Bitcoin is a fascinating subject and I've read many books on the topic - Internet of Money Vol. 1 + 2, The Bitcoin Standard, Mastering Bitcoin, Programming Bitcoin. If you're looking for an up-to-date introduction into the technical workings of Bitcoin, look no further, this book is for you.
It's best to look at this book as the spiritual successor to Andreas Antonopoulos's "Mastering Bitcoin". Both offer an in-depth "peak under the hood" of sorts into the technical aspects of Bitcoin. I would highly recommend reading both of them as the authors have very different, yet highly complementary writing styles. Bitcoin is a difficult and strange subject for most, so IMO it's important to tackle the subject from a variety of perspectives. I label Grokking Bitcoin as the successor to Mastering Bitcoin for two reasons - 1) it's more up-to-date. Bitcoin moves fast and Grokking contains some of the tech developments since Mastering's printing. 2) it has the advantage of time. Many of the analogies and explanations for certain subjects have evolved and improved over the last 18 months as the Bitcoin community has grown. Kalle takes advantage of this and the end result is a product that's easier for beginners and non-technical types to engage with.
Let's get to the book itself. I can not imagine the mechanics of Bitcoin being written in simpler language. I often times found myself thinking that my mother would be able to easily follow the explanations that Kalle provides. It's evident that the author put an incredible amount of thought into every word. The book is simultaneous dense and succinct and even educated Bitcoin readers will be impressed. Make no mistake though - just because the author uses clear, simple language does NOT mean that he's glossing over the more technical aspects. The book is comprehensive and the reader will come away with a sophisticated appreciation of Bitcoin. Additionally, the diagrams are top notch and facilitate deep understanding of the topic at hand. Kudos to whoever at Manning did the illustrations. I am confident that many of Kalle's paragraphs and diagrams will be used for years to come and will eventually find their way to both the classroom and Congressional hearings. Additionally, I really enjoyed how every chapter has a section of exercises at the end - and how the author provides answers at the back of the book. These allow the reader to test their understanding of the reading and verify that they're thinking about the topic correctly.
Overall, if you're interested in Bitcoin this is a must read. At the time of my writing, the book only has two reviews on Amazon. This saddens me. Do not let that influence your purchase decision, this is simply one of the best books on Bitcoin that exists today.
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From the Publisher
Grokking Bitcoin
From the Preface
Who should read this book
This book is intended for technically interested people wanting to understand Bitcoin on a deep technical level. The book does not require any programming skills, but a basic understanding of some technical concepts are beneficial, for example databases, computer networks, computer programs, and web servers.
The primary goal of the book is that you will be able to decide for yourself whether you trust Bitcoin or not. That primary goal is hard to achieve, because you need to learn most concepts in Bitcoin, such as digital signatures, proof-of-work, and peer-to-peer networks, on a pretty deep level. Some secondary goals falls out naturally from the primary goal:
- Install and use a Bitcoin wallet on your phone, and understand what you’re doing.
- Engage in technical Bitcoin discussions.
- Make informed decisions on how to store your private keys depending on Bitcoin amounts stored and required level of security and convenience.
- Run a full Bitcoin node to engage in financial transactions without trusting a third party.
About the author
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Top reviews from the United States
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Reviewed in the United States on August 5, 2019
Reviewed in the United States on September 14, 2021
Reviewed in the United States on August 5, 2019
Reviewed in the United States on August 6, 2019
Reviewed in the United States on May 23, 2019
Reviewed in the United States on September 19, 2019
Top reviews from other countries
Steve Foster
Essential if you are interested in Bitcoin
Reviewed in Canada on August 4, 2019
