Customer Reviews

The Creature from Jekyll Island : A Second Look at the Federal Reserve

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G. Edward Griffin is to be commended for this splendid work. At first glance The Creature from Jekyll Island is a huge book. While this may be daunting to some, once the book is actually started, it flows smoothly and reads quickly. There are so many fascinating tidbits of information here that the reader won't even be concerned about the size of the book. The title refers to the formation of the Federal Reserve System, which occurred at a secret meeting at Jekyll Island, Georgia in 1910. It was at this meeting, as Griffin relates, that the "Money Trust", composed of the richest and most powerful bankers in the world, along with a U.S. Senator, wrote the proposal to launch the Federal Reserve System (which Griffin calls a banking cartel) to control the financial system so that the bankers will always come out on top.

While Griffin starts with this event, he quickly moves into the present day to detail several financial crises that resulted in a quick government intervention at the behest of the bankers from the Fed, who told all who would listen that if the government (read: taxpayers) didn't bail out the banks that had made bad loans, it could cause the entire system to collapse. Massive loan defaults; bank runs, and a major economic depression would manifest this collapse. Griffin shows how time and time again the taxpayer is bilked so that bankers can make billions in profits off of these financial scares. Griffin also shows how the supposed safeguards against these woes, such as the FSLIC, are scams to reassure the average person that their banks are safe. In actuality, these insurances against bank closures are so inadequate that there isn't enough money to even come close to paying off investors in case of a collapse.

The biggest problem in modern banking, according to Griffin, is and has always been the creation of fiat money. Fiat money is money that is "declared" money by the government. It is not backed by anything but promises and deceit. All societies were sound financially when they used gold or silver to back their currency. When the bankers finally get their way and install fiat money, the result is inflation and boom and bust cycles. Griffin gives numerous examples of this, such as repeated failures by American colonies and European states in using fiat money. The purpose of fiat money is so that the government can spend more then they take in through taxes.

Without writing reams on this book, it is sufficient to say that this is a must read for anyone who is interested in learning how the money system operates. Griffin gives comprehensive accounts of how the Fed creates money, and how this affects everyday life. I would have to say these sections are better than Murray Rothbard's book, The Case Against the Fed, because Griffin gives himself more room for explanation.

Griffin does believe in the conspiratorial view of history, and he believes that the bankers are working in concert with such groups as the Council on Foreign Relations and the Trilateral Commission to bring about a socialist-world system in which an elite composed of intellectuals and bankers will rule over the entire planet. Griffin even spends a chapter outlining how this system could come about, and the consequent results of this socialist system. These chapters are a bit unsettling, but even if you aren't interested in this worldview, you can still learn much about the economy from this book. Recommended

In answer to the review below: I did do independent research. Did you? This book, while slightly marred by the occasional conspiracy theory, is a great account of one of the most important real life conspiracies of our time. It is well researched with plenty of footnotes for anyone who wants to look more deeply. It tells the real story of how bankers have lured politicians with easy money and ended up in control of most of the world. Whether or not they can keep up our (or rather, their) sleight-of-hand monetary system forever, the important thing is the power these bankers wield that should not be theirs.

This book should be required reading. And by all means do your own research.

Topics covered: founding of the Federal Reserve, war mongering, bail-outs, boom-bust cycles, the J.P.Morgans and Rothschilds of the world, the history of central banking in the United States, and most fascinating: how the money system really works in this country.

Despite its lack of perfection, this book is by far the most relevant and interesting thing I have read about economics in a long time. It is written in terms that anyone can understand, which will immediately rule out the kind of reader who is impressed by a lot of technical jargon that supposedly demonstrates an author's mastery of the subject while only serving to confuse laymen (and experts too). Combined with some of the author's own somewhat odd ideas, that does tend to make the book look less serious. But read it and you will see that the information is there. You can learn a great deal from this book.

What is The Creature From Jekyll Island? Well, first of all, it's uglier than The Creature from the Black Lagoon; it's more densely wrapped in deception than the Mummy is in cloth; it sucks the lifeblood of America more ravenously than Dracula does his victims; it reeks worse than the Werewolf; and it's stronger and more dangerous than Doctor Frankenstein's miscreation!

The Creature from Jekyll Island is the PRIVATE Federal Reserve that holds America and Her People hostage with an astoundingly perverse and "criminal" economic system that is an evil beyond your worst monster-infested nightmare. But the Creature comes in a guise to mislead the people, like a Wolfman in sheep's clothing.

Why is the system "criminal"? Because the U.S. Constitution proclaims itself to be the "supreme Law of the Land" (see Article VI), and Article I, Section VIII of the Constitution states that "The Congress shall (Constitutionally speaking, "shall" has been legally defined as "must")...coin money, regulate the value thereof, and of foreign coin, and fix the standard of weights and measures." Why Congress? Because it is answerable to the People it represents! Remember, our Constitutional Republic was meant to be representational government! We're a long way from that now! The Federal Reserve is NOT Congress; it is unelected, meaning nonrepresentational, and being therefore unconstitutional, it is illegal, hence "criminal."

I first read G. Edwrd Griffin's magnificent study, 'The Creature From Jekyll Island' eight years ago. I had read plenty of political books prior to this one, and countless since, but Mr. Griffin's tour de force has yet to be equaled when it comes to educating the reader in wide-ranging topics that coalesce most of the geopolitical mysteries of our time into the diabolical scheme known as the Federal Reserve System.

Don't make the mistake of letting the sophisticated subject matter drive you away as forcefully as the intriguing title beckons you. Despite the complexity of the topic, G. Edward Griffin masterfully organizes the material and lays it out, not only in a very readable manner, but he actually fashions a carefully researched, extensively footnoted nonfiction tome into a spellbinding journey that reads nearly like a page-turning mystery novel.

In the process of explaining and demystifying the history, the stated goals of the Federal Reserve, and the real agenda behind it, Mr. Griffin necessarily enlightens the reader about myriad conspirators who occupy positions in a variety of social engineering organizations. Without this understanding, one could not possibly grasp the full scope of the problem, nor fathom how such a demonstrably evil entity could have remained cloaked and in power since 1913. (Indeed the thirteenth year of the Twentieth Century represented an unlucky number for America and eventually the world.)

You will find some reviewers here complaining that Mr. Griffin has unfortunately polluted his 600+ page study with John Birch Society style conspiracy theories. What you WON'T find is where any of those same reviewers have proven any errors in fact committed by Mr. Griffin. They challenge the idea of a conspiracy, but not any of the abundant and overt evidence that clearly points to it. I myself don't like little yapping dogs, but I'm not prepared to say that they don't exist simply because I'd prefer not to even think about them. And I can hear those yapping quadrupeds as clearly as I can see the indisputable evidence of underhanded collusion in high and influential places when it comes to this country's monetary system.

"You are a den of vipers!" President Andrew Jackson thundered at a delegation of supporters of the central Bank of the United States in 1834. "I intend to rout you out, and by the Eternal God I will rout you out!" Jackson succeeded in ridding this country of the inherent perniciousness that a central bank levels on a nation. But President Jackson's hard-earned victory for his countrymen was sadly overturned in 1913, when a corrupt privately owned central bank was again foisted on the sleeping people of this once free nation in the form of The Federal Reserve cartel. As Griffin states on page 573, "The Federal Reserve is the world's largest and most successful scam."

I will tell you plainly that regardless of what you think you know about the political spectrum, Democrats and Republicans, liberals and conservatives, civil rights and corporate greed, socialism and capitalism -- regardless of how well informed you may think you are by reading mainstream news magazines and newspapers, listening to NPR and talk radio programs and watching political debates on nightly news TV shows -- until you have read and digested G. Edward Griffin's, 'THE CREATURE FROM JEKYLL ISLAND', you will never really understand contemporary American and global politics. But afterwards, the political puzzle will come together before your eyes, and never again will you follow the red herring into the brainwashing house of mirrors which is our current political milieu.

If you're inclined to read only one political book, be sure it's this one, as it will make sense of your world like nothing else. 'THE CREATURE FROM JEKYLL ISLAND' belongs in the personal library of every American who truly cares about his or her country (regardless of political party affiliation); by rousing the people of this nation from the ignorance of deep sleep, it has the potential to be the silver bullet or the stake through the heart of America's worst monster! Read it now or the Wolfman's gonna getcha!

This book is without a doubt the best book written on the "Federal" Reserve (which is about as "federal" as Federal Express). The book's four chapters explaining what money is (and isn't!) are the best I have ever read (and that includes the late, great economist Murray Rothbard's "What Has Government Done to Our Money"). My only qualm with this book is that Mr. Griffin should have left out the "C" word (i.e., conspiracy) from the text. He should just tell the history of the "Fed" along with his excellent economic analysis and let the reader figure out for him or herself what is going on. It becomes difficult to recommend this book to anybody outside of the John Birch Society (for which Mr. Griffin is a writer). But all in all, Mr. Griffin has done an admirable job. This is the true story of the monstrosity we affectionately call "The Fed" -- not like that Establishment whitewash on the "The Fed" by Rolling Stone writer William Greider called "Secrets of the Temple." For those of you who are skeptical about reading Mr. Griffin's long tome, you might want to start with Murray Rothbard's much shorter "The Case Against the Fed," before moving on to the Griffin work.

This book will make your hair grisle up on the nape of your neck when you read it. This is a non fiction horror story of how the federal reserve came to be the controlling factor in our everyday lives. It chronicles history in such a fantastic way that when you research it and find it TRUE, it makes your guts wrench in utter dispair at the situation we have gotten into by entrusting financiers to our monetary system. If you want to know ANYTHING about the economy, this is the book to read. Though I must say that it is not for the faint of heart in the predictions it makes.

I have read "The Creature from Jekyll Island" and "Secrets of the Temple" and "The Creature from Jekyll Island" is an easier read and is more on point. This book gave life to suspicions I had in high school and covered points I had not previously thought of. One of the author's strengths is his ability to go very in depth with this topic without getting overly artsy and ambiguous with his writing. I would like to comment on a couple of reviews on this book before I finish my own. My comments are not meant as a personal attack against these individuals. They can say what they want. However, I believe some of their comments are misleading and hurt both author and potential reader unfairly.

Greg Whyte goes after the author for not having a balanced and objective view. The establishment has had their say, and the author can go after the FED however he pleases. The author clearly outlines several valid reasons why the FED should be abolished. This reviewer also accuses the author of using falsehoods, innuendos, and misinterpreted statistics, but this same reviewer does not give one example nor does this reviewer tell us where to do proper, independent research we should do.

Clint says the bankers should have had a say. I agree. All of them and not just a few of the wealthiest. The men at Jekyll Island did not go there on behalf of the entire banking industry. This reviewer also wonders who is actually cheating the public: Is the author cheating the public with his documented and clearly written book or is it the the media, FED friendly politicians, and Alan Greenspan, who was against fiat money until seeing the FED's "Help Wanted" sign, cheating the public?

A reader from Prescott AZ says that the danger is the raising of interest rates eventhough the author details several other dangers of the FED throughout the book. Also, check your own loss of purchase power with FED funny money. One does not have to work in banking to study the FED. Also, the author highlights activities of government leaders and the FED in the book.

The solution at the end of the book is very well thought out and a great way to end the book. Putting the financial destiny of the world in the hands of a few big bankers is bad news no matter how you slice it. Mr. Griffin outlines this with great precision in his book. The Federal Reserve and any other mechanism like it must be eliminated. There are other ways to make a difference with this issue as well. I will return with more on that later, maybe.

"What is the Federal Reserve System? The answer may surprise you. It is not federal and there are no reserves. Furthermore, the Federal Reserve Banks are not even banks." These are the opening sentences to Section One of this book, and what follows is a brilliant exposé of the national and international banking systems. In comparison to other writings on this subject, this book is quite long. However, it is written in an uncomplicated, straightforward style that enables the reader to comprehend the clandestine machinations of the world's money manipulators. The title may sound like a novel, but there is no fiction here. Step by step Griffin guides you through the inner workings of the Federal Reserve Banking System, the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. Sound complicated? Sure it does, and it can be intimidating. However, if you are interested in deciphering a complex subject, you cannot begin with a better book. Each chapter begins with a preview of what is to come, and ends with a concise summary. This is a very helpful technique that keeps the book flowing smoothly, and aids in the comprehension of what can be very challenging topic. Not to be mistaken for "conspiracy literature", The Creature... is an excellent text that will grant the reader insight into information rarely examined by the general public. A true MUST read!

As a teacher and professional editor, I find that many books are written either verbosely, or with poor organization, and therefore are not easy to read nor very convincing.

However :

Creature from Jekyll Island is the best-written and best-researched text book on any subject that I have ever read, and this subject is the MOST important one can read ! Understanding the system by which we earn our living and lose or maintain our freedom is of vital importance to everyone.

Mr. Griffin's logic, thought and writing is lucid, fascinating, and will teach you more about the key elements of our money system, than most economics professors know. (I have interviewed them and found that PhDs in economics generally know a lot about very little.) Mr. Griffin gives you the big picture with superb research and an exciting writing style.

This book was invaluable to me as it helped me to make sense of so many things that I knew could not be right even though they were espoused by the "experts". It answered many of the questions that I had asked about banking, even to bankers themselves, but was never able to receive a satisfactory response.

The banking system is truly unfair to those outside the upper financial echelons but I feel better knowing this, instead of feeling alienated because I could not accept the generally propagated "truths" about money.

Finally, I would say that this book although so rich in technical information,is written in a very simple and easily understandable format. I think that my life experience will be better for having read it and I now have a clearer perspective on the way the world works. This is definitely a top shelf book!

Conspiracy theorists often reach too far in criticizing the establishment, overestimating elite influence. On the other hand, most mainstream individuals stray further than conspiracy theorists in their underestimation of establishment corruption. This book is the single best primer on the "conspiracy" most are unaware of that I have ever encountered. Griffin has synthesized a VAST amount of information to provide a compelling "reinterpretation" of world history since the inception of modern central banking.

Creature is not perfect, but its most fundamental and controversial claims are generally correct. To reiterate, it is the best single tome to educate the neophyte about the formation and operation of the Federal Reserve, basic monetary theory, and the actions the ultra-rich take to create wars, socialism, and business cycles that enhance and perpetuate their power at the expense of the common man.

An institution granted a money monopoly can levy a "hidden" inflation tax by creating more money and spending or lending it. This power is a singular focus of the ultra-elite because it allows enormous profit without the production of real goods/services. Once private individuals obtain this power, they leverage it into effective control of a nation, and they are therefore willing to go to extraordinary measures to obtain and perpetuate a monetary monopoly.

It is no harder than that, but Griffin takes readers on a journey through several hundred years of history and documents the corruptive process exhaustively. He deciphers the absurdities of central banking, explains how currency manipulation creates the business cycle, and documents the machinations the elite have engaged in to create the Fed, drag America into World War I, etc. These are bold claims which sound absurd or even deranged to the uninitiated, but in aggregate they are generally correct. Unfortunately, the history that Griffin documents is very disturbing and disheartening.

A note on inaccuracies. Some of Griffin's history sections are distillations of other sources. For example, he summarizes the engineering of the Lusitania sinking and America's entry into World War I in roughly a dozen pages. Though he cites credible sources and highlights the key points, he does not systematically make the entire case for the Lusitania sinking being engineered. If you want this much detail, read the sources he cites. Some criticize the book on the grounds that EVERYTHING is not documented; this is an ambitious work in terms of scope, and such detail would have made it larger than a set of encyclopedias. It is always possible to claim that conspiratorial interpretations of history are skewed, and while skepticism is healthy, beyond a certain point, when voluminous proof of a point has been offered, it is irrationality. I have read most sources cited in Creature's bibliography, and am very strongly of the opinion that Griffin's summaries, which distill the accrued wisdom and revelations of roughly a hundred books, are generally accurate.

It is true that Griffin makes some errors about the more subtle and/or advanced intricacies of modern banking. Bank deposits versus money, etc. But this does not change the fact that his most fundamental claims about the parasitic nature of the Fed are correct. Like many gold standard advocates, Griffin does not admit or recognize the gold standard's weaknesses; in spite of them, I still favor it, but it would have been better to mention them. It also wouldn't hurt to at least consider the theoretical rules under which a pure fiat money system (all federal revenues collected by the inflation tax, no direct (income) taxation) could be run ethically; Griffin would probably argue that fiat money ALWAYS leads to corruption, but sections like these might have provided a better sense of balance. But overall, in spite of these errors and others I did not mention, which I would characterize as minor, this book is accurate. The average mainstream individual who discarded their views and adopted Creature's interpretation including errors would still be MUCH closer to a truthful and accurate worldview.

This is a thick book that reads slow in many places, but it is worth the work. If you are a person of average intelligence who has never formulated penetrating questions about the Fed, the purpose of money, inflation, the origin of wars and the business cycle, etc., and you read this book out of the blue, you may never view the world the same again.