Double Entry: How the Merchants of Venice Created Modern Finance by Jane Gleeson-White
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
A history of double-entry accounting. Do not be afraid. It is far more enjoyable than you might have thought. Really.
First of all, the history of accounting goes back to the earliest civilizations and may have played a role in the invention of writing. Things really get going in Venice at the start of the Renaissance when the Venetians discover (or possibly borrow from the Arabs) the techniques of double-entry, the form of accounting used all over the world today, for good or ill. Highly recommended. Thanks Lucas!