for anyone interested in the machinery of globalization and world trade.

This has to be one of my favourite ever books! It gives a great insight in to the commodity trading world. Being from the industry myself I found huge chunks eminently relatable. Please note that this book is not written by accountants detailing how the finance industry works, rather the swashbuckling adventures it takes by commodity traders to get the trade done in sometimes dangerous situations.Highly recommended

Having already read The King Of Oil ( Daniel Ammann ) The Secret Lives of Marc Rich I was disappointed with this effort. Having received a good preview in the recent Sunday Times Culture Supplement I was expecting some original information re Marc Rich which was not already in the public domain.A lot of repeat from the Rich book published in 2009 and lacking depth as regards the current state of affairs in the Commodity World.Something rather than nothing in this interesting subject but only just.