
Tower of Basel
The Shadowy History of the Secret Bank that Runs the World
$29.75
- Paperback
416 pages
- Release Date
1 December 2026
Summary
The Bank for International Settlements is the bank for central banks. It is one of the world’s most secretive and most influential global financial institutions.
Created by the governors of the Bank of England and the Reichsbank in 1930 and protected by an international treaty, the BIS and its assets are untouchable, legally beyond the reach of any government or jurisdiction. In the 1940s, under the supervision of an American banker, the BIS accepted looted Nazi gold, conducted deals …
Book Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781541706217 |
|---|---|
| ISBN-10: | 1541706218 |
| Author: | Adam LeBor |
| Publisher: | PublicAffairs,U.S. |
| Imprint: | PublicAffairs,U.S. |
| Format: | Paperback |
| Number of Pages: | 416 |
| Release Date: | 1 December 2026 |
| Dimensions: | 135mm x 216mm |

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Critics Review
“Tower of Basel is essential reading. Meticulously researched and fluently written, it reveals a slice of the modern world’s untold history–a gripping tale of covert networks, secret deals and unaccountable, powerful individuals whose decisions shape our lives.”–Edward Lucas, author of Deception: The Untold Story of East-West Espionage Today
”[Lebor] does a creditable job in this well-researched account.“–New York Times Book Review
“Adam LeBor has written an absolutely fascinating history of the BIS, perhaps the most enigmatic financial institution in the world. The story he unveils of the many skeletons in its closet and its astounding ability to remake itself periodically only add to its mystique.”–Liaquat Ahamed, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Lords of Finance: The Bankers Who Broke the World
“Adam LeBor’s Tower of Basel: The Shadowy History of the Secret Bank That Runs the World makes a strident case for challenging these financial shamans [central bankers] … Mr. LeBor’s polemical tone makes his book compelling … It’s a very ugly picture, and Mr. LeBor has painted it well.”–Wall Street Journal
“An absorbing and thorough examination of one of the world’s most important yet opaque institutions.”–Reuters
“Compelling reading–a masterly depiction of the role of the BIS in the Nazi period and Second World War.”–Harold James, professor of history and international affairs, Princeton University, and author of Making the European Monetary Union
“It’s a story of financial intrigue, secrets and lies, rumor and truth. LeBor, a business journalist (he’s also the author of several thrillers), knows how to make a true story about finance as thrilling as any spy novel. A highly entertaining and informative book about the most powerful bank you’ve probably never heard of.”–Booklist
“Lebor exposes the wheeling, dealing, and often nefarious activities of global investment bankers…Lively… The historical and contemporary power of the secretive BIS will surprise and alarm readers.”–Publishers Weekly
Adam LeBor
Adam LeBor is a veteran former foreign correspondent who lived in Budapest for many years, reporting on Hungary and Central Europe for newspapers including The Times (London), The Independent, and The Economist. The author of seven novels and nine works of nonfiction, he also writes for the Financial Times and The Critic. He divides his time between London and Budapest.
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