Answer: What books do I read to get to know more about cryptocurrency and Ripple?

[BobWay]

I turns out I've never read any books about cryptocurrency or smart contracts or any of the new buzzwords. I read Satoshi's bitcoin white paper. It's actually only nine pages including references. I'd challenge everyone to start there. Everything else I read were papers or posts in forums, posted by people actually doing things in the field.

So I'd say, lurk here to learn what's been done. But also lurk wherever Wietse Wind @xrptipbot and team hang out to discuss what new stuff is currently in the works. Also hang out where the Coil @justmoon folks discuss their new work.

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But there are three books I recommend that are interesting because they postulate different ways of thinking about money itself. I know they had a terrific impact on me. These are non-technical books, so don't be afraid to dig in.

• Identity is the New Money

This describes a different way of thinking about money. It turns out to be curiously close to how the XRP Ledger already works. It also discusses identity concepts that the Ripple community was working through in 2013. Curiously, Google listed a download link for that book as well.

• Down and out in the magic kingdom by Cory Doctorow.

This is actually science but it involves an interesting type of social currency. It is a good way to get you thinking about "what is value" and other foundation presumptions you might have. You can download it for free on Cory's site. 

• The Eudaemonic Pie by Thomas A. Bass

This is a good book to read while you are postulating how to spend your fortune after XRP goes to the moon. The Eudaemonic Pie refers to how they were going to split up the spoils of their system. It was a kind of proof of work, before that term was used in mining. It meant the more personal work you put into their project the larger you slice of the benefit pie. Which parallels bitcoin's mining reward concept surprisingly well.

It also touches on the "to the moon" concept of putting in a little work now, that perpetually pays out. In their mind, it is to free themselves up to do the research they can't otherwise find funding to do. To them, theirs is a noble cause. It stated me thinking again last night, what I will do with mine if XRP takes off.

These books aren't what any of you were actually asking for. But they might just be what you need.  (Think wax on, wax off)

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I was reminded of an older directly Ripple (XRPL) related primer written by Andrew White. I was actually reminded of it by Andrew White while having dinner with David in Austin. Go figure.

Edited March 19, 2019 by BobWay
Added wax on, wax off link

[Jepb100]

Bob you crack me up with these book selections.  Thank you, I am 30/50/90 percent done with them.  What is Ripple doing?  What is Coil doing?  What is Polysign doing?  Why dont you just read a book that is 15-7 years old more than likely written by some British or possibly Canadian guy.  Seriously, what is going into the Wheaties of these people?  I was looking at a string of business owned by someone recently and I was like why?  I could not connect the dots.  Then I read sections of an older Kevin Kelly book and I was like yeah makes perfect sense, you can’t have the cart before the horse.  The other big why that I am now wondering is why can’t I find anything about “In Safe Hands” by Gill Rowland?  Its like it does not exist....no internet footprint.  Have you read it?  My mind is not going to let this go.

Again, thank you, as my mind has a hard time following all the payment talk, it feels like being too much in the weeds for my brain right now.  I am more interested in the why’s and the what’s, the strategy and the vision so that I may learn the how.

[BobWay]

If you want to know what Coil is doing, you really need to read the code. It is happening faster than they can document it. You just have to follow on GitHub.

For Ripple, you just have to read the documentation. It is really good, but there is now good primer. I talked to Andrew White (One Million Gateway's) while in Austin and he told me he wrote a Ripple primer in 2013. You can probably write to him and ask.

Even I don't know the details of what PolySign is doing. But I do know the problem. They protect the crypto secrets of financial institutions (not consumers) from theft. This includes internal theft from administrators and other employees. How? Through hardware security models and multi-sign transactions.

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See, weren't those books more interesting.

I read Identity is the New Money and though? Hey, internally at Ripple we worked that all through 4 years ago. It was old hat for me when I read it. But I still use some of his examples. But most people don't have the background we did to make it seem boring. If it is your first introduction to the concepts, it should be fascinating. He describes what the XRP Ledger is actually doing internally to send money from one individual to another (rippling).

Down and out is another way to think of what the XRP Ledger does with trust lines. You issues social "credit" to the people you like. And you can retract that when you no longer like them.

The Eudaemonic Pie points out that cryptocurrency isn't really about the money. It's about the "physics" of money.  A "dollar" in your bank account is logically the same as a paper "dollar" in your wallet. But the two have very different behavior do to different physics.

• I can easily make your bank dollar impossible for you to remove from your wallet, without even coming close to you. (a hold on funds)
• Paper dollars don't allow that. Why?  Physics.

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• "Digital money" has existed for years in the form of Bank money. But re-implementing that is lame.
• Bitcoin created "digital money" that implements the physics of paper dollars. Which seems crazy retro.
  • Once I give it to you, you possess it and I can't magically take it back.
  • No third party can make it disappear from afar.
  • No third party can make it stick to your wallet and become useless

Contrast the physics of Bitcoin, XRP and Paper & Coin money and you'll see they are all the same.

[BobWay]

51 minutes ago, Jepb100 said:

“In Safe Hands” by Gill Rowland?

Any chance this is what you mean? https://archive.org/details/insafehands00howe/page/n6

[Jepb100]

Thank you Bob, I will look into these recommendations.

[DividendGamer]

Investing books focused on trader psychology and sociology are the most important. Followed by overarching personal finance and financial independence related books.

Most of the "trading books" are just scamming you.

 

I try to recommend the book "Your Money or your Life' and 'the millionaire next door' and 'early Retirement extreme"

[BobWay]

OK, here is a real but old (2014) thing you can all read on Ripple (XRPL) right now. It was written by Andrew White who I met with in Austin with David. He reminded me of it then. https://www.scribd.com/document/234302168/Ripple-Investment-Guide  It explains things the way we used to explain them. But nothing has really changed in the technology.

I'll modify the top post so new people can find it.

[Jepb100]

On 3/18/2019 at 12:53 AM, BobWay said:

Any chance this is what you mean? https://archive.org/details/insafehands00howe/page/n6

Bob, this was not the book I was looking for but it was something I needed to see. So beautiful.  I was struck by the quote "This world is full of beauty, as other worlds above: and, if we did our duty, it might be full of love" -Gerald Massey.  Even more touching on my sometimes restless spirit was the passage on page 291.  I am listening to Marshall Rosenberg's book Nonviolent Communication and I have been at a loss in this new gap of understanding.  Sometimes it is easy to feel inadequate in success, in life, in self as compared to others.  Both of these teachings are a gentle whisper of speaking truthfully with loving lips, extending our hearts with true understanding, as this is the true gift of peace to ourselves and others.  We are always enough, more than adequate even in peace and it is with us always.  I hope your day today brought you peace.

[Jepb100]

On 3/19/2019 at 2:08 AM, BobWay said:

OK, here is a real but old (2014) thing you can all read on Ripple (XRPL) right now. It was written by Andrew White who I met with in Austin with David. He reminded me of it then. https://www.scribd.com/document/234302168/Ripple-Investment-Guide  It explains things the way we used to explain them. But nothing has really changed in the technology.

I'll modify the top post so new people can find it.

Thank you Bob, I will read this for sure.