The Power Of Gold

In this lavishly illustrated work Peter L. Bernstein tells the story of one of mankind's most intoxicating obsessions: gold. It has been both an inspiration and a destroyer, determined the fate of kings and emperors, inspired the most beautiful works of art, provoked extreme cruelty and driven men to endure intense hardship. From the ancient fascination of Moses and Midas through the gold rush, to modern financiers, gold has led many of its most eager and proud possessors to a tragic end. The gold they thought they possessed came to possess them. Such is the power gold. Far more than a tale of romantic myths, daring explorations and the history of money and power struggles, "The Power of Gold" suggests that the true significance of this infamous element may lie in the timeless passions it continues to evoke and what this reveals about ourselves.