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Many humongous amounts around a fascinating human tragedy

Revisado: 12-01-21

When Money Dies is a warning for us all: when governments lose control of the money the chaos following is unstoppable. In our times post the 2008 financial crisis and the Covid pandemic leading to unimaginable and seemingly never ending money printing is a finger of warning. Sure, we can assume that our modern times with a different level of technology and information access is more advanced than allowing for the madness of the post-WWI Germany of the Weimar Republic, but that’s no guarantee that problems can’t easily come.

What happened in Germany between in the 1920s is a scary tale, living in that society must have been unbelievable tough, borderline unbearable. The book manages to capture that level of despair well. What it does not manage to do is assuring an easy read. All the big amount a of billions and trillions and zillions certainly don’t help, but possibly an angle focusing more on decisions rather than numbers could have helped.

Nonetheless, it is still a book well worth reading, it’s an important lesson about the nature of money and the importance of it being well managed by our governments. A case we can’t be too sure about today either.

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A pivotal work in search of truth around the Covid19 virus in a world where facts got downgraded in favour of politics

Revisado: 11-25-21

Soon two years into the Covid19-pandemic this is quite surely the most important book on the topic to date. Polarisation, lockdowns and political travesties notwithstanding, without coming to the root of the Origin of Covid we will remain badly equipped for the next big one.

This book is not only important to put together the puzzle around the real source of this disease that changed our lives, but it’s also extremely well-written. While a science book, it almost serves as a detective novel even, there’s plenty in it confirming that often reality is stranger than fiction.

I have followed the discourse - or rather the lack of it - since April 2020 when I for the first time started my quest to understand better how this pandemic could happen. What struck me fast was the dishonesty around it, the hush-hush, the orchestrated accusations against anyone questioning the favoured theory of the natural origin of the virus as tinfoil-hat conspiracy theorists. How could that be? (Well, the answer is politics, Trump and a political left that as a consequence of anti-Trump sentiments somehow unbelievably sided with totalitarian China on this matter.)

It has been baffling to me that the most logical question around - “what role has the most advanced virology laboratory in the world studying novel
Corona viruses, the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV), at the absolute epicentre of this pandemic, in the context of the cause of the event that killed millions, ruined the life of hundreds of millions and that turns our world upside down” - has been sidestepped by the mainstream media, politicians and scientists alike.

In this excellent book facts are the guiding principle, just as it should be in’s cornice. The expectation is not to give the definitive answers, rather laying out the hypothesis why this is so important and why we have failed until now to come to answer.

The writing is excellent and easily digestible, likely attributable to the vast experience of Matt Ridley’s and his craftsmanship. The science is accurate, intriguing, well-presented and well-argued, likely linked to Alina Chan’s brilliant mind. I have followed Alina since the summer of 2020 and her untiring efforts to bring this discussion forward, despite the enormous countercurrent forces facing her. Brave and brilliant is my conclusion.

There are two or three chapters heavy on science, which may be trickier for the untrained reader, but despite all the virus letters and numbers it’s still easily digestible.

Another aspect of this book is the tribute to Twitter and the force it plays in our society. It’s often only discussed in the polarising terms, but this book is the living proof for Twitter’s excellent ability to bring curious minds together to achieve big goals.

To conclude: please read this book, it’s well worth it. It won’t stop here though, this matter will continue, new developments will come. Having read this you can for sure see the big picture better and be prepared for future discussions. The truth in this matter is super-important, we can’t let politics and bad intentions from superpowers and representatives of dodgy scientific organisations (yes, looking at you EcoHealth Alliance) come in its way.

Ultimately, what matters is not who is right (a remote chance for a natural origin or a likely lab leak). What matters is that we get this right. For the sake of science and for humanity.

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Undoubtedly a childhood filled with stories and life in South Africa through changes

Revisado: 01-27-17

It was my first audio book experience and it really could not have been any better. I liked Trevor a lot before, and after this experience I respect him even more.

It's without a doubt an extra plus listening to his story through his own voice, it makes it a real authentic experience. What also impressed me is that focus remained around his childhood, his beloved mother, without feeling the need to go further into his grown-up life. Not many young man can go through an early life like this and reach respect while staying humble. Good guy Trevor, all due respect.

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