A Splendid Exchange outlines the history of global trade, revealing how it has enabled the progress of civilization and continues to change the world on a daily basis.

If you take a look at the items in your house, chances are many of them were manufactured on the other side of the globe.

But global trade isn't just a modern phenomenon - in fact, it's as old as civilization itself.

William J. Bernstein is a neurologist, financial advisor, and author of critically acclaimed books such as The Birth of Plenty.

In A Splendid Exchange, Bernstein recounts curious stories from the history of world trade, all while chronologically illustrating its progress.