" This was a general history of the positive role of trade in human society. It is not a specialist view and the author has read considerable amount of material. He does a good job in bringing it together and wisely chooses to tone down his treatment after the 19th century - the high tide of free trade. I found this the most interesting in the discussion of the development of trade in the Indian Ocean in the middle ages and after the West moved in. He doesn't talk enough about politics, yet that is absolutely crucial for the spread of "free trade". If you haven't read a lot of history, this will be a lot to digest - as it is even if you have read a lot of history. I like more specialist accounts, such as Findlay and O'Rourke's Power and Plenty. This was OK, however, and made me appreciate the Findlay book when I read it. I read the Bernstein book while at the beach in New Jersey and it fit well there. "
— Marks54, 1/18/2014