Blockchain Basics: A Non-Technical Introduction in 25 Steps

I would recommend this book for anyone wanting to know what the blockchain is, how it functions and what areas of society it can be applied to, without the need for too much technical jargon. It is explained in a step by step guide and at the end of every chapter is a summary to cement the details into your mind before you move onto the next step. I wanted to know about the blockchain because of cryptocurrencies, and I can see now why the banks don't want you to get involved in crypto. Why? Because the blockchain will make the banks obsolete, as it will with all businesses providing a middleman service. The blockchain appears to be the next industrial revolution and we are at the starting line. Exciting times.

The content is excellent and I'd give it 5 stars but for the presentation style which is repetitive and annoying. As a person knowing only a little about blockchains this book has provided me with a solid understanding of the building blocks and the issues that need to be overcome to make them"the next best thing since sliced bread" as they seem to be portrayed by many commentators. The book is well set out and covers in a clear and the reasons why block chains exist, how they work and remaining issue but what I found annoying was the structuring within each chapter except for the use of metaphors which are all relevant, easy to relate to and very helpful. The problem is simply one of repetition as what is to be covered is set out at the beginning of the chapter, explained and then repeated in more or less detail twice at the end of the chapter. I ended up missing out these section which made it a quicker and more enjoyable read. A minor irritant was a few typographical errors as well as some odd use of grammar but putting those issue aside I would thoroughly recommend the book to anyone who wants to know about block chains without getting too technical (there are no complex formulae) or getting sucked into the debate about crypto-currencies in general or Bitcoin specifically.

I'm really gutted. I left this book on a train in China and had bought it to accompany me on my trip. I only managed to get half way but I have to give it 5 stars because it is an excellent book. I have spent the last few years on and off reading and buying into cryptocurrency but from the technical aspect, I am a novice. This book helped me to understand so much more than what I have learnt previously. Well written and the analogies used are perfect and well thought out. My only bug bear is the spelling and grammar mistakes but to be honest with you, it is still worth every penny. If you are a novice and are scared about the big world of Crypto and want to understand the basics of how the Blockchain works, buy this book.

Very easy to read, with well chosen metafores and examples, clear explanations that don't go to excessive level of detail, even including an online tool to play with hashing an encryption for the uninitiated in cryptography. Besides explaining the theory, it has interesting insights and analysis about the future and possibilities of the technology, and also the limitations and possible ways to overcome them. It has enough technical stuff to understand why it works and what problem the blockchain solves, but it keeps it to a minimum so any non-technical reader can finish the book without feeling overwhelmed or confused.

This was a hard read. Very convoluted writing.

Anyone looking to get an excellent context on Blockchain can benefit greatly reading this book. It will appeal to both technical and non-technical audiences who are looking to know more about Blockchain as there are no prerequisites required to read this book. The strength of this book is its simplicity and structure – the author introduces topics in a structured and methodical way. Reading this book before diving deep into Blockchain specific technologies will set a very strong context. I enjoyed reading this book – a good weekend read indeed.

My head hurts - and I'm still not sure I fully understand blockchain and it's value. This wasn't the first text I've read on the subject but not far off. It's a good, non-technical introduction, easy to follow in digestible chunks with some appropriate analogies to help you along. It leaves you with a lot of questions but it would be too much to ask one book to answer all possible questions in what appears to be a very fast developing area - and the author is quite clear up-front about the limits of the book. So well worth reading.

Probably the best introduction to blockchain available - well thought out, excellently put together with steps that seamlessly link through from one to another for a complete understanding of blockchain basics - highly recommended for anybody wondering what it's all about. Quite technical in parts, but you don't need a degree in computing to understand it and it's all expressed in easy to follow, easy to understand terms. I bought a number of books on blockchain - this is my personal favourite.