Brendan Greeley
@bhgreeley.bsky.social
PhD candidate in the history of finance at Princeton. Working on early-modern Atlantic currencies. Writing a trade-press history of the dollar and a dissertation about the guinea. I used to be a journalist. I used to be a lot of things.
Pinned
Brendan Greeley
@bhgreeley.bsky.social
· Aug 10
The Almighty Dollar by Brendan Greeley: 9780593138885 | PenguinRandomHouse.com: Books
In this ambitious and groundbreaking history of the dollar, financial journalist and economic scholar Brendan Greeley makes a new argument about the origins of our money—and the people and nations...
www.penguinrandomhouse.com
I just got a nice note from a stranger saying he'd pre-ordered my book, The Almighty Dollar. That is how I found out my book, The Almighty Dollar, is available for pre-order. Please pre-order my book, The Almighty Dollar. www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/634502...
Dancing Gangnam Style.
What's the most ridiculous way you ever hurt yourself? I got out of the tub, skidded in water and tripped over the toilet. Ankle sprain.
😅
😅
January 6, 2026 at 12:24 AM
Dancing Gangnam Style.
I asked historians for advice on shelving books and this was my fear: there is no trick. It will always be entropy and chaos.
Vaguely by subject but mostly not at all.
January 5, 2026 at 9:55 PM
I asked historians for advice on shelving books and this was my fear: there is no trick. It will always be entropy and chaos.
Bertolt Brecht's Threepenny Opera
January 5, 2026 at 7:44 PM
Bertolt Brecht's Threepenny Opera
Historians: how do you arrange your books on shelves? I have stacks on the floor from a book edit and still some piles from general exams. They all need a home. Thematically, then by author? Just by author, because the themes all bleed together? Is there a masochist out there who uses ISBN?
January 5, 2026 at 7:34 PM
Historians: how do you arrange your books on shelves? I have stacks on the floor from a book edit and still some piles from general exams. They all need a home. Thematically, then by author? Just by author, because the themes all bleed together? Is there a masochist out there who uses ISBN?
Ooh I’ve got a book coming out that’s super helpful on this topic www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/634502...
January 5, 2026 at 6:59 PM
Ooh I’ve got a book coming out that’s super helpful on this topic www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/634502...
Dear internet: I absentmindedly told @lollardfish.bsky.social that Delaware had the northernmost Waffle House. Then he shared it. This was the dumbest of facts: something my roommate believed to be true in the 1990s. This is not how you generate facts! I apologize! It turns out to not be true!
January 5, 2026 at 3:16 AM
Dear internet: I absentmindedly told @lollardfish.bsky.social that Delaware had the northernmost Waffle House. Then he shared it. This was the dumbest of facts: something my roommate believed to be true in the 1990s. This is not how you generate facts! I apologize! It turns out to not be true!
Here is one of my many professional weaknesses: literally every time I write the name, I have to stop to confirm that it's "Irving Fisher" and not "Irving Fischer."
January 3, 2026 at 9:28 PM
Here is one of my many professional weaknesses: literally every time I write the name, I have to stop to confirm that it's "Irving Fisher" and not "Irving Fischer."
Reposted by Brendan Greeley
Of all the ways in which crypto is a scourge, this is the most bonkers.
2025, year when brutal home invasions to steal laptops and crypto wallet passwords surged.
2025, year when brutal home invasions to steal laptops and crypto wallet passwords surged.
Crypto Thieves Move Offline to Terrorize Investors at Home
Rising prices and the irreversible nature of crypto transactions have led to a surge of brutal home invasions and kidnappings.
www.bloomberg.com
January 2, 2026 at 7:43 PM
Of all the ways in which crypto is a scourge, this is the most bonkers.
2025, year when brutal home invasions to steal laptops and crypto wallet passwords surged.
2025, year when brutal home invasions to steal laptops and crypto wallet passwords surged.
A couple months ago I was ridiculed by cryptos for pointing out that bitcoin has storage costs.
"If we cannot hack them, we rob them." Crypto thieves are pursuing investors at home in brutal attacks and kidnappings.
Read The Big Take ⬇️
Read The Big Take ⬇️
Crypto Thieves Move Offline to Terrorize Investors at Home
Rising prices and the irreversible nature of crypto transactions have led to a surge of brutal home invasions and kidnappings.
bloom.bg
January 2, 2026 at 7:37 PM
A couple months ago I was ridiculed by cryptos for pointing out that bitcoin has storage costs.
Reposted by Brendan Greeley
There are precious few organizations, let alone ones that exist in political milieu, that couldn't benefit from reform.
But one shouldn't give succor to those who would throw the baby out with the bathwater.
But one shouldn't give succor to those who would throw the baby out with the bathwater.
As with so much else, Democrats have been suckered into championing an institution that yes, needs protection from the White House but was also already desperately in need of reform www.theatlantic.com/economy/2026...
Trump Almost Has a Point About the Federal Reserve
The central bank has long abused its power in ways that benefit the financial sector at the expense of everyone else.
www.theatlantic.com
January 2, 2026 at 3:40 PM
There are precious few organizations, let alone ones that exist in political milieu, that couldn't benefit from reform.
But one shouldn't give succor to those who would throw the baby out with the bathwater.
But one shouldn't give succor to those who would throw the baby out with the bathwater.
Hey fuck you, watch.
January 2, 2026 at 3:06 PM
Hey fuck you, watch.
Reposted by Brendan Greeley
Part of the continuing series “maybe the big US structural political economy problem is not trade but the intractable dysfunction of nontradeable healthcare, whose extra 5% of GDP share vs. peers is almost as big as defense spending & UST interest payments combined.”
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/02/h...
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/02/h...
With Obamacare’s Higher Premiums Come Difficult Decisions
www.nytimes.com
January 2, 2026 at 2:37 PM
Part of the continuing series “maybe the big US structural political economy problem is not trade but the intractable dysfunction of nontradeable healthcare, whose extra 5% of GDP share vs. peers is almost as big as defense spending & UST interest payments combined.”
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/02/h...
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/02/h...
As with so much else, Democrats have been suckered into championing an institution that yes, needs protection from the White House but was also already desperately in need of reform www.theatlantic.com/economy/2026...
Trump Almost Has a Point About the Federal Reserve
The central bank has long abused its power in ways that benefit the financial sector at the expense of everyone else.
www.theatlantic.com
January 2, 2026 at 2:13 PM
As with so much else, Democrats have been suckered into championing an institution that yes, needs protection from the White House but was also already desperately in need of reform www.theatlantic.com/economy/2026...
Reposted by Brendan Greeley
"Staying would be on overtly political move, one that would buck recent institutional tradition and open the Fed to even greater political criticism. Powell would then be undermining the very institution he was trying to preserve by staying."
I honestly don't get this argument.
I honestly don't get this argument.
January 2, 2026 at 1:41 PM
"Staying would be on overtly political move, one that would buck recent institutional tradition and open the Fed to even greater political criticism. Powell would then be undermining the very institution he was trying to preserve by staying."
I honestly don't get this argument.
I honestly don't get this argument.
You could apply @joshtpm.bsky.social's idea of "escape velocity" to crypto, too. It generated just enough real dollars to become embedded in politics and now law.
January 2, 2026 at 1:31 PM
You could apply @joshtpm.bsky.social's idea of "escape velocity" to crypto, too. It generated just enough real dollars to become embedded in politics and now law.
Dear friends: this feed is about to be entirely dedicated to the ruthless and shameless marketing of The Almighty Dollar. I am told that I am doing it right if by May 19 you are all somewhere between annoyed at me and exhausted by me. www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/634502...
The Almighty Dollar by Brendan Greeley: 9780593138885 | PenguinRandomHouse.com: Books
In this ambitious and groundbreaking history of the dollar, financial journalist and economic scholar Brendan Greeley makes a new argument about the origins of our money—and the people and nations...
www.penguinrandomhouse.com
January 2, 2026 at 12:32 PM
Dear friends: this feed is about to be entirely dedicated to the ruthless and shameless marketing of The Almighty Dollar. I am told that I am doing it right if by May 19 you are all somewhere between annoyed at me and exhausted by me. www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/634502...
Reposted by Brendan Greeley
Two very cool things I learned this year are (a) that I really like audio books; and (b) instead of remembering information based on a mental image of where it was on the page, I “see” it based on where I was when I got to that part of the audiobook.
January 1, 2026 at 7:41 PM
Two very cool things I learned this year are (a) that I really like audio books; and (b) instead of remembering information based on a mental image of where it was on the page, I “see” it based on where I was when I got to that part of the audiobook.
Reposted by Brendan Greeley
American followers can order this now. Out in less than a week.
I’d really appreciate it if they did.
I’d really appreciate it if they did.
January 1, 2026 at 5:16 PM
American followers can order this now. Out in less than a week.
I’d really appreciate it if they did.
I’d really appreciate it if they did.
I did not plan it this way, but I have a book on the dollar coming out on the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution and the whole theme of the book is that the dollar is not in fact 250 years old www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/634502...
The Almighty Dollar by Brendan Greeley: 9780593138885 | PenguinRandomHouse.com: Books
In this ambitious and groundbreaking history of the dollar, financial journalist and economic scholar Brendan Greeley makes a new argument about the origins of our money—and the people and nations...
www.penguinrandomhouse.com
January 1, 2026 at 12:57 PM
I did not plan it this way, but I have a book on the dollar coming out on the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution and the whole theme of the book is that the dollar is not in fact 250 years old www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/634502...
[New Kids On The Block is playing New Year’s Rockin’ Eve]
Me: Kids, these guys are so old one of them is Mark Wahlberg’s older brother.
Kids: Who’s Mark Wahlberg?
Me: Kids, these guys are so old one of them is Mark Wahlberg’s older brother.
Kids: Who’s Mark Wahlberg?
January 1, 2026 at 2:34 AM
[New Kids On The Block is playing New Year’s Rockin’ Eve]
Me: Kids, these guys are so old one of them is Mark Wahlberg’s older brother.
Kids: Who’s Mark Wahlberg?
Me: Kids, these guys are so old one of them is Mark Wahlberg’s older brother.
Kids: Who’s Mark Wahlberg?
The Almighty Dollar is on the FT's What to Read in 2026. Yes, ok, it's on the part of the list reserved for FT writers BUT STILL IT IS WHAT TO READ IN 2026.
www.ft.com/content/5de2...
Links for preorder here: www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/634502...
www.ft.com/content/5de2...
Links for preorder here: www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/634502...
December 31, 2025 at 11:07 PM
The Almighty Dollar is on the FT's What to Read in 2026. Yes, ok, it's on the part of the list reserved for FT writers BUT STILL IT IS WHAT TO READ IN 2026.
www.ft.com/content/5de2...
Links for preorder here: www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/634502...
www.ft.com/content/5de2...
Links for preorder here: www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/634502...
I played poker with Ira Glass at a wedding once and he told me my eyes betrayed only that I was dead inside
Forget insults, what’s the most unhinged *compliment* you’ve ever received?
December 31, 2025 at 9:30 PM
I played poker with Ira Glass at a wedding once and he told me my eyes betrayed only that I was dead inside
Reposted by Brendan Greeley
Historian here 💯I found this out writing my book on abolition, on how respectable historians of all persuasions had made up stuff about abolitionists misquoted and partially quoted them out of context. Quickly realized that I had to go back to the drawing board. As Dad said no short cut to hard work
looking up the source of quotes, whether for a book or a video script, is great for figuring out when a quote everyone "knows" and has repeated for ages is actually just weird bullshit someone else made up
December 26, 2025 at 2:26 PM
Historian here 💯I found this out writing my book on abolition, on how respectable historians of all persuasions had made up stuff about abolitionists misquoted and partially quoted them out of context. Quickly realized that I had to go back to the drawing board. As Dad said no short cut to hard work
Blanc: ...the terminus of gravity's
rainbow.
Marta: Gravity's Rainbow.
Blanc: It's a novel.
Marta: I know. I haven't read it.
Blanc: Neither have I. Nobody has.
Me: I HAVE.
My son: You read it?
Me: I READ IT.
My son: What's it about?
Me: WORLD WAR TWO AND ROCKETS AND LOVE AND... [trails off] stuff
rainbow.
Marta: Gravity's Rainbow.
Blanc: It's a novel.
Marta: I know. I haven't read it.
Blanc: Neither have I. Nobody has.
Me: I HAVE.
My son: You read it?
Me: I READ IT.
My son: What's it about?
Me: WORLD WAR TWO AND ROCKETS AND LOVE AND... [trails off] stuff
December 26, 2025 at 3:07 AM
Blanc: ...the terminus of gravity's
rainbow.
Marta: Gravity's Rainbow.
Blanc: It's a novel.
Marta: I know. I haven't read it.
Blanc: Neither have I. Nobody has.
Me: I HAVE.
My son: You read it?
Me: I READ IT.
My son: What's it about?
Me: WORLD WAR TWO AND ROCKETS AND LOVE AND... [trails off] stuff
rainbow.
Marta: Gravity's Rainbow.
Blanc: It's a novel.
Marta: I know. I haven't read it.
Blanc: Neither have I. Nobody has.
Me: I HAVE.
My son: You read it?
Me: I READ IT.
My son: What's it about?
Me: WORLD WAR TWO AND ROCKETS AND LOVE AND... [trails off] stuff
Happy Holidays, everyone, I'm turning this thing off. My sister just texted to ask what I'm drinking tonight and I hope you have someone to be merry with.
December 23, 2025 at 9:52 PM
Happy Holidays, everyone, I'm turning this thing off. My sister just texted to ask what I'm drinking tonight and I hope you have someone to be merry with.