Susan Mellon Livres

The Secret Life of Money lifts the veils surrounding one of our most ubiquitous creations. Tad Crawford delves into ancient tales and modern events, from King Midas to the birth of the credit card, uncovering the sources of our firmly rooted and unexamined assumptions about money by laying bare its history, mythology, and psychology. Crawford shows how dispelling illusions about what money does and what it has to offer not only will free our minds, but will guide us toward lasting values. And since so many human transactions are based on the exchange of currency, understanding our relationship to money can clarify our connection to other people and to our communities. The Secret Life of Money is a journey which will serve as a tool in interpreting how money talks and what it has to say.

A masterful continuation of Odysseus's journey after his return home, this narrative brilliantly recounts his life on Ithaca with his wife Penelope and son Telemachus. Readers familiar with his adventures in The Iliad and The Odyssey will be captivated by the further challenges he faces after two decades away from home. Narrated by Telemachus to the bard Phemios, the story explores the profound human drama of a man returning to a family he has been separated from for twenty years. It delves into the inner struggles of Odysseus, Penelope, and Telemachus as they confront their shared past and the violent aftermath of slaying Penelope's suitors. Telemachus reflects on his father's legacy, noting that future generations will remember Odysseus not as he was but as the figure immortalized in song. He acknowledges his own role in this narrative, emphasizing the truth of his experience over wealth. The novel masterfully recreates the ancient mindset, capturing the mythic landscape of Greece and the timeless human dramas of its legendary characters.