#9 - The Best Books for Crypto Lawyers
The books that every legally-focused, crypto obsessed individual should have on their shelf.
“Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer the negative elements in your life, don’t sit at home and think about it. Go out and get busy!” - Dale Carnegie
I know what you're thinking.
Wait a minute, I thought this post was about books for crypto lawyers? What does Dale Carnegie telling me to "get busy" have to do with anything?
You're right. That first sentence wasn’t relevant. And that's the point. There are hundreds of books and thousands of articles, all discussing crypto, all claiming to be the definitive source. Many aren't relevant, and some are dangerously misleading.
This article provides an overview of the must-read books for those interested in the legal aspects of cryptocurrencies, NFTs, DAOs, and other blockchain-based innovations. This is by no means the definitive list; think of this as a living document, subject to change and updates based on your comments and recommendations (I haven't read them all).
(full article available at lawofcode.io).
Build your basic understanding of blockchain technology
Blockchain: Bubble or Revolution - Neel Mehta, Adit Agashe, and Parth Detroja
Written in an easy-to-understand format, this book offers an optimistic yet critical approach to blockchains by balancing both the pros and cons of the technology in a realistic fashion. It is an excellent choice for anyone looking to get started in the space, or further refine their understanding.
The Basics of Bitcoins and Blockchains - Anthony Lewis
Lewis explains the technology in a clear and structured way to provide a readable introduction to cryptocurrencies and their implications. By the conclusion, you’ll understand what blockchains are, why they are important, and how they work. If you want to hammer home your understanding of the basics, this is the book for you.
The Cryptopians: Idealism, Greed, Lies, and the Making of the First Big Cryptocurrency Craze by Laura Shin, who was kind enough to provide me with early access (releases Feb 22); highly recommend reading this. Without realizing it, you'll gain an understanding of how the technology works, as Shin expertly interweaves explanations of blockchains within the evolution of Ethereum. This book is both a story and a guide, and difficult to put down.
The Bitcoin Standard - Saifedean Ammous
DeFi and the Future of Finance - Campbell R. Harvey, Ashwin Ramachandran, and Joey Santoro
Other popular introductory books: The Blockchain and the New Architecture of Trust, Blockchain Revolution, The Truth Machine, Cryptoassets, Layered Money: From Gold and Dollars to Bitcoin and Central Bank Digital Currencies, and Grokking Bitcoin.
Books on the legal implications of blockchains
Blockchain and the Law: the Rule of Code - Aaron Wright and Primavera De Felipe
Wright and De Felipe explore lex cryptographia and how it offers the opportunity to use technology to serve the same purpose as traditional law. It’s a helpful overview of the entire legal landscape surrounding blockchains, touching everything from DAOs to NFTs, and much more. They also discuss the downsides and attempt to address them. While the space has evolved since this book was published, it is a must for any interested legal mind.
Digital Assets and Blockchain Technology: US Law and Regulation - Daniel T. Stabile, Kimberly A. Prior and Andrew M. Hinkes
Code and Other Laws of Cyberspace - Lawrence Lessig
The Company: A Short History of a Revolutionary Idea by John Micklethwait.
Governing the Commons: The Evolution of Institutions for Collective Action by Elinor Ostrom.
Interesting Stories & Collections
The Book of Satoshi is a collection of the Bitcoin Founders' essential writings, including the Bitcoin White Paper. The book also contains Nakamoto's explanation of how Bitcoin works and a chronologically organized collection of emails and online forum posts by Nakamoto.
The Blocksize War provides a chronology of the most significant events during Bitcoin’s blocksize war, which waged from mid 2015 to late 2017.
Additional recommendations include: Bitcoin Billionaires, The Blue Pill, Daylight Robbery: How Tax Shaped Our Past and Will Change Our Future, and The Internet of Money.
You can find the full list (with more detailed explanations) on the Law of Code website.
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