'Essential reading' Rory Sutherland, author of Alchemy

'Possibly the best-timed book ever' Merryn Somerset Webb, Bloomberg

Gold (noun): A precious, yellow metal, prized for its beauty. Inert, immune to corrosion, highly malleable though with little utility. Seen as pure wealth.

The definitive biography of the metal that has shaped our world - and may yet determine its fate.

The Secret History of Gold tells the epic tale of the world's oldest, and most treasured, currency. From its origins in the formation of the solar system to its pivotal role in both ancient myth and modern finance, Dominic Frisby explores, with wit and brevity, how gold has defined the entire course of human civilisation.

Gold has inspired men to do the most brilliant - and terrible - things. The most stolen metal in history, it has lured explorers, conquerors and thieves. It has sparked wars, it has built empires, it has empowered leaders - from Alexander the Great to Adolf Hitler - good and bad. As nations today such as China and Russia mine and hoard gold at record rates, Frisby examines its enduring significance in the digital age and its potential to influence global peace and power.

This is the untold story of gold: its past, its present and its future.

'A fabulous, fascinating, fantastical tale' Matt Ridley, author of How Innovation Works

'Well-researched and razor-sharp' Al Murray, comedian and historian