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  • The World for Sale

  • Money, Power and the Traders Who Barter the Earth’s Resources
  • By: Javier Blas, Jack Farchy
  • Narrated by: John Sackville
  • Length: 12 hrs and 4 mins
  • 4.8 out of 5 stars (107 ratings)

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The World for Sale

By: Javier Blas,Jack Farchy
Narrated by: John Sackville
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Publisher's Summary

Brought to you by Penguin. 

Meet the traders who supply the world with oil, metal and food - no matter how corrupt, war-torn or famine-stricken the source.

The modern world is built on commodities - from the oil that fuels our cars to the metals that power our smartphones. 

We rarely stop to consider where they come from. But we should.

In The World for Sale, two leading journalists lift the lid on one of the least scrutinised corners of the economy: the workings of the billionaire commodity traders who buy, hoard and sell the earth's resources. 

It is the story of how a handful of swashbuckling businessmen became indispensable cogs in global markets: enabling an enormous expansion in international trade and connecting resource-rich countries - no matter how corrupt or war-torn - with the world's financial centres.

And it is the story of how some traders acquired untold political power, right under the noses of Western regulators and politicians - helping Saddam Hussein to sell his oil, fuelling the Libyan rebel army during the Arab Spring and funnelling cash to Vladimir Putin's Kremlin in spite of strict sanctions.

The result is an eye-opening tour through the wildest frontiers of the global economy, as well as a revelatory guide to how capitalism really works. 

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2021 Javier Blas and Jack Farchy (P)2021 Penguin Audio

Critic Reviews

"The definitive, eye-opening story of the most powerful and secretive traders in the world." (Bradley Hope, co-author of Billion Dollar Whale)

"Blas and Farchy shine light on what's long been the financial markets' darkest corner - the crucial, yet underappreciated, role commodity traders play in global finance and geopolitics.... The World for Sale is a fascinating, eye-opening read." (Gregory Zuckerman, author of The Man Who Solved the Market)

"Javier Blas and Jack Farchy deftly peel back the curtain on the amoral swashbucklers of capitalism who trade in commodities.... The World for Sale is a gripping account of how they achieved their stranglehold over the world economy, and their troubling influence on global politics." (Brad Stone, author of The Everything Store)

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One of the most interesting books I’ve listened too

This book was excellent - from the get go I was engaged and remain hooked right on til the end. Easy to follow and understand.

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World business exchange

Very educational in reference to how money and a few key commodities are traded, negotiated and are controlled by the few. Ego, greed and the desire to scale. All for the greater benefit or not to the worlds productivity and development.

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Couldn’t put it down

Great read, well written. The insights are fascinating, giving you the full picture on world events you thought you knew.

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Interesting and insightful

An incredibly eye opening insight into the world of trading
Kept me fully engaged from start to finished
Also makes me wish I was born years earlier and live in the trading glory years

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Eye opener

Fantastically researched and great at contextualising the topic of commodity trading in relation to historical events.

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Well worth it.

Very interesting and follows a well structured timeline. Narrator is easy to listen too. Now one of my favourite books.

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When Skeletons ☠️ Come Out Of The Closet

A well-researched and smoothly presented deep scratch beneath the surface of global commodity trading history, uncovering the efforts of the companies and personalities charged with making the world go around 🌍. Jack and Javier’s book tells the story how profits were achieved buying and selling natural resources and links economics with economies.

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Compelling

Very compelling storyline and reader is very clear and engaging ! would recommend to anyone interested in finance / politics

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