The Dollar - (The Americas in the World) by Ariel Wilkis & Mariana Luzzi

About the Book

"Originally published in Argentina in 2019 and now finally available in English, Luzzi and Wilkis's acclaimed book traces the history of the economic, social, and political relevance of the dollar in Argentina and its popularization over the years. How did the dollar come to play such a leading role in Argentina's national existence? How and why did this global currency become a local currency on the other end of the Western hemisphere? Through the reconstruction of the social and cultural history of the US dollar in Argentina, Luzzi and Wilkis provide original insight into this sidebar of the dollar's history, showing how it became a 'local' currency even outside its country of origin"--

Book Synopsis

Originally published in Argentina in 2019 and now finally available in English, Luzzi and Wilkis's acclaimed book traces the history of the economic, social, and political relevance of the dollar in Argentina and its popularization over the years.

How did the dollar come to play such a leading role in Argentina's national existence? How and why did this global currency become a local currency on the other end of the Western hemisphere? Through the reconstruction of the social and cultural history of the US dollar in Argentina, Luzzi and Wilkis provide original insight into this sidebar of the dollar's history, showing how it became a "local" currency even outside its country of origin.

Review Quotes

"Argentina is the country with the highest amount of dollar bills per capita outside the United States. Luzzi and Wilkis take the reader into a thrilling examination of how Argentines have experienced the US dollar over almost a century. In the journey, they show how economy, culture, and politics are always intertwined."--Daniel Fridman, author of Freedom from Work: Embracing Financial Self-Help in the United States and Argentina

"In The Dollar, two brilliant analysts team up to offer us a transformative analysis of how money works. Investigating the puzzling local grip of the US dollar in Argentina with fascinating interviews and documentary sources, Luzzi and Wilkis identify compelling historical and social answers. The book marks a new agenda for experts in the analysis of money."--Viviana A. Zelizer, author of Economic Lives: How Culture Shapes the Economy