--- product_id: 1623894 title: "The Reckoning: Financial Accountability and the Rise and Fall of Nations" price: "193.49 DT" currency: TND in_stock: true reviews_count: 12 url: https://www.desertcart.tn/products/1623894-the-reckoning-financial-accountability-and-the-rise-and-fall-nations store_origin: TN region: Tunisia --- # The Reckoning: Financial Accountability and the Rise and Fall of Nations **Price:** 193.49 DT **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** The Reckoning: Financial Accountability and the Rise and Fall of Nations - **How much does it cost?** 193.49 DT with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.tn](https://www.desertcart.tn/products/1623894-the-reckoning-financial-accountability-and-the-rise-and-fall-nations) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description A “brilliant” (Los Angeles Review of Books) history of accounting, showing how financial and political accountability has shaped the rise and fall of nations and empires Whether building a road or fighting a war, leaders from ancient Mesopotamia to the present have relied on financial accounting to track their state's assets and guide its policies. Basic accounting tools such as auditing and double-entry bookkeeping form the basis of modern capitalism and the nation-state. Yet our appreciation for accounting and its formative role throughout history remains minimal at best-and we remain ignorant at our peril. Poor or risky practices can shake, and even bring down, entire societies. In The Reckoning , historian and MacArthur "Genius" Award-winner Jacob Soll presents a sweeping history of accounting, drawing on a wealth of examples from over a millennia of human history to reveal how accounting has shaped kingdoms, empires, and entire civilizations. The Medici family of 15th century Florence used the double-entry method to win the loyalty of their clients, but eventually began to misrepresent their accounts, ultimately contributing to the economic decline of the Florentine state itself. In the 17th and 18th centuries, European rulers shunned honest accounting, understanding that accurate bookkeeping would constrain their spending and throw their legitimacy into question. And in fact, when King Louis XVI's director of finances published the crown's accounts in 1781, his revelations provoked a public outcry that helped to fuel the French Revolution. When transparent accounting finally took hold in the 19th Century, the practice helped England establish a global empire. But both inept and willfully misused accounting persist, as the catastrophic Stock Market Crash of 1929 and the Great Recession of 2008 have made all too clear. A masterwork of economic and political history, and a radically new perspective on the recent past, The Reckoning compels us to see how accounting is an essential instrument of great institutions and nations-and one that, in our increasingly transparent and interconnected world, has never been more vital. Review: A rich history filled with incredible stories and personalities - Picked this up because Soll was my TA in a college course 15 years ago, and I've kept one eye on his writing. Also, as I've gotten older, I've become more interested in understanding why money does what it does, both in my bank account and the nation's. I don't know how many times I've sat across from my accountant, pleading with him to speak English, but as with doctors and car mechanics, that seems not to be one of the options, even when they try. So I had both high and low hopes for "The Reckoning." Both were exceeded, and with real substance and elegance both. I believe any subject can be gripping if the right person tells the right story in the right way, and this story was -- the only word for it is swashbuckling. "The Reckoning" is a rich, rich history, filled with the most incredible stories and personalities, and, ultimately, deep insight into how the world as we know it came into being. Soll is a great writer, a stylist with tremendous personality, and though I don't pretend to be able to evaluate his intellectual arguments, he convinced me that accounting sits at the heart of what modern states have to master in order to prosper and last. Even -- especially -- when you divorce the term from its first association, isn't account-ing -- accountability -- what we lack so dearly from our luminaries and leaders these days? There's a special pleasure to a book masterfully done, especially when you least expected it, especially in a subject you didn't know you cared about. Thumbs up. Review: Excellent read - I saw recommendations for this book online, but admittedly had low expectations when I started reading. A history of accounting sounds fuller than dull. But this book was absolutely great! The author did a terrific job of explaining how accounting has been woven into the cultures of the greatest civilizations and economies throughout history, and also highlights the devastating effects of accounting ignorance. The book has inspired me to try to learn more about accounting principles. ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | #756,554 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #1,379 in Economic History (Books) #2,096 in Accounting (Books) #7,878 in Historical Study (Books) | | Customer Reviews | 4.4 out of 5 stars 142 Reviews | ## Images ![The Reckoning: Financial Accountability and the Rise and Fall of Nations - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71hFFtGkUIL.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A rich history filled with incredible stories and personalities *by V***T on May 26, 2014* Picked this up because Soll was my TA in a college course 15 years ago, and I've kept one eye on his writing. Also, as I've gotten older, I've become more interested in understanding why money does what it does, both in my bank account and the nation's. I don't know how many times I've sat across from my accountant, pleading with him to speak English, but as with doctors and car mechanics, that seems not to be one of the options, even when they try. So I had both high and low hopes for "The Reckoning." Both were exceeded, and with real substance and elegance both. I believe any subject can be gripping if the right person tells the right story in the right way, and this story was -- the only word for it is swashbuckling. "The Reckoning" is a rich, rich history, filled with the most incredible stories and personalities, and, ultimately, deep insight into how the world as we know it came into being. Soll is a great writer, a stylist with tremendous personality, and though I don't pretend to be able to evaluate his intellectual arguments, he convinced me that accounting sits at the heart of what modern states have to master in order to prosper and last. Even -- especially -- when you divorce the term from its first association, isn't account-ing -- accountability -- what we lack so dearly from our luminaries and leaders these days? There's a special pleasure to a book masterfully done, especially when you least expected it, especially in a subject you didn't know you cared about. Thumbs up. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Excellent read *by C***D on August 21, 2018* I saw recommendations for this book online, but admittedly had low expectations when I started reading. A history of accounting sounds fuller than dull. But this book was absolutely great! The author did a terrific job of explaining how accounting has been woven into the cultures of the greatest civilizations and economies throughout history, and also highlights the devastating effects of accounting ignorance. The book has inspired me to try to learn more about accounting principles. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ A good exploration of Accounting *by R***N on November 9, 2014* A good exploration of Accounting, good and bad going back through history, especially the start of Double Entry accounting in the City States of pre-Renaissance Italy. While the author can get pedantic at times, he gives good examples of Accounting done well and gone horribly wrong with disastrous consequences. I would have loved if the Author had explored some of the forces that led to the Lapses in Accounting but even more, the forces that have led to Accountants doing Good, Honest work and were honored for it. The examples given of the Good Accounting in Florence and Holland and their subsequent debacles were good as well as the failure in the Spanish Monarchy. For the reader, its a good primer, a good introduction on the importance of Accounting in Government and Politics but don’t expect more than a good introduction and I think you will be happy with this book. --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.tn/products/1623894-the-reckoning-financial-accountability-and-the-rise-and-fall-nations](https://www.desertcart.tn/products/1623894-the-reckoning-financial-accountability-and-the-rise-and-fall-nations) --- *Product available on Desertcart Tunisia* *Store origin: TN* *Last updated: 2026-09-01*