“Wolman believes that physical cash will soon cease to be. He explores this compelling possibility by talking with a number of fascinating characters…Just as interesting is Wolman's discussion of money, culture, and poverty…Wolman's writing is clear and thoughtful, and his use of characters and places add color and personality to this excellent investigation of a timely topic”
“You’ll never look at a dollar bill without thinking its societal costs are more than a dollar.”
King Features Syndicate, 2/20/12
“[A] fascinating book…The End of Money will cause readers to rethink the contents of their wallets…This is an example of exceptional in-depth reporting that examines cash and predicts that in the near future our currencies will undergo a change that will be so dramatic it will change the way our world works.”
“The Bookworm Sez (nationally syndicated column),” 2/13/12
“What you’ll learn is surprising. Whether you’ve got greenbacks or gravy, pennies, pounds, or plastic in your pocket, I think you’ll find The End of Money extremely interesting. Money might not buy happiness, but reading this book is the next best thing.”
SecondAct.com, 2/9/12
“A fascinating exploration of how we are evolving into a society that relies entirely on plastic and mouse-clicks to buy, sell and save what we need.”
New York Journal of Books, 2/14/12
“A thoughtful and engaging study…[Wolman] skillfully covers the essential themes of theories on the economics, politics, sociology, and anthropology of money; and he does so painlessly…This is a very well written study, and it has none of the alienating gravitas of an economics tome. The author follows interesting stories populated by colorful characters. And he explains difficult concepts with skill…One of the best books in a long time on a difficult subject.”
Portland Tribune, 2/16/12
“Lively characters.”
Philadelphia Sunday Tribune, 2/5/12
“Wolman dares to take a critical look at cash…Wolman’s investigation ensures that you’ll never look at a dollar bill the same way again.”
New American Foundation (The Ladder blog), 2/14/12
“A rallying cry for the anti-cash movement.”
Slate.com, 2/24/12
“[A] provocative new book…A tidy history of money and its discontents.”
Wired.com, 2/17/12
“This is quite a romp, half digerotica, half travelogue…Whatever your take, reading this book will both entertain you and give your argument more currency.”
BizIndia.net, 2/19/12
“We tip our hats off to David Wolman for his pioneering efforts on this subject and for presenting his findings in this valuable book.”
InfoDad.com, 2/23/12
“[A] world-spanning tour…A book that has many intriguing elements…[Wolman] makes many good points about the absurdities of cash…Raise[s] some intriguing questions and present[s] the views and personalities of some very interesting people.”
The New Scientist, 2/25/12
“A particularly good chapter details the mobile banking revolution in the developing world…Interesting too are arguments for abolishing cash.”
Boston Globe, 2/27/12
“[An] entertaining and enlightening account…Wolman has delivered an intriguing, thoughtful case against physical cash, aiming pile-drivers at its every weakness. Well-written and full of telling detail, The End of Money successfully envisions a better cashless future.”
PopMatters.com, 2/28/12
“The final effect of The End of Money on readers will not be to convince them one way or the other, but to elicit real thought on the nature of money itself, and to Wolman’s credit, that’s no small feat.”
MIT’s Technology Review, 2/28/12
“Wolman is such a thorough reporter…Wolman piles up any number of arguments against cash.”
Canadian Business
“[An] engaging new book.”
American Banker, 3/6/12
“[A] fascinating new book.”
DanPink.com, 2/28/12
”The book is fascinating.”
D.C. Technology Examiner.com, 2/29/12
“A fascinating must read book.”
The London Guardian (UK), 3/2/12
“Informally tech-hipsterish prose…One of the most illuminating stories here is the increasing use of mobile-phone payment systems in India and elsewhere.”
Washington Post, 3/10/12
“[Wolman] presents a fascinating and engaging thesis…a crucial look at the role of cash.”
The Week, 3/13/12
“Wolman’s book has people thinking about—and in some cases fearing—the prospect of a cashless society.”
Technology Review (website), 3/12/12
“The End of Money reads like a late-night walk through the seedier corners of the global economy…Wolman stops just short of advocating against paper money Paper bills account for most economic activity, so it's hard to argue the world is ready to live without them. And because any substitute would need to be electronic, it also raises questions about what would happen if the lights ever went out. It's precisely such profound, even apocalyptic, questions that The End of Money succeeds at provoking.”
TheStreet.com, 3/5 (referring to excerpt from book posted by TheAtlantic.com)
“Fascinating and erudite.”
Financial Times, 2/17/12
“Wolman makes a brave case for the idea that ‘killing currency wouldn’t be a trauma; it’d be euthanasia.’”
ABA Banking Journal, 3/16/12
“Wolman presents a fascinating history of cash along the way towards expounding his theory…The author is able to insert humor into this far reaching examination of money. I found the book to be entertaining and educational.”
“This work has significant merits in its explorations of not just currency and its future (or lack thereof), all around the world, but in its plumbing of governments’ monetary policies and in accessible explanations of ‘money’ versus cash versus currency…[The] sometimes devil’s-advocate quality of The End of Money is most attractive.”
“An interesting look at the way the exchange of money has changed over the years and what it is likely to be in the future.”
“A brightly written exploration of all things monetary…The breeziness and anecdotal format is pleasurable…The book is both entertaining and provocative, and no reader will get to the end without—perhaps for the first time—thinking about what’s in their wallet.”
