The Creature from Jekyll Island: A Second Look at the Federal Reserve

Rating:
Summary: A Bechmark In The Realm Of Civic Knowledge!
Review: Author G. Edward Griffin's book "The Creature From Jekyll Island: A Second Look At The Federal Reserve" is a most well researched and written historical text. Griffin presents the background with almost an air of mystery that the reader must peel away, like layers of an onion, to reveal the truth.

The book provides, in great detail, the time, place, and manner in which the groundwork for the Federal Reserve was laid, and more importantly, the reasons why. Griffin explains why even the name is misleading. The Federal Reserve is not a federal or governmental administration, and it is not a reserve, such as a bank.

Also provided is great historical detail about the commerce and industry in our nation during the Nineteenth and early Twentieth Centuries. This book will not disappoint the reader looking to expand his or her knowledge of how the collective financial machinations of our country are run.

I read this book during my undergraduate years and once presented the book in defense of a historical argument I had with one of my history professors. Needless to say the professor looked at my reference (the book is so well researched), acceded to my contention, borrowed the book "for his own enrichment" and never gave it back! I gratefully let him keep it so maybe he would soften his ascribed "socialist democrat" leanings. Unfortunately I am sans the book this day. Oh well, we march on.

As the topic of Civics is not really taught in public schools, or even required in undergraduate studies anymore, this book will serve to "illuminate" the reader into the background of how private finances and politics are inseparable. My only criticism of this text is the highlighted aspect of a government conspiracy at work. Not that Griffin's arguments have no merit, they certainly do, as Lord Acton so aptly is quoted "Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely!" However, the mere aspect of "a conspiracy notion" is all the extremists on all sides need to "debunk" a truly great piece of historical research and writing.

I rate this wonderful book five stars. It is well worth the money and deserves a place on the library shelf of every institution and the home of every student of history.

Rating:
Summary: Great monetary lesson, shame about the politics
Review: Everyone MUST read this book, especially Americans. This book shows how the US Federal Reserve manages the US currency, which is the reserve currency of the world. It shows that a shocking reality behind the smokescreen of big words and lofty speeches. The short answer is that the US dollar has a fatal flaw - it is not backed by Gold, and history shows this ALWAYS ends in tears. It is a huge lesson in how currencies work.
On the downside, Griffin reveals he has a big Right wing political bias. He talks of concerns about the enrivonment as based on "doubtful evidence". He talks of social welfare as though it was some form of economic terrorism. He naiively thinks that the UN will takeover the US if there is a world banking crisis, forgetting that the UN will dissappear much faster than US banks if that happens.
However, his political bias aside, this is a MUST READ book, especially the chapter on how money works. Don't be put off by the size - it is well written and an education on money sorely needed by the whole world.

Rating:
Summary: AN INDISPENSABLE READ
Review: Griffin's "Jekyll Island" book was an education for me. He dispays the ability to bring together widely scattered data sources and present them clearly and (relatively) concisely. If you want some insights into how Governments create money and inject it into the economy, how the moneyed interests have driven US foreign policies for their personal gain, and how governments pay for their excesses through inflation and not taxation, this book is a must read. Griffin is apparently a believer in a variety of conspiracy theories, some which he expands on a length. I believe the book would have been better with these toned down, because there is a danger he may be classified by some as part of the conspiracy theory lunatic fringe, when in fact this book is an insightful account of the history of money, and a great source of factual information whether the reader accepts all of his conclusions or not.

Rating:
Summary: Must, MUST read.
Review: Think you know anything about the dollar bills in your wallet?
Think you know who runs this country?
Think that we live in a "free market" economy?

Think again.

Griffin piles up facts and analyzes them with relentless, cold logic. The picture he paints isn't pretty. The Federal Reserve System is a legal cartel expressly designed to create riskless profits for member banks, while simultaneously turning our entire financial system into the legal and moral equivalent of a Las Vegas casino. Yeah, you might get lucky for a while, but the house will always win. Our monetary system is a pyramid scheme that only functions as long as debt is being created at an accelerating rate.

This all sounds crazy, but Griffin has the facts to back it up. The challenging part about Griffin's arguments is that he explicitly states that the foundation and perpetuation of the Federal Reserve System was a conspiracy. Whenever the "C"-word is mentioned, it is an unfortunate truth that many people get turned off. But as Griffith himself says, if a group of people, operating in secret, create a system that explicitly benefits themselves at the expense of others, what else can you call it but conspiracy? Heck, I guess you could call it a "peanut" or a "canteloupe" but it would still add up to the same thing--a system expressly designed to reward failure and punish diligence and honesty. Kinda explains all the crookedness and incompetence behind all the wall street and corporate shenanigans of the last decade, doesn't it?

And if you keep an open mind and pay close attention to his arguments, you'll see that the best place to hide a conspiracy is in plain sight.

If you care about free markets, and your constitutional rights, you will read this book today.

Rating:
Summary: I Can't Believe I Did Not Know Any of This!
Review: This is an amazing book. It is disconcerting to think I have lived 50 plus years, been in the banking and real estate industries a large portion of those years and never had a clue about how money is created, how banks REALLY operate and the incredible history and functions of the NOT so federal reserve. Initially, I was fascinated with the information, but by the end of the book, I was furious - furious at how we have all been led along and controlled - don't miss this - a Large Light Bulb comes on and you cannot forget it or walk away.

Rating:
Summary: I Can't Believe I Did Not Know Any of This!
Review: This is an amazing book. It is disconcerting to think I have lived 50 plus years, been in the banking and real estate industries a large portion of those years and never had a clue about how money is created, how banks REALLY operate and the incredible history and functions of the NOT so federal reserve. Initially, I was fascinated with the information, but by the end of the book, I was furious - furious at how we have all been led along and controlled - don't miss this - a Large Light Bulb comes on and you cannot forget it or walk away.

Rating:
Summary: A Landmark Work
Review: Until you read this book, you probably won't know what is really going on in the world.
It's that important a work.