The World for Sale

Money, Power and the Traders Who Barter the Earth’s Resources

By: Javier Blas, Jack Farchy

Narrated by: John Sackville

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.

'This jaw-dropping study shows how much money and global influence is concentrated in the hands of a tiny group . . . As the authors roam from oilfield to wheatfield, they reveal information so staggering you almost gasp.' SUNDAY TIMES

'Fascinating and revealing . . . A gripping book.' ECONOMIST

'The definitive, eye-opening story of the most powerful and secretive traders in the world.' BRADLEY HOPE, co-author of Billion Dollar Whale
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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.
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A Financial Times Best Read of 2021.

'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

'The World for Sale draws back the covers on a sector where civil wars, dubious regimes and the collapse of states have often been just another business opportunity . . . Intriguing and, at times, alarming.' HELEN THOMAS, Business Editor, BBC Newsnight

'Javier Blas and Jack Farchy should be awaiting the call from Hollywood. The World for Sale contains at least half a dozen narrative threads that would form the basis of a good thriller. But the authors' main achievement is to subject the biggest commodity players, and their impact on the real world, to proper critical scrutiny.' REUTERS

'A remarkable book . . . The colour is fantastic . . . Tracking down some of the biggest names in the business to their German castles and stud farms and persuading them to talk is a rare scoop.' SUNDAY TIMES

'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

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

I really enjoy listening it was great experience

Great book, i listen to it in one go.
very informative and interesting insight on the commodity world,
highly recommend to anyone,

Narrator doesn’t do the story justice

The narrator is very monotonous in this to the point it can become quite boring, almost a lullaby. Uncharacteristic as they have narrated other books I’ve heard very well. The story is quite interesting however, this one would’ve been better in print.

Fascinating content with Excellent Narration

Incredibly informative and even entertaining in a geopolitical/global economics way. Exceptional narrator too. Gave me much deeper insights into the economic strategies and motivations behind decades of shady global history-changing backroom deals. Fascinating. It helps shed light on a lot of global security events from the side angle of multinational commodity trade deals and economic sanctions. The driving personalities behind these shadowy trading houses are explored in depth too. Highly recommend.

Excellent!

A really insightful perspective on the individuals/firms who shaped the industry—from the early beginnings of rogue traders traveling the globe to secure deals, to the the emergence of industry giants like Glencore and Vitol, It highlights the immense influence these companies wield—and the often unscrupulous ways in which they receive contracts, ensure profit, and navigate through politically sensitive matters, all the while claiming to be apolitical and law-abiding

Simply brilliant

A great review of the commodities' industry's trading stories on a range of products. Well put together and entertaining to listen to.

Captivating read

The author did a great job providing an overview of how trading companies work, how their business evolved over the past few decades and how they influence the world through their business practices.
I found the book to be very intriguing and clear enough even for someone with no prior understanding of the commodities trading business.

An amazing book and production!

If you want to know how the world really works and hear the most amazing accounts of crises and business on the ground, this is the next book you should read. The narrator did an awesome job and was the perfect choice for the subject matter and delivery. I’ll be listening to this one again and again for a long time!

Essential knowledge for commodities people

A fantastic summary of the origins, culture, and key events of the major commodities players. Worth multiple listens.

narration

the narrator had a little too much drama in his narration his words and breath would trail off at the end of a sentence. a little less rise and fall in his voice would be preferable

Riveting

This book is very insightful. It is a window through the working of one of the world’s central industries. Some of the insights are ear raising