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Speculator (High Ground) Paperback – September 27, 2016
Doug Casey (Author) Find all the books, read about the author, and more. See search results for this author |
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"Halfway between Frederick Forsyth's Dogs of War and Ayn Rand's Fountainhead. The gold mine in the jungle, the mercenaries, and the child soldiers keep you turning the pages. A morality tale with modern twists." —John Mackey (Founder, Whole Foods Market and author of Conscious Capitalism)
The greatest gold discovery in history draws a young Charles Knight to West Africa, where he unearths deception, violence, and romance. Xander Winn—a Dutchman on his own mission—mentors Charles on his voyage into the world of speculation and African politics. But a psychopathic rebel leader, the purveyors of a six-billion-dollar fraud, a team of mercenaries bent on early retirement, and the US government all get in his way.
Everyone wants him dead. But Charles plans to strike it rich.
ADVANCE PRAISE FOR SPECULATOR
"Speculator uses the cover of a thrilling tale of international intrigue to provide an economic and moral defense of the much-maligned speculator and an economic and moral condemnation of those who profit via force and fraud. Doug Casey and John Hunt have provided an invaluable service to those looking for unique ways to spread the ideas of liberty." —Dr. Ron Paul
"Speculator may prove to be the first in a new genre of fiction. Give this book to all your friends and enemies." —John Hart (Author of Redemption Road)
"Adventure... intrigue... philosophy... politics... you'll find it all in this fast-paced novel from Doug Casey and John Hunt. Most important, you'll find thoughts — the kind of thoughts that will make you think too." —Bill Bonner (Author of Empire of Debt and Mobs, Messiahs, and Markets)
"Speculator will keep you thinking long past the conclusion and for years to come."—Robert Ringer (Author of Looking Out for #1 and Winning Through Intimidation)
"Speculator is a roller-coaster lesson on the arcane world of gold-mine investing. An African revolution, massive fraud with massive profits and losses—the novel is such fun you don't notice how much you are learning. But, mostly, it is a good read with a unique protagonist." —Wendy McElroy (Author of Liberty for Women)
"Move over John Galt and Humphrey Bogart, Speculator has created an old-fashioned hero with contemporary style and sex appeal. Expert cicerones lead us through the dark world of African mining and international finance. It is a riveting tale, perfect for a day at the beach or a long-winter's-night read. Pure gold." —Richard Harteis (Author of Marathon and Publishing Director of Poets-Choice.com)
"Passionately pointed and provocative."—David Brin (Author of Earth and The Postman)
"Speculator combines the fast-paced action of a Dirk Pitt adventure story with the cerebral message of an Ayn Rand novel. The authors' knowledge of how markets, mining, and governments work is impressive, yet the book reads like a day at the beach. Crisp, intelligent, and witty, this new adventure series might even out-Rand Rand." —Jo Ann Skousen (Professor of English Literature, Chapman University)
- Print length442 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- Publication dateSeptember 27, 2016
- Dimensions6 x 1 x 9 inches
- ISBN-100985933259
- ISBN-13978-0985933258
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Editorial Reviews
Review
"Speculator uses the cover of a thrilling tale of international intrigue to provide an economic and moral defense of the much-maligned speculator and an economic and moral condemnation of those who profit via force and fraud. Doug Casey and John Hunt have provided an invaluable service to those looking for unique ways to spread the ideas of liberty." --Dr. Ron Paul
"Halfway between Frederick Forsyth's Dogs of War and Ayn Rand's Fountainhead. The gold mine in the jungle, the mercenaries, and the child soldiers keep you turning the pages. A morality tale with modern twists." --John Mackey (Founder, Whole Foods Market and author of Conscious Capitalism)
"Speculator may prove to be the first in a new genre of fiction. Give this book to all your friends and enemies." --John Hart (Author of Redemption Road)
"Speculator will keep you thinking long past the conclusion and for years to come."--Robert Ringer (Author of Looking Out for #1 and Winning Through Intimidation)
"Speculator is a roller-coaster lesson on the arcane world of gold-mine investing. An African revolution, massive fraud with massive profits and losses--the novel is such fun you don't notice how much you are learning. But, mostly, it is a good read with a unique protagonist." --Wendy McElroy (Author of Liberty for Women)
"Move over John Galt and Humphrey Bogart, Speculator has created an old-fashioned hero with contemporary style and sex appeal. Expert cicerones lead us through the dark world of African mining and international finance. It is a riveting tale, perfect for a day at the beach or a long-winter's-night read. Pure gold." --Richard Harteis (Author of Marathon and Publishing Director of Poets-Choice.com)
"Passionately pointed and provocative."--David Brin (Author of Earth and The Postman)
"Speculator combines the fast-paced action of a Dirk Pitt adventure story with the cerebral message of an Ayn Rand novel. The authors' knowledge of how markets, mining, and governments work is impressive, yet the book reads like a day at the beach. Crisp, intelligent, and witty, this new adventure series might even out-Rand Rand." --Jo Ann Skousen (Professor of English Literature, Chapman University)
The book's philosophical revelations, smoothly weaved into the fabric of the action and adventure, give it the sort of credentials you might find in a novel by Ayn Rand. That makes it the sort of book that will not only keep you up late at night--I read it in just a couple of sittings, which I almost never do--but that you'll want to share with people you care about, especially children and grandchildren. --David Galland, The Passing Parade.
"Doug Casey and John Hunt have delivered a thumping good adventure yarn, while simultaneously teaching a master class on how to navigate the high-risk/high-reward junior mining industry. This is more than a classic action novel. Speculator is an instruction manual on how to live a virtuous and productive life in the modern age."--Kevin Virgil, Editor, Frontera News
"Many of the important questions facing society today are also dealt with in this novel. Speculator is a suspenseful, well-written novel--and, more importantly, one that will make you stop and think."--Al Korelin, Host, The Korean Report
"Doug brings the clear writing style that made him a bestselling investment author to fiction. Speculator is a page-turner, full of knowledge and insights that Doug Casey and his coauthor, John Hunt, have learned from real-world speculations and travels around the globe. The book rings true because they have lived the life."--Adrian Day, author of Investing in Resources, Chairman, Adrian Day Asset Management
"A well-written and exciting adventure for intelligent people. In the confrontation between the peaceful and creative persons, and those whose actions embrace violence, fraud, and other forms of dishonesty, this novel provides a microcosm of a world that reaches far beyond the African continent where it is set. It is a really good book!"--Butler Shaffer, author of Calculated Chaos
"Speculator is a terrific book. A gripping adventure story played out in a dramatic setting. It is also a smart and thoughtful book that is brimming with interesting facts and asking important philosophical questions."--Mark Ford, New York Times bestselling author, Editor, Creating Wealth.
"At last! A Harry Potter for adults! A double-deceptive conclusion leaves you eager for the next book to see where Charles Knight will take you!" --Thea Alexander, bestselling author of 2150 AD
"Speculator is a wild ride, a philosophy in action tour de force that both excites the reader and invites him to examine all he thought he knew about the nature of man and the state. Casey and Hunt's vivid prose draws us in, while their unforgettable turns of phrase cement themselves in our mind. Speculator is a must read for anyone seeking to better understand the world around them and, by extension, their own place in it. Highly recommended." --Joel Bowman, Editor, Truth and Plenty
"Finally, a work that fuses sound, consistent philosophy with a highly readable, action-packed story. Against a landscape of artless fiction and stale, trite philosophies, Casey offers a refreshing perspective as only he can." --Anya Leonard, Editor, Classical Wisdom
"I expect Speculator will become a timeless classic. If you thought Atlas Shrugged was good, Speculator will blow you away." --Nick Giambruno, Senior Editor, InternationalMan.com
"Along come Doug Casey and John Hunt with their fantastic, riveting story, Speculator. Just as I could not put down Atlas Shrugged until I finished it, I simply was glued to my screen until I found out every jot and tittle of what happened to Charles Knight.This really is a magnificent novel." --Walter Block, PhD, Professor of Economics, Loyola University, author of Defending the Undefendable
"All too often in the world, fortunes are made and lost less by the genius of entrepreneurs than by the caprice of those who stifle, connive, and repress. Casey and Hunt weave a fine tale of a young man in search of success, but who must confront power and corruption along the way. The story entertains the reader while the lessons that emerge, both moral and economic, educate in profoundly important ways." --Lawrence W. Reed, President, Foundation for Economic Education (FEE).
"Savvy and searing, Speculator is a triumphant re-ascent of Atlas, reversing the Shrug and reentering the Randian arena with neurons ablaze. It fulfills Rand's promise of a new heroic literature of liberty and enterprise and extends Doug Casey's mastery of investment amid the hooks and spikes of the new global leviathan."--George Gilder, Futurist, International bestselling author of The Scandal of Money
"Speculator offers the entertainment value of a good old American thriller: fast-paced, page-turning and addictive, with twists and surprises, packed with action, danger and adventure in the heart of the African bush. It has all the ingredients one needs in order to spend an enjoyable evening at home, with a good book and a brandy. It also provides a crash course in classical liberalism, in real-life economics and ethics. Ultimately, the added value of the book lies in the challenge it poses to conventional thinking and to the cookie-cutter moral values, predetermined and delivered to us from above."--Nat Vein, Gold and Liberty
"SPECULATOR was the most satisfying read I have had in years. I enjoy thrillers, but they are usually missing the true liberty perspective. Casey and Hunt bring brilliant arguments for individual sovereignty to a genuine page-turner. I am sharing this with my friends and to our network. I can hardly wait for Book 2." -- Foster Gamble, Thrive Movie and Movement
"Speculator can be read on a number of different levels. It's simultaneously a great adventure story - complete with death, love, and suspense, - a useful guide to speculation, and a philosophical commentary on some of the most important social topics of our world. Read Speculator, and no matter what you take from it, I guarantee you will be entertained."--Brian Leni, Junior Stock Review
From the Inside Flap
Join Charles Knight on his quest to live a good life, an exotic life, a life of adventure. It all starts with Speculator.
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Product details
- Publisher : HighGround Books (September 27, 2016)
- Language : English
- Paperback : 442 pages
- ISBN-10 : 0985933259
- ISBN-13 : 978-0985933258
- Item Weight : 1.29 pounds
- Dimensions : 6 x 1 x 9 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #530,424 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #7,854 in Mystery Action & Adventure
- #11,203 in Thriller & Suspense Action Fiction
- Customer Reviews:
About the authors
JOHN HUNT, MD, is a compulsive entrepreneur, libertarian, pediatric pulmonologist/ allergist/immunologist, father, and author.
DOUG CASEY, world-renowned speculator and libertarian philosopher, wrote the definitive book on profiting from periods of economic turmoil, Crisis Investing, a #1 New York Times bestseller. His most recent releases, Totally Incorrect (2012) and Right on the Money (2013), continue his mission of challenging statism and advocating liberty and free markets. He has been a guest on hundreds of radio and TV shows, including David Letterman and Charlie Rose, and has been featured in publications such as Time, Forbes, People, and the Washington Post. Founder of Casey Research, he is a regular keynote speaker at FreedomFest, the world’s largest gathering of libertarians and like-minded thinkers. He currently spends most of his time in Argentina and Uruguay, as well as traveling to various dysfunctional hellholes.
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Reviewed in the United States on November 5, 2020
Top reviews from the United States
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I was lucky enough to purchase an advance copy of this book in July, and I pre-ordered the Kindle version so that I could make it a permanent part of my digital library, accessible to my college-aged kids for whom it is now required reading. Technical elements such as dialogue and character development are superb, and I can't wait to see how the heroes and villains develop in the planned sequels. Over two months after my first reading, I am still thinking about the themes that resonate throughout this book. I recommend it without reservation. Few novels have the potential to be life-changing vehicles, but this is one of them.
Like Rand’s “Atlas Shrugged,” “Speculator” includes occasional philosophical and economic lectures. They short, not at all preachy, and tied to the story. Fortunately, there is no counterpart to Galt’s overlong and repetitive speech in Atlas.
I should add that as a long-time libertarian, I find that these ideas go down easy even though I can’t swallow 100% of Casey’s anarcho-capitalism. That’s just too far over the horizon for me; I have to stop at 95%. That’s more than enough for hearty cheers for “Speculator.” Non-libertarian readers may have a hard time with his positions (“who will take care of the poor,” etc. etc.) but if they are paying attention they will have to think hard about what Doug Casey and co-author John Hunt have to say.
The action is fast-paced, salted with appropriate doses of sex and violence. The authors seem to know well the West African territory where most of the action takes place. And they understand all too well how our “democratic” institutions function in the U.S., particularly the IRS and the SEC. They don’t have to tell us these are corrupt organizations, they show us.
Highly recommended!

By Warren C. Gibson on November 4, 2020
Like Rand’s “Atlas Shrugged,” “Speculator” includes occasional philosophical and economic lectures. They short, not at all preachy, and tied to the story. Fortunately, there is no counterpart to Galt’s overlong and repetitive speech in Atlas.
I should add that as a long-time libertarian, I find that these ideas go down easy even though I can’t swallow 100% of Casey’s anarcho-capitalism. That’s just too far over the horizon for me; I have to stop at 95%. That’s more than enough for hearty cheers for “Speculator.” Non-libertarian readers may have a hard time with his positions (“who will take care of the poor,” etc. etc.) but if they are paying attention they will have to think hard about what Doug Casey and co-author John Hunt have to say.
The action is fast-paced, salted with appropriate doses of sex and violence. The authors seem to know well the West African territory where most of the action takes place. And they understand all too well how our “democratic” institutions function in the U.S., particularly the IRS and the SEC. They don’t have to tell us these are corrupt organizations, they show us.
Highly recommended!

The premise of the book was interesting; the story was entertaining, but there were scenes, more graphic than I care for, that were intended to be titillating. So I don't highly recommend the book. If you don't mind or even like that type of thing, there is much that may be learned from Doug Casey. For many it will seem like Mr. Casey has turned the world upside down, but I think he got it pretty straight.
Top reviews from other countries

It was a pleasure to read this book and it is without a doubt one of the best books I have ever read - this includes fiction and non-fiction!
The length was perfect at about 400 pages and the story intertwined with the real life knowledge and experience to be earned from reading this book is unrivaled in my opinion. However, I am biased as I have read every single book Doug has ever written a number of times, although its hard not to stay objective after reading this.
Great characters, including my new hero, Charles Knight, flow through the novel. It took me a few days to read it as I had to make so many notes on the key ideas in this book. There are so many accurate observations of how the world works and not how we think it should work.
As an avid speculator myself, I feel this has catapulted me to the next level of understanding the benefits of adventure and making the most of your life.
You will not be disappointed by reading this book and I cannot wait for the next one.



