The name of the book A Tryst With Money catches one’s interest even before one begins reading it. The word “tryst” is normally used for a meeting between lovers and is a synonym of rendezvous. Using it in the context of money makes it very interesting and novel.It tells us that this is not going to be just an ordinary description of the evolution and rise of money .
It promises to take us much deeper into the relationship that human beings have had with money and how this relationship has always been facing the danger of money becoming the more powerful and dominant partner, making the human being seem insignificant.This is indeed like a meeting between two lovers where a lot of dark and deep secrets are shared and understood !
Samar Vijay’s book is surely about money. However,it has several layers to it that slowly get revealed before the unsuspecting reader. Psychology, History, Sociology, Geography ,Economics and Politics-all of these, and perhaps some more subjects, are dwelt upon by the author while he takes us on this fascinating journey of money.
How money has acquired a personality and power of its own over the centuries is an important theme of the work along with other themes including the origins of money ,the evolution of coins and paper currency, the beginnings of the banking system and how money came to be linked with power.
Despite the seriousness of the subject, the book is a page-turner as it uses a narrative style that is easy on the eyes as well as on the mind. Never does it once occur to the reader that this is a book in which the protagonist is an apparently dead commodity called money. This happens because the author’s innovative imagination develops money as a character which sounds quite smart and with a definite life of its own. He reveals to us ,one after the other ,the various dimensions of this mysterious thing called money .The manner in which the story of money is told by Samar Vijay is extremely gripping and enjoyable.
The author told The Pioneer that he enjoys writing about Finance and through his findings and experiences, he wanted readers also to enjoy and feel equally excited about it. “How money has moved from one era to another and changed the whole experience of this world is expressed in my book with examples inspired from common incidents of life. I am sure that readers will feel the same connect with my story while learning more about money” , he said.
Almost all aspects of human life have been deftly woven into the narrative making the book rise above the confines of a specific and difficult subject namely finance. In a rather long “Preface” the author gives us a detailed backdrop of the concepts and thoughts he would expand upon in this book. As in the book, so in the Preface , we get the hint that the way things are going on in the world., the scenario is loaded with negative possibilities as far as money’s role in our lives is concerned. We are driven too much by it.
“Unless you know the art to identify the trick ,money will force you to think exactly what it wants you to ,and then you are part of its vicious swirl,getting out of which is close to impossible.” And be warned, says the author, money “disguises itself as a friendly pal ,across generations”, playing hide and seek —“this is the reason money almost always comes with a strategy to beat us at our game. “ The author challenges , in various ways, the “tyranny” of money.
Subjects like the barter system, security, insurance, debt, taxes ,black money, bank failures ,stocks and shares, the rich and poor divide, recession and alternate currencies are dealt with smoothly using a prose that is seamless and lucid. The human aspect of these subjects is highlighted and simple stories from everyday life are used to clarify and explain them. Difficult and high-sounding technical words have been avoided by the author making the book of interest to a wide range of readers .
The conclusion again reiterates the message that grave disasters await humanity due to unrestrained application of money. “We have lost our right to drinking fresh water to corporates who have overtaken its supply…. Soon ,breathing fresh air will also become expensive.” The last paragraph of the book talks of the time when the human race will be exhausted and wonder how it came to where it will be. The voice against unrestrained application of money is growing, says the author.
We can confidently say that “A Tryst With Money” is one such voice. It makes the reader introspect while it also gives him detailed information about the way in which money came to have a place in our lives, over the centuries.It is truly “an account of our journey with money to an unknown destination” as says the complete title of the book. Samar Vijay is a finance professional, engineer, author and a gentleman of music. The book has been designed and produced by Matrix Publishers and published by Investcare.