An interesting book about cryptocurrency and the many ways in which it is largely an unregulated and dangerous scam. And it’s co-written by Ben McKenzie, who played Ryan on early 2000s tv show The O.C.!

Back in the spring, I saw Ben McKenzie as a guest on Real Time With Bill Maher talking about the topic and this forthcoming book, and I immediately went to Netgalley to request it! Turns out Ben got a degree in economics at UVA before becoming an actor, so he knows his stuff, and also partnered with an experienced journalist - but at the same time, his fame for sure convinced all kinds of players in the crypto world to talk to him, even the now infamous Sam Bankman Fried, long before the collapse of FTX. Parts of the book are more traditional reportage, others insert Ben and his co-writer Jacob Silverman into the story as they describe what got them interested in the topic and their various adventures in writing articles and eventually this book.

I definitely learned a lot and enjoyed reading it, though at times it went into a little more detail than I needed. Still, an interesting read.

3.75 stars

The subject is very compelling and "Ryan Atwood of The OC cautions you against investing in crypto" is an amazing hook but ultimately the writing is a little too high-school-essay to be a pleasant reading experience! Sorry Ryan Atwood!

Let's get this out of the way - yes, this is That Guy from The O.C. (or Gotham, or Southland) writing about Cryptocurrency. Ben McKenzie (with help from noted journalist Jacob Silverman) does a masterful job exposing the levels of chicanery and outright bullshit that permeates every aspect of crypto, from the concept itself (which exists mostly as an "investment" or to buy drugs) to the multi-billion dollar fortunes built on Ponzi schemes. McKenzie and Silverman delve into all the major scandals from Tether to Luna to SBF, as well as calling out the ways the American system enables the blatant theft from the vulnerable. They never lose sight of the victims of the crypto bullshit, the greedy and the hopeful who have lost everything in pursuit of wealth, packaged vaporware that also happens to destroy the environment as well as the dreams of every non-scammer involved. Buy this book to answer whichever cryptobros come your way, beyond simply quoting Benoit Blanc and screaming "No, it's just dumb!" though that is also an adequate summation of the whole crypto dream.

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Easy Money
Author: Ben McKenzie, Jacob Silverman
Source: NetGalley
Publish Date: July 18, 2023

Easy Money was genuinely more interesting than you would think when writing about cryptocurrency. I’m married to a forensic accountant, and we talked about this book A LOT because I am trying to wrap my head around this crazy Bitcoin and cryptocurrency. Don’t know what I am talking about, then check out this book written by Ben McKenzie, who is the TV star/actor from The OC. Ben is no joke and has a degree in economics. I wanted to understand why people like Tom Brady, Giselle, Kim Kardashian, and many of Hollywood’s A-listers would risk millions of dollars (I said millions) on something so volatile and risky. Many people with a lot of money just burned that cash when they went into cryptocurrency because, at its core, it’s somewhat akin to a fraudulent Ponzi scheme. The only person who has made more money in risky ventures is Bernie Madoff. I don’t gamble, and I have never even visited Las Vegas, but I am risk-averse, and this book will explain just how “shady” these deals are. I swear this book is not dull, and I’m not an accountant, but I am stymied by how stupid some people with a lot of money can be when they think they will get even richer (easy money). It’s greed. Well done and informative. #EasyMoney #AbramsPress #cryptocurrency #economics #finance #risk #gamble #nosafeguards @mrbenmckenzie @netgalley @abramsbooks #money
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I received a complimentary copy of this ARC. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own. Thank you to Abrams Press, NetGalley, and the author for the opportunity to read this novel. Pub. Date: July 18, 2023.
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